He was born in
Magherafelt in
County Londonderry to John Harris and Nancy Ann McKee. The family migrated to
Sydney in 1842 after his father had an inheritance from his great uncle
John Harris. His brothers were William Henry and John and his niece was the racing driver
Vida Jones. Harris attended the
University of Sydney, receiving a
Bachelor of Arts in 1863; he inherited property from his father in 1862. On 4 August 1868 he married Frances Snowdon Lane, by whom he would have eleven children. From 1883 to 1900 he was a
Sydney City alderman; he served as
Mayor from 1898 to 1900. His term as mayor was marked by the sacking of the City Organist,
Auguste Wiegand — an act, it was said, that was only regretted once. In 1894 he was elected to the
New South Wales Legislative Assembly as the
Free Trade member for
Sydney-Denison, serving until his retirement in 1901. He was knighted in 1899. Harris died at the
Jenner Private Hospital in
Potts Point in 1917. ==References==