Gale Ion Harris (1935–2024) received his B.S. (Engineering Physics, 1957), M.S. (Physics, 1959), and Ph.D. (Nuclear Physics, 1962) degrees from the University of Kansas. His career included many chapters, positions, and accolades: Director of General Physics, Aerospace Research Laboratories, and Adjunct Professor, Air Force Institute of Technology, both at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; a time out as Sloan Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts (S.M. in Management, 1973); faculty appointment and administrator at Johns Hopkins University Medical School, Baltimore, Maryland; law degree (J.D., 1985) and membership in the State Bar of Michigan; President, Michigan Research Center, Inc.; and dual faculty appointments in Physics and Radiology at Michigan State University, East Lansing. For many years he was coeditor (with Charles M. Hansen, FASG) of The Genealogist, a contributing editor of The American Genealogist, and a consulting editor of The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. His genealogical publications focus primarily on New England and New York, mid-Atlantic, and Midwestern family studies.

Selected Publications:

Books and Monographs:

Descendants of Isaac and Barbara Waters of Brown County, Ohio (East Lansing: By the author, 1978).

Families of Elisha, Joseph, and Woodruff Harris of Chenango County, New York, and Geauga and Portage Counties, Ohio (East Lansing: By the author, 1981).

The Scattered Family of Joseph and Julia (Towsley) Harris of Chenango County, New York (East Lansing: By the author, 2002, revised ed. 2007).

Harrises of Connecticut: Scattered Descendants (East Lansing: McNaughton & Gunn, printer, 2012).

Coeditor (with Charles M. Hansen, FASG), The American Society of Genealogists: 75th Anniversary Volume (1940–2015) (Saline, Mich.: ASG, 2015).

Selected Articles:

“The First Daniel Harris of Goshen, Connecticut, and his Descendants in Dutchess and Washington Counties, New York,” co-authored with Margaret Harris Stover, New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 119 (1988):9–15, 99–105, 151–57, 220–26.

“Walter Harris of Wethersfield, Connecticut,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 142 (1988):323–49.

“The Doubtful English Ancestry of Richard Smith of Wethersfield, Connecticut,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 143 (1989):240–46.

“Walter Harris’s Widow and the Blinns of Wethersfield, Connecticut,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 143 (1989):303–24.

“Wyllys-Harris-Chambers-Hamlin-Smith,” The American Genealogist 64 (1989):226–32.

“Thomas Harris, Sawmiller of Hartford, Connecticut,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 78 (1990):182–203.

“The Second Daniel Harris of Goshen, Connecticut, and his Descendants in New York and Other States,” co-authored with Margaret Harris Stover, New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 122 (1991):12–17, 96–101, 152–58, 223–28, 123 (1992): 40–47, 212–13.

“John Edwards of Wethersfield, Connecticut,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 145 (1991):317–41.

“Thomas Herris, Merchant of New England: Reassembling a ‘Split Identity’,” National Genealogical Society Quarterly 80 (1992):36–56.

“Captain Richard Wright of Twelve-Mile Island and the Burnhams of Podunk: Two Seventeenth Century Connecticut River Families,” The American Genealogist 67 (1992):32–46; 68 (1993):83.

“The Children of Captain Joseph¹ and Mary (Stone) Fitch of Hartford and Windsor, Connecticut,” The American Genealogist 68 (1993):1–10, 95–105.

“The Family of William¹ Kelsey of Hartford, Connecticut: With Notes on Hester² Kelsey, Wife of James² Eggleston, James¹ Eno, and John¹ Williams of Windsor, Connecticut,” The American Genealogist 68 (1993):208–15.

“John Blackleach, Merchant, of London and New England,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 148 (1994):7–44, 189.

“William¹ Williams, Cooper, of Hartford, Connecticut, and his Sons-in-Law William Buckland and William Biggs,” The American Genealogist 69 (1994):87–94, 174–83.

“Hannah Edwards, First Wife of Joseph² Hills of Glastonbury, Connecticut,” co-authored with Anthony Hale Burke, New England Historical and Genealogical Register 149 (1995):41–45.

“Jeremiah¹ and Mary (Cadwell) Diggins of Hartford and Windsor, Connecticut,” The American Genealogist 70 (1995):18–26.

“Sarah² Risley, Wife of Samuel¹ Crooke of East Hartford, Connecticut,” and John³ Payne of Southold, Long Island,” The American Genealogist 70 (1995):162–70.

“William² and Elizabeth (Brockway) Harris of Lyme and Colchester, Connecticut: With Notes on their Seven Daughters,” The American Genealogist 70 (1995):233–39.

