John Thomas Harris
| John Thomas Harris | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 7th district |
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In office March 4, 1873 – March 3, 1881 |
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| Preceded by | Elliott M. Braxton |
| Succeeded by | John Paul |
| Chairman of the Committee on Revision of Laws | |
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In office March 4, 1879 – March 3, 1881 |
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| Preceded by | William Walsh |
| Succeeded by | William C. Oates |
| Chairman of the Committee on Elections | |
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In office March 4, 1875 – March 3, 1879 |
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| Preceded by | Horace B. Smith |
| Succeeded by | William M. Springer |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 6th district |
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In office March 4, 1871 – March 3, 1873 |
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| Preceded by | William Milnes, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Whitehead |
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Rockingham County | |
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In office 1863–1865 Alongside James Kenney |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Virginia's 9th district |
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In office March 4, 1859 – March 3, 1861 |
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| Preceded by | John Letcher |
| Succeeded by | Rees Bowen |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
May 8, 1823 Browns Gap, Virginia |
| Died | October 14, 1899 (aged 76) Harrisonburg, Virginia |
| Political party | Independent Democrat, Democrat |
| Profession | Politician, Lawyer, Judge |
John Thomas Harris (May 8, 1823 – October 14, 1899) was a nineteenth-century politician, lawyer and judge from Virginia. He often referred to after the American Civil War as "Judge Harris", even after his election to Congress. He was the first cousin of John Hill.
Born in Browns Gap, Virginia, Harris completed academic studies and studied law.
Admitted to the bar in 1845, Harris began his legal practice in Harrisonburg, Virginia. He was elected the commonwealth attorney for Rockingham County, Virginia and served from 1852 to 1859.
He won election as an Independent Democrat to the United States House of Representatives in 1858, serving from 1859 to 1861. He ran for reelection, but the seat was terminated from Congress due to Virginia's secession from the Union on April 17, 1861. Harris initially vehemently opposed secession, including in a large political rally in Rockbridge, but George Deneale took the opposite position, and Harris later lobbied voters to elect delegates who would allow a referendum on secession, which passed nearly unanimously in the county.
Rockbridge voters elected Harris to the Virginia House of Delegates, and served from 1863 to 1865.
After the war's end, Harris became judge of the twelfth judicial circuit of Virginia from 1866 to 1869. He became known for his "frank and manly" acceptance of the war's results, including his charge to the grand jury on May 11, 1867, exhorting members to do their duty "without fear or favor."
Upon Virginia's adopting a new Constitution which forbad slavery and thus allowed its readmission to the Union in 1869, and restoration of civil rights to Confederate officials, Harris ran for the House of Representatives at a special election held in July, 1869, but lost.
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