Person Index

Harris, James

James HARRIS
b: 28 FEB 1833
d: 12 OCT 1897
Biography
Some details from Bill and Shona Harris''s Family Tree

Hutt City Library Online Database
Main Title: Abraham and Sophia Harris
Imprint: 2000
Notes: Indexes: Filing Cabinet
Summary: Historical profile of Abraham and Sophia Harris, early pioneers at Taita, where c1842 onwards Abraham had a timber mill. He milled the timber for Christ Church free of charge. In the first wedding at the church, the Harris'' eldest son James married Mary Jane Mabey.
Language: English
Subject: Harris, Abraham
Harris, Sophia
Harris, James
Mabey, Mary Jane
Christ Church, Taita
Biographies, General A-M
Heritage resources

More records similar
Hutt City Library Online Database
Main Title: Christ Church, Taita: Harris Family Tombstone (1)
Imprint: 1996
Notes: 1958
Indexes: E4
Summary: Christ Church Taita was opened 1 January 1854. After a fire in 1989, it was restored and rededicated in 1991. One of the pioneer graves in the churchyard: Abraham and Sophia Harris.
Language: English
Subject: Christ Church, Taita
Churches
Heritage resources



Order for the book "Guardian of the Valley" 25/1/2006
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Heather Millais - millais@xtra.co.nz
1 Punga Street
Mt Eden
Auckland 1003
09 630 2242
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Comment
Thank you - my great Grandmother was Rachel Harris who married Herbert Hill Hunt.
Rachel''s parents - James Harris and Mary Jane Harris nee Mabey
Look forward to reading about Christ Church and about family members.
Thanks
Heather Millais (nee Hunt)

Bolton sailed from London 19 November 1839 and arrived 30 April 1840
Names as shown on passenger list
Harris Abraham, Aged: 29, Labourer & Brickmaker
Harris Sophia, Aged: 29
Harris Sophia, Aged: 8
Harris James, Aged: 6
Harris Edward, Aged: 4
Harris Walter, Aged: 2
Harris Thomas, Aged: 10 weeks


