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DR. STEPHEN R. HARRIS was born at Poughkeepsie, N. Y., in the year 1802. His father, Isaac Harris, formerly a merchant in New York City, took an active part in the war of 1812, and perished on the "Governor Tompkins," of which vessel he was purser. After his father's death, he resided with his grandfather, Captain Randall of Randall's Island. He studied medicine in the office of Dr. Alexander H. Stevens, and graduated at the " College of Physicians and Surgeons" in the City of New York. In 1826, he commenced the practice of his profession in the first ward of that city, where he continued until 1849, when he embarked for California.

During his residence in New York, he was appointed to various offices of trust and responsibility, all of which he filled

with uncommon ability and great credit to himself. For six consecutive years he was Health Commissioner of the State, having been successively nominated to the Senate by Governors Wright and Bouck; Governor DeWitt Clinton appointed him surgeon of the ninth regiment of artillery; he was selected by the common council of the city, with other medical gentlemen, to organize and attend in consultation with its officers, the almshouse medical department; and during the terrible prevalence of the cholera in 1832-'34, held the position of medical attendant of the first ward.

Few men ever enjoyed a larger share of the respect and confidence of their fellow-citizens. When an applicant for the position of health officer of the port of New York, his application was commended to the governor by numerous certificates and letters signed by hundreds of the most respectable and influential men of the place, all urging his appointment by the most flattering testimonials of his professional qualifications and moral worth. The following brief extracts, will afford some evidence of the high estimation in which he was held :

"We believe him to be a physician of most respectable standing and acknowledged abilities—a man of energetic and industrious habits-of unblemished honor and integrity, and one in whom confidence can be reposed; and we doubt not, if he should receive the appointment, would perform the duties of the office with skill, fidelity and devotion to the best interests of the public, and afford entire satisfaction to all persons having business with the quarantine.”

"He is a man of pure moral character-an old resident of this city, well known as a firm and consistent democrat, ardent and laborious as such-as a physician his abilities are acknowledged by all who have the pleasure of his acquaintance, and they are numerous. His untiring devotedness to the poor during the pestilence which raged here in the years 1832-34, entitled him to the high character of a disinterested philanthropist and the benefactor of the poor."

These testimonials speak for themselves, and are the more important from the high and creditable sources from which they emanated. They present the early character of Dr. Harris in its proper light. Since his residence in California, he has fully sustained the honorable reputation he had previously won; having gained the confidence, respect, esteem, and approbation of the entire community.

Dr. Harris left New York on the 9th of February, 1849, and reached Panama, on the 7th of March. Here he was detained two and a half months waiting the arrival of a steamer bound to San Francisco. During this time he was actively engaged in attending, gratuitously, his sick countrymen and others, six thousand of whom, on their way to California, were, like himself, compelled to remain on the Isthmus. For the sick and destitute no provision had been made. The expenses of rooms, cots, nurses, medicines, and in cases of death,—of burials, were paid by voluntary weekly contributions made by the members of Masonic and Odd-Fellows' lodges, to both of which orders the doctor was attached. His generous conduct on this and subsequent similar occasions was reported to his lodges in New York, who signified their high regard for him by the passage, unanimously, of a series of highly laudatory resolutions.

Few sailing vessels entered Panama at the period above named. The ship Niantic, a whaler, and one or two others that had been discharging coal for the Pacific Mail Steamship Company, left, crowded with passengers at very extravagant prices, so anxious were persons to leave; and the chartering of vessels by a few merchants had become so much a monopoly, that it enabled them to extort enormous rates for passage. A number of Americans joined together and sent to Cruces for an iron boat, of sufficient size to sail down the bay, to intercept and charter such ships as they might meet. For this purpose twenty thousand dollars were collected, and placed in the hands of Dr. Harris as treasurer, the persons paying their money to have preference of passage. The iron boat was purchased, and by Herculean labor carried by the natives to Panama. Circumstances rendered her services unnecessary; she was therefore re-sold and the money returned to its respective owners.

At last the anxiously looked-for day arrived. A steamer was announced. The news spread with electric rapidity. Hundreds rushed to the Battery, and in a few minutes it was densely crowded, each hoping it might prove a conveyance, and a release from a city alone to be tolerated by necessity. The vessel proved to be the steamship Panama, in which Dr. Harris sailed (her first trip up), and arrived in San Francisco, June 6th, 1849. His early

arrival made him eligible, and he is now a member of the "Society of California Pioneers."

Shortly after reaching San Francisco, Dr. Harris proceeded to Sacramento in a small schooner, the passage occupying six days. He thence proceeded to Smith's Bar on the North Fork of the American River, where he worked forty days digging gold, at the expiration of which time he returned to San Francisco to receive goods that he had shipped previous to leaving New York. With these, valued at $20,000, he commenced the drug business at the corner of Clay and Montgomery streets, in company with Mr. Panton. Their establishment was the most extensive in the country. Here the doctor met with a series of the most dire calamities. In the terrible conflagrations of May 4th, and June 22d, 1850, and May 4th, 1851, his store, with its stock of goods (the former being rebuilt and the latter replenished after each successive fire), were entirely destroyed, amounting in the aggregate to a very considerable fortune. Still persevering, he removed to Dr. Stout's boarding-house, on Washington street, and again commenced business; but on the 17th of September, he once more lost all he possessed by the destructive fire that then occurred. No man in San Francisco suffered more by these calamities than Dr. Harris. After the last fire, somewhat depressed in spirits, he again left for the mines, and was absent five months, visiting most of the mining districts, north and south, examining quartz leads, and prospecting placer diggings.

In September, 1851, Dr. Harris was elected mayor of San Francisco, and served his term of office to the entire satisfaction of the people. This was during the period when, what has been generally termed the "accidental" council were in power, whose acts had rendered them almost universally unpopular. With this council Mayor Harris frequently came in collision; and by his judicious use of the veto power, frustrated some of their most obnoxious measures. At the election in September, 1853, he was chosen for the responsible station of city comptroller by a large majority of his fellow-citizens, which office he now holds, and while he performs the business thereof to the entire satisfaction of the people, he also continues to practise to some considerable extent the duties of his profession.

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If the history of all men in America who have risen to eminence in the various callings of life, as well as those who have missed such position, could be written, read and compared, it would probably be found that the inheritance of wealth is, in a majority of cases, a real misfortune, while the lack of it is the means of making men of those who might have been merely the spoiled pets of fortune. No man knows the real value of wealth unless he has himself earned it. There is no true greatness without self-reliance, and in most cases this is obtained chiefly through the struggles and toils incident to the lives of self-made men. every course of life, he who works and wins is vastly superior to him who merely retains. In this light, Louis Napoleon is a hero and statesman compared with the hereditary czar, Nicholas; and so the subject of this biography is entitled to infinitely more

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