Harris Flanagin


Harris Flanagin was an American politician who served as the 7th governor of Arkansas from 1862 to 1864. Prior to this he served as an officer of the Confederate States Army who commanded an Arkansas mounted rifle regiment in the Western Theater of the American Civil War.

Early life and education

Harris Flanagin was born in Roadstown, New Jersey, to James, an undertaker and furniture dealer, and Mary Flanagin. He received a fairly good education in a Quaker school of New Jersey and then went to teach at Clermont Seminary, near Frankford, Pennsylvania. Soon after this he moved to Illinois where he again tried teaching and while at this work studied law. In 1837 he moved to Arkansas and operated a law office in Greenville, the county seat of Clark County, but later moved to Arkadelphia, the new county seat. He served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1842 to 1844. He was married on July 3, 1851, to Martha Eliza Nash.

American Civil War

During the American Civil War, Flanagin served in the Confederate States Army as a captain and rose to the rank of colonel before the conflict was over. He served with the 2d Arkansas Mounted Rifles. In 1862, he was elected Governor of Arkansas and was recalled from active duty to take office. His administration dealt primarily with war related measures and maintaining order and continuing government while undergoing an invasion. His administration was faced with shortages of critical items, rising prices, care of fallen soldier's families, and related problems. During the war the government was forced to suspend the collection of taxes and financed the war with paper "war bonds". When on September 10, 1863, Little Rock fell to United States forces, and Arkansas’s government fled the city, he seized as many government documents as he could and reestablished the capitol at Washington, Arkansas. While he remained in Confederate controlled territory, a new Union government under Isaac Murphy was inaugurated on April 18, 1864.

Later life

After the American Civil War, Flanagin returned the state archives and resumed his law practice in Arkadelphia. He is buried at Rose Hill Cemetery, Arkadelphia.