Harris, Mary - Mary Horatia Magrath Harris (1859-1954) was the granddaughter of Reverend James Magrath (1769 1851), who was the first rector of St. Peter's Anglican Church in Erindale. Her parents, Christiana (née Sutherland) and William Melchior Magrath, married in 1856. Christiana died after the birth of her third daughter, Isabel, in 1860. Mary and her two sisters, Marion and Isobel, were raised by their aunt, Anna Cordelia Magrath, at Erindale Estate. <br /><br />By Mary's accounts, she had a wonderful childhood. She recalls in detail a hops kiln on Erindale property and the party that followed after the crop was harvested. Mary also recalls getting up at 4 am to bring food to squatters on their property and how she would help them do small tasks. Also vivid in her memories was the burning of "old Erindale" and the building of the new house. Mary wrote down her memories for her friends and family in 1932.<br /><br />Both the Magraths and Harrises were members of the St. Peter's Anglican Church and the families knew each other well. It was at church that Mary and Arthur Harris first met and later married on September 29th, 1881. Mary and Arthur had three children, Annie (1882 1986), Naomi (1883 1968) and Margaret (1887). Oral tradition suggests that Mary never fully recovered from the sad loss of her third child and she suffered from hearing impairment soon after. <br /><br />Mary was a very generous woman and held in high esteem by all who knew her. Mary's hobbies included enjoyed polishing silver, crocheting, and gardening. She was a charter member of the St. Peter's Women's Auxiliary and also taught Sunday school there. Mary was also a lifelong member of the Lorne Park-Clarkson Women's Institute. Mary was described in her obituary (The Port Credit Weekly, Jan. 26, 1954) as "a familiar figure, active in community organizations and philanthropic interests". A friend said "She never had an unkind thought or spoke and unkind word". Mary died at the age of 94, on January 20th, 1954. Her passing was described as "the last link of a past era".