John Harris (c. 1586 – 6 March 1657) of

Hayne Hayne is a surname of English origin. Etymology According to the '' Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain and Ireland'', modern names ''Haine'', ''Hayne'', '' Haines'', ''Hains'', ''Hanes'', and ''Haynes'' all in four different medieval nam ...

in the parish of

Stowford Stowford is a village and civil parish in the district of West Devon in the English county of Devon. It is situated to the west of Dartmoor. Stowford is about 1 mile west of the village of Lewdown and about 11 miles south-west of Okehampton in ...

in Devon and of

St. Michael's Mount St Michael's Mount (, meaning " hoar rock in woodland") is a tidal island in Mount's Bay near Penzance, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The island is a civil parish and is linked to the town of Marazion by a causeway of granite setts, pas ...

in Cornwall, was a Member of Parliament.

Origins

He was the eldest son and heir of Arthur Harris (1561-1628) of Hayne and of Kenegie, Gulval, Cornwall,

Sheriff of Cornwall Sheriffs and high sheriffs of Cornwall: a chronological list: The right to choose high sheriffs each year is vested in the Duchy of Cornwall. The Privy Council of the United Kingdom, Privy Council, chaired by the sovereign, chooses the sheriff ...

in 1603 and Captain of

St Michael's Mount St Michael's Mount (, meaning "Hoarfrost, hoar rock in woodland") is a tidal island in Mount's Bay near Penzance, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom. The island is a Civil parishes in England, civil parish and is linked to the town of Marazion ...

in Cornwall, by his wife Margaret Davilles daughter of John Davilles of Marland in the parish of

Petrockstowe Petrockstowe (or Petrockstow) is a small village and civil parish in the district of Torridge in Northern Devon, England. Its population in 2001 was 379, hardly different from the figure of 385 recorded in 1901. The southern boundary of the pa ...

, Devon.

Career

He matriculated at

Exeter College, Oxford Exeter College (in full: The Rector and Scholars of Exeter College in the University of Oxford) is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England, and the fourth-oldest college of the university. The college was founde ...

on 18 March 1603, aged 17 and was admitted at

Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...

on 10 February 1607, marked in the records as being "of Devon", when he commenced his training as a lawyer. Harris was elected as a Member of Parliament for Launceston, Cornwall, in 1621, for Bere Alston on 28 April 1640 (in the

Short Parliament The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that was summoned by King Charles I of England on 20 February 1640 and sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640. It was so called because of its short session of only three weeks. After 11 years of per ...

) and for Launceston again in 1641.

Marriages and children

He married twice: *Firstly to Florence Wyndham (1595-1630/1), a daughter of Sir

John Wyndham John Wyndham Parkes Lucas Beynon Harris (; 10 July 1903 – 11 March 1969) was an English science fiction writer best known for his works published under the pen name John Wyndham, although he also used other combinations of his name ...

(1558–1645) of

Orchard Wyndham Orchard Wyndham is a historic manor near Williton in Somerset, centred on the synonymous grade I listed manor house of Orchard Wyndham that was situated historically in the parish of Watchet and about two miles south of the parish church of ...

in the parish of Watchet, Somerset. She died aged 35 without children. *Secondly to Cordelia Mohun, a daughter of

John Mohun, 1st Baron Mohun of Okehampton John Mohun, 1st Baron Mohun of Okehampton (1595 – 28 March 1641) was an English politician. Life He was the eldest son of Sir Reginald Mohun, 1st Baronet, and was educated at Exeter College, Oxford, graduating in 1608, and joining the Middle ...

, by whom he had children: **

Sir Arthur Harris, 1st Baronet Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Arthur Travers Harris, 1st Baronet, (13 April 1892 – 5 April 1984), commonly known as "Bomber" Harris by the press and often within the RAF as "Butcher" or "Butch" Harris, was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chi ...

(c.1650-1686) of Hayne, only son and heir, thrice a Member of Parliament for

Okehampton Okehampton ( ) is a town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in West Devon in the English county of Devon. At the 2021 census, the parish had a population of 7,313, which was slightly more than the 7,104 recorded at the 2011 census. Th ...

in Devon.

Death and burial

Harris died at Hayne at the age of 70 and was buried at Lifton, near Hayne, where survives his

monumental brass A monumental brass is a type of engraved church monument, sepulchral memorial once found through Western Europe, which in the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional church monument, monuments and effigy, effigies carve ...

. His elaborate monument survives in Lifton Church, showing three kneeling figures, himself at right, his first wife Florence Wyndham at left, his father in the centre.

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, John 1580s births 1657 deaths Members of the Parliament of England for Bere Alston Alumni of Exeter College, Oxford Members of Lincoln's Inn English MPs 1621–1622 English MPs 1640 (April) English MPs 1640–1648