LIFE OF EDDIE HARRISON REMEMBERED BY WASHINGTON CO. COMMISSIONERS
The life and legacy of a local veteran, humanitarian and historian was remembered on Tuesday by Washington County Commissioners.
Dr. Tina Henderson, chair of the Texas Ten Historical Explorers, presented a tribute to the late Eddie Harrison in honor of his contributions to Brenham and Washington County. Harrison, who died in November 2020, served over 30 years in the U.S. Army and was a Buffalo Soldier. He was also a Brenham Municipal Court judge and Washington County extension agent, and was heavily involved with the preservation of local history, including the rehabilitation and historical designation of Camptown Cemetery.
Dr. Henderson said Harrison knew something about everything, and was always glad to share some of his knowledge.
Dr. Henderson said the Texas Ten Historical Explorers, founded in 2017 by Harrison and other historians, work to research, write and share untold stories of African Americans, particularly those from the early years of Washington County.
The group has set up the Judge Eddie E. Harrison Memorial Fund, which will support the complete archiving of his books and artifacts he collected through over 70 years of history exploration. The fund will also assist with the acquisition of a long-term facility to store them, as she said they currently fill a house and two barns. In addition, the fund will help to digitize his book collection, create a lending system to track any artifacts loaned to museums or for presentations, and continue educating the community.
Commissioners thanked the organization for their efforts to preserve history and shared memories of their time with Harrison. County Judge John Durrenberger said everyone was a friend to Harrison, and that he never turned down anyone who needed help. Commissioner Joy Fuchs said Harrison was “a mentor to many of us,” while Commissioner Don Koester said it was an honor to know him. Commissioner Candice Bullock said he had a dedication to history, and Commissioner Kirk Hanath said he made Washington County better at every single level.