John W. Harrison
1820-June 13, 1892
Buchanan Record (Buchanan, Berrien Co., MI), Thursday, June 16, 1892, page 2, col. 2
JOHN W. HARRISON, a prominent character among the colored people of Michigan, dropped dead of apoplexy, at his home in this place, Monday morning. Mr. Harrison was born in Kentucky, and while he was never a slave, saw enough of that institution to cause him to work early and late against it. For a number of years he was one of the engineers on the famous “underground railroad,” so well known to those who remember the old slave-hunting times. He had charge of the section leading from Niles to Edwardsburg, and has helped many a fleeing slave that far on his way to freedom in Canada. He was 72 years of age. The remains were taken to Niles, yesterday afternoon, for burial.
Also
“In the year 1857, M.W. 1857, John G. Britton, Grand Master of the State of Indiana granted a dispensation to his Deputy Grand Master, John W. Harrison and a group of masons residing in the City of Niles, Michigan to open the first lodge of colored masons in this State, To be known as Harrison Lodge, U.D. which was granted a charter January 13, 1859;” From “A Condensed Hisotry of the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Michigan”, by Past Grand Master Elmer W. Wallace.