Family of John Harris & Hannah Colburn
John Harris was born 21 October 1755 in Woodstock, Windham, CT, and died 18 July 1828 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH.
Wife Hannah Colburn was born Abt. 1762 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH, and died 9 April 1839 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH. They were married 1 May 1783 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH.
Their children were:
1- Theda Harris b: 21 August 1783 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: Bef. November 1823 Sutton, VT
+Benjamin Powers b: 26 November 1781 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; m: 2 June 1801 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH [Ezekiel/Abigail Bonny]; d: 18 October 1853 St. Johnsbury, Caledonia, VT
Notes for Theda Harris:
- 1850 Waterford, Caledonia, VT: Benjamin Powers 69, wife Nancy 60
2- John Harris b: 8 February 1785 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: 27 February 1856 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH
+Luna Fletcher b: 29 September 1791 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; m: 12 March 1808 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH [Abel/Phebe Hildreth]; d: 1 September 1875 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH
3- Ezekiel Harris b: 14 March 1787 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: 7 February 1859 in Brattleboro, Windham, VT
+Edith Farr b: Abt. 1791 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; m: 16 August 1812 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH [Asahel/Lydia Snow]; d: 31 July 1813 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH
*2nd Wife of Ezekiel Harris:
+Jerusha Snow (Stone) b: 7 November 1784 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; m: February 1816 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: 30 November 1873 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH
4- Erastus Harris b: 21 March 1789 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: 21 March 1859 Brattleboro, Windham, VT (buried in Prospect Hill Cemetery, Brattleboro)
+Mary 'Polly' Stone b: 8 January 1802 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; m: 20 December 1820 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH [Peter/Jerusha Snow]; d: 10 November 1891 Guilford, Windham, VT
Notes for Erastus Harris:
- 1840 NH census (Chesterfield, Cheshire Co., p. 81): Erastus Harris – males 1 (5-10), 2 (10-15), 1 (50-60), females 2 (5-10), 1 (15-20), 1 (40-50)
- 1850 NH census (Chesterfield, Cheshire Co., p. 137): Erastus Harris 61 farmer, Mrs. E. 48, Frederick 24, Francis 22, Warren 18, Eugenia 16
- Probate presented on 7 April 1859 by Mary Harris: Will bequeaths to sons Frederic H., Francis W. & Warren S. $250 each; to daughters Mary Ann Marrin(?), Ellen A. Alexander & Eugenia J. White $5 each; to wife Mary all the rest
- 1870 Guilford, Windham, VT: Chas. E. Alexander 40, Ellen A. 39, Mary A. 13, Mary Harris 68.
- 1880 Guilford, Windham, VT: Chas. Alexander 50, wife Ellen A. 49, mother-in law Mary Harris 78
5- Jason Harris b: 11 March 1791 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: 27 August 1862 Worcester, VT
+Edith Woods b: Abt. 1797; m: Abt. 1817; d: 23 February 1861 Worcester, VT
6- Clark Harris b: 14 May 1793 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: 18 March 1867 Stukely, P. Q.
+Edith Sergeant b: 1 November 1797 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; m: 1817 [Erastus/Annas Snow]; d: 4 July 1873
7- Hannah Harris b: 20 June 1795 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: 31 July 1852 Sutton, Caledonia, VT
+Ora Farr b: 25 July 1786 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; m: 1814 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH [Moses/Sabrina Hastings]; d: 30 June 1828 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH
*2nd Husband of Hannah Harris:
+Luther Stoddard b: 6 February 1790 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; m: Aft. June 1828 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH [David/Sarah French]; d: 1862 Sutton, Caledonia, VT
Notes for Hannah Harris:
- West Burying Ground, West Chesterfield: Mr. Ora Farr / died / June 30, 1828, in / his 42 year
8- Wilder Harris b: 11 May 1797 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: 30 March 1887 in Brattleboro, Windham, VT
+Harriet Davis m: 24 December 1817 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH [John/---]; d: 20 November 1851
*2nd Wife of Wilder Harris:
+(Mrs.) Nancy J. Wood b: Abt. 1815; m: 5 July 1854 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: 15 December 1869 Bellows Falls, Windham, VT
*3rd Wife of Wilder Harris:
+Mary Jerusha Clark (Walker) b: Abt. 1817 in Weathersfield, Windsor, VT; m: 21 July 1871 in Brattleboro, Windham, VT; d: 4 October 1902 Brattleboro, Windham, VT
Notes for Wilder Harris:
- 1850 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH: Wilder Harris 53 ($4500 value of real estate), Mrs. W. 51, Lloyd 23, Alfred S. Stone 20 (Can) laborer, David Severance 10
- 1860 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH: Wilder Harris 63 farmer ($6500 real estate/$2000 personal estate), Nancy 45, Mariah Woods 21, Nancy Cobb 70
- 1870 Brattleboro, Windham, VT: Wilder Harris 72 retired farmer ($4000 real estate/$1000 personal estate), housekeeper Harriet Waterman 47
- 1880 Brattleboro, Windham, VT: Wilder Harris 83 farmer, wife Mary J. 63, boarder Cynthia Clark 69
- Death Notice: Vermont Chronicle (Bellows Falls, VT), Saturday, 1 January 1870: Last week a mother and daughter were only three days separated in their deaths. Mrs. Wilder Harris, the mother, died on Wednesday, Dec. 15th, and the daughter, Mrs. Charles Brooks, on Saturday.