“George Chappell of Windsor, Wethersfield, and New London, Connecticut,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 150 (1996):48–73.

“The Earlier Career of Hannah (Wakeman) Hackleton, Edward Whittaker’s Wife in the Esopus,” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 127 (1996):65–75; 130 (1999):265–66.

“Daniel¹ Garrett and His Family of Hartford, Connecticut: The Colony Prison Keepers,” The American Genealogist 71 (1996):93–104.

“Sarah² Salmon of Southold, Long Island, Probable Wife of Joseph² Edwards and Samuel² Curtis of Wethersfield, Connecticut,” The American Genealogist 71 (1996):235–41.

“The Origins of Thomas Harris of East Hampton, Long Island, and Killingworth, Connecticut,” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 128 (1997):11–24.

“William¹ and Mary Briggs of Boston and the Connecticut Valley: With Notes on their Sons-in-Law John Harris and Wolston Brockway,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 151 (1997):87–101.

“John¹ and Mary (Hart) Greet of Westfield, Massachusetts, Southold, Long Island, and Wethersfield, Connecticut: With Notes on the Family of Edmund¹ Hart and on Charity² Hart, Wife of Thomas² Loveland of Glastonbury, Connecticut,” The American Genealogist 72 (1997):42–48.

“John² and Mehitable (Danks) Harris of Northampton and Springfield, Massachusetts: Probable Parents of Mary Harris, the Deerfield ‘Indian Captive,’ ” The American Genealogist 72 (1997):333–43.

“William and Richard Harris of the North End, John and William Harris of the South End: Three Mariners and a Merchant of Boston,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 152 (1998):313–46.

“The Skinner Wives of Robert¹ Reeve and John¹ Colt of Hartford and Windsor, Connecticut: An Old Mix-Up,” The American Genealogist 74 (1999):97–100.

“Adam Crick of Rimersburg, Pennsylvania,” The Genealogist 13 (1999):100–28.

“Robert Harris of Connecticut and Descendants in the Hudson Valley,” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 130 (1999):183–96, 269–82.

“Harwood or Harrud Family of Boston, New London, Warwick, and Southold: With Notes on the Wives of Richard¹ Howell of Southold,” The Genealogist 13 (1999):178–88.

“Thomas¹ Bell, Boston Executioner, and His Son Thomas² Bell of Stonington, Connecticut” The American Genealogist 74 (1999):281–91.

“James² Bradish of Cambridge, Massachusetts, and Newtown, New York,” The American Genealogist 75 (2000): 47–50.

“James and Sarah (Eliot?) Harris of Boston and New London,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 154 (2000):3–32.

“William¹ and Goodwife Ayres of Hartford, Connecticut: Witches who Got Away,” The American Genealogist 75 (2000):197–205.

“The Later Career of William¹ and Judith Ayres, Escaped Witches from Hartford, Connecticut: Rhode Island Destination and Descendants,” co-authored with Robert Charles Anderson, FASG, The American Genealogist 75 (2000):301–9.

“William¹ Taylor of Wethersfield and New London, Connecticut,” The American Genealogist 76 (2001):174–84.

“Hannah² Salmon of Southold, Long Island, Probable First Wife of John² Doud of Guilford, Connecticut,” The American Genealogist 76 (2001):296–99.

“John¹ Glaze, Planter of Charles County, Maryland: With Notes on Other Early Glaze Families in America,” The Genealogist 16 (2002):42–65, 189–219; 17 (2003):37–60.

“Walter and Mary (Fry) Harris of New London, Connecticut,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 156 (2002):145–58, 262–79, 357–72, 392.

“The Supposed Children of Thomas Harris of Dutchess County, New York: Reevaluation and Revisions,” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 133 (2002):3–18.

“John¹ Coltman of Wethersfield, Connecticut: Did he Marry Young Mary Taylor?,” The American Genealogist 77 (2002):248–57.

“The Wives and Children of James² Bradish of Newtown, Long Island, New York: With Notes on His Sister Hannah² Bradish, Companion of Joseph Langton,” The American Genealogist 78 (2003):96–102.

“Henry¹ and Katherine Palmer of Wethersfield, Connecticut, and Newport, Rhode Island,” The Genealogist 17 (2003):175–85.

“Peter Sluman of Charlton, Massachusetts, and Corinth, Vermont: Probable Son of Thomas¹ and Mary (Collins) Sluman of Salem, Massachusetts,” The American Genealogist 78 (2003):276–90.

“John² Mighill of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Connecticut,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 158 (2004):255–79, 364–79.

“Thomas¹ and Rebecca (Waterhouse) Williams of Wethersfield, Connecticut,” co-authored with Norman W. Ingham, C.G., The American Genealogist 79 (2004):38–56.

