Richard "Dick" Tighe Harris was born in or near Drummadonald, County Down, Ireland, on October 31, 1837, to John Harris and Mary Anderson Harris. He was the youngest child of the second marriage of John Harris, and at least three of his siblings came to the United States in the great Irish immigration of the 1840s and 50s.

Dick was in America by 1855, and was naturalized by about 1858. Some of the Harris and Anderson families were already in the United States, making the transition easier for Harris than for some immigrants.

Harris lived in Pennsylvania and Ohio, where he stayed with his uncle Caldwell Anderson who was the brother of his mother, Mary Anderson Harris. He attended Duff’s Merchant’s College in Pittsburgh and graduated from that school in 1818.

From 1858 to 1868, Harris corresponded with a woman named Ellen McCutcheon. She also was an Irish immigrant, and both were interested in marriage. It is apparent that she was much more religious than he and that their social views were different. They did discuss marriage but her family was against that union.

In 1858, Dick went West, and probably stayed with his brother in Missouri after which he went to Kansas Territory.

In 1859, he apparently left Fort Leavenworth for the mining country. This was the beginning of his life on the mining frontier of America.

Harris both placer and lode mined while making his way though Idaho and Colorado Territory, the Virginia City, Silver Bow, and Butte before recording several claims near Bannack City, Montana Territory, where he probably stayed through 1868.

In the mid-1860’s, he was about to return to Pennsylvania to marry Ellen McCutcheon; but he never did.

There are no records in the collection concerning his activities between 1868 and 1877 but it is probable that he was engaged in mining and prospecting activities in various parts of the west during the period.

In 1877, Harris was in British Columbia. In the late winter and spring of 1879, Harris began to prospect and mine for George Pilz, an entrepreneur from Sitka. Harris had twenty years of frontier experience, and a better than average knowledge of mining law and procedures.

His Native American guide in southeastern Alaska was Chief Kowee. Kowee is credited with discovering much of the Juneau area. When they returned to Pilz empty-handed, he sent them back to the Juneau area.

In October of 1880, Harris, with partner Joe Juneau, made one of the most significant discoveries of American prospecting.

Kowee took them beyond Gold Creek to Silver Bow Basin, and within a two week period, they discovered and staked some of the richest placer mines in Silver Bow basin, but more importantly the lode system that ultimately became the Alaska-Juneau Gold Mine (AJ Mine).

The men shared discovery with the Takou claims, the basis of the Ebner. The Takou claims are above Last Chance Basin and would have been closer to the beach, hence probably more visible.

Harris named the town Harrisburgh after the capital of Pennsylvania; the Harris Mining District was however named after him.  In addition they located mill sites and a town site. Within two months, the stampede to the area began. The town's name was later called Pilzburg, then Rockwell. Juneau was able to buy votes from enough of his fellow miners for the name to be changed to honor him.

Richard Harris married Kitty, a Tlingit from Hoonah, around 1880. To their union four children were born. William J. Harris, Jr., was born on May 14, 1882; he died 2 days later. A second son was born to them on March 29, 1884, also named William J. Harris, Jr.  On November 10, 1885, Richard Tighe Harris, Jr. was born. Two-and-a half years later, on March 22, 1888, Mary Kelchine Harris was born.

A long time Mason, he was admitted to the Jamestown Lodge in Sitka in 1881.

Although his partner, Joe Juneau, sold out his interest in the claims, Harris, relatives, other whites and local Indians mined the Discovery Placer claim profitably from 1881 through 1885. Harris brought his nephew, William J. Harris, up to mine in 1882.

Harris called his own operation the Discovery Mining Company. Between 1881 and 1885, the company produced over $40,000 in gold and had expenses just over $14,000. During the off-season of these years, Harris visited relatives in the United States and shared his wealth with them and with the Harris family remaining in Ireland. Indeed his sister, Martha Jane Weir, later wrote that when her husband died, the only money that was left to her was that which Dick Harris had given them years ago. Other relatives also commented on his generosity.

