For those Harris-Hunters who live near an LDS Family History Center, this is to advise that part of Kathryn Wiggins' papers have been filmed or microfiched by the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. To find out the film or fiche numbers, do this: Access the Family History Library Catalog on _www.familysearch.org_ (http://www.familysearch.org) Look for the tab on the opening screen - Library - click on that Then do an AUTHOR search for Wiggins, Kathryn The second listing of the title of the publication is probably the one with the film and fiche numbers. Click on that. Then, if you think you want to order the film and the fiche [4 volumes, as I remember], print out the list with the film and fiche numbers. The film can be borrowed for a brief time--for a fee--while the microfiche will probably stay at your local FH Center--if there is storage. Take the printout to your Center and also your checkbook. You can fill out a request for the film and the fiche [separate order blanks for each item, in general]. You will have to wait a few weeks [spring thaw, maybe?] for the films' arrival. Hint: If you get return address *stickys* from various charities, put a few of those in your checkbook so that you can use a sticky address on each order which you have to fill out. It saves a few pen strokes, and the attendants generally like that because they are readable!!! Wiggin's work is fairly well described in the printout--do not order these films/fiche, thinking this is going to settle ALL your Harris problems!!! I read at this work some years ago and found it did not seem to apply to my William Harris and Temperance Overton family. E.W.Wallace A Harris-Hunter from way back!!! **************New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026)

Thanks Ann, There is a complete set of the Wiggins Papers in the library in Anniston, Alabama. I don't know if they will do look ups for people. Perhaps if you wrote the library.....unfortunately I don't have a postal address for them. If you google the library you may find an address. Richard G. Boyd Ann Harris wrote: > There is a lot of information in Mrs. Kathryn Wiggins notebooks about > Sherrod Harris who married Hannah Page and 2nd Elizabeth Jones. This > family, according to her documents, went to Alabama, settled in Green and > Pickens Co's. Some are buried in the "old Bethany Cemetery" in Pickens Co. > Ala. > > Ann Harris > [email protected] > > : [HARRIS-HUNTERS] Sherrd Harris will > > > >> I have noticed several comments re Sherwood (Sherrod) Harris recently and >> wish to post his will as found in the book Harry-Harris-Williams >> KITH and KIN compiled by Imogene McCreight Fitzgerald page 3 as follows: >> WILL OF SHERROD HARRIS >> >> COPY In the name of God Amen. I Sherrod Harris of North >> Carolina and county of Anson being very sick and weak in or imperfect >> health of body or and of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God >> calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed >> for all men once to dye do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament >> that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul >> into the hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the >> earth to be buried in a decent Christian burial and as touching such worly >> estate wharewith it has been please God to bles me with in this life I >> give demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. >> First, I give and bequeath to my son Jonathan Harris twenty eight acres of >> land joinding him of from my two hundred and thirty eight acre tract in >> Richmond County on Mountain Creek. Also I give and bequeath to my two >> sons Huston (Hudson) & William Harris the r! >> emainder part of said tract which is two hundred and thirteen acres to be >> equally devided among them shear and shear alike. I also give and >> bequeath to my daughter Nancy Harris one hundred dollars. Also I give and >> bequeath to my son Tilmon Harris one hundred dollars. Also I give and >> bequeath to my son Sherrod Harris one hundred acres of land lying on the >> Camp Branch of Savanna Creek Anson County and my wife Elizabeth is to live >> on it during her widowhood. Also I give and bequeath to my daughter >> Elizabeth Harris sixty five dollars. Also I lend to my darly beloved wife >> Elizabeth Harris all my household furniture plantation tools and all my >> stock of all