Rev. Timothy Harris was
born at Williamstown, Massachusetts, Mar. 15, 1781. He
graduated at Middlebury College with the first honors of his
class, Aug. 21, 1803.
He studies theology with Rev. Mr. Preston, of
Rupert, Vermont. In 1807, having been licensed and
received his "Recommendatory Letter," dated August 28th, he
came West to visit friends in Southwestern Ohio.
Reaching Marietta, he saw Mr. Robbins, who had become
so much interested in the Granville people that he made
Mr. Harris promise to visit them before he returned.
Having preached for six months in Montgomery county, he
started eastward again; and remembering his promise to
Mr. Robbins, he took Granville on his way. We have
seen in the annals that he arrived here the latter part of
April, 1808, and the way soon opened for him to remain
permanently with this people.
September 4th, 1809, he married Miss Bethia Linnel
a young lady of his own parish, daughter of Joseph Linnel
a young lady of his own parish, daughter of Joseph Linnel,
Sr.
So much concerning Mr. Harris is woven into
the events of the colony, that it only remains to speak of
his character.
Let it be remembered that he was ever a frail man and
of a sensitive nature. In youth he was not strong.
While in his course of study he one day entered a damp cave,
from which exposure he took a severe and lasting cold.
In the end he threw off the incubus and regained his usual
strength, but it made an indelible mark upon his
constitution. The exposure of his missionary tours,
during which he had often to swim swollen streams on horse
back, and make tedious rides all day through mud and rain,
was such as to undermine the strength he had. The last
years of his pulpit labors were in much weakness, and his
salary was always small and precarious.
Mr. Harris' mental endowments were of a high
order. None other could bear away the highest honors
of Middle-[Page 199]
A PURITAN.
bury College. None other could succeed
as he succeeded in carrying with him the intellects that had
been trained under Dr. Cooley of old Granville.
None other could produce the striking papers recorded from
his pen in matters of admonition and discipline.
The influences that developed his piety gave it a
decided puritanic type. His views on family government
were of the strictest, yet his children bless his memory and
honor their father's influence. So were they on church
government. An offense against the church's purity or
good order must be as publicly confessed as the offense was
open.
It is to be considered that it was the prominent type
of effective Christianity with the people among whom he
lived. There was something of set phraseology and of
idiom, and possibly sometimes of set tone and look in the
expression of their religious sentiments. But it did
not degenerate into cant. There was always a sincerity
and depth of experience in their religion which demanded
respect for the slight mannerism of its expression.
When puritanism is genuine and the life attests the
sincerity of the profession, it is grandly worthy.
Such it was in Mr. Harris.
The first record of his absence from the pulpit on
account of his illness was May 4th, 1817, when Rev.
Ebenezer Washburn officiated in his place.
Eighteen days before his death he received the sacrament.
The following minutes on the Records of his Presbytery was
entered to his memory: "The Presbytery, with deep
regret, are called to record the death of the Rev.
Timothy Harris, one of their members, who departed this
life on Thursday, the 28th of March, 1822."
A beautiful marble slab in the old burial lot of the
Licking Company, bears the following inscription:
[Page 200]
REV. TIMOTHY HARRIS.
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Rev.
Timothy Harris
was born
in Williamstown, Mass.,
March 15th, 1781,
graduated at Middlebury Coll.,
Aug. 21st, 1805,
licensed to preach the gospel,
May 27, 1807,
ordained & installed the first
Pastor of the Congregational
Church in Granville, O.,
Dec. 14th, 1808.
He died beloved & lamented.
March 28th, 1822.
During his ministry of
14 years, 150 united with
the church.
Well done, good & faithful servant.
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