William Howard Harris was born on November 13, 1890, in Falkland, North Carolina. Harris was a farmer in Pitt County when he registered for the draft (World War I) in June 1917. He was subsequently inducted into the service in September 1917 and served with the 321st Infantry and the 114th Field Artillery until his honorable discharge in April 1918. He died in Farmville (Pitt County) on October 2, 1921.