Butte County
Biographies
JOHN H. HARRIS
JOHN H. HARRIS.--A resident of
Butte County for nearly fifty years, John H. Harris has during that time seen
this section advance steadily with the passing years until it has reached a
point of prosperity equal to any in the state, and has done his share as an
agriculturist toward the county’s advancement, as every conscientious worker in
the fields and orchards of a community can rightfully be called a real upbuilder for the commonwealth. Born in Canada, in
Belleville, Ontario, April 3, 1850, he is a son of Henry Levens
Harris, a native of Ontario, of English ancestry, and Margaret A. (Smith)
Harris, also born in Ontario. Both parents passed their lives in Ontario and of
their eight children, six are living, John H., of this review, being the eldest
in the family. He was brought up on the farm and educated in the public
schools. As a lad he was early set to work on the home farm and continued there
until nineteen years of age. A desire to see California culminated in his
decision to migrate to the Pacific Coast, and in the fall of 1869 he came out
on one of the first emigrant trains to make a through trip. He was two weeks on
the road, arriving in California in December, 1869.
In the spring of 1870 Mr. Harris came to
Chico, Butte County, and found employment on a ranch on Feather River. Two
years later he began farming for himself, leasing land in partnership with
Alex. Turner. They rented three hundred twenty
acres, north of Chico, but later sold their outfit, and Mr. Harris went to work
for Pleasant M. Guynn, and continued with him eleven
years, doing general ranch work. He was married, in the Webster District, north
of Chico, June 22, 1886, to Miss Sophronia Hicks, who
was born in that district, a daughter of John Wesley Hicks, born in Indiana, in
1820, and removed to Missouri. He married Nancy Letsinger,
who died in Missouri, and he later married Mrs. Dorothy Isabelle (Speegle) Delaney, born in Tennessee. They crossed the plains
to California in 1857, with ox teams, being the second train after the
ill-fated Mountain Meadow Massacre, and the father first located a claim two
and one-half miles north of Chico, but it was claimed by General Bidwell as a part of his Rancho Chico, and he then located
upon what is now the Henderson place, where he bought eighty acres. Later he
sold this property and bought a farm of two hundred forty acres three and
one-half miles north of Chico, which he improved and farmed. He was a school
trustee of his district for many years; his death occurred there, aged
eighty-six years. The mother died in 1896, aged sixty-eight years. Of the
father’s first marriage two children grew to maturity, Daniel T., and Marion
D., both of whom died here. Of the mother’s first marriage there were two
children, Francis M., who died here, and Cynthia J., Mrs. Small, residing in
Chico. Of the second union of both parents four children were born, as follows:
Henderson Augustus, a retired rancher living in Chico Vecino;
Canzadie I., Mrs. James, died here; Sophronia, Mrs. Harris; Charles W., of Chico Vecino.
After their marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Harris
bought eighty acres of father Hicks’ place, built their residence and other
farm buildings and engaged in raising grain and stock. In September, 1913, Mr.
Harris sold the ranch and moved to Chico Vecino,
where he purchased his present home, and now spends his time in caring for and
looking after his orchards. He owns eleven and one-half acres in almonds, three
miles southwest of Chico on Lone Pine Avenue; this place he set out himself and
keeps in thriving condition, giving the work his personal supervision. To this
pioneer couple have been born two children: Myrtle A., Mrs. Allen of Chico Vecino; and Henry Levens, a
graduate of Chico high school and now attending the State Normal, being
president of the student body and business manager of the Normal Record.
Mr. Harris has always had the best
interests of his section at heart and has been a willing helper in all
movements for the bettering of conditions in the county. [Since writing the
above Mr. Harris passed away; his death occurred May 1, 1918. He is held in
kind remembrance by his family and many friends.]
Transcribed by Marie Hassard
20 May 2008.
Source:
"History of Butte County, Cal.," by George C. Mansfield, Pages
981-982, Historic Record
Co, Los Angeles, CA, 1918.
© 2008 Marie Hassard.
Golden Nugget Library's Butte County Biographies