Born April 23, 1843, on a farm near Zanesville, Ohio. In 1853 he came with his parents to Wapello County, where the family located on a farm one and one half miles south of Ottumwa. He attended the country schools and worked on the farm until 1862, when he enlisted as a corporal in Company B, Thirty-sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. In June, 1863, he was commissioned second lieutenant in the Forty-sixth United States Colored infantry, later being promoted to first lieutenant and captain in the same regiment. Captain Harper was mustered out in February, 1866, after serving three years and seven months in the army. On his return from the army Captain Harper began work for the hardware firm of Henry & Haw and continued with them until 1869 when with Timothy Egan he engaged in the hardware business under the firm name of Egan & Harper. In 1873 this firm suffered loss of its stock by fire and in the same year reengaged in business and purchased the stock of their competitors, Daggett & Edgerly, Mr. Edgerly remaining with the new firm, known as Egan, Harper & Company. In 1875, Mr. Edgerly sold his interest to E. A. Chambers, and the firm became Harper, Chambers & Company, and in 1876 started in the wholesale business. In 1881 the business was enlarged and Frank Mclntire and R. C. Wilson entered the firm. In the same year the company suffered another loss by fire. In I892, Mr. Chambers retired from the business, and the firm became Harper & Mclntire Company. During his entire life Captain Harper was an enterprising and public-spirited citizen. He gave liberally of both his time and money to further all public enterprises. He was a loyal believer in Ottumwa's future as an industrial and manufacturing center and lost no opportunity to promote the interests of his city or state. Captain Harper was a member of the board of directors of the Young Men's Christian Association, the Open Door Mission, the Ottumwa Cemetery Association and Parsons College of Fairfield, Iowa, and was an elder in the First Presbyterian church of Ottumwa. He had previously served on the Ottumwa board of education and the board of the Ottumwa Public Library, and was formerly president of the Mississippi & Missouri Valley Hardware Association. After serving as commander of Cloutman Post, No. 69, G. A. R. Captain Harper was elected department commander of the Iowa Grand Army of the Republic for 1905-06, and in 1906-07 was named as commander of the Iowa commandery, Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and at the time of his death was president of the Thirty-sixth Iowa Veterans' Association. Socially Captain Harper was numbered among the members of the Wapello Club and the Ottumwa Country Club, as well as being affiliated with the Knight Templar division of the Masonic order. Captain Harper exercised a keen interest in the political affairs of the community and the state. He served Wapello County as state senator during three sessions of the legislature from 1902 to 1907 in 1897 and 1898 he was a delegate to the National Monetary Convention at Indianapolis and in 1900 was named as sixth district presidential elector. In 1911 the need of a reform business administration for the city of Ottumwa, having become extremely urgent, Captain Harper reluctantly consented to become the republican candidate for mayor to which office he was elected by a large majority. On November 9, 1879, Captain Harper was married to Cornelia Russell.

Born April 23, 1843, on a farm near Zanesville, Ohio. In 1853 he came with his parents to Wapello County, where the family located on a farm one and one half miles south of Ottumwa. He attended the country schools and worked on the farm until 1862, when he enlisted as a corporal in Company B, Thirty-sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. In June, 1863, he was commissioned second lieutenant in the Forty-sixth United States Colored infantry, later being promoted to first lieutenant and captain in the same regiment. Captain Harper was mustered out in February, 1866, after serving three years and seven months in the army. On his return from the army Captain Harper began work for the hardware firm of Henry & Haw and continued with them until 1869 when with Timothy Egan he engaged in the hardware business under the firm name of Egan & Harper. In 1873 this firm suffered loss of its stock by fire and in the same year reengaged in business and purchased the stock of their competitors, Daggett & Edgerly, Mr. Edgerly remaining with the new firm, known as Egan, Harper & Company. In 1875, Mr. Edgerly sold his interest to E. A. Chambers, and the firm became Harper, Chambers & Company, and in 1876 started in the wholesale business. In 1881 the business was enlarged and Frank Mclntire and R. C. Wilson entered the firm. In the same year the company suffered another loss by fire. In I892, Mr. Chambers retired from the business, and the firm became Harper & Mclntire Company. During his entire life Captain Harper was an enterprising and public-spirited citizen. He gave liberally of both his time and money to further all public enterprises. He was a loyal believer in Ottumwa's future as an industrial and