Thomas Harris
Thomas Lake Harris, (1823-1906), was the leader of the Brotherhood of the New Life. He was the founder of Wine-growing communities in two state, New York and California. He thought of them as "divine breath of god" and not just mere wine. He was the founder of Fountain Grove Vineyard, with prospered ever after his death.
Harris started his wine-growing in Chautauqua County, New York, where he purchased some 1,200 arches. As the grapes was making great products, Harris decided to move to California. It is thought that he did it for religious reasons but it could have been the same reason that everyone left the East coast.
Whatever his reason, In 1875, he purchased 400 acres of land just north of Santa Rosa. He started small with a dairy and vines, but hoped for area and bigger vines of Grapes. He kept buying more acres, ultimately enlarging the estate to 2,000 acres with 400 of those acres had vines on it.
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- Fountain Grove Vineyard Elizabeth Willis
