The Journal of San Diego History - San Diego History Center

The Journal of San Diego History
A scatter-plot showing that primary sources recorded Harrison’s birth year earlier and earlier as time went by,
contributing to his growing legend as a rugged mountain man who lived past 100 years of age.
On October 22, 1919, the San Diego Union published an article entitled, “Aged
Negro, Owner of Mountain Spring, Enters County Hospital for the Remainder of
His Days.” The story reported that a man named Ed Quinlan brought Harrison
from Palomar Mountain to the County hospital after finding him destitute and in
ill health. The 1920 San Diego County Census for the San Diego Township included
an entry for Nathan Harrison; it stated that Harrison was an inmate of San Diego
County General Hospital as of January 1920. Harrison died in the hospital on October
10, 1920. His death certificate indicated that he had been in the hospital’s care
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