▁late ▁sevent e enth ▁and ▁early ▁eigh teenth ▁centuries . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁period ▁of ▁the ▁Commonwealth , ▁in ▁the ▁mid ▁sevent e enth ▁century , ▁Pur it ans ▁controlled ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁organ ▁music ▁was ▁b anned ▁in ▁churches . ▁Many ▁organ ▁mak ers ▁left ▁England ▁for ▁the ▁continent , ▁including ▁Harris ' ▁father , ▁Thomas . ▁It ▁was ▁while ▁the ▁family ▁was ▁living ▁in ▁France ▁that ▁Harris ▁was ▁born . ▁After ▁the ▁Rest oration ▁the ▁family ▁returned ▁to ▁England . ▁ ▁Harris ▁grew ▁up ▁in ▁his ▁father ' s ▁business ▁and ▁eventually ▁became ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁two ▁most ▁prominent ▁organ ▁build ers ▁of ▁his ▁generation , ▁along ▁with ▁his ▁h ated ▁rival ▁" F ather " ▁Bernard ▁Smith . ▁Harris ▁had ▁a ▁fla ir ▁for ▁public ity ▁and ▁was ▁not ▁above ▁using ▁under - hand ▁tact ics ▁against ▁Smith . ▁Harris ' s ▁great - grand father , ▁ ▁Thomas ▁D all am , ▁and ▁his ▁father , ▁ ▁Robert ▁D all am , ▁were ▁also ▁organ ▁mak ers , ▁as ▁were ▁Ren atus ▁Harris ' s ▁sons , ▁John ▁and ▁Ren atus . ▁ ▁John ▁Harris ▁was ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁Joseph ▁Harris , ▁a ▁ren owned ▁har ps ich ord ▁mak er , ▁who ▁in ▁turn ▁was ▁the ▁father ▁of ▁English ▁ent om ologist ▁and ▁eng ra ver ▁Mos es ▁Harris . ▁▁ ▁Ren atus ▁Harris ▁died ▁at ▁Sal is bury ▁in ▁August ▁or ▁September , ▁ 1 7 2 4 . ▁ ▁Or g ans ▁of ▁the ▁Temple ▁Church