New Zealand Spectator and Cook''s Strait Guardian 4 April 1846
SUPREME COURT SITTINGS.
SPECIAL COMMISSION.
Friday, 27th March, 1846.
BEFORE MR. JUSTICE CHAPMAN.
Wiremu and Kumete, two aboriginal natives, were put to the bar charged with a robbery at the house of Thomas Jackson Hughes, at the Hutt, about four miles above the bridge, on Sunday, the 1st March, the day when various outrages were committed, and several houses were pillaged by the natives.
Mr. Hanson conducted the prosecution.
Mr. Ross (who was specially retained by the Government) conducted the defence.
The defence of the prisoners was an alibi.
T. J. Hughes deposed, that about half past four o''clock on the Sunday in question he was informed by his children that the natives were coming; he sent his family away into the bush and locked up the house; ten natives came up; he spoke to one, who was a chief named Epau; Epau asked him for the key of the house, which he refused to give; one of the natives then began to batter the door with his gun, and others tore out the window frame; some entered the house by the window, and so did the witness, and then opened the door to prevent its being broken; the first of the natives who entered by the door was the prisoner Wiremu, the other had entered by the window; they were all armed with guns or swords; they pillaged the house of every thing; a man named Harris came up to the house, and when the natives went away followed them with Hughes to a spot at a short distance, where they were dividing the plunder.
The witness swore positively to the two prisoners, whom he had known for eighteen months or two years; when he first knew Kumete he was tattooed on the chin, but the outer line on each side of the face from the cheek bones round the face were newly made; Kumete had not been newly tattooed more than a month; knew a native very like Kumete, but when he last saw him he was not tattooed at all; had no doubt whatever that both the prisoners were present when his house was robbed.
Abraham Harris deposed generally to the same facts, and spoke confidently to the person of Kumete; could not swear to Wiremu; knew a native very similar to Kumete, but he was not tattooed when he last saw him.
John Giles was present and swore to the person of Kumete, but did not remember the other prisoner.
Arbuthnot Burnett and Mary Burnett both deposed to having seen Kumete, who came to their house about 300 or 400 yards from Hughes'' on the same afternoon; he had a sword with him; Mary Burnett knew another native very like Kumete; neither of them saw Wiremu on that day.
Charles Collis also saw Kumete at his house on that day with a drawn sword; did not know Wiremu; nearly all the witnesses swore that when they first knew Kumete, the time varying from eight months to two years, he had tattoo on his chin.
For the defence.
Henry, Epuni''s son, and five other natives, proved that on Saturday afternoon, the 28th February, the prisoner Wiremu came with them from Petoni to the pa at Kai Wara Wara; that they saw him all the next day (Sunday) in the pa, and that it was impossible he could have been at the Hutt without their knowledge; that he was sent the next day with Kumete as the bearer of a message from the chief Taringra Kuri, at the desire of the Governor, to Kaparetehau at the Hutt, to desire him to intercept the stolen property; that they went away about the middle of the day; (Mr. Kemp accompanied them the latter part of the journey, and was with them when they were taken at the Hutt bridge.)
Taringa Kuri and eight other natives swore positively to the arrival of Wiremu on the Saturday at Kai Wara Wara, and that he remained there until the Monday,- and that Kumete came with the chief and others about the time the troops marched to the Hutt, (24th Feb.) and that he remained until the Monday; several of them remembered Kumete was playing cards on the Sunday afternoon.
One or two others were called to prove Kumete was in the pa all Sunday.
Mrs. Anderson was called, who proved she went into the pa on Sunday afternoon to look for one of her children and saw some natives playing cards, but could not remember whether Kumete was one of them.
Mr. Cervantes, of the 96th, had known the prisoner Kumete for twelve months quite well; he was very frequently at his house; had not seen him for about two months and a week; up to that time he had no tattoo whatever on his face.
The Jury after retiring for a short time found the prisoner Kumete guilty, and Wiremu not guilty.
The trial lasted until a late hour at night.
On the following day the prisoners were brought up for a robbery at the house of another settler named Chamberlain, but no evidence being offered they were acquitted.
They were next tried for stealing a pig the property of William Sennox a settler at the Hutt, on Thursday the 26th March. William Sennox deposed that a native chief named Epau and Kumete came to his house together, and that in about one minute Wiremu came up, took a fire-stick, lit his pipe, and went away towards some natives a short distance from the house: after some conversation, and in about five minutes Epau and Kumete went to his pig pound, which was close to his house, and began to cut and wound his pigs with a tomahawk; they killed one about 2001b. weight, and carried it away; when they began to kill the pigs several of the natives in the bush who had remained about thirty yards off came up and assisted; Wiremu was not amongst them. On his cross-examination the witness said, he had known Kumete well, and had had dealings with him for the last eight months; during all the time he had known him he was positive he was tatooed on the face and chin; the two single outer lines only had been added, and that lately.
His wife proved the same facts, but that Wiremu did not come up so soon as her husband had stated; he was four or five minutes after Epau and Kumete, and he lit his pipe and went away; she did not see him again.
For the defence Mr. Cervantes proved that he had known Kumete for twelve months; that he was very frequently at his (Mr. Cervantes'') house; that he had not seen him for about two months and a week; and that he was quite positive he had no tatoo whatever when he last saw him.
The Jury acquitted both prisoners.
Kumete was afterwards sentenced to ten years'' transportation for the robbery at Hughes''.

Nelson Evening Mail 10 March 1868
The Taita Company of Wellington Volunteers has made the best score in that province as yet for the District prizes, Private T. Harris having made 59 points, and Corporal R. King 58. The highest score obtained by the Lower Hutt Company was 56, and by the Porirua Company 53.

Evening Post 5 July 1873
WANTED, a Waggon Driver. Apply to A. Harris, Taita; or to C. Lett, Timber Yard,

Reclaimed Land

Death Details
1897/5794, James Harris, Aged: 64Y - Date of Death 12/10/1897 from Death Registration

Manawatu District Council Cemetery Records
Harris, James
Age: 64
Occupation: Farmer
Date of Death: 18/10/1897 (sic)
Date of Interment: 20/10/1897
Cemetery: Sandon
Row: N
Plot Number: 76
Interment ID: 10851

Death Details
1921/4141, Mary Jane Harris, Aged: 85Y - Date of Death 1/8/1921 from Death Registration

Manawatu District Council Cemetery Records
Harris, Mary Jane
Age: 85
Date of Death: 1/08/1921
Date of Interment: 3/08/1921
Cemetery: Sandon
Row: N
Plot Number: 74
Interment ID: 10844

Probate Mary Jane Harris, Place: Sanson, Occ: Widow, AAOY W3298 115/21, Filed: 7/9/1921, Will, Archives NZ, Wellington
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Facts
  • 28 FEB 1833 - Birth - ; Broomfield, Essex, England
  • 12 OCT 1897 - Death -
Ancestors
   
?
 
