Alexander Harris
Alexander Harris was a 19th-century English author and minister, born in 1805 in London to a lawyer turned Nonconformist clergyman. After a challenging childhood marked by the death of his mother and emotional turmoil from family changes, he joined the British Army's Horse Guards but ultimately deserted. Seeking a new life, Harris emigrated to New South Wales, Australia, where he embraced his Christian faith with renewed fervor and worked alongside fellow emigrants. He returned to England in 1840 and married Elizabeth Atkinson, but she died shortly after, leading him to marry Ursula Carr in 1842. This second marriage also faced difficulties, and Harris moved to Wisconsin in 1851 to minister to fishermen; however, his wife and children later left him for Canada.
Harris made significant contributions to Australian literature, particularly with works like "Settlers and Convicts," which explored themes of camaraderie and the experiences of life in Australia's penal colonies. His writing often captured the spirit of Australian pioneering and reflected his personal journey, including his religious transformation. He is remembered as an important chronicler of life in the Australian bush, providing insights into the challenges and communal bonds of early settlers. Harris passed away in Ontario in 1874, leaving behind a legacy of literary and cultural significance.
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Alexander Harris
Author
- Born: February 7, 1805
- Birthplace: London, England
- Died: February 1, 1874
Biography
Born in 1805 in London, Alexander Harris was a prodigal son of a lawyer-turned-Nonconformist-clergyman. Harris dearly loved his mother but she died in 1823. When his father remarried the mother of a neighbor girl, Elizabeth Atkinson, the young Harris became heartbroken when he was no longer allowed to see Atkinson.
Harris joined the Horse Guards of the British Army around 1825, perhaps seeking emotional refuge, but deserted. Aided by his family, Harris made for New South Wales in Australia. While in Australia, Harris toiled with other emigrants to make his way in the rugged country, and seemed to undergo a religious transformation, reembracing his Christian heritage with evangelical zeal.
Harris returned to England in 1840, and married the object of his affection, Elizabeth Atkinson, in late 1841, only to become a widower within two months. Harris remarried in 1842, to Ursula Carr, the sister of a friend he had met on his return voyage to England. But his independent wife did not share her husband’s outward religiosity. Their marriage ultimately faltered.
Harris departed England for Wisconsin in 1851, where he ministered to fishermen. Carr and their three children followed in 1858, but the marriage could not be salvaged. She left Harris and Wisconsin, for Canada in 1863. Harris eventually settled in Ontario, where he died in 1874.
Harris made a substantial contribution to Australian literature with several books. In Settlers and Convicts: Or, Recollections of Sixteen Years’ Labour in the Australian Backwoods, written as an emigrant mechanic in 1847, Harris reported on the uniquely Australian characterization of the interdependence and camaraderie known as “mateship.” Harris also gave witness to the realities of Australia’s penal colonies.
In The Emigrant Family: Or, The Story of an Australian Settler, published in 1849, Harris wrote about the Australian frontier. Harris was regarded as an important chronicler of pioneering in the Australian bush. Testimony to the Truth: Or, The Autobiography of an Atheist, published in 1848, had its genesis when Harris worked as a London City Missionary. Testimony to the Truth gave Harris an opportunity to extol the Christianity that he returned to while in Australia.