George Herbert Harries

George Herbert Harries (September 19, 1860 – September 29, 1934) was an American businessman and newspaper editor. After leaving journalism for a business career, he served as president of the Metropolitan Railroad Corporation, Washington and a vice president of the Washington Railway and Electric Company. A longtime vice president of the H. M. Byllesby and Company engineering and management consulting firm, he served as president of several Byllesby affiliates while restoring them to profitability, including the Louisville Gas and Electric Company and the Fargo and Moorhead Street Railroad Company. He was raised in Haverfordwest, where he attended the local schools.

The Harries family immigrated to the United States while Harries was 18, and John Harries worked for the U.S. government as an Indian agent. Harries began working on the western frontier of Canada and the United States; while in his teens and early twenties, Harries was a deputy sheriff and aided the North-West Mounted Police in pursuing horse thieves and crooked gamblers. He later owned a newspaper in Winnipeg, which he operated successfully until it was destroyed in a fire. Harries preferred charges; Martin pleaded guilty to assault and was fined five dollars. While working as a reporter, he also served as an aide de camp to General Nelson A. Miles during the Ghost Dance War in South Dakota. In 1892, he received his DC National Guard commission as a first lieutenant. He served in staff positions with the organization's brigade headquarters including inspector of rifle practice, and advanced to the rank of major.

Spanish–American War

In 1897, the D.C. National Guard's commander, Albert Ordway, died after an extended illness. Harries was selected to replace him and was promoted to brigadier general. In April 1898, troops of the D.C. National Guard were ordered to active federal service for the Spanish–American War. They were organized as the 1st District of Columbia Volunteer Infantry, and Harries received a federal appointment to command them as a colonel. He was promoted to major general and remained in command until retiring in 1915. In 1912, Harries was elected to a term as the national commander of the Order of the Indian Wars of the United States.

World War I Harries (left) in 1919 with other members of the Allied commission that worked in Germany after World War I to repatriate Allied prisoners of war.

Harries was living in Omaha, Nebraska at the start of World War I. He returned to military service in June 1917 as commander of the Nebraska National Guard's 1st Brigade with the rank of brigadier general. He commanded several units in the United States and France during the war, including the 59th Depot Brigade, 186th Infantry Brigade, 173rd Infantry Brigade, and Base Section Number 5 in Brest, France. After the war, it was the main Allied point of embarkation for Allies returning to the United States, England, and other countries.

Following the armistice of November 11, 1918, Harries took part in the occupation of Germany as Chief of the U.S. Military Mission in Berlin, which he led until December 1920. Harries' work on POW repatriation included interceding with the German government when it began forcing Russian POWs to return home, despite the fact that those who refused to pledge allegiance to the new communist government were subject to execution. After Harries demanded an end to the practice, the German government began taking steps to ensure the safety of Russians who had been held as POWs. After the war, Harries served on a board of general officers which reviewed the qualifications of the Army's majors, lieutenant colonels, and colonels to determine which would be retained in the service during its post-war personnel reductions. He was subsequently promoted to major general in the Auxiliary Officer Reserve Corps, and he served until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 64 in 1924.

Harries was elected commander of the Military Order of the World Wars in 1920, and served until 1925. The Byllesby company formed its own post-World War I American Legion post, of which Harries was elected commander.

Awards Military awards Harries was a recipient of the Army Distinguished Service Medal, and the Navy Distinguished Service Medal.

In addition, he was a recipient of the French Legion of Honor (Commander), Russia's Order of Saint Stanislaus, Serbia's Order of the White Eagle (Commander), Italy's Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus (Commander), Greece's Order of George I (Grand Cross), and Montenegro's Order of Prince Danilo I (Grand Commander). In 1921, Harries received Belgium's Order of Leopold II (Commander).

Civilian awards Harries was a historian and lectured on U.S. colonial history at several colleges and universities. His presentations were recognized with the honorary degrees of Master of Arts from Howard University in 1897 and LL.D. from the University of Kentucky in 1914. and resided in Bel Air, Los Angeles, California. He became ill while visiting Washington, D.C., in September 1934, and was hospitalized for several weeks. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Family On April 23, 1883, Harries married Elizabeth Langley (d. 1925).