History of Hudson Falls, (Washington County) New York United States of America

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Townsend Harris, diplomatist, was born in Sandy Hill, N.Y., Oct. 3, 1804; son of Jonathan Harris, and grandson of Gilbert and Thankful (Townsend) Harris, of Ticonderoga, N.Y. His maternal grandfather John Watson served with Gilbert Harris in the Continental army under General Gates. The Harrises came from Wales to America with Roger Williams and settled in Massachusetts and later generations removed to Ulster county, N.Y., and thence to Essex and Washington counties. Townsend was educated chiefly by his mother and his school training did not extend beyond that afforded by the primary school and village academy. In 1817 he became a clerk in a dry-goods store in New York city, and a few years later his father and older brother John removed to New York and the three organized the business of importing china and earthenware. After the great fire in New York in 1835 when their store was blown up with gunpowder to prevent the spread of the flames, the business was reorganized as John & Townsend Harris. While in business he learned the French, Spanish and Italian languages. He was a member of the board of education of New York city for several years and president of the board, 1846-47. He was one of the prime movers in founding the Free Academy, afterward the College of the city of New York. He was also a member of the volunteer fire department and of the state militia. He was brought up in the Presbyterian faith, and later joined the communion of the Protestant Episcopal church. In November, 1847, his mother died and as he had never married his old home was broken up and he sold out his business. Purchasing a half interest in a vessel bound for California, he sailed around Cape Horn to California, touching at points in South America. In San Francisco he purchased the other half of the vessel and projected a trading voyage to China and Dutch and English Indies, and in 1848 sailed as supercargo and for five years he engaged in commercial voyaging. His journal notes his Christmas as follows: 1849 at sea in the North Pacific ocean; 1850 at Manila; 1851 at Pulo-Penang; 1852 at Singapore; 1853, at Hong-Kong; 1854 at Calcutta; 1855 at Ceylon; 1856 at Japan. He was acting vice-consul for the United States at Ningpo, China, 1851, and on March 24, 1854, he wrote to Secretary Marcy setting forth the capabilities and importance to the United States of the island of Formosa as a coaling station and depot and proposed that the United States acquire the island by purchase. He was summoned to the United States by the secretary of state, and on his way visited India, the Red Sea, Egypt, Alexandria, Gilbraltar, London and Liverpool, and reached New York July 27, 1855. On August 4 he was appointed consul-general to Japan, to make a treaty with that government then first visited by Commodore Perry, and he was also entrusted by the President to make a commercial treaty with the kingdom of Siam. His appointment as the first commissioner to Japan was made upon the joint recommendation of William H. Seward and Commodore Perry. He personally purchased the presents sent to the respective rulers. He left New York Oct. 17, 1855, arrived at Penaug, Jan. 19, 1856, where the non-arrival of the San Jacinto with his secretary and the rest of his suite kept him waiting seventy-six days, and he reached Siam April 4, where he concluded the treaty, and amid pageants and other evidences of his triumph he left Bangkok, May 31, and on August 25, 1856, in company with Commodore Perry, he was received by the governor and vice-governor of Shimoda. He subsequently visited Yedo and after two years' residence and numerous interviews, much opposition, and vexatious delays, the written promise of the Yedo government was gained, Feb. 17, 1858, and the treaty signed, July 29, 1858, by which Japan was opened to the world. On Jan. 7, 1859, President Buchanan nominated and the senate confirmed his appointment as minister resident of the United States to Japan. On June 30 the consulate was removed from Shimoda to Kanagawa and the American flag was hoisted July 1, 1859. At Yedo the American minister held his position alone amid murders, assassinations and incendiarism after all his colleagues had retired to Yokohama, and on Jan. 14, 1860, his interpreter and private secretary, Mr. Heusken, was murdered. At his suggestion a Japanese embassy of seventy-one persons headed by Shimmi left for the United States by way of San Francisco to exchange ratifications of the treaty which had been signed by the Mikado in 1858, and to obtain a fresh copy of the Perry treaty. On July 10, 1861, he sent his resignation to President Lincoln, which was reluctantly accepted, Oct. 21, 1861. Before leaving Japan he gave $1000 for the erection of the American union church at Yokohama, built in 1875, and standing on the old Perry treaty ground. After welcoming his successor, Robert H. Pruyn, he spent some time in travel in Asia and Europe, and settled in New York city. He received from Queen Victoria a gold watch studded with diamonds in recognition of the assistance he had given to the British minister to Japan. He was a founder of the New York society for the prevention of cruelty to animals, and a member of the Union and other clubs and of the learned societies of Europe and America. See Townsend Harris, First American Envoy to Japan, by William Elliot Griffis (1895). He died in New York city, Feb. 25, 1878.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

History of Hudson Falls, (Washington County) New York

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