Arthur C. Harman (March 6, 1854 – June 15, 1927) was an American businessman and Democratic politician who served in both houses of the Virginia General Assembly, representing the state capital of Richmond.

Arthur C. Harman
Member of the Virginia Senate
from the 38th district
In office
January 13, 1904 – January 12, 1916
Serving with George Wayne Anderson
Elben C. Folkes
Preceded byD. Gardiner Tyler
Succeeded byLouis O. Wendenburg
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Richmond City
In office
December 4, 1901 – January 12, 1904
Serving with L.T. Christian, Elben C. Folkes, S.L. Kelley, Charles M. Wallace, Jr.
Preceded byJohn E. Epps
Succeeded byEdwin P. Cox
Personal details
Born
Arthur C. Harman

(1854-03-06)March 6, 1854
Staunton, Virginia, U.S.
DiedJune 15, 1927(1927-06-15) (aged 73)
Richmond, Virginia, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseRachel Primrose Cochran
Alma materVirginia Military Institute

Early and family life edit

Born in Staunton, Virginia to then-Commonwealth's attorney (prosecutor) William Henry Harman and his wife, the former Margaret Susan Garber. His family had a tradition of military service, from his great-great grandfathers John Cunningham and George Moffett during the American Revolutionary War. His father served in the Virginia militia and U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War. During the American Civil War his father became an officer in the Virginia militia and Confederate States Army, helped to seize the Harpers Ferry arsenal and later died at the Battle of Waynesboro. Three uncles also served as Confederate officers, two under CSA General Stonewall Jackson; his uncle CSA Lt. L.T. Harman died of typhoid fever in the conflict. His other uncles became prominent in rebuilding Virginia's railroads. Harman would graduate from the Virginia Military Institute in 1874.

In 1891, Harman married Rachel Primrose Cochran, also of Staunton, and they had a daughter, Margaret Harman Moore (1894-1919)[1]

Career edit

The Harmans made Richmond their home, where A.C. Harman had a career in real estate. He also become president of the board of directors of the Virginia Penitentiary.[2]

Following adoption of the Virginia Constitution of 1901 by the General Assembly without a referendum, Harman ran as a Democrat (and member of the Martin organization, later the Byrd Organization) to represent the City of Richmond in the Virginia House of Delegates. He won one of five seats allocated to the city, as one of three new delegates, veterans Elben C. Folkes and S.L. Kelley winning re-election.[3][4] In 1903, voters elected Harman and George Wayne Anderson as the City of Richmond's two part-time representatives in the Virginia Senate (and five different men to represent them in the House of Delegates). Elben C. Folkes would replace Anderson as the other Richmond state senator in 1908, then James E. Cannon replaced Folkes in 1914[5] By 1922, senators elected their former fellow Harman to be their sergeant at arms.

Death edit

Arthur C. Harman died on June 15, 1927.

References edit

  1. ^ findagrave no. 29033129
  2. ^ Register of Former Cadets, centennial edition, (Lexington: Virginia Military Institute 1939)
  3. ^ Cynthia Miller Leonard, The Virginia General Assembly 1619-1978 (Richmond: Virginia State Library 1978) p.578
  4. ^ Swem, Earl G. (1918). Register of the General Assembly of Virginia, 1776–1918. Richmond: Virginia State Library. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  5. ^ Leonard pp. 584, 589, 594, 603, 607

External links edit

  • Arthur C. Harman at The Virginia Elections and State Elected Officials Database Project, 1776-2007