“Arthur¹ Harris of Duxbury, Bridgewater, and Boston: With an Account of his Apparent Grandson Thomas Harris of Plainfield, Connecticut,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 159 (2005):261–73, 349–59.

“Francis¹ and Anna Catharine Krick of Berks County, Pennsylvania,” The Genealogist 19 (2005): 187–221; 20 (2006):50–84.

“John¹ Colt of Hartford and Windsor, Connecticut: Review and Reconciliation,” The American Genealogist 80 (2005):81–93.

“The First Wife of Ralph¹ Keeler of Hartford and Norwalk, Connecticut: Probably an Unknown Sister of John Betts of Wethersfield,” The American Genealogist 80 (2005):177–87.

“The Edward¹ Purple Family of Connecticut and New York: An Overdue Account,” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 137 (2006):3–14, 142–50, 211–18.

“Jarvis¹ Mudge and John¹ Henryson Families of Connecticut,” The American Genealogist 81 (2006):18–30.

“Wolston¹ Brockway of Lyme, Connecticut: With Further Analysis of His Associations,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 162 (2008):37–46, 140–48, 301.

“William¹ Tryon of Hartford and Wethersfield, Connecticut,” The American Genealogist 83 (2008): 81–100.

“Michael¹ and Mary (Husse) Towsley of Suffield in Massachusetts: Wayward Ancestors and Redeeming Descendants,” The Genealogist 23 (2009):34–72, 177–202.

“Enigmas #26, Early Harrises of Wethersfield, Connecticut: Analysis of a Tradition,” The American Genealogist 83 (2009):249–57.

“Woodruff⁴ Harris of Connecticut, New York, and Ohio,” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 141 (2010):181–89.

“The Brothers William² and Daniel² Harris of Middletown, Connecticut,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 164 (2010):165–74, 281–91; 165 (2011):62–67.

“Alexander² Hazlett and His ‘Anti-Slavery’ Family of Indiana County, Pennsylvania,” The Genealogist 24 (2010):131–62.

“Alla Glaze of Brown County, Ohio: She was Not a Twelve-Year-Old Bride,” The American Genealogist 84 (2010):116–23.

“James⁷ Pike of Dunstable, Massachusetts, and Hebron, New Hampshire,” The American Genealogist 85 (2011):123–33, 195–208.

“Josephus Burton Waters, of Maryland, Ohio, and Kentucky: A Pioneer Surveyor,” The Genealogist 26 (2012):272–93, “Additions and Corrections,” 27 (2013):128, 28 (2014):200–1.

“Jonathan⁴ Harris of Norwich and Goshen, Connecticut: With Bradleys of Connecticut and Vermont,” The American Genealogist 86 (2012):120–32.

“Descendants of James¹ and Lydia (Guyton) Waters of Harford County, Maryland: Ohio River Valley Families,” The Genealogist 27 (2013):75–98, 234–55, 28 (2014):95–120.

“The Estate of Martha Harris and Early Bacon Families of Eastern Connecticut,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 167 (2013):23–34, 140–48.

“Early Coy and Harris Families of Eastern Connecticut: A Further Analysis of the 1798 Estate of Martha Harris,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 168 (2014):62–71, 148–56, 206–18.

“William Bayly of Colchester, Fairfax County, Virginia,” The American Genealogist 86 (2013):196–206, 302–14.

“Lissons of Westmoreland County: Who Were They?,” Magazine of Virginia Genealogy 52 (2014):213–18.

“David Bradford of Pennsylvania, and Louisiana: A Leader of the Whiskey Rebellion, Part I, Parents and Siblings,” Pennsylvania Genealogical Magazine 49 (2014): 85–98.

“Abraham¹ Tout of Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky,” The Genealogist 29(2015): 21–48, 165–84, 30(2016):111–36.

“Elijah⁶ and Nancy (Burger) Bowman of Pennsylvania and New York,” New York Genealogical and Biographical Record 146 (2015):41–53 [Harry Macy, Jr., Tribute issue].

“John⁵ Eggleston of Watertown, Connecticut, and Broome County, New York,” New England Historical and Genealogical Register 169 (2015):57–70, 156–71.

“William⁵ and Wealthy (Dean) Towsley of Kalamazoo, Michigan,” American Society of Genealogists 75th Anniversary Volume (Saline, Mich.: ASG, 2015), 45–55.

“Henry Jacob¹ Seagondollar of Bavaria and Brown County, Ohio: Nineteenth-Century German Immigrants to the Midwest,” The American Genealogist 87 (2015):171–78, 269–78.