Record

Authorised form of nameHarris; John (c 1666 - 1719); science writer and Anglican priest
Datesc 1666 - 1719
NationalityBritish
Place of birthLeicester, Leicestershire, East Midlands, England
Date of birthc 1666
Place of deathNorton Court, Kent, England
Date of death07 September 1719
DatesAndPlacesBurial:
Norton Church, Kent, England
OccupationClergyman, Church of England
Research fieldNatural philosophy
Dissemination of knowledge
ActivityEducation:
Mr William Thomas's School at Leicester; St John's College, Cambridge; BA (1687/8), MA (1691), BD (1699), DD (Lambeth 1706)
Career:
Fellow of St John's (1691-1702; Ordained deacon (1696), priest (1697); Prebendary of Rochester (1708-1719); Rector of St Mildred, Bread Street, with St Margaret Moses, London (1708-1719); Rector of East Barming, Kent (1715-1717); Perpetual Curate of Strood, Kent (1716-1719); lectured on mathematics in London; engaged in insurance promotions, he died in 1719 while printing The History of Kent. Rumors of his destitution are doubted, as he left books, instruments, and a statue of King William.
Membership categoryFellow
Date of election29/04/1696
RSActivityRoyal Society roles:
Sec 1709-1710
RelationshipsParents: Edward Harris, or possibly Fitzharris (c.1648–1681), an army lieutenant
Children: Elizabeth
PublishedWorksRCN 43140
RCN 43138
RCN 43142
RCN 43141
OtherInfoBy 1698 he was appointed to one of the lectures established by the will of Robert Boyle (FRS 1660) for the confutation of atheism.
Held a special interest in scientific instruments, such as the air-pump, that provided the Royal Society with many experiments, as well as in the technology of the Savery engine and in the practical problems of navigation.
Caught up in a dispute between the physicians John Woodward and Hans Sloane (1709-10).
Related imagesDiscover a selection of related images in our picture library
Image

Harris J, IM001956.jpg

SourceSources:
Bulloch's Roll; DNB; DSB; Venn
References:
Simon Schaffer, 'The Glorious Revolution and Medicine in Britain and the Netherlands' in NR 1989 vol 43 pp 167-190
Notes:
According to Venn, 'Died in great poverty'
CodeNA7540
Archives associated with this Fellow
RefNoTitleDate
CLP/17/27Paper, Microscopical observations of a vast number of animalcula seen in water by John Harris7 July 1694
IM/001956Harris, Johnnd
MS/390/114Bond of John Harris to the Treasurer of the Royal Society13 January 1706
IM/001957Harris, John1719
CLP/6/61Letter, 'Relateing to a pretended invention of Dr [Denis] Papin' by Thomas Savery to Dr John Harris[1709]
CLP/22i/65Paper, Account of 'Lexicon technicum or an universal English dictionary of arts and sciences explaining not only the terms of art but the arts themselves' by [John] Harris[1704]
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