kind during her natural life or widowhood and at her death or >> marriage then it is my will and desire that it shall be equally devided >> among my six youngest children Nancy Harris, Simeon Harris, Tilmon Harris, >> Sherrod Harris, Elizabeth Harris, and Martha Harris. I also give to my >> daughter Franky Eson one dollar and no mor! >> e. I also give to my son John Harris one dollar and no more. I also >> give and bequeath to my daughter Hanner Dean one dollar and no more. I >> also give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Williams one dollar and no >> more. I also give and bequeath to my son Archabald Harris one dollar and >> no more. And I do hereby acknowledge this and no other to be my last Will >> and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this >> twenty-third of August and in the year of our Lord one thousand eight >> hundred and five. Sealed and acknowledged in presents of us >> Jurden Flake >> And I chose my two sons John Harris and >> Benj. Williams >> Archabald Harris my executors interlined >> >> before assigned >> >> >> his >> >> /s/ SHERROD X HARRIS >> >> mark >> >> (Seal) >> State of North Carolina >> * * * * * >> Anson County >> >> October Court 1805 >> Then the last Will and Testament of Sherrod Harris was >> admitted to probate and proved in open court by the oaths of >> Jordan Flake and Benj. Williams witnesses thereto and ordered to be >> recorded. >> >> >> /s/ Tod Robinson, Clk. >> >> >> Sherrod Harris married (1) Hannah Page 16 Dec 1761 Goochland Co., VA. >> They had Franky, (female) b. abt Jan,1763 Goochland Co., VA; >> John, b. 3 Apr 1765, Goochland Co.VA; Hannah b. abt 19 Jan 1768 Goochland >> Co., VA; Mary b. 1 May 1771; Archabald, b. 3 Feb 1774 prob. Wake Co., NC; >> Jonathan, b. 13 Apr 1778 prob. Wake Co., NC. Sherrod's wife Hannah died >> about 1778. Sherrod married again, wife not identified and had Hudson b. >> 1786; and William b. 1788. It is possible that wife died also and Sherrod >> married either Elizabeth Jones or Elizabeth Tillman and had six more >> children identified in his will as "my six youngest children", namely, >> Nancy, Simeon 4 May 1793, Tilman P. 19 Jan 1795, Sherrod W. 25 Jul 1797, >> Elizabeth Jul 1799, and Martha 15 Apr 1803 born Anson Co., NC. >> >> A number of the Harris family moved along with the Williams family and the >> Harry family in 1817, first to Tennessee, and then on to Greene Co., AL >> where they settled in 1819. >> >> -- >> I am using the free version of SPAMfighter. >> We are a community of 5.8 million users fighting spam. >> SPAMfighter has removed 483 of my spam emails to date. >> Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len >> >> The Professional version does not have this message >> >> ------------------------------- >> To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to >> [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without >> the quotes in the subject and the body of the message >> > > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message > > >

There is a lot of information in Mrs. Kathryn Wiggins notebooks about Sherrod Harris who married Hannah Page and 2nd Elizabeth Jones. This family, according to her documents, went to Alabama, settled in Green and Pickens Co's. Some are buried in the "old Bethany Cemetery" in Pickens Co. Ala. Ann Harris [email protected] : [HARRIS-HUNTERS] Sherrd Harris will >I have noticed several comments re Sherwood (Sherrod) Harris recently and >wish to post his will as found in the book Harry-Harris-Williams > KITH and KIN compiled by Imogene McCreight Fitzgerald page 3 as follows: > WILL OF SHERROD HARRIS > > COPY In the name of God Amen. I Sherrod Harris of North > Carolina and county of Anson being very sick and weak in or imperfect > health of body or and of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God > calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed > for all men once to dye do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament > that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul > into the hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the > earth to be buried in a decent Christian burial and as touching such worly > estate wharewith it has been please God to bles me with in this life I > give demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. > First, I give and bequeath to my son Jonathan Harris twenty eight acres of > land