Biography of Mrs. Mary C. Harris
FROM OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE
A DESCRIPTIVE AND BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD
OF SARATOGA COUNTY, NEW YORK
PREPARED AND PUBLISHED UNDER THE
AUSPICES OF THE SARATOGIAN
THE BOSTON HISTORY COMPANY, PUBLISHERS 1899
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Harris, Mrs. Mary C., widow of John Harris; the latter was born in 1799, and died on April 24, 1862. They had
five children, two now living: John C. Harris of Saratoga Springs, and Gertrude, wife of William Harris of Fort
Edward, Washington county. One of Mrs. Harris's deceased children was Mrs. Eliza Harris Billings, who was murdered
on the 4th of June, 1878, by being shot through the head while sitting in her room in company with her daughter
and a house servant. The murder of Mrs. Billings caused a great sensation at the time and was the means of a long
and expensive trial, her husband being accused of the murder. He was finally acquitted after two trials, the first
resulting in a disagreement of the jury. Mrs. Harris was born in western Oneida county, N. Y., and was the daughter
of Joseph A. Clark an extensive farmer of that vicinity. She was married to Mr. Harris on August 7. 1831, and went
as a bride to Whitehall, where her husband was in general merchandise business. Mr. Harris was the owner of the
property where the homestead is now located and hither they came the spring following, leaving the business at
Whitehail, which was destroyed by fire in 1849. Their first residence was in a dwelling adjoining the present residence.
Her mother was Elizabeth Olney, whose people were residents of the village of Quaker Springs in old Saratoga. Mrs.
Harris, who has passed the three score years and ten, is still one of the liveliest women in the vicinity, conducts
her own house, directs the affairs of her farm and exercises a general supervision over the affairs of her large
property.
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