Dr. Jeptha Vining Harris

Dr. Jeptha Vining Harris. The Jeptha V Harris family moved from South Carolina to Mississippi, where he attended high school and graduated from the University of Mississippi. Jeptha studied medicine at the University of New York and South Carolina Medical College before graduating with an M.D. from the University of Louisiana. During the Civil War he served in the Confederate Army as a scout and sharpshooter and with the Navy as a doctor. He fought in a number of battles including Shiloh. Mary Perkins Harris, his wife, was a college graduate and provided medical care for wounded soldiers in her home during the Civil War. In 1870, Dr. Harris came to Florida and purchased land, which would later be a large section of Miami. He provided medical service to the Seminole Tribe during a Typhoid epidemic. Later he moved to Key West and opened a medical practice. He was active in Democratic Party politics and was a delegate to the Democratic national convention in 1876. He served as Collector of Customs from 1885 to 1889. He was a member of the Florida House of Representatives and also served as Superintendent of Schools from 1877 to 1887. Under Dr. Harris’ guidance and because of his persistence, the quality of education in Monroe County was greatly improved. The Harris School, dedicated on July 4, 1909, on Southard Street was named in his honor. He was also very active in civic and veteran affairs. His home at Duval and South Streets (Southernmost House) is thought by some to be the most beautiful home on the island. , Donated by br> Hilario Ramos Family and , The District I Advisory Committee , of the Monroe County Tourist Development Council .