This cabin was built by Jesse and Polly Embry Harris four miles east of Jamesport in Daviess
County, Missouri. It was built between 1830 and 1836. The Harris family arrived in this region
with ten children and one slave. The cabin was reconstructed by the Harris family in 1965.
The last Harris owners were Dr. George Dowe Harris, a Jamesport physician, and his son James
Aurand Harris, America's foremost children's playwright.
The reconstructed cabin now stands in the town of Jamesport.
The first white man to buy government land in this vicinity was Jesse
Harris in 1830. The log cabin that he built to house his family in 1836
now stands in the Jamesport City Park. His neighbors were the Sauk and
Fox Indians.
The Jamesport area was located on prairie land located between the East
and West Grand Rivers. The area was dotted with hardwood trees, many
one hundreds feet tall and four feet through and the surrounding plains
were covered with prairie grass so tall they would hide the horseback
rider.
The town was first known as Auberry Grove, after Thomas M. Auberry,
later being changed to Grant. The town was laid out in 1857 by Dr.
James Allen and James Gillilan. The train steamed into town on Jun 25
1871. The town was incorporated as a city in 1872 and its name changed
to Jamesport.
![[Jesse Harris Cabin]](aprpix06a.jpg)
