09/01/2026
As we continue learning about our local Revolutionary soldiers, this August we’ll be learning about William Harris. Likely born around October 10, 1762 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Samuel Harris and Elizabeth “Betsey” Bonner. Sometime early in his life, their family moved to live in Sunbury, Pennsylvania where he would eventually enlist into the army.
When the Revolution began, William was just a boy at 14 years old. His father, a veteran of the French and Indian War, joined into the service, and William ended up following him. Being to young to fight, he was made a fifer and volunteered in the winter of 1776 for 3 months under Captain Hugh White.
He ended up witnessing a skirmish in New Jersey as a fifer, and marched through Trenton days after Washington’s fateful attack on the Hessians camped there. After his 3 months were up, William would wait to enlist again until he was 18 years old in 1781.
When he did enlisted again, he spent seven months of service as a private and Indian spy under Captain Peter Grove. It was his job to act as a scout on the frontier and watch for incoming raids, as well as report on tribal movements.
Once the war was over, William moved from Sunbury to Tioga Point, which is now the borough of Athens, Pennsylvania. He stayed there for 3 years before moving to live along Cayuga Lake in New York, potentially to live near family, though he didn’t stay there for long. It may have been at this point that he married Mary Mead, though we don’t have record of when or where. Together the two would have 10 children, many of whom would end up living in Ohio with the couple.
Soon, he moved to live along the Genesee River in Livingston County, New York. While living there, William served in the War of 1812, though he wasn’t fighting on the front. Instead, he manufactured bullets for the army.
Later, in 1818, the Harris family would briefly move down to Meadville, Pennsylvania. Their stay was only temporary though, as William would end up scouting ahead for his family, and arrived in what would soon become Seneca County in 1819. The next year, his family would join him and settle near Fort Seneca, making them some of the earliest settlers in the county!
He would make his living here as a talented gunsmith, and apparently had many indigenous customers. He even learned several indigenous languages in his lifetime, which certainly aided him in his business. While living in our county, William applied for his soldier’s pension on October 4, 1832. He received it, though would only collect his pension for a few years before dying in either 1834 or 1835, and Mary receiving a widow’s pension in 1836.
William is buried in McMeen Cemetery, though his marker incorrectly lists him as having died in 1838. It also lists him as a 2nd Lieutenant, though no records proving this rank could be found for this post. It is possible these errors are due to this being William’s second grave, and that details of his life were mis-recorded when it was replaced with the new stone.
Many details from William Harris’ life had to be left out of this post. For the full version of his life both on and off the battlefield, check out our blog! You can also learn more about the details of other Revolutionary veterans’ lives and service to our country, so click to follow the link below. https://www.tiffinsenecalibrary.org/findinfo/blog