 
Abraham HARRIS
25 AUG 1810 - 22 OCT 1874
  
  
  
?
 
James HARRIS
28 FEB 1833 - 12 OCT 1897
  
 
  
 
 
Sophia Harris
17 APR 1810 - 21 SEP 1888
  
  
  
 
Family Group Sheet - Child
PARENT (M) Abraham HARRIS
Birth25 AUG 1810
Death22 OCT 1874 Taita, Wellington
Marriage30 OCT 1830to Sophia Harris at St Marys Anglican Church, Broomfield, England
Father?
Mother?
PARENT (F) Sophia Harris
Birth17 APR 1810
Death21 SEP 1888 Taita, Wellington
Marriage30 OCT 1830to Abraham HARRIS at St Marys Anglican Church, Broomfield, England
FatherJames Harris
MotherJane Mugridge
CHILDREN
MJames HARRIS
Birth28 FEB 1833Broomfield, Essex, England
Death12 OCT 1897
Marriage11 JAN 1854to Mary Jane Mabey at Christ Church, Taita
MThomas Harris
Birth1839
Death
Marriage1859to Phoebe Ann Rayner
MWalter HARRIS
Birth2 APR 1837Broomfield, Essex, England
Death8 NOV 1915
Marriage1866to Sarah Jane Wyeth
MEdward Richard (Twin) Harris
Birth15 JAN 1835Broomfield, Essex, England
Death18 AUG 1901
Marriage1859to Mary Ann Daysh
FEllen Matilda Harris
Birth1848
Death9 DEC 1939
Marriage1868to George Dew
FMary Ann HARRIS
Birth12 MAR 1831Broomfield, Essex, England
Death6 JUN 1893
Marriage18 APR 1854to John Houghton at Christ Church, Taita
MDavid John HARRIS
Birth1840
Death1842Died Young In New Zealand
FEmma Jane (Twin) HARRIS
Birth15 JAN 1835Broomfield, Essex, England
Death12 NOV 1835Broomfield, Essex, England
MCharles David HARRIS
Birth1843
Death19 JAN 1913
MGeorge HARRIS
Birth1846
Death
MWilliam Henry HARRIS
Birth1850
Death
FElizabeth Sarah HARRIS
Birth1851
Death
MAbraham John HARRIS
Birth1855
Death29 JUN 1933
Marriage1881to Margaret Mary O''Brien
Family Group Sheet - Spouse
PARENT (M) James HARRIS
Birth28 FEB 1833Broomfield, Essex, England
Death12 OCT 1897
Marriage11 JAN 1854to Mary Jane Mabey at Christ Church, Taita
FatherAbraham HARRIS
MotherSophia Harris
PARENT (F) Mary Jane Mabey
Birth1836
Death1 AUG 1921
Marriage11 JAN 1854to James HARRIS at Christ Church, Taita
FatherJob Mabey
MotherRachel Mockridge
CHILDREN
FMary Jane HARRIS
Birth1877
Death
MJob HARRIS
Birth1880
Death23 SEP 1960
Marriage1901to Frances Elizabeth Hill
FRachel HARRIS
Birth1863
Death16 DEC 1926
Marriageto Herbert Hill Hunt
FAlice HARRIS
Birth1868
Death
MAbraham HARRIS
Birth1859
Death30 MAY 1921
FSarah Jane HARRIS
Birth1854
Death20 MAR 1879
NR HARRIS
Birth1856
Death
FSophia HARRIS
Birth1873
Death
FMary HARRIS
Birth1864
Death1864
MJames HARRIS
Birth1861
Death
FMary Ann HARRIS
Birth1871
Death1872
FAnnie HARRIS
Birth1866
Death1867
Descendancy Chart
James HARRIS b: 28 FEB 1833 d: 12 OCT 1897
Mary Jane Mabey b: 1836 d: 1 AUG 1921
Mary Jane HARRIS b: 1877
Job HARRIS b: 1880 d: 23 SEP 1960
Frances Elizabeth Hill b: 1881 d: 21 MAR 1948
Rachel HARRIS b: 1863 d: 16 DEC 1926
Alice HARRIS b: 1868
Abraham HARRIS b: 1859 d: 30 MAY 1921
Sarah Jane HARRIS b: 1854 d: 20 MAR 1879
NR HARRIS b: 1856
Sophia HARRIS b: 1873
Mary HARRIS b: 1864 d: 1864
James HARRIS b: 1861
Mary Ann HARRIS b: 1871 d: 1872
Annie HARRIS b: 1866 d: 1867
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