John Harris Jr. papers

Collection

Identifier: Coll. 4228

Staff Only

Scope and Content note

The collection consists primarily of business and financial papers, including bills, receipts, inventories, promissory notes, and legal records. The business and financial papers reflect John Harris’ personal and professional activities, including the accounts of his store and his position as collector for the First Baptist Society. The collection also includes the records of legal disputes presented to Harris during his tenure as Justice of the Peace, as well as documents related to his administration of estates and his roles as county gaoler and sheriff.

Dates

Creation: 1811 - 1848

Creator

Harris, John, Jr. (Person)

Access

Unrestricted

Copyright

Access to collections at Maine Historical Society is not an authorization to publish. Rights and reproduction requests may be submitted in writing to the MHS Image Services Coordinator or Research & Administrative Librarian, subject to format.

Biographical note

John Harris Jr. of Maine’s Cumberland County ran a store in New Gloucester and held numerous positions of authority in and around Portland. For over a decade, he served as Justice of the Peace hearing legal disputes and settling writs. He served as collector for the First Baptist Society of Portland and was an administrator of various estates, including that of Thomas Johnson, from whom he leased his store for a period. Additionally, Harris was the gaoler and keeper of the prison in Portland and the Cumberland County deputy sheriff in the 1830s.

Extent

0.5 Linear Feet (1 box)

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Provenance

Gift of E. Christopher Livesay, June 20 and June 27, 2022 (acc. no. 2023.021).

Related Materials

The Maine Historical Society also holds the following relevant collections:

John Harris Jr. papers, Coll. S-247
First Baptist Society tax documents, 1840-1845, Coll. S-6998

Processing note

E. Christopher Livesay gifted these papers to MHS as part of a larger donation of material compiled over decades as a collector of Maine-related manuscripts and books. All of the material from the donation shares accession number 2023.021.

The material arrived grouped by activity and accompanied by notes and general research by Livesay. The groups and basic order were largely maintained, though disaggregated and loose material was interfiled and other items were separated into new folders as appropriate. Material was processed as an individual collection.