When John Ellis Harrison was born on 27 November 1822, in Washington, Indiana, United States, his father, William Rodney Harrison, was 29 and his mother, Lucy Newman, was 26. He married Mary Elizabeth Paxson on 14 October 1858, in Johnson, Iowa, United States. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 4 daughters. He lived in Allen Township, Warren, Iowa, United States in 1860 and Iowa, United States in 1870. He died on 29 March 1873, in Madison, Iowa, United States, at the age of 50, and was buried in Wight Cemetery, Macksburg, Madison, Iowa, United States.