Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must be obtained by the reader.
Description
Available also in the original handwritten form in the member's Biographical File, and online Copyright has not been assigned to The Society of California Pioneers. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Librarian. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Society of California Pioneers as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must be obtained by the reader Autobiography & Reminiscence of George Harris, Morgan Hill, California, 1901. The Society of California Pioneers George Harris left Stockbridge, Madison County, New York, for California on January 24, 1849. He traveled, with his wife and two children, aboard the ship "Capital" leaving from Boston Harbor. They arrived in San Francisco July 19, 1849. While en route to California, their ship stopped in Rio de Janeiro and Valparaiso. Harris became involved in a Vigilance Committee as soon as he arrived in San Francisco and helped ward off a gang known as the "Hounds". Once in San Francisco Harris opened up shop in his trade, tin and iron-sheet working. In 1850 Harris moved with his family to Honolulu to provide a better environment for his wife who suffered from consumption. After three years, Harris left Honolulu and moved to Petaluma where he engaged in a general merchandising business. According to Harris, he built the first warehouse and dock in Petaluma. He was "Agent" for a steamship company when one of their steamers "The Senator" blew up. His wife and cousin were on board but only suffered minor injuries although others perished. From Petaluma Harris and his wife moved to Healdsburg where he engaged in the hotel business. In 1862 they again moved to Honolulu where his wife died that same year. Harris returned to Petaluma and then to Washoe City Autobiographies and Reminiscences of California Pioneers, p.130-136, Vol. 1. This is a typed transcript, bound into a volume, of the member's autobiographical reminiscence created as an institutional record for the Society of California Pioneers. The original handwritten version exists in the member's Biographical File. This reminiscence includes a reference to a photograph of the member in a set of bound volumes, but there is no longer a photograph of this member in our collection. Harris wrote this autobiography when he was eighty years old. It contains some background family history. Harris offers numerous anecdotes relating to his journey overseas involving stowaways, songs, victuals, and the nervousness of their ship's captain. In his descriptions one can get a feel for the daily life of him and his fellow passengers. He pays particular attention to the various ways the passengers amused themselves on their long journey. Much attention is given to the cost of living in San Francisco at that time. Locations of buildings he built are also provided.
Harris, George--1813-1905 Pioneers--California--Biography Frontier and pioneer life Voyages to the Pacific Coast Vigilance committees--California--San Francisco--History California--Biography California--History--19th century
Time Period
California -- History -- 19th century
Place
Pioneers California Biography Vigilance committees San Francisco History 19th century. California, Northern.
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