Henry Harrison (Philadelphia mayor) explained
Henry Harrison ( - January 3, 1766) was a merchant and politician, and the mayor of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 1762–1763.[1]
Early life
Harrison was born in Lancashire, England in .
In his early life, he was captain of the ship The Snow Squirrel.
Career
After moving to the Province of Pennsylvania in what was then British America, Harrison served as an alderman. He was also a member and vestryman of Christ Church. He became wealthy as a dry-goods merchant.
On October 5, 1762, he was appointed mayor of Philadelphia, serving until October 4, 1763.[2]
He also served as manager of the Public Hospital and was a local real estate developer.
Personal life
On April 13, 1748, Harrison married Mary Aspden (1718–1803), formerly of Lancashire and the daughter of Mathew Aspen.[3] In 1760, he built a home in Philadelphia on Coombes Alley (today known as Cuthbert Street).[4] Together, they were the parents of five children:[5] [6]
- Mary Harrison (1750–1797), who married the Right Reverend William White, D.D., first consecrated Bishop of the Episcopal Church, Diocese of Philadelphia, in 1773.[7]
- Anne Harrison (1757–1780), who married William Paca (1740–1799), signer of the Declaration of Independence and later governor of Maryland, on February 28, 1777.[8]
- Matthias Harrison (1759–1817), who married Rebecca Mifflin, daughter of Turrut Francis.[9]
- George Harrison (1762–1845) who married Sophia Francis in 1792.[3]
- Joseph Harrison[10]
Harrison died on January 3, 1766, in Philadelphia, where he was buried in Christ Church Burial Ground. His stone is inscribed "Alderman and sometime Mayor of Philadelphia, A Christian and useful Citizen. His desolate Widow, sadly bewailing her irretrievable loss, and striving to alleviate her grief with the memory of his worth, Erected this Stone."[11] His estate was estimated to be worth over £15,086.12.0 which included 157 troy ounces of plate valued at £78.10 (roughly $2,000,000 in 2017 figures).[3]
Notes and References
- Book: Council . Philadelphia (Pa) Councils Common . Minutes of the Common Council of the City of Philadelphia, 1704-1776 . 1847 . Crissy & Markley, Printers . 685 . 4 February 2019 . en.
- Web site: Mayors of Philadelphia . www.phila.gov . . 4 February 2019.
- Book: Chicago . Art Institute of . Goldsborough . Jennifer . American Silver in the Art Institute of Chicago . 2017 . . 9780300222364 . 84 . 4 February 2019 . en.
- News: Carrion . Angelly . Old City's Henry Harrison House Is For Sale By Owner . 4 February 2019 . . November 11, 2013.
- Philadelphia Deeds D21, 171 Maryland State Archives MSA SC 1138-001-965 (Legislative History Project Files)
- Book: Jordan . John Woolf . Colonial Families of Philadelphia . 1911 . Lewis Publishing Company . 1048 . 5 February 2019 . en.
- The lives of eminent Philadelphians, now deceased, by Henry Simpson, published by W. Brotherhead, 1859.
- Revolutionary Patriots of Anne Arundel County, Maryland, by Henry C. Peden, Jr., published by Heritage Books, 2006.,
- Book: Clark . Edward L. . A Record of the Inscriptions on the Tablets and Grave-stones in the Burial-grounds of Christ Church . 2012 . Applewood Books . 9781429093095 . 113 . 5 February 2019 . en.
- Philadelphia Deeds D21, 171 Maryland State Archives MSA SC 1138-001-965 (Legislative History Project Files)
- https://archive.org/details/recordofinscript00chri A record of the inscriptions on the tablets and gravestones in the burial-grounds of Christ Church, Philadelphia
