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Gilbert C. Harris
Boatoft, M.aa.
:\<IR. HAHRI . i a prosperous bu ine . man and ha been trea urer
of the 1 ational Negro Bu ine League ince it first meeting
in Boston, Aucru t, 1900; i pre ident of the Boston League.
He was born in Prt rsburg, Va., April 26, 1853. Hi mother
died when he was nine month old. At
the age of seven year he was put to
work in a tobacco factory, where he
worked for three years. For everal
years he was a new boy and bootblaek
and continued in thi work until 1876.
when he went to Boston, beginning
work in a store at $3 a week. Later he
found employment in a hair tore. He
worked in this e tabli hment fourteen
.vears. and learned the busine in all
of its branches. He aved $178, took
a portion and became an itinerant
Gilbert C. Barris merchant, peddling hair croods from
hou e to house. Hi ca h receipt for the fir t three week were
ten cents; thi rt'pre ented one ladies' hair net, which co t him
even cent. 0 that his net profit for the three weeks was one
cent a week.
He found in the tht'atrical profession a profitable avenue for
hi tradt'. He tarted a tore with a capital of $38. John
tet on, of the Globe Theatre, gave him an order for $600
worth of wigs. This wa' an opening for thi line of work, and
from that time he ha' been very 'u 'ces ful. He now has the
largest business in New England in hi line.
At a meeting of th ational Bu.ine s League, Mr. Harri
said, " I can do ver-ything in my lin, and there i: no creation
made in Paris that I cannot reproduce if I get my eye upon it.
I carry a .-lock of goods, each year, valued from . ix to eight
thousand dollar'. ::\ly plan has alway been to look out for orne
man who ha. made a ucee. Do not follow after men that
have made failures. Follow the man who ha uceeeded, learn
hi' traits, and you will be upon the right side."
The bu. inc.-s of ::\11'. Harri i wig-making in all its branches,
and all kind of hair work. Hi trade extend from Maine to
California, and all through tl1C South. He own con iderable
real e tate and other property in Boston, valued at about '15,000.
416
Dr. SaDluel E. Courtne7
Boatoft, M.aa.
DR. Co RTNEY is a well-known, public-spirited citizen, a successful
phy ician with a large practice, and a leader among hi
people in Massachusett .
The fir t meeting of the founders of the Jational Negro Business
League, in 1900, was held in his
home, and from the inception of the
movement he has been one of its leading
directors as member of the executive
committee.
He was born in Malden, W. Va., in
1855. He received his early education
in the public school of which Booker
T. Washington was the teacher.
Through the influence of the teacher,
the young man went to Hampton Institute,
graduating in 1879. He then
spent several years in the State ormal
School, Westfield, Ma ., preparing for Dr. Samuel E. Courtney
the profe sion of teacher. This wa followed by five years as
teacher of mathematics at Tuskegee In titute.
He returned to Massachusetts and became a student at Harvard
Medical School, graduating in 1894, This was followed by
service in the Boston City Hospital and as house phy ician in the
Bo ton Lying-In Hospital. Dr. Courtney has a large practice
both among white and colored people. He served several terms
as vice-pre ident of the National Medical Association.
He has been active in political affairs. At S1. Loui and at
Philadelphia, 1896 and 1900, he was an alternate delcgate-atlarge
from Massachusetts to the Republican National Convention
which placed Mr. McKinley in nomination for the Presidency.
In 1896 he wa the leader among the colored delegates
in behalf of " the gold standard."
He served two term of three years each as a member of the
Boston chool Committee, elected by popular vote.
In 1896 Dr. Courtney married Mis Lilla V. Davis, a wellknown
educator, founder and first teacher of the Cotton Valley
chool, Fort Davis, Ala., a successful in titution of the American
Mi sionary As ociation. Both Dr. and Mrs. Courtney are
deeplyinterested in all mattersof progre for the race,and in their
home have frequently entertained Dr. Wa. hington and others.
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