Harris Ancestry

My great-great-great grandparents are Michael and Simha Harris (nee Dov Ber). Michael Harris was born in 1781 in Poland. When he immigrated to England is unknown but was living in London by the time he married Simha in 1808. He died in 1848 at 10 Warwick in London, the residence of his son Isaac Harris (my great-great grandfather).

Simha was born around 1782 most likely in London and died in 1844 at their residence in London. Both Michael and Simha are buried in Furham Cemetery in London.

They were married in 1808 as the Western Synagogue which was founded in 1761 as Hebra Kaddish shel Gemillith or Holy Congregation of the Assembly of Israel of Westminster. In 1991, the Western Synagogue merged with the Marble Arch Synagogue and is now known as the Western Marble Arch Synagogue

Michael and Simha had 8 children:

1. Esther Harris 1808-1886 married Joselph Baum (1796-?)
2. Hannah Harris 1809-1879 - unmarried, also buried in Furham Cemetery
3. Barnett Harris 1811-1887 married Rose Myers (1811-1887)
4. Henry Harris 1812-? married Maria Johnson (1816-1877)
5. Annie Harris 1816-? married David Barnard (1803-1875)
6. Sarah Harris 1817-1890 married Abraham Loewsenstark (1818-1884)
7. Abraham Harris 1819-1884 married Bathsheba Ezekial (1819-1911)
8. Isaac Harris 1822-1909 married Rebekah Jacobs (1827-1889)

While I haven't been able to trace all of their descendants, I have found descendants in the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia, as well as some still in England.

Immigration to the United States

Five of their eight children immigrated to the United States, although one returned to England. The other 3 remained in England, with one child (Henry) moving to Dover, England.

• Barnett was the first to go to the United States departing with his wife amd 4 children from Liverpool in 1841, landing in New York on October 9, 1841. His daughter Ann was born in Cincinnati around 1842 but sometime after that they returned to London. The exact year of their return is uknown but Mason records show thta he was living in London in 1849.
• The first child to permanently immigrate to the United States is believed to be Abraham who settled in Cincinnati. The exact year of his immigration is unknown but he was married September 22, 1847 in Cincinnati but in 1845 he was in business with his brother Isaac, so perhaps it was in 1846. Abraham is the only child not included in Michael's will but the reason is unknown
• Annie's date of immigration is also unknown but she was living in Dayton, OH in 1853. In 1855, she was living in Brooklyn with her husband and 6 childre, but in 1860 she was living in Cincinnati (still with her husband and 6 children) and in 1870 she was living in Dayton with her husband and 1 child (the other 5 presumably living on their own).
• Isaac immigrated in 1850 with his wife and oldest son in 1850, landing in New York on July 27, 1850. He settled in Cincinnati as well and opened a clothing store on Main Street in Cincinnati in 1853.
• Esther immigrated in 1856 with her husband and 6 children (3 daughters and 3 sons). They departed London on the American Eagle which landed in New York on July 19, 1856. They settled in Cincinnati although Esther but died in Chicago on January 8, 1866. She is buried in Walnut Hills Jewish Cemetery located in the Evanston neighborhood of Cincinnati.

Harris Family Historical Locations

In June 2023 I took a trip to England. While I was in London, I dedicated about a day and half locating various addresses that my Family Tree research were of signficance to the Harris Family Tree.

Fullham Cemetery, London - somewhere in this cemetery are the graves of Michael and Simha Harris.	The Strand Palace Hotel is where the Western Synagogue was located from 1797-1826 Michael and Simha were marred here in 1808.
3 Chapel Place London. Residence of Michael and Simha Harris including at the time of Simha's death. This is also where they were living when Michael was living at the time he wrote his will.	10 Warwick London. There are several Warwick Streets in London but I think this is the Warwick street where Isaac and Rebekah Harris lived as it is close to where I think Isaac's business was located. This is also the location where Michael Harris died.
This is the location of the Western Synagogue from 1826-1914 and is currently the recently closed Carleton Theatre. Isaac and Rebecah Jacobs were married here in 1846. Abraham Loewenstark and Sarah Harris were also married here.	From a letter written by Sheba Harris (youngest daughter of Isaac and Rebekah) in 1947 to Nancy Harris - Rebekah Jacobs "lived a great part of her girlhood with her grandmother, Mrs. Levy. They were in the cutclass business in a litlle shop - on a little street - off Regent St." She couldn't remember the name but it was something Place. I picked this as the location as it is at the intersection of Regent Place and Regent Street, and is around the corner from Warwick.
67 Church Street, now the Church Steet Library is the residence of Barnett Harris at the time of his death.	Another picture of 3 Chapel Place, residence of Michael and Simha Harris