In March 1881, Richard and Kitty purchased Lots 1 and 2 on Telephone Hill Historic Neighborhood from George Pilz and his wife.

Although 1901 tax records show "lots and a building" and site improvements valued at $1,000, the Edward Bayless House located at on Lot 2 at 211 Dixon Street is visible in an 1885 photograph.

The Harris family lived in a house on the adjacent lot 2 at 219 Second Street. The original residence was replaced around 1910; the second structure stood until the late 1950s.

After Kitty's early death in February 1893, at 26 years of age, much of Harris' concerns were centered around the education of his sons, who managed the difficult situation of being from two cultures much better than most. 

Supported by W. T. Coleman, Newman A. Fuller, former partner of George Pilz, sued Harris in 1884 because Harris worked an area of overlap between their claims in the Silver Bow Basin. 

During the proceedings, Harris was advised by J. B. Coglan, U. S. Navy, and represented by a man named Maloney. Pilz, who would have been his best supporter, was in jail in San Francisco, waiting for trial and unable to make bond.

Harris lost the case, lost all his mining interests, and because he was unable to pay a judgement, lost all of his properties except for several town lots. Later another lawyer, A. K. Delaney, informed him that his case had been “shockingly handled”.

In 1885, he served on the first Grand Jury in Alaska.

He began working for Thomas L. Nowell as the manager of the Alaska. Union Mining Company mill and property on Douglas Island in 1891; his salary was $100 a month.

Later, he worked for the District Court as Clerk and as Special Deputy Marshall and also for the U. S. Customs Service as an inspector.

In his later years, Harris became recognized as a pioneer and a founder of Juneau, Alaska. As such, he acquired a certain amount of prominence. In 1893, 1900 and 1902, articles appeared in Alaska newspapers discussing his contributions and his life. He continued to be interested in mining activities and he later grubstaked a few prospectors.

In 1900, he acquired a mining claim in the Porcupine District.

With the closure of the Nowell Mining Company in early 1901, Dick Harris was not only out of a job but in poor straits financially. He had to rely on the jobs with the courts and as the Coal Inspector for Customs Service to survive.

He attempted to sell the three family plots in Juneau in 1902 but, since they were in his children’s name, he had to obtain permission from them to sell. The sale, however, never took place and the land remained in the family’s hands.

In 1903, the Juneau City Assembly excused him from paying property taxes because of his services to the public.

In June 1904, he got the government deed for their home; a clear title to the property in boy's names with him as guardian.

Dick Harris’ eyesight began to fail by mid-1904. His son, Richard Harris, Jr., joined his father in Juneau in August 24th of that year. Richard worked his way up as a cabin boy on the steamer Faralone and had $4.00 when he arrived.

Richard bought his son a suit of clothes before taking him around town.  He wrote his son Williams that, "the old place is very pretty and a new cottage has been built on it."

A month later, the son wrote to his brother at Chemawa that their father had liver and eye trouble, and was needing new glasses. During this time he helped his father at the Customs Office.

In a October 13, 1904 letter Richard wrote his brother that their father, "wants to sell the back lot so he can put up a new house and have money in case anything should happen to him." The boys own the place and he asks his brother to send permission for their father to sell the land.

Before the year was out, Dick Harris’ eyesight was hurt by yellow jaundice, and his mind failed him.

He was sent to a nursing home operated by the Masonic Order in Portland, Oregon. Harris died there on October 11, 1907, at age 73. He was buried in Evergreen Cemetery, on December 28, 1907.

Harris Street still exists in Juneau, and the Pioneers of Alaska Juneau Igloo dedicated a memorial to Joe Juneau and Richard Harris.

Alaska Mining Hall of Fame

Alaska Consortium Library

Frank Lewis Garnick was the Juneau Men's Igloo President in 1949.

Garnick was born in Longton, Kansas on July 22, 1874. His parents were Thomas and Ann "Fannie" Sophia "Cosgrove" Garnick.