manufacturing center and lost no opportunity to promote the interests of his city or state. Captain Harper was a member of the board of directors of the Young Men's Christian Association, the Open Door Mission, the Ottumwa Cemetery Association and Parsons College of Fairfield, Iowa, and was an elder in the First Presbyterian church of Ottumwa. He had previously served on the Ottumwa board of education and the board of the Ottumwa Public Library, and was formerly president of the Mississippi & Missouri Valley Hardware Association. After serving as commander of Cloutman Post, No. 69, G. A. R. Captain Harper was elected department commander of the Iowa Grand Army of the Republic for 1905-06, and in 1906-07 was named as commander of the Iowa commandery, Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and at the time of his death was president of the Thirty-sixth Iowa Veterans' Association. Socially Captain Harper was numbered among the members of the Wapello Club and the Ottumwa Country Club, as well as being affiliated with the Knight Templar division of the Masonic order. Captain Harper exercised a keen interest in the political affairs of the community and the state. He served Wapello County as state senator during three sessions of the legislature from 1902 to 1907 in 1897 and 1898 he was a delegate to the National Monetary Convention at Indianapolis and in 1900 was named as sixth district presidential elector. In 1911 the need of a reform business administration for the city of Ottumwa, having become extremely urgent, Captain Harper reluctantly consented to become the republican candidate for mayor to which office he was elected by a large majority. On November 9, 1879, Captain Harper was married to Cornelia Russell.

Born April 23, 1843, on a farm near Zanesville, Ohio. In 1853 he came with his parents to Wapello County, where the family located on a farm one and one half miles south of Ottumwa. He attended the country schools and worked on the farm until 1862, when he enlisted as a corporal in Company B, Thirty-sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. In June, 1863, he was commissioned second lieutenant in the Forty-sixth United States Colored infantry, later being promoted to first lieutenant and captain in the same regiment. Captain Harper was mustered out in February, 1866, after serving three years and seven months in the army. On his return from the army Captain Harper began work for the hardware firm of Henry & Haw and continued with them until 1869 when with Timothy Egan he engaged in the hardware business under the firm name of Egan & Harper. In 1873 this firm suffered loss of its stock by fire and in the same year reengaged in business and purchased the stock of their competitors, Daggett & Edgerly, Mr. Edgerly remaining with the new firm, known as Egan, Harper & Company. In 1875, Mr. Edgerly sold his interest to E. A. Chambers, and the firm became Harper, Chambers & Company, and in 1876 started in the wholesale business. In 1881 the business was enlarged and Frank Mclntire and R. C. Wilson entered the firm. In the same year the company suffered another loss by fire. In I892, Mr. Chambers retired from the business, and the firm became Harper & Mclntire Company. During his entire life Captain Harper was an enterprising and public-spirited citizen. He gave liberally of both his time and money to further all public enterprises. He was a loyal believer in Ottumwa's future as an industrial and manufacturing center and lost no opportunity to promote the interests of his city or state. Captain Harper was a member of the board of directors of the Young Men's Christian Association, the Open Door Mission, the Ottumwa Cemetery Association and Parsons College of Fairfield, Iowa, and was an elder in the First Presbyterian church of Ottumwa. He had previously served on the Ottumwa board of education and the board of the Ottumwa Public Library, and was formerly president of the Mississippi & Missouri Valley Hardware Association. After serving as commander of Cloutman Post, No. 69, G. A. R. Captain Harper was elected department commander of the Iowa Grand Army of the Republic for 1905-06, and in 1906-07 was named as commander of the Iowa commandery, Military Order of the Loyal Legion, and at the time of his death was president of the Thirty-sixth Iowa Veterans' Association. Socially Captain Harper was numbered among the members of the Wapello Club and the Ottumwa Country Club, as well as being affiliated with the Knight Templar division of the Masonic order. Captain Harper exercised a keen interest in the political affairs of the community and the state. He served Wapello County as state senator during three sessions of the legislature from 1902 to 1907 in 1897 and 1898 he was a delegate to the National Monetary Convention at Indianapolis and in 1900 was named as sixth district presidential elector. In 1911 the need of a reform business administration for the city of Ottumwa, having become extremely urgent, Captain Harper reluctantly consented to become the republican candidate for mayor to which office he was elected by a large majority. On November 9, 1879, Captain Harper was married to Cornelia Russell.