joinding him of from my two hundred and thirty eight acre tract in > Richmond County on Mountain Creek. Also I give and bequeath to my two > sons Huston (Hudson) & William Harris the r! > emainder part of said tract which is two hundred and thirteen acres to be > equally devided among them shear and shear alike. I also give and > bequeath to my daughter Nancy Harris one hundred dollars. Also I give and > bequeath to my son Tilmon Harris one hundred dollars. Also I give and > bequeath to my son Sherrod Harris one hundred acres of land lying on the > Camp Branch of Savanna Creek Anson County and my wife Elizabeth is to live > on it during her widowhood. Also I give and bequeath to my daughter > Elizabeth Harris sixty five dollars. Also I lend to my darly beloved wife > Elizabeth Harris all my household furniture plantation tools and all my > stock of all kind during her natural life or widowhood and at her death or > marriage then it is my will and desire that it shall be equally devided > among my six youngest children Nancy Harris, Simeon Harris, Tilmon Harris, > Sherrod Harris, Elizabeth Harris, and Martha Harris. I also give to my > daughter Franky Eson one dollar and no mor! > e. I also give to my son John Harris one dollar and no more. I also > give and bequeath to my daughter Hanner Dean one dollar and no more. I > also give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Williams one dollar and no > more. I also give and bequeath to my son Archabald Harris one dollar and > no more. And I do hereby acknowledge this and no other to be my last Will > and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this > twenty-third of August and in the year of our Lord one thousand eight > hundred and five. Sealed and acknowledged in presents of us > Jurden Flake > And I chose my two sons John Harris and > Benj. Williams > Archabald Harris my executors interlined > > before assigned > > > his > > /s/ SHERROD X HARRIS > > mark > > (Seal) > State of North Carolina > * * * * * > Anson County > > October Court 1805 > Then the last Will and Testament of Sherrod Harris was > admitted to probate and proved in open court by the oaths of > Jordan Flake and Benj. Williams witnesses thereto and ordered to be > recorded. > > > /s/ Tod Robinson, Clk. > > > Sherrod Harris married (1) Hannah Page 16 Dec 1761 Goochland Co., VA. > They had Franky, (female) b. abt Jan,1763 Goochland Co., VA; > John, b. 3 Apr 1765, Goochland Co.VA; Hannah b. abt 19 Jan 1768 Goochland > Co., VA; Mary b. 1 May 1771; Archabald, b. 3 Feb 1774 prob. Wake Co., NC; > Jonathan, b. 13 Apr 1778 prob. Wake Co., NC. Sherrod's wife Hannah died > about 1778. Sherrod married again, wife not identified and had Hudson b. > 1786; and William b. 1788. It is possible that wife died also and Sherrod > married either Elizabeth Jones or Elizabeth Tillman and had six more > children identified in his will as "my six youngest children", namely, > Nancy, Simeon 4 May 1793, Tilman P. 19 Jan 1795, Sherrod W. 25 Jul 1797, > Elizabeth Jul 1799, and Martha 15 Apr 1803 born Anson Co., NC. > > A number of the Harris family moved along with the Williams family and the > Harry family in 1817, first to Tennessee, and then on to Greene Co., AL > where they settled in 1819. > > -- > I am using the free version of SPAMfighter. > We are a community of 5.8 million users fighting spam. > SPAMfighter has removed 483 of my spam emails to date. > Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len > > The Professional version does not have this message > > ------------------------------- > To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to > [email protected] with the word 'unsubscribe' without > the quotes in the subject and the body of the message

Thanks to all of you for the great suggestions. Hyde County, North Carolina has a great website. http://www.ncgenweb.us/hyde/HYDE.HTM Lots of records. Thomas Harris, husband of Diana Manners and first clerk of Perquimans precinct, is mentioned often. I see that his will is on rootsweb. It is said that he was born in England or Virginia between 1620 and 1630, and died between 1665-1669 in North Carolina. His children are Thomas b 1660 and John b 1662. John may have married Susannah Albertson. Does anyone have any information about his son Thomas? I haven't found a connection with him yet to my Thomas Harris (b abt 1676 Perquimans, Hyde, North Carolina) m Elender.

