Page:Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography (1892, volume 3).djvu/118

94 of Stirling, Mass., and received some schooling with the farmer's children. He entered the school of Dr. Morse, a suspected Tory, who prepared him for college, and in 1787 he was graduated at Har- vard. Through the influence of friends he was in this year invited to become private secretary to Gen. Washington, but was prevented by an attack of small-pox. He taught at Worcester a year, studied theology, and in 1781 was appointed libra- rian at Harvard. He accepted a call in 1793 from the 1st Unitarian church at Dorchester, and re- mained its pastor till three years before his death. Harvard gave him the degree of D. D. in 1813. He published " Discourses in Favor of Freemasonry " (Boston, 1803) ; " Journal of a Tour of the Terri- tory Northwest of the Alleghany Mountains" (1805); "A Natural History of the Bible " (1821) ; " Memorials of the First Church at Dorchester " (1830) ; and " Biographical Memoirs of James Oglethorpe" (1841).— His son, Thaddeus Will- iam, entomologist, b. in Dorchester, Mass., 12 Nov., 1795 ; d. in Cambridge, Mass., 16 Jan., 1856, was graduated at Harvard in 1815, studied medi- cine, and practised at Milton Hill, Mass., until 1831, when he was appointed librarian of Harvard. For several years he gave instruction in botany and natural history, and was the originator of the " Harvard students' natural history society " and a member of the " Massachusetts horticultural socie- ty." He was appointed in 1837 a commissioner for a zoological and botanical survey of Massachusetts, and after much research published a catalogue of the insects of that state, which enumerated 2,350 species. This, with his other extensive catalogues and his collection of insects, was purchased by the Boston society of natural history. His report on "Insects Injurious to Vegetation" (Boston, 1841; enlarged ed., 1852) was published by the legisla- ture, and is a contribution to science of the highest practical value. Mr. Harris also took a deep in- terest in antiquarian research, and published more than fifty papers on this subject. — His son, Will- iam Thaddeus, scholar, b. in Milton, Mass., 25 Jan., 1826 ; d. in Cambridge, Mass., 19 Oct., 1854, evinced a fondness for books at an early age, and, in consequence of a physical infirmity, reading was his sole amusement. He was graduated at Harvard in 1846, and studied law, but was pre- vented from practising by delicate health. He edited, for the Massachusetts historical society, Hubbard's " History of New England," with new and important notes (Boston, 1848) ; the third vol- ume of the " Historical and Genealogical Regis- ter" (1849); and published "Epitaphs from the Old Burying-Ground at Cambridge " (1845).

HARRIS, Thomas Cadwalader, naval officer, b. in Philadelphia, 18 Nov., 1825 ; d. there, 24 Jan., 1875. He entered the navy as midshipman in 1841, became lieutenant in 1855, lieutenant-com- mander in 1862, commander in 1866, and captain in 1872. During the civil war he commanded the " Chippewa " and the " Yantic." With the " Chip- pewa" he participated in several attacks on Fort Wagner, Morris island, in July, 1863, and in De- cember, 1864, and January, 1865, attacked Fort Fisher. In 1865 he was recommended for promo- tion by Admiral Porter " in consideration of his cool performance of duty in these actions."

HARRIS, Thomas Lake, spiritualist, b. in Fenny Stratford, England, 15 May, 1823. He came with his father to the United States, settled in Utica, N. Y., and began to write for the press before his seventeenth year, soon acquiring some celebrity as a poet. He renounced Calvinism in early manhood, and, entering the ministry of the Universalist church, removed to New York, becom- ing pastor of the 4th Universalist society. Failing health compelled him to resign this charge, and in the next year he organized an "Independent Christian society," to which he ministered until the spiritualistic movement of 1850. He then joined a community at Mountain Cove, Va., and after a few months of investigation declared him- self a convert to the new faith, and entered on a lecturing tour throughout the United States. On his return to New York he organized a society, and established a spiritualistic journal. He went to Great Britain in 1858, and lectured in London, Edinburgh, Manchester, and Glasgow, returning with a few enthusiasts who participated in his views, and retired to a farm in Dutchess county, N. Y. As the community increased, he purchased small farms near the village of Anienia, established a national bank, engaged in milling and other business, and reorganized the society, which was henceforth known as the " Brotherhood of the New Life." He went to Europe in its interests in 1866, and the next year removed to Portland, N. Y., where he purchased large farms. No property was held in common, but members of the society were permitted to hold real estate, and cultivate it on their own account. The authority of the Scriptures and the marriage relations were held sacred, there was no written creed or form of government, and the system appeared to combine the doctrines of Plato in philosophy, Swedenborg in spiritual science, and Fourier in sociology. It numbered more than 2,000 members, some residents of the community, and other citizens of foreign nations. At one time Lady Oliphant and her son. Laurence Oliphant, several Japanese high in official rank, and two Indian princes were residents of this com- munity. Several years ago it was abandoned by Mr. Harris, who went to California, and his lands were purchased by Mr. Oliphant. Mr. Harris edited a spiritualistic journal for some time, entitled "The Herald of Light," and has published, among numerous poetical and prose works descriptive of his philosophy, "The Epic of the Starry Heavens" (New York, 1854) ; " Modern Spiritualism " (1856) ; "A Lyric of the Morning Land " (1854) ; "A Lyric of the Golden Age " (1856) ; " Truth and Life in Jesus " (1860) ; and " The Millennium Age " (1861).

HARRIS, Thomas Mealey, soldier, b. in Wood county, Va., 17 June, 1817. He studied medicine, and practised at Harrisville and Glenville, Va. In May, 1862, he was appointed colonel of the 10th West Virginia infantry. He was promoted briga- dier-general on 29 March, 1865, sent out the de- tachment that silenced the last Confederate guns at Appomattox, and was mustered out on 30 April, 1866. He applied himself after the war to scientific farming, served a term in the legislature of West Virginia in 1867, was adjutant-general of the state in 1869-70, and was pension-agent at Wheeling in 1871-'7. He is the author of medical essays and of a tract entitled " Calvinism Vindicated."

HARRIS, Townsend, merchant, b. in Sandy Hill, Washington co., N. Y, 5 Oct., 1803 ; d. in New York city, 25 Feb., 1878. At the age of fourteen he came to New York, entered a drug-store as clerk, and by perseverance and industry rose to be partner in a large importing and jobbing house. With slight opportunities of early education, he became a man of culture, with a warm interest in popular education. He was made school-trustee of the 9th ward, and later a member and then president of the board of education. Despite long opposition, he succeeded in establishing the Free academy, now the College of the city