Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-18

HENRY HARRIS OF MERCER.
Only Violin Maker in Somerset County
Harris. son of Mr. Harris, who plays
the violin in the Colonial Theater. For
30 years he has used a violin that was
made by his father. He was visiting
one summer at the farm home in
Mercer when he pulled out from under
the couch this violin. II vas covered
with dust but the boy tuned it up and
started To play. So fascinated with it
was he that he jumped up and ran out
where his father was and told him
that he must have that violin. He
said he had been using before this a
violin that cost him 5000. The boy
took the violin home with him and has
used it in al of his musical work He
plays for the Vanderbilts, the Goulds
and the Rockefellers IN New York and
at Lakewood New Jersey.
Mr.. Harris genius but rightly
SO as his father. Caleb Harris. late OF
Monmouth. was considered one of the
ablest men of the State in his time.
He was a poet and his verses are now
found in nearly everybody's scrap
book throughout the state and es-
peeially Monmouth and Mercer. One
|oi his poems that spread through the
State and was read and talked about
by many was Chimney Corner Heroes,
or the Braves What Didn't Go 10
Madavaska." 1t tells of three men
who lived in Monmouth just before the
Aroostook War. These men had
Dragged how if there should come a
var they would fight for their country,
but when the Aroostook War broke
out these men hied themselves to
Mexico and hid in cave.
Henry Harris made -his first violin
when he was IA years old. He had
learned to play the violin before this
and wanting one very much he found
that he would have to make one if he
got it, When finished DR.. Holmes.
then editor of the Maine Farmer. pro-
nounced it as good sounding violin as
he had ever heard. Soon after that
he began to get orders for these in
straments. He has several on hand
now. On going to ms house. Satur-
day. the writer saw a violin laying on
the organ, another on the table, and
several hanging on the walls In
showing the yiolins, Mr.. Harris pulled
TWO more out from under the lounge
Air. Harris considers that in making
a good violin the Judgment of the
maker should be the best in choosing
the right kind of wood. His violins
are made Of maple and spruce The
under part and sides with the hoop
and neck of maple. and the top OF
spruce. He plans to choose the mamie
firm, Il
is the hardest work he saws to get
good spruce material for the violin.
1t sometimes taking years to find the
right tree.
Two sons bless Mr.. aud Mrs Harris
life in the fullest sense. Arthur of
boston spends his summers with his
parents. He alone has distinguished
himself and family. not only being an
expert violinist but he is q composer Of
music and his art cannot be SURPASSED
~ any amateur artist in the State.
Ills work in this consists of oil paint
lnSs and in the home in Mercer one
room has been allotted for this beauti-
iul art work. There is Il picture of
the White Mountains i'm the summer
time and another one showing the
snoW-capped mountains and hills i'm
the winter The whole room speaks of
the beauties Of nature as portrayed by
Mr.. Harris on the canvas.
Mr.. and Mrs. Harris have a pleasant
home about two miles from Mercer
village. They live comfortably and
alone during the winters and carry on
their farm. They are now looking
ahead with pleasure to the summer
when their children will come to spend
these months with them. Though ~
Years old strength yet marks the steps
of this old man. His fruit and fields
of strawberries carried on with his
own hands bring him a good income
each year and in this work he has
shown remarkable results. Though
his violins are making music in vari
Gus parts of the world the echoes seem
to resound in the home of Mr.. Harris.