John Harris Mansion
Posted by: 
Gosffo
N 40° 15.383 W 076° 52.728
18T E 340222 N 4457907
Dauphin County Historical Society
Waymark Code: WM61D
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 01/14/2006
Views: 64
John Harris (Sr.) came to America in 1719. He married Esther Say and had 4 children. One being John Harris (we'll call him Jr. even through some articles do not refer to him as Jr. or Sr.) John Harris, Sr. a native of Yorkshire England accompanied William Penn to America. Sr. built a log cabin on this site (between Paxton and Front St.).
John Sr. established the first ferry to cross the Susquehanna (Harris Ferry).
On his death he was buried under the shade of a mulberry tree (in front of the current house). He once had been tied to this tree by hostile Indians who were going to burn him. He was saved in the nick of time by Indian friends.
John Jr. inherited the house and continued with his father's ferry business and trading post. In 1766 he built a house of limestone above the flood plain overlooking his father's and sister's graves and the mighty Susquehanna River.
He went on to found the city of Harrisburg, which he named after his father, and the county of Dauphin.
In 1863 Simon Cameron purchased the house. He was President Lincoln's first Secretary of War. Cameron transformed the house into a Victorian mansion. He had the ground floor lowered 3 feet so he could have 14' high ceilings.
Cameron's daughter, Magaretta Cameron Haldeman, inherited the house on the death of her father (1899) and Richard Cameron Haldeman inherited the house on the death of his mother. In 1941 the Cameron heirs gave the house to the Dauphin County Historical Society.
Today it houses furnishings from both families. The house can be rented for weddings and parties. Tours are conducted by appointments only.
So take a picture of you and the sign or you and the mansion to log this find! Or you and the grave of Harris Sr. But take a picture you must! And while you're there grab the Geocache Susquehanna's Spirits by Lawntonlookers, GCQVFN. It's a twofer! Two for the price of one!
Marker Name: John Harris Mansion
County: Dauphin
Date Dedicated: 08/23/1946
Marker Type: Roadside
Location: 219 S. Front St. at mansion, Harrisburg
Category: Buildings, Mansions & Manors
Website: Not listed
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