Mary Harris

   Cause of her death was Myocarditis/Arterio-Sclerosis.

  General Information:

According to Joan (Harris) Macrae, Mary Ann Barnard (Mary's Aunt & sister to Jane Barnard) and her first husband John Shore raised Mary (Harris) Wells.

It is known that Mary was at her brother William's bedside when he passed away in 1914.

It is also known that Mary immigrated to Canada following the death of her husband James and that she settled on Fernwood Avenue in Balmy Beach (the Beaches), Toronto.

According to the 1871 British Census Mary's husband, James Wells, was a Silversmith by trade.

Mary and her youngest child, Eric, emigrated to Canada in 1903, shortly after the death of her husband. Mary and Eric lived at two known locations in Toronto between 1903 & 1920; Balmy Beach & Smith Street.

  Research Information:

Mary (Harris) Wells is buried in Saint John's Norway Cemetery in Toronto in Section #6, Range #1, grave 98-100. The stone was placed there by Eric Wells. Eric was Mary's youngest son.

Mary's daughters, Eleanor Edith (Blundall) & Mabel Emily (Plummer) are buried alongside Mary.

Both Eleanor and Mabel were married at their time of death. It is currently not known (Jan. 2008) exactly why the sisters were buried as "Wells'" as opposed to being buried under their married names. It is also not yet known (Jan. 2008) exactly when Eric purchased the stone and/or when it was placed there.

The headstones of John Barnard Harris (Mary Wells' younger brother) and his family and John's son, Joseph Harris (M.P), and his family are a mere two rows over. Both John's and Joseph's stones are of the large ediface type, yet Mary and her daughters have a marker stone set directly in the middle of a walkway - bear in mind that Mary and her daughters all passed away before John & Joe passed away.

Simply finding Mary's stone took several hours (over a span of 3 visits - the first two visits finding nothing) and when the stone was found it was underneath about and inch of dirt/grass - it had to be dug out so that it was readable.

  Medical Information:

Mary (Harris) Wells had Myocarditis and Arteriosclerosis (in the acute stage) for almost two weeks prior to her death.

She is buried in a plot of three at Saint John's Norway Cemetery - two of her daughters are buried with her; Eleanor & Mabel.

Mary married James Herbert Wells on 5 Mar 1868 in Frome, Somerset, England. (James Herbert Wells was born in 1838 in Frome, Somerset, England and died 1900 ?.)