John HARRIS

   Research Notes:

John Harris died aged 71 years.

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Obituary

"DEATH OF MR. JOHN HARRIS. A VETERAN COLONIST. One of Victoria's oldest colonists—Mr. John Harris, quietly passed away on Tuesday last, at the residence of his son, Mr. A. J. Harris, of Victoria-street, Warragul. The deceased was a native of Cornwall and came to the colony over 50 years ago. He experienced a very chequered career from the outset, for he with his young wife was wrecked on Kangaroo Island before reaching the mainland of Australia. He spent some years at the Adelaide copper mines, and afterward became a well-known figure in Victorian gold field history. He was the first of the pioneers who wended their way to this part of Gippsland some 22 years ago, and settled on the Strezlecki Ranges. Some years ago, however, he sold out, and has since been living with his son. Mr A. J. Harris. of Warragul. In April last he celebrated his golden wedding. He has brothers living in Melbourne and Ararat, and a sister, older than himself—72—at Ballarat. He leaves a widow and a grown up family, and could count up over 50 grand-children. The deceased was buried in the Warragul Cemetery on Thursday last, when a large number of relatives and friends assembled to pay their last tribute of respect to the old colonist." ⁵

   Marriage Information:

John married Elizabeth THOMAS, daughter of James THOMAS and Unknown, on 29 Apr 1848 in Lanner, Cornwall ¹. (Elizabeth THOMAS was born about 1827 in Gwennap, Cornwall, died in Jun 1903 in Warragul, Victoria, Australia ⁶ and was buried on 4 Jun 1903 in Warragul Methodist Cemetery, Warragul, Victoria, Australia ⁴.)

   Marriage Notes:

John Harris, 21, bachelor, miner, of Pennance, son of Abraham Harris, miner, and
Elizabeth Thomas, 20, spinster, of Trevarth, daughter of James Thomas, miner

Married by Banns

Witnesses: James Thomas, William Thomas