Harris Family Cemetery
Location:
On the east side of Highway 10, turn east on Side Road 10 to the Devil’s Pulpit Golf Course.
The monuments are located in a fenced area amongst the trees which form a “dog’s leg” on the sixth green.
Concession 1E, lot 9 N/E ¼, Caledon Township.
History:
Lot 9 Concession 1E comprising two hundred acres was first patented to John Murphy in 1825 and Daniel Martin in 1826. Patrick Doherty received Lot 10 in 1832 and subsequently sold it Patrick Garrity, whose family by now had also purchased the west ½ of Lot 9. The east ½ of Lot 9 were subsequently divided into two 50 acre lots. Through several sales, the N/E ¼ of Lot 9 comprising 50 acres was eventually purchased by George Dodds in 1847. Isaac & Harriett Harris purchased these 50 acres from him in 1850. Mr Harris also owned a hotel called the California Exchange located on the property. The Harris’ also owned part of the east ½ of Lot 9 Concession 2E.
Prior to the development of the Devil’s Pulpit Golf Course, which would involve more than three hundred acre in Lots 9 and 10, an 1850’s house located on the west ½ of Lot 10 was in the process of being designated as an historical site. This Lot was purchased by the Maxwell family, who came from County Monaghan Ireland in 1835. The 1851 census indicates that Isabella Harris was living with them at that time. A monument in the Caledon Wesleyan Methodist & Presbyterian (Knox United Church Cemetery)indicates that Nathaniel Maxwell and his wife Anne Harris are buried there together. This would suggest a relationship between between Isaac and Harriett Harris.
Tragedy first struck the neighbourhood in 1860 when a child of Alex and Eliza Hillock, who live on the N/W ¼ of Lot 9 next to the Harris’, died of whooping cough. During the following year between October 20 and November 5, three of the Harris children died of diphtheria and were buried on the family’s 50 acres. There were no monuments to identify the location, however the place in which they were buried was identified. It is surrounded by large trees.
The Harris children are listed on their parents’ monument in the Caledon Wesleyan Methodist & Presbyterian (Knox United Church Cemetery) located at the north end of the Town of Caledon. There has, however, been no indication that the children have been moved to the Caledon Cemetery. In his will, Isaac Harris requested that the children be moved to the Cemetery. Unfortunately his will was not probated for 30 years, at which time all of his wishes had been fulfilled with the exception of that of the children. Apparently, their sisters Caroline and Minnie could not find anyone willing
to exhume people who had died of such a dreaded disease.
A monument has been erected to their memory by the owners of the golf course.
Transcription purchase:
No transcription has been made available for purchase, because the cemetery had so few stones.