In October, 1855 the Sacramento Union ran an advertisement announcing the formation of a new assaying firm under the partnership of Harvey Harris, Desire Marchand, and C. Farrington. Harris, a gentile who had come to America from his native Denmark, had formerly been an assayer in the New Orleans and San Francisco Mints and before removing to Sacramento had worked as an assayer for Kellogg & Company and Justh & Hunter. Harris and Marchand remained partners for nearly the next four years, dissolving the business relationship in the end of the third quarter of 1859. When he left the partnership Harris copied the shape and style of Marchand’s official Paris Mint assayer’s stamp and used it to mark his own bars. Harris’ stamp is preserved in the Carson City Mint Museum.

A Timeline of Harvey Harris' Happenings, according to local records and documents:

1859

ASSAY OFFICE OF HARRIS & MARCHAND, Marysville Sept. 20, 1859.

By limitation the copartnership between H. Harris and D. Marchand has expired. H. Harris will continue the business of Assaying in San Francisco, Sacramento and Marysville, as heretofore having purchased the entire interest of D. Marchand.

H. Harris.

Pioneer Assay Office H. Harris 78J Street, Sacramento. Also E Street, Near the Corner Of Second, Marysville. And 105 Sacramento Street, San Francisco, Will continue to carry on the business of Melting, Refining and Assaying Gold And Ores, Of Every Description. He guarantees the correctness of his Assays, and binds himself to pay the difference that may arise with any of the U.S. Mints. Returns made in from six to twelve hours, In Bars Or Coin.

Specimens of Quartz Assayed and Valued. Terms for Assaying the same as in San Francisco.

H. Harris.
Sacramento Union, October 3, 1859.

1860

H. Harris, H. & Co. 105 Sac. Resides in Marysville.
Langley’s San Francisco Directory for the Year Commencing July 1860

Harvey Harris, Age: 45, Occupation: assayer, Personal Value: $20,000, Birthplace: Denmark, Wife: Amelia, Age: 32, Children: 2 sons, Ernest Age: 13, Edward Age: 11
1860 Eighth Federal Census, Marysville, California, Yuba County (July)

1861

Harris & Co. 27 E Street
H. Harris of Harvey Harris & Co. res. 27 E Street; Denmark

Assay Offices

There are two offices in the City, under the Super-intendence of practical Assayers, one at No. 102 First Street, Theall & Co.’s and one at 27 E Street, H. Harris & Co., proprietors. The above establishments assay
the majority of all the dust and ores sent from the Northern parts of our Golden State; and when turned into bars, goes to the Atlantic first and Europe. They make returns, from all assays made by them in from six to twelve hours, in bars or coin at the option of the depositors. Those having assays made are allowed to be present and witness the assay, if they so desire.
Browns Marysville Directory for the Year Commencing March 1861

Marysville Pioneer Assay Office H. Harris & Co.
Sacramento Union, June 5, 1861

Harvey Harris Co. assayers, 509 Sacramento, resides in Marysville.
Langley’s San Francisco Directory for the Year Commencing September 1861

1862

Marysville Pioneer Assay Office H. Harris & Co. (and Silver City, Nevada Territory)
Marysville Daily Appeal, (Summer 1862)

Pioneer Assay Office

H. Harris & Co.

San Francisco, Sacramento, Aurora, Marysville, Carson City, N.T.

Returns Made In Bars Or Coin In Six Hours!

Shippers of Bullion can draw against Consignments on our Houses at San Francisco, Marysville, or Sacramento, and Checkbooks for that purpose will be furnished. Carson City. Harris, H. & Co. assayers,

Harris’ Building, S side Plaza.
J. Wells Kelly First Directory of Nevada Territory , 1862

Harvey Harris & Co. assayers office 509 Sacramento resides in Marysville
Langley’s San Francisco Directory for the Year Commencing September 1862

1863

H. Harris & Co. 509 Sacramento
Gazlay’s San Francisco Business Directory for 1863

New Assaying Firm.

D.E. Knight and D. Marchand have opened an assay office in the room formerly occupied by H. Harris & Co. They are both practical men and will conduct their business in a proper manner. Mr. Knight has made assays from nearly every silver lode in the Humboldt County and copper lode in Yuba and Nevada counties, and he is supposed to be thoroughly posted with regard to them.
Marysville Appeal, June 2, 1863

Assay Office Of H. Harris At A.B. Paul & Co.’s Banking House, Gold Hill, NT.