In 1877 when three years of age, he traveled with his parents to Fort Collins, Colorado where he attended public schools, graduating from Fort Collins High School in 1893 and from Colorado State College in 1898.

In 1900 he joined his father in the contracting business, the firm of Garnick and Son, being in existence until 1912 when Frank moved to Canada to complete some contracts in Alberta. He remained in Canada for two years and arrived in Juneau on February 22, 1915.

Frank married Clara A. Herner in Fort Collins, Colorado on November 24, 1900. They had two children, Anita Grace Garnick born on March 18, 1904 and Thomas Edgar born August 12, 1906. Both children were born in Fort Collins, Colorado.

He was associated with the Alaska Gastineau Mining Company as General Millwright and Carpenter Foreman during practically all of its existence.

When the mine closed, he was appointed Street Commissioner of Juneau. It was under his jurisdiction that the old method of planking the streets was changed to paving. He deposited the first load of gravel to fill in the streets.

Frank purchased the Consumer Market on Seward Street in 1923 and changed the name to Garnick's Grocery.

His wife, Clara passed away on September 17, 1938 and his daughter, Anita, took over management of the grocery and operated the it until 1955.

Frank died on February 14, 1955 in Juneau and was buried in the Masonic Plot at Evergreen Cemetery.

Pioneers of Alaska Men's Igloo 6 Membership Applicarion, /9/0/1930 U.S. Federal Census, Juneau;
Alaska Death Certificate

Wallis George was a charter member of the Juneau Men's Igloo.

George was born on September 15, 1891 at Park City Utah, son of Martin and Caroline George. He was educated in the public and high schools of Juneau. A former high school teacher once described him as “a dreamy eyed youngster with a quick answer to questions asked him.”

The youth had the ambition and the foresight to learn something about commercial administration in the Portland, Oregon Business College.

In 1911, he began his own career in Juneau as a bookkeeper in the B.M. Behrends store and bank. After about a year, Mr. George engaged in a furniture business which he sold in 1918, and returned for a short time to the Behrends Bank, for this was very short of help due in part to World War I conditions. Shortly afterwards he went with the Juneau Cold Storage Company, as bookkeeper.

This was the turning point for Mr. George was quickly impressed with the commercial possibilities of cold storage in connection with the fishing industry. The original plant of the Juneau Cold Storage Company was less than two hundred thousand pounds capacity. He found associates and the needed capital and the Juneau Cold Storage Company initiated an expansion program. Additions were made to its plants that increased capacity to four million pounds. In 1945 plans were under completion to increase this to nine million pounds.

Wallis S. George is an important buyer of fish and other products for firms in San Francisco, California, Chicago, Illinois, Detroit, Michigan, New York City and other large centers of population in the United States. He likewise represents the Coca-Cola Company, one of the only two agents in southeastern Alaska, and is also a distributor of Olympia and Budweiser beverages.

He is one of the promoters of the Baranof Hotel and acts as its treasurer and secretary. Mr. George is the director of the First National Bank and is financially interested in other enterprises and organizations.

Fraternally he is affiliated with the Elks and Masons. He is a member of the Washington Athletic Club of Seattle as well as the Arctic Club there.

He was married first in 1913; Maybelle Burkland and they became parents of Wallis Searle Jr. (deceased) and Maybelle Louise George. Mr. George married (second) in 1945, Mrs. Alleine Council, who is the mother of a daughter, Carol Ann Council.

Biographies of Alaska-Yukon Pioneers 1850-1950, Volume 3, p 113-114, by Ferrell, Ed (May 1, 200

Colonel Solomon Ripinski was a charter member of the Juneau Men's Igloo.

Ripinski was born on April 15, in Rypin, Poland. He received a good European education and studied at some of the best military schools in Europe. Here he acquired a thorough knowledge of drafting and considerable skill in sketching, drawing and painting.

Mr. Ripinski graduated with the rank of second lieutenant of cavalry and being too young to enter the service, visited many of the principal cities of Europe.

