Alanson Harris (April 1, 1816 – October 3, 1894) was a Canadian businessman. He was a sawmill operator and later owner of a farm implement manufacturer in

Brantford, Ontario Brantford ( 2021 population: 104,688) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by Brant County, but is politically separate with a municipal government of its own that is fully independ ...

. Alanson Harris was born in

Ingersoll, Ontario Ingersoll is a town in Oxford County on the Thames River in southwestern Ontario, Canada. The nearest cities are Woodstock to the east and London to the west. Ingersoll is situated north of and along Highway 401. Oxford County Road 119 (formerl ...

in 1816 to John Harris (native of Mohawk Valley in New York State) and Catherine Jane Dygert. Alanson Harris began his career as a manufacturer. After moving to

Brantford Brantford (Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population: 104,688) is a city in Ontario, Canada, founded on the Grand River (Ontario), Grand River in Southwestern Ontario. It is surrounded by County of Brant, Brant County, but is politically separate with ...

Ontario Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...

in the 1870s he formed A. Harris, Son and Company Limited to manufacture farm implements. Harris plant was located on Market Street South and later moved to Colborne Street. His son John Harris was instrumental in growing the nascent company and the firm merged with rival

Hart Massey Hart Almerrin Massey (April 29, 1823 – February 20, 1896) was a Canadian businessman and philanthropist who was a member of the prominent Massey family. He was an industrialist who built the agricultural equipment firm that became Massey Fer ...

's company Massey Manufacturing in 1891 to form

Massey-Harris Massey Ferguson Limited is an American agricultural machinery manufacturer. The company was established in 1953 through the merger of farm equipment makers Massey-Harris of Canada and the Ferguson Company of the United Kingdom. It was based in T ...

, which later became the farm machinery giant

Massey Ferguson Massey Ferguson Limited is an American agricultural machinery manufacturer. The company was established in 1953 through the merger of farm equipment makers Massey-Harris of Canada and the Ferguson Company of the United Kingdom. It was based in T ...

. Alanson Harris died in 1894 and is buried at Greenwood Cemetery. Another son

Elmore Harris Elmore Harris (b. February 23, 1855 Beamsville, Ontario – d. December 19, 1911 Delhi, India) was the founder of the Walmer Road Baptist Church and one of the founders of Toronto Bible Training School in 1894 which soon changed its name to Toron ...

was a well noted pastor in Toronto, his grandson

Lawren Harris Lawren Stewart Harris LL. D. (October 23, 1885 – January 29, 1970) was a Canadian painter, best known as a leading member of the Group of Seven. He played a key role as a catalyst in Canadian art and as a visionary in Canadian landscape art. ...

and great-grandson

Lawren P. Harris Lawren Phillips Harris (October 10, 1910April 24, 1994) was a Canadian painter, watercolourist, draughtsman, printmaker, muralist, and art educator. He was known for the highly precise style and disciplined execution of his war art, portraits and ...

were noted artists.

Harris facilities

Beamsville, Ontario Beamsville (Canada 2021 Census, 2021 Urban area estimated population 13,323) is a community that is part of the town of Lincoln, Ontario, Canada. It is located along the southern shore of Lake Ontario and lies within the fruit belt of the Niagar ...

1857-1881 *

** George Street and Colborne Street East 1881 ** South Market Street south of Icomm Drive (Brantford District Civic Centre) 1882-1964 ** Henry Street and Wayne Gretzky Parkway (Park Road North) 1964-1988Glory days
/ref> *** 225 Henry Street now used by Channel Control Merchants, Ply Gem Building Products; Lowe's Home Improvement Warehouse Princess Auto and Michael's

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Alanson 1816 births 1894 deaths Canadian manufacturing businesspeople Canadian people of American descent Canadian people of English descent Canadian people of German descent Businesspeople from Ontario People from Ingersoll, Ontario Tourist attractions in the County of Brant