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Pioneer - The HARRIS Family
Biographical Sketches of
Early Settlers of Wellington County
Information from: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario.
Toronto: Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906
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HARRIS Family, The
. The founder of this family in Canada was the late John Harris, who was b. in
Co. Cork, Ire., in 1789. Tradition says that the Harrises went to Ire. from
Eng. with Cromwell. In early life he was a sailor, and became Captain of a
merchantman, and while such was taken prisoner by the French, and detained two
years, being released after the battle of Waterloo. He was an educated man, and
his knowledge of French gained for him kind treatment from his captors. He came
to Canada in 1821, settling where Rockwood now stands. Being burned out he went
to Etobicoke, where he taught school for some years, returning to Eramosa in
1829. While doing settlement duties he carried his provisions 20 miles on his
back. Two of his sisters taught the first school in the county of Wellington,
at Rockwood. His brother-in-law, William Wetherald, founded Rockwood Academy.
Mr. Harris was a surveyor and Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of
Eramosa. He m. Jane Wetherald. Issue: John Richard, Thomas, Joseph, Samuel,
James and William. He d. January, 1857, by being accidentally thrown from a
cutter.
John Richard Harris, whose portrait appears upon another page, was b. 1837, and d. 1899. He and his brothers, Thomas and Joseph, and Thomas Wetherald, started the Rockwood woollen mills in 1867. He was a very enterprising man, full of energy and push, and succeeded in building up a good business, and accumulating a nice property. The business in now carried on as a joint stock company (formed in 1899). The principal shareholders are the sons, William, Charles, Edwin and Richard. Mr. Harris was a leading man in the community, and was in the Eramosa Council, and School Trustee for years. He m. Marianna Treffry in 1863. Issue; William, Charles, Edwin and Richard. He d. at Rockwood, April 2nd , 1899, and is buried there. William, whose portrait also appears in this work, was educated at Pickering College, and St. Catharines Collegiate Institute, and is the present manger of Harris and Co., Ltd., as he had practically been before his father's death , at which time he assumed the entire management and control. He m. Edith A. Walker. Issue: Edgar W. Charles has been closely identified with the office, warehouse, and manufacturing department of the business for several years. He m. Emily Pearen. Issue: Charles G. Edwin, educated at the Guelph Collegiate and Pickering College, m. Edith Argue. After running the Rockwood chopping mills for some years he started a flour and feed business in Hespeler, and after three years in Toronto, he returned to Rockwood and actively engaged with Harris & Co, Ltd. Richard, educated Pickering College and O.A.C., Guelph. Thomas has charge of one of the coal yards of the Elais Rogers Co. in Toronto. He m. Zulima Bowerman. Issue: Agnes, Lucy, Josephine, Alice, Howard, Stanley and Ethelwyn. Joseph owns and runs a large dairy in the State of Washington. He m. Mary Gainer. Issue: Asenath, Clara, Rachel and Frederick. Samuel, b. 1844, m. in 1875, Susannah Starr, and resides on part of the old homestead, and pursues successfully mixed and dairy farming. Issue: Wesley, who m. Anna Passmore, and is farming near St. Catharines; Charles H., m. Emily Kitching, and resides on the old homestead. James m. Elizabeth V. Park. He d. in Meaford in 1844, Issue: Lewis, Allan, and Harvey reside in Washington; Mary A. with her mother in Meaford. From: Historical Atlas of the County of Wellington, Ontario. Toronto:Historical Atlas Publishing Co., 1906 |
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