Albert Wynne Harris (Nashville, TN)

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Albert W. Harris (date unknown)

Albert Wynne Harris (July 13, 1839 – July 23, 1898)

Biography

  • Name: Albert Wynne Harris
  • Birth: July 13, 1839 Nashville, TN
  • Death: July 23, 1898 Nashville, TN
  • Fannie Agnes (Wilson) Harris (1841-1899) (m.1867)

Albert Wynne Harris was born in Nashville, Tennessee, on July 13, 1839 to William O. and Frances A. (Bartee) Wilson. Albert received his primary and secondary education locally, and attended the University of Nashville. His first employment was as a salesman for a wholesale shoe company located in Memphis, Tennessee. By 1860, he had returned to Nashville and was working as a clerk, according to the city directory.

On May 10, 1861, he volunteered with Company A of the First Tennessee Infantry Regiment and entered the Civil War at Camp Harris, Tennessee. In April of 1862 he was detached and transferred to work for Brigadier General George Maney as a clerk in the Adjutant General office of Benjamin F. Cheatham's division. He was promoted to Major on January 9, 1864, and transferred to the ordnance department under a Colonel Wright and spent the remainder of the war in this position. He was paroled in the summer of 1865.

After the war he went to Mississippi where he managed a plantation. He returned to Nashville and on November 19, 1867 he married Fannie Agnes Wilson. He went to work at the Third National Bank of Nashville, charter 1296, as a clerk and worked his way up through the various clerical and teller positions. He was promoted to Assistant Cashier in 1879. In 1882, he was also elected Director of the Cumberland Iron Works, in Nashville. On May 31, 1883, he was elected Cashier of the Third National Bank, but it was not to be a long assignment.

The American National Bank of Nashville, charter 3032, was organized in the spring of 1883. Albert was part of the organizing group of respected Nashville businessmen, and he subscribed to the stock offering. On June 24, 1883, he resigned as Cashier of Third National and was elected as Cashier of American National. Third National attempted to lure him back with the promise of increased compensation, but Albert told his old boss that if he were to return, he would do so for the same pay. He did not go back. American National opened for business on September 1, 1883, with Albert W. Harris as Cashier.

On February 18, 1884, a merger was announced between the Third National Bank and the American National Bank. Albert was elected Cashier of the now much larger American National Bank of Nashville. The stresses of running a large bank did not set well on Albert's health. It is probable that he contracted hypertension, and in the summer of 1892 he suffered an event that today we would describe as an ischemic stroke. He decided to take a vacation abroad, to help relax his mind and body.

In the summer of 1893, there was a bank panic across the United States. The Second National Bank of Nashville, charter 771, closed on March 25, 1893, and did not reopen. The Commercial National Bank of Nashville, charter 3228, closed on March 27, 1893. This led to panic runs on the other Nashville banks. American National placed stacks of money in the front window to assure panicked depositors that their money was safe. Albert had returned earlier from his extended vacation, and American National survived the panic.

Albert's health continued to decline due to the stress of his work. On Saturday morning, July 23, 1898, he came into work as usual. He then suffered a bout of extreme coughing, which rendered him unconscious. Before the doctor could arrive, Albert passed away at his bank. His death was recorded as due to arteriosclerosis, but it was most likely another stroke. He was buried in Mt. Olivet Cemetery, in Nashville.

Bank Officer Summary

During his banking career, A. W. Harris was involved with the following bank(s):


(There are currently no known notes signed by Albert Harris)


References

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