Coming to the United States he made a partial tour of the Eastern and Southern States and located at Shreveport, La., where he engaged in merchandise. He moved to Sacramento, California and opened a studio where he painted several fine oil paintings.

After a short residence in California he located at Salem, Oregon, in 1878, and became identified with the State Militia, rising rapidly to the rank of colonel.

In 1878 he received from the Oregon State Fair Association and Mechanics fair, at Portland Oregon the, first prize for the emblematic Masonic chart.

Under the administration of Governor W.W. Thayer, Mr. Ripinsky was honored with an appointment on His Excellency’s staff as aide-de-camp, with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was a High Free Mason and a Sir Past Chancellor Commander Knights of Pythias, and a member of the Arctic Brotherhood.

Colonel Ripinsky came to Alaska in 1884, with the famous Arctic explorer the late Lieutenant Frederick Swatka. Under Attorney-General Haskett he was appointed clerk and in 1885 commissioned to establish a United States Government school in Western Alaska. Transferred from Unalaska to Chilkat, he became principal of the school at that place, and served one term.

He was owner and founder of the townsite of Haines Mission. From 1887 to 1890 he was connected with
the Pyramid Harbor salmon cannery, and during the latter year opened a general merchandise
store on his own account at Chilkat, Alaska.

In view of his services to the Government, one of the Chilkat Mountains has been named for him; Mount Ripinsky is 3,680 feet high.

Biographies of Alaska-Yukon Pioneers 1850-1950, Volume 1, p270-272, by Ed Ferrell (May 1, 200

George Teal was a charter member of the Juneau Men's Igloo.

Teal was born in The Dalles, Oregon May 26, 1866, son of Colonel Joseph Teal and Mary Elizabeth Coleman-Teal. He was still in his infancy when his parents established the family home in Portland. He attended the public schools of that city and afterward was a student at Pacific University at Forrest Grove.

His business career began in his teens when he worked in a Portland hardware store. Afterward he became a freight clerk and purser on the boats plying the Willamette and Columbia Rivers and somewhat later represented the Portland Merchants’ Credit Association in Eastern Oregon, Washington and Idaho. During this period he resided in Moscow, Idaho, and Spokane.

In 1898, Mr. Teal went to Dyea, Alaska, to manage for a Portland concern the Dyea-Klondike Company, operating an aerial tram for the transportation of freight from Dyea to the river boats, instead of the laborious pack method then employed.

This enterprise was abandoned upon the completion of the White Pass Railroad from Skagway and Mr. Teal then went to Juneau, where he was employed as bookkeeper and accountant in the town and in some of the camps and settlements of the area.

Mr. Teal returned to the states in 1905 and in 1906 took up residence in Seattle, where he became confidential assistant to J. D. Farrell of the Oregon-Washington Railroad. In this connection his principle responsibilities involved the purchase of the right of way of the company between Seattle and Portland.

In 1912 he resumed his residence in Alaska as manager of the salmon cannery of the Admiralty Trading Company at Gambier Bay. Mr. Teal became a stockholder in this enterprise and his association with its management marked the beginning of his long connection with the salmon canning industry of the Northwest.

When the Admiralty Trading Company sold out its interests in 1914, he became interested in the brokerage side of the industry assumed an influential role in the organization of the Pacific Canned Salmon Brokers Association, later the Canned Salmon Distributors Association. Of this association he became Secretary in 1920 and served it as principal administrative official until 1935, when he retired.

Mr. Teal was also secretary for some years of the Northwest Salmon Canners Association. As it was written of him at his death: “He had taken an active and constructive interest in the salmon industry’s affairs for almost thirty years,”

Mr. Teal maintained his home in Seattle from 1906 onward, except during those intervals when his duties took him to Alaska.

He was a member of the Masons.

He married, on June 2, 1913 in Seattle, Alma Delaney, daughter of Arthur K. and Anna (Wallwork) Delaney.

He died in Seattle on February 3, 1940, after a long illness.

Biographies of Alaska-Yukon Pioneers 1850-1950, Volume 3 p 296-298, by Ed Ferrell, May 1, 200