Stephen Randall Harris

Stephen Randall Harris (1802 – 1879) was mayor of San Francisco from January 1 - October 2, 1852. He was born in Poughkeepsie, New York. After his father was killed in the War of 1812, he went to live with relatives. He was then apprenticed to a surgeon and entered New York's College of Physicians and Surgeons. After graduating in 1826, he began his own practice in New York City, where he lived until 1849. During this time, he earned a good reput... more

Stephen Randall Harris (1802 – 1879) was mayor of San Francisco from January 1 - October 2, 1852. He was born in Poughkeepsie, New York. After his father was killed in the War of 1812, he went to live with relatives. He was then apprenticed to a surgeon and entered New York's College of Physicians and Surgeons. After graduating in 1826, he began his own practice in New York City, where he lived until 1849. During this time, he earned a good reputation within the medical community there, enabling him to be health commissioner of New York, the surgeon for the Ninth Military Regiment, and as the surgeon for the New York alms house. He later worked without pay for many hundreds hours, fighting the cholera epidemic of 1832-1834. He also got his first taste of political life while in private practice. After moving to California in 1849, he went to the gold mines to pan gold. After panning enough gold to earn money to open a drug store, he moved to San Francisco. He also become involved in... less