Thaddeus Mason Harris

Born in Charlestown, Massachusetts, in 1768, he graduated from Harvard in 1787 and went on to serve both as a librarian at Harvard and as minister of the First Church in Dorchester. He spent decades in that pulpit, becoming a familiar figure in Massachusetts religious and intellectual life.

He wrote widely, and one of his best-known books was The Natural History of the Bible, first published in 1793. His interests were broad rather than narrow, and his writing ranged beyond theology into travel, history, and practical observation.

Remembered today as both a clergyman and a man of letters, he stands out as one of those early American writers whose career bridged scholarship, ministry, and public culture. His life also connects to a notable family line: his son, Thaddeus William Harris, later became well known as a naturalist and another Harvard librarian.