Harris, Iverson Louis, 1805-1876

Variant names

Dates:

Birth 1805-01-07

Death 1876-03-12

Biographical notes:

Iverson Louis Harris (1805-1876) of Milledgeville, Ga., was a justice of the Georgia superior court, 1859-1865, and of the Georgia supreme court, 1865-1876.

From the description of Iverson Louis Harris papers, 1840-1872. WorldCat record id: 23475593

From the guide to the Iverson Louis Harris Papers, 1830s-1872, (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library. Southern Historical Collection.)

Biography

Iverson Harris was born in Macon, Georgia, in 1890. His parents were members of the Theosophical Society, and Iverson became active in the Society in 1899 as a young student. In 1946, he became a Member of the Cabinet of the Society.

The Theosophical Society was originally established in New York in 1875 by Madame Helen Blavatsky, and after her death, her successor, Madame Katherine Tingley moved the headquarters to San Diego, California on Point Loma in 1900. The move was facilitated by President McKinley, who had become interested in the relief work Tingley had done after the Spanish American War.

Madame Tingley established the Raja Yoga College at Point Loma, and had a number of other buildings constructed on the same extensive site, named Lomaland.

Harris met his wife, Helen Plummer, the daughter of the Chief Geographer of the United States Forest Service, also an ardent theosophist, at Lomaland, where they were married. Subsequently, the couple accompanied Madame Tingley on her many travels. Iverson Harris was her Secretary and Mrs. Harris became Recording Secretary. After Madame Tingley's death in 1929, Iverson became Financial Agent to Dr. de Purucker, a Member of the Cabinet.

In 1942, as a result of military activity in the San Diego area, the Theosophical Society was moved to Covina, in the Los Angeles area. At that time, Harris became Chairman of the Cabinet and held that position for the next four years.

In 1946, Mr. and Mrs. Harris became personae non grata and left the headquarters.

From the guide to the Iverson and Helen Harris Papers, 1918 - 1972, (University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.)