The Undersigned, established as Assayer for eight years in California, and for two years in Nevada Territory, is now at Gold Hill, where he will attend to any business entrusted to him with promptness and dispatch. Gold, Silver, and Ores of every description assayed six hours in Bars or Coin at the option of depositors. For correctness of his assays he refers to Messrs. Trover & Colgate, New York. B. Behrend. New York, Davidson & Berri, San Francisco, J. Parrot & Co., San Francisco, Sather & Co., San Francisco, Tallant & Co., San Francisco, Reynolds, Reis, & Co., San Francisco, B.P. Hastings & Co., Sacramento, D.O. Mills & Co., Sacramento, Rideout & Smith, Marysville, Decker & Jewett, Marysville, B.P. Hastings & Co., Virginia City. Maynard & Flood, Gold Hill.
Gold Hill Daily News, Fall 1863

1864-1865

San Francisco: No. H Harris & Co. Assayers
Marysville: Harris & Co. Assayers 27 E
Gazlay’s Business Directory of the Five Great Cities of California and Oregon 1864, 1865

Harris H. Assayer office Banking House of Almarin B. Paul & Co.

H. Harris Gold Hill Assayer. Office with A.B. Paul & Co., Odd Fellows Building Gold, Silver and Ores of every description. Assayed and returns made in six hours, in Bars or Coin, at option of depositor.
Agnew and Defenbach, Mercantile Guide and Directory for Virginia City, Gold Hill, Silver City and American City, 1864-1865

1867

H. Harris, Gold Hill

Gold Hill Pioneer Assay Office of H. Harris. Main St., Below Wells Fargo & Co. office, Gold Hill, Nevada. The undersigned established as Assayer for over eight years in California and three in Nevada, at Gold Hill, will attend to any business entrusted him with promptness and care.
Langley’s The Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1867

1868-1869

Assay Office of H. Harris Silver City, Nevada

The undersigned, established as Assayer eight years in California and over five years in Nevada, has removed his office to Silver City, where he will attend to any business entrusted to him with promptness and care. Gold, Silver and ores. Of every description, carefully assayed, and returns made within six hours, in Stamped Bars or Coin, at the option of the depositor. Assays Guaranteed to conform with the U.S. Mint.
Gillis Nevada Directory for 1868-1869

1870

H. Harris, 56, Occupation: Assayer, Real Estate: $2,000, Personal Estate: $1,000 Birthplace: Denmark. His sons Ernest, 20, and Edward, 21, are also assayers.
1870 Ninth Federal Census, Gold Hill, Nevada, Storey County

1871-1874

Lyon County, Harris. Harvey, assay office, Main Silver City
Edward Harris, assay office, Main Silver City Ernest Harris, assayer, Dayton
Storey, Ormsby, Washoe, and Lyon Counties Directory For 1871-72

H. Harris, assayer, Silver City
Langley’s The Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1871-73

Gold Hill Storey Co., H. Harris, assayer, Silver City Resides on Telegraph near R.R. son Edward Harris same.
Virginia and Truckee Railroad Directory, 1871-74

1875-1879

Storey County H. Harris, assayer, Resides at W side Telegraph next school house.
A General Business and Mining Directory, Storey, Lyon, Ormsby, and Washoe County, Nevada. 1875.

H. Harris, Silver City
Business Directory of San Francisco and Principal Towns of California and Nevada 1877.

Silver City, Lyon County, H. Harris, assayer.
Business Directory of the Pacific States and Territory for 1878.

Harvey Harris, assayer, Resides at Ws Telegraph near Central School

Harris Harvey, assayer, cor Third and Main Gold Hill.
Business Directory of Virginia City, Gold Hill Silver City, Carson City and Reno 1878-1879.

1880-1884

Gold Hill, Nevada, Storey County, Harvey Harris, 66, Occupation: Assayer, Birthplace: Denmark, son Edward, 30, Occupation: Assayer.
1880 Soundex

Harvey Harris, assayer, Silver City Nevada
McKenney’s Pacific Coast Directory 1883-1884

1894

Died. Harris. In Gold Hill, February 12, Harvey Harris, a native of Denmark, age 80 years.

Death Of An Octogenarian

Harvey Harris a Pioneer Resident Joins The Silent Majority

Harvey Harris died in Gold Hill yesterday at the age of eighty years. He was a pioneer resident of the Comstock and Silver City where he arrived in 1859 and had an assay office in Gold Hill for many years. He was a native of Denmark and served that country as Consul for Nevada for nearly three decades.

He leaves several children, among them E. Harris, proprietor of the Harris mine in Washoe county, and the widow of the late Dr. Kirby. Deceased was remarkably vigorous for a person of his advanced age. During his long residence in Gold Hill and Silver City he was noted for strict business integrity and was esteemed as an exemplary citizen.

Burial of Harvey Harris

The burial of the late Harvey Harris took place in Carson on Wednesday, from the residence of Ernest Harris, son of the deceased, Rev. George R. Davis officiating. A choir of ladies and gentlemen rendered appropriate music, and the coffin was covered with flowers. A long procession of carriages followed the remains to the grave.
Territorial Enterprise, February 13 & 16, 1894