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Harris, Michael Spurr.—The late Michael Spurr Harris, of Moncton, New Brunswick, who was born at Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, September 22nd, 1804, and married, May 11th, 1826, Sarah Ann Troop, of Granville, Annapolis county, N.S., was descended from a long line of ancestors. One of these, Arthur Harris, came from England, and was among the earliest settlers in Duxbury, Plymouth county, Massachusetts. In 1640 he moved to Bridgewater, Mass., and a few years afterwards, about 1656, he took up his residence in Boston, where he died on the 10th June, 1674, leaving a widow and five children. Samuel Harris, a direct descendant of Arthur Harris, married, in 1757, Sarah Cook, in Boston, from whence, about 1763, they emigrated to Nova Scotia, and settled in Annapolis county at a place called Mount Pleasant, near Bridgewater, and here Samuel Harris died in 1801, leaving several children, among others the father of the subject of our sketch, Christopher Prince Harris, who died in Annapolis county, near Digby, 30th January, 1853, and his widow at the same place in 1862. Sarah Cook, wife of Samuel Harris, was a grandchild of Francis Cook, who came with the first Pilgrims from Plymouth, England, to Plymouth, America, in 1620. Six years afterwards her grandfather, on her mother’s side, came out to the Plymouth settlement, and he it was who, in 1676, captured the celebrated Indian chief “Annawan.” Michael Spurr Harris received his early education in the parish schools of Nova Scotia, and passed his boyhood at his father’s home in Digby county, N.S. When quite young he went to St. John, N.B., and entered the employ of Mr. Peterson, a carriage-builder, where, after serving his apprenticeship, he began business; and in 1826 married Sarah Ann Troop, and settled in St. John, continuing his trade of carriage-making. A few years later moving to Norton, Kings county, N.B., he extended his business, and remained there until the fall of 1836, when he moved with his family to Moncton, N.B., then called the Bend of Petitcodiac. Here he became largely interested in the lumber trade and shipping, building and owning vessels and sawmills. He was one of the earliest prominent business men, and foremost in promoting the social, commercial, and industrial welfare of Moncton. Comparatively self-educated, his manner of life did not throw him in conflict with others in political questions; but he held liberal and advanced views on the leading questions of his day, and supported the policy of provincial responsible government, the union of the provinces, and the encouragement of manufactures. He was a magistrate, and held a justice’s court for many years. From about 1840 to 1862 he was very actively engaged in shipbuilding and the shipment of lumber to England, which at that time were the leading industries of the province. His business called him frequently to Great Britain, and he was known among shipping men in Liverpool as a man of strict business integrity. The town of Moncton elected him its mayor in 1859, a position which he filled with much ability. Possessed of strong natural powers, a fine physique, a kindly and courteous manner, and a strong belief in the orthodox Christian faith, he lived a useful and exemplary life, and died at his home in Moncton, January 26th, 1866, of paralysis, a malady which had for some years previous deprived him of the active use of his limbs. His remains are in the family lot at Moncton cemetery.