Despite the seeming fit, it is highly unlikely that this is the same Mary Harris who was born in Camborne in 1746 and christened there on 16 November of the same year, daughter of Mr. Thomas Harris. During this period the titles Mr, Mrs &c. often indicated that the person concerned was a member of the gentry, which Thomas Harris was. Mary Harris married Thomas Richards in Camborne in 1767 and a Mary Richards was buried in Camborne on 8 Jun 1815, aged 68 years, which is to say, born about 1746. Mary was a widow by this time; however, her marital status is not shown and there is no indication in the burial record who her husband was, if indeed this Mary Richards was a widow.
Mary daughter of the said Thomas Harris had a number of siblings, all born in Camborne. Of these, two brothers, William Harris (the eldest) and Henry Harris (the youngest) left wills, written in 1804 and 1828 respectively. These were registered with the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. William Harris was of Rosewarne in Camborne, was married, and had one daughter. Henry was of Rosteage in the parish of Gerrans and does not appear to have married. Both of them, William in particular, made bequests to other family members (i.e. siblings, nieces, cousins). Neither of them name their sister Mary or refer to any children she may have had. As such, the entry in the Camborne parish register of burials dated 15 Oct 1779 for "Miss Mary Harris" was more than likely her, especially since beside her name in the register was written in Latin "Omnibus plurimum lugenda flore Ælatis abrepta" ("The flower of Elata, which was taken away, is to be greatly mourned by all.")
Based on the baptismal registers for Camborne and surrounding parishes, Mary Harris would have been born in the neighbouring parish of Illogan. There were three Mary Harrises born in Illogan in the 1740s.
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Mary Richards, widow (burial record)
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