Harris, John R.

ROCKWOOD.
Our foremost citizen is gone and this community mourns the loss of our most prominent business man and employer of labor, and of an upright, honest, consistent Christian man. John Richard Harris is dead.
Mr. John R. Harris, the well known proprietor of the Rockwood Woollen Mills, died at his home here early Easter Sunday morning, after an illness of several weeks. The deceased had only been confined to the house about two weeks and though it was evident from the first that he could not recover, all the relief that the best medical skill could devise was procured. The cause of death is supposed to be the result of grippe. It settled in his head and he was paralysed and unconscious since Friday morning. The whole community has felt stunned at the death of this useful and universally esteemed resident.
Mr. Harris was a native of Rockwood, born there in 1837, and was the eldest son of the late John Harris, who came to Canada from County Cork, Ireland, and settled at Rockwood away back in the thirties. The mother of the deceased was Jane Weatherald, a sister of the late Rev. William Wetherald, founder of the once famous Rockwood Acadamy. Mr. Harris sr., died 42 years ago last December.
Thirty-two years ago the Rockwood woollen mills were established by deceased in partnership with two brothers. In 1887 he became sole proprietor and has conducted the business with the assistance of his sons since, though the style of the firm has ever remained Harris & Co. In all his business career he was known for his strict integrity, and in his social life he was beneficent and worthy of the confidence imposed in him and the high esteem in which he was held by all his acquaintances. Though he was not a public man and did not actively connect himself with political or municipal life, he was at all times able to give an intelligent opinion on questions agitating the public mind. He especially interested himself in the Rockwood Public School Board and was for the fifteen years past its most active member, and always on the alert to provide the best possible opportunities for the securing of a sound elementary education to the rising generation of the community.
Mr. Harris was a most consistent Christian man and an earnest and generous supporter of the church of his fathers, the Society of Friends. The closing year of his life gave marked manifestation of this, for in it his cherished plans of previous years were consummated, and he lived to see the opening and dedication of a beautiful new brick meeting house, modern and convenient in all its appointments; and to worship there - in fact to conduct personally the services for several months. This house of God will stand in the future years as a monument to his faithfulness and generous use of the means with which God entrusted him, for the building was erected and furnished largely with monies provided by himself and family. This little congregation of worshippers will ever revere the name of John Richard Harris and honor him with sainted memory.
Mrs. Harris, widow of deceased, and four sons, grown up and well trained in the business of their father, survive him. The sons are William, Charles, Edward and Richard. They are worthy young men and they "rise up and call their father blessed." In their experienced hands the business interests will continue without interruption.
The funeral on Tuesday afternoon was attended by the community en masse and many from outside points, among whom were noticed Messrs. John I. Hobson,, A. F. H. Jones, Robert Cunningham and J. W. Kilgour, Guelph; Major Mutrie, M.P.P., Eramosa; William Hortop, Eden Mills; H. P. Moore, Acton; also a number of friends from Toronto and other places.
The church was totally inadequate to accomodate the hundreds who assembled to attend the impressive service. The service was in charge of Rev. Mr. Rogers of Fonthill, who was assisted by Rev. Principal Firth, of Pickering College and Rev. S. W. Holden, J. A. Cranston and W. R. Seytone. Rev. Mr. Rogers' address from Psalm 16: 15, "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints," was a most appropriate and impressive address.
The remains were borne to the grave by the two brothers, Messrs. Thomas of Toronto, and Samuel of Rockwood, and the four sons of deceased.