- Obituary, The Windham County Reformer, (Brattleboro, VT), Friday, 1 April 1887: Mr. Wilder Harris died Wednesday afternoon. If he had lived until May 11 he would have been 90 years of age. His death was caused by the stoppage of the circulation in his right foot and leg, causing dry gangrene. He was buried today from the Methodist church, with which he has so long been identified, Rev. Mr. AcAnn officiating, and the remains were taken to Chesterfield for interment. Wilder Harris was born in Chesterfield, was the son of John Harris, and was long a prominent and respected citizen of that town. In his earlier years he was a carpenter. He afterward engaged in practical farming, living on the farm on which Ezekiel Powers settled when he located in Chesterfield, and a part of which, including the large white house, is now owned and occupied by Mrs. Lois Farr, widow of the late Lyman P. Farr. Mr. Harris was also interested for some time iu the manufacture of lumber and shingles, in two mills erected for that purpose on Lily Pond brook, near where it empties into the Catsbane. In 1865 he removed to Brattleboro, He married his first wife in 1817, Harriet, daughter of John Davis, and who died Nov. 20th, 1861. His second wife was Widow Mary J. Walker of Springfield, Vt, who survives him. Mr. Harris leaves three sons, B.D. Harris of Brattleboro, Gordis of Keene, NH, and George of New York, all of whom are well known contractors.
- Obituary: Vermont Phoenix (Brattleboro, VT), Friday, 1 April 1887: Wilder Harris - The death of the venerable Wilder Harris, whose long illness has been known to the community, took place at his home on High street at 1 o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. The end came in perfect peace. The flame simply flickered and went out, the patient old man's last words being, an hour before his death, "Almost home." Mr. Harris was a native of Chesterfield, where he was born May 11, 1797. The Harris ancestry was of Welsh English stock, its earliest representatives in this country being among the first settlers around Massachusetts Bay. The records show that as early as 1640 members of the family were prominent in the affairs of the young colony. Abner Harris, the grandfather of Wilder Harris, moved to Chesterfield from Woodstock, Conn. about the year 1777. He was one of the pioneer settlers of the town and brought with him a family of eleven children, among whom was John Harris, then a youth of about 15 years. John Harris in his turn became the father of eleven children, one of whom was Wilder, the 8th in the order of birth. Abner Harris settled on the farm which lies about four miles from Brattleboro, a little to the right of the main road leading to the lake, and a half mile below the farm afterward occupied by Erastus Harris, his grandson, the large white house on which is a prominent object on the hill seen from the river road from Brattleboro to Chesterfield. John Harris succeeded to the ownership of the paternal farm and here Wilder was born with the ten other children of the family. At the age of about 21 he married, and bought the farm a mile east of the New Cross(?) or Farr ferry on the road to Chesterfield hill, where he lived until his removal to Brattleboro, and to which he made large additions by purchase. The farm, in its natural capabilities, was not one of the best even of Chesterfield farms, but Mr. Harris by his energy and perseverance brought it to a high state of productiveness and in due time erected on it the commodious buildings of more than usually attractive appearance which still stand a monument to his good taste and his native pride in his personal surroundings. Mr. Harris's first wife was Harriet Davis of Chesterfield. Four children were born to them, all sons, George F. now of New York city, Broughton D. of Brattleboro, Gordis D. of Keene, N.H., and Urban W. who died in early manhood. Hard work, firm, paternal government and strict obedience were the tale of the Harris household. The life doubtless was what the men of today call 'a hard life', but a base line in good habits, earnest, courageous living, and a devoted, helpful regard for religious education and all community interests. From the first Mr. Harris was a generous supporter of the Methodist church at Chesterfield, and his old neighbors relate of him that it was as much a matter of course that he and his whole family should be regularly and promptly in their places in church on Sunday as that they should be up before the sun on other days and ready for the long day's work. He did much to sustain the old Chesterfield academy which in its day was second only to the Phillips Exeter academy in excellence and the ------ of its pupils. Here all his sons were sent and it was by his own wish and suggestion that Broughton D. was sent to Dartmouth college. He had a broad view of public affairs, a fact which was shown by his appreciation of the importance of the early railroad extension and development of this section. He subscribed ------- of the Vermont & Massachusetts road when it was extended to Brattleboro and used all his influence for the success of the enterprise. Nor did he lose this broad and helpful view in his later years, for the ----- and p------- of the Brattleboro & Whitehall ---- recall with pleasant memories the earnest interest which he showed in that enterprise in its inception and final -----. Notwithstanding his ----- interest in ---- ---- in all community at --- - Mr. Harris never permitted himself to be a candidate for any public office. He sold his Chesterfield farm and moved to Brattleboro in 1865. He first lived on Birge street but afterwards removed to the High street house where his last days were spent. His life here has been an orderly, uneventful one. He contributed liberally to the support of the Methodist church, and to the last maintained his interest in public affairs. He has always been anxious that the old church in Chesterfield should be kept up because of its influence in the town, and it is understood that within a year he had given that church a thousand dollars towards its permanent support. In his death the Brattleboro church meets a positive loss, and his genial kindly presence will be missed by very many in the community at large. Mr. Harris's final illness began in January last and was in the form of dry gangrene in the right foot and leg, a disease peculiar to extreme old age. His well preserved vitality, the legacy of long years of temperance, sobriety, and correct living, prolonged his life for weeks after a less vigorous man would have succumbed. He received the devoted care of his wife, children, and other friends during his long illness, and to the last was full of thankfulness for every attention shown him. It is a somewhat remarkable fact that his own release and that of his sister-in-law Miss Clark came at the same house within four days of each other, and that the death and burial of both occur within the same week. Mr. Harris's funeral takes place at the Methodist church at one o'clock this afternoon and the burial will be in Chesterfield. He was the last remaining member of his father's family. Mr. Harris was twice married. His wife who survives him was Mrs. Mary J. Walker of Springfield, Vt. Their marriage took place in July 1871.
