John and Amelia Harris and their children were a leading family in London, Ontario, throughout the nineteenth century. For nearly twenty-five years Amelia kept a diary, which detailed the everyday and the extraordinary events in her life and those of her family and friends, and provides us with a fascinating glimpse inside the life of a nineteenth century family. Click on any of the names or links on the timeline below to read excerpts from the diary or learn more about the Harris family.

	21 June 1782	John Harris born
	19 February 1798	Amelia Ryerse born
	28 June 1815	John and Amelia marry
	August 1817	William Edward born d. June 1822
	July 1819	Amelia Ellen born d. October 1821
	October 1821	Sarah Bushby born m. Capt. Robert Alexander George Dalzel in 1846 d. May 1916
	October 1824	Amelia Andrina born m. Gilbert Griffin in 1855 d. October 1918
	October 1825	twins Eliza Bayfield and Mary Henvey born Eliza m. Charles Crutchley in 1851, Mary m. George Shuldham Peard in 1850 Eliza d. 1910, Mary d. January 1898
	January 1828	Charlotte Owen born m. Captain Edward Lewis Knight, 1851 d. April 1854
	March 1830	John Fitzjohn born m. Elizabeth Lori in 1859 d. June 1861
	March 1832	Edward William born m. Sophia Howard Ryerson in 1860 d. October 1925
	1832	John purchases land in London, Ontario
	July 1834	Helen Vidal born m. Maurice Berkley Portman in 1856 d. March 1860
	September 1834	the Harris family moves into Eldon House in London
	July 1836	George Becher born m. Elizabeth Lucy Ronalds in 1867 d. November 1923
	August 1839	Theresa Newcomen Julia Eveleigh born m. (1) William John Scott in 1859 (2) Lieutenant St. George Littledale in 1876 d. 1928
	25 August 1850	John Harris dies
	12 September 1857	Amelia Ryerse Harris makes the first entry in her diary
	1 July 1867	Dominion Day
	25 February 1882	Amelia makes the last entry in her diary
	24 March 1882	Amelia Ryerse Harris dies

Click here for a list of all diary excerpts