John W. Harris

John W. Harris passed away peacefully in his sleep on October 20, 2014 at his home in Peterborough, at the age of 84. He was married for 60 years to Elizabeth (Betsey) Brooks Harris. John was born in New York, NY on September 21, 1930, the son of Irving Drought Harris and Jean (Ferris) Harris. During his long and varied life he was a soldier, a lawyer, a farmer, a sailor, and an archivist and historian. He was educated at St. Bernard's and St. George's Schools, Princeton University and Harvard Law School. He served in the US Marine Corps during the Korean War, and was awarded the Purple Heart for his courageous service. After 10 years practicing law in New York, the family moved to Sharon, then Lakeville, Connecticut, where he ran a large dairy farm in Mill River Massachusetts. For many years he and his wife and friends explored both sides of the Atlantic in their sailboat Perelandra. The family lived at Stonewall Farm in Dublin NH, which they bought in 1961. Harris was interested in local and regional history and the preservation of historical records. He served on the boards of the Dublin Historical Society, the Historical Society of Cheshire County, and the New Hampshire Historical Society. He spent many years restoring and cataloging the records of Dublin and its residents, and was instrumental in the creation of the new Dublin Archives building. In addition to his wife, he is survived by his son, Paul Andrew Harris of NH, his daughter Emily Harris Jones of VT; three grandchildren, Alice Jones, Katherine Harris and Andrew Harris; a sister Elizabeth Harris of Santa Fe and a half-sister Chantal Morancon of Paris. A service in his memory will be held at the Dublin Community Church this Saturday, October 25th at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in John's memory to the Dublin Historical Society, PO Box 415, Dublin NH 03444 or The New Hampshire Historical Society, 30 Park Street Concord, NH 03301. Jellison Funeral Home and Cremation Services is assisting the family with arrangements. To view an online obituary, or to leave a condolence for the family, please visit www.jellisonfuneralhome.com

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