- Death Notice: Vermont Journal (Windsor, VT), Saturday, 25 October 1902: Deaths, Windham County - In Brattleboro, Oct. 4, Mrs. Mary J. Harris, widow of Wilder Harris, 85.
9- Deborah Harris b: 3 May 1799 Chesterfield, Chester, NH; d: 20 May 1885 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH
+Norman Hastings b: 26 October 1800 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; m: 15 September 1818 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH [Oliver/Susanna Barrett]; d: 18 August 1888 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH
Notes for Deborah Harris:
- West Burying Ground, West Chesterfield: Norman Hastings / died / Aug. 18, 1888 / ae 87 / Deborah Harris / his wife / died May 20, 1885 / ae 87
10- Arad Harris b: 9 June 1802 in Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: 26 March 1886 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH
+Maria Hastings b: 29 May 1803 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; m: 25 November 1821 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH [Oliver/Susanna Barrett]; d: Aft. March 1886
Notes for Arad Harris:
- 1840 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH: Arad Harris - males 2 10-14, 1 15-19, 1 30-39; females 1<5, 1 30-39
- 1850 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH: Arad Harris 48 farmer, Mrs. A. 47, Caroline 14, Josiah 10
- 1860 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH: Arad Harris 57 day laborer, Mariah 57, Caroline 24
- 1870 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH: Arad Harris 67 farmer, Maria 67, Calvin 33.
- 1880 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH: Arad Harris 78 day laborer, wife Maria 77, Caroline M. 43.
11- Norman Harris b: 17 October 1803 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; d: 22 July 1875 Bellows Falls, Windham, VT
+Eliza Wheeler b: 17 October 1803 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH; m: 2 October 1834 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH [Ashbel/Diana Randall]; d: 5 February 1868 San Francisco, San Francisco, CA
Notes for Norman Harris:
- 1850 Rockingham, Windham, VT: Norman Harris 45 merchant [£11000 real estate], Eliza W. 36, Edward N. 15, Emma E. 8, Hannah Sarkin 30, Srui L. Burnet 23(m)
Notes for John Harris:
- 1790 Chesterfield, NH census: John Harris males 3 <16, 1 (16+), females 2. [John 35, Hannah, 31, Theda 7, John 5, Ezekiel 3, Erastus 1]
- 1800 Woodstock, Windham, CT: John Harris - males 1 10-15, 1 16-25, 1 45+; females 2<10, 1 16-25, 1 45+ [John 45, Hannah 41, Ezekiel 13, Erastus 11, Jason 9, Clark 7, Hannah 5, Wilder 3, Deborah 1]
- 1810 Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH: John Harris males 2<10, 1 (10-15), 2 (16-25), 1 (45+), females 2 (10-15), 1 (45+) [John 55, Hannah 51, Ezekiel 23, Erastus 21, Jason 19, Clark 17, Hannah 15, Wilder 13, Deborah 11, Arad 8, Norman 7]
- 1820 (7 August) Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH: John Harris males 2 16-25, 1 26-44, 1 45+; females 1 26-44, 1 45+ [John 65, Hannah 61, Erastus 31, Jason 29, Arad 18, Norman 17]
Tombstone inscriptions (West Burying Ground, West Chesterfield, Cheshire, NH):
Mr. / JOHN HARRIS, / died July 18, 1828 in / his 73, year.
HANNAH / wife of / John Harris / died / April 9, 1839 / AE. 77.
John Harris's spouse, his children/their spouses confirmed against the History of Chesterfield, Cheshire County, NH (1882, Brattleboro, VT ) by Oran E. Randall
Parents of Hannah Colburn
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Last updated: 11 July 2020