John Harris d.1719

John HARRIS 1666-1719

Biographical Note

BA Trinity College, Oxford 1686, MA Hart Hall 1689. Vicar of Icklesham, Sussex, rector of Winchelsea 1691. Possibly graduated BD from Cambridge in 1699, DD Lambeth 1706. Became the chaplain of his patron, William Cowper, was made perpetual curate of Strood, Kent in 1711, and rector of East Barming in 1715. He was very interested in natural theology and scientific matters, and was also a private tutor and lecturer of mathematics. He became a fellow of the Royal Society in 1696 and was later secretary.

Books

Harris' library was sold by retail sale in London beginning 19 January 1720 alongside that of an unnamed gentleman. The sale was described by advertisements in the Daily Post as 'a very valuable Collection of the best Authors, in most Faculties Sciences and Languages, Several of them large Paper, with Notes and Additions by the Doctor, particularly his Lexicon Technicum'.

Sources

• Alston, R. C. Inventory of sale catalogues ... 1676-1800, St Philip, 2010.
• A Catalogue of the Libraries of John Harris, [London 1720].
• Stewart, Larry. "Harris, John (c. 1666–1719), writer and lecturer on science." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.
• 'The Libraries of the Reverend and Learned Dr. John Harris, Fellow of the Royal Society...', Daily Post, 19 January 1720.