I have noticed several comments re Sherwood (Sherrod) Harris recently and wish to post his will as found in the book Harry-Harris-Williams KITH and KIN compiled by Imogene McCreight Fitzgerald page 3 as follows: WILL OF SHERROD HARRIS COPY In the name of God Amen. I Sherrod Harris of North Carolina and county of Anson being very sick and weak in or imperfect health of body or and of perfect mind and memory thanks be given unto God calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it is appointed for all men once to dye do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament that is to say principally and first of all I give and recommend my soul into the hand of Almighty God that gave it and my body I recommend to the earth to be buried in a decent Christian burial and as touching such worly estate wharewith it has been please God to bles me with in this life I give demise and dispose of the same in the following manner and form. First, I give and bequeath to my son Jonathan Harris twenty eight acres of land joinding him of from my two hundred and thirty eight acre tract in Richmond County on Mountain Creek. Also I give and bequeath to my two sons Huston (Hudson) & William Harris the remainder part of said tract which is two hundred and thirteen acres to be equally devided among them shear and shear alike. I also give and bequeath to my daughter Nancy Harris one hundred dollars. Also I give and bequeath to my son Tilmon Harris one hundred dollars. Also I give and bequeath to my son Sherrod Harris one hundred acres of land lying on the Camp Branch of Savanna Creek Anson County and my wife Elizabeth is to live on it during her widowhood. Also I give and bequeath to my daughter Elizabeth Harris sixty five dollars. Also I lend to my darly beloved wife Elizabeth Harris all my household furniture plantation tools and all my stock of all kind during her natural life or widowhood and at her death or marriage then it is my will and desire that it shall be equally devided among my six youngest children Nancy Harris, Simeon Harris, Tilmon Harris, Sherrod Harris, Elizabeth Harris, and Martha Harris. I also give to my daughter Franky Eson one dollar and no more. I also give to my son John Harris one dollar and no more. I also give and bequeath to my daughter Hanner Dean one dollar and no more. I also give and bequeath to my daughter Mary Williams one dollar and no more. I also give and bequeath to my son Archabald Harris one dollar and no more. And I do hereby acknowledge this and no other to be my last Will and Testament in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this twenty-third of August and in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and five. Sealed and acknowledged in presents of us Jurden Flake And I chose my two sons John Harris and Benj. Williams Archabald Harris my executors interlined before assigned his /s/ SHERROD X HARRIS mark (Seal) State of North Carolina * * * * * Anson County October Court 1805 Then the last Will and Testament of Sherrod Harris was admitted to probate and proved in open court by the oaths of Jordan Flake and Benj. Williams witnesses thereto and ordered to be recorded. /s/ Tod Robinson, Clk. Sherrod Harris married (1) Hannah Page 16 Dec 1761 Goochland Co., VA. They had Franky, (female) b. abt Jan,1763 Goochland Co., VA; John, b. 3 Apr 1765, Goochland Co.VA; Hannah b. abt 19 Jan 1768 Goochland Co., VA; Mary b. 1 May 1771; Archabald, b. 3 Feb 1774 prob. Wake Co., NC; Jonathan, b. 13 Apr 1778 prob. Wake Co., NC. Sherrod's wife Hannah died about 1778. Sherrod married again, wife not identified and had Hudson b. 1786; and William b. 1788. It is possible that wife died also and Sherrod married either Elizabeth Jones or Elizabeth Tillman and had six more children identified in his will as "my six youngest children", namely, Nancy, Simeon 4 May 1793, Tilman P. 19 Jan 1795, Sherrod W. 25 Jul 1797, Elizabeth Jul 1799, and Martha 15 Apr 1803 born Anson Co., NC. A number of the Harris family moved along with the Williams family and the Harry family in 1817, first to Tennessee, and then on to Greene Co., AL where they settled in 1819. -- I am using the free version of SPAMfighter. We are a community of 5.8 million users fighting spam. SPAMfighter has removed 483 of my spam emails to date. Get the free SPAMfighter here: http://www.spamfighter.com/len The Professional version does not have this message

Thanks for the kind words. Another group of my ancestors also lived in Christian and Todd Co, KY for a generation -- the Acocks and Blanchetts. Both of these families moved from Warren Co, NC in the early 1800s to KY and then most of them moved on to other places (e.g., Polk Co, MO and Hempstead Co, AR) in the 1840s. These branches of my family, as was true with the others, had VERY itchy feet! TX was a popular destination for a while after the Civil War, but then most of my ancestors headed for California or Washington. It is surprising how few of them still lived East of the Sierra by the beginning of the 20th century - - they went as far west as they possibly could and then, finally, stayed put (well, sort of - - many of them got gold fever and spent at least a while in the Yukon & Alaska Territory until they got cold and/or broke and returned to the lower 49.. Sandy On Jan 1, 2009, at 10:45 AM, [email protected] wrote: > Dear Sandy - > > What a well-composed mini-history you gave us of the Harrises of > early California. Thank you so much. It made great reading. > > Although I do not connect with any of these persons [that I know > of], I do know that a great many Kentuckians headed for Missouri. I > seldom do research of Missouri, as my direct Harris 2nd great- > grandmother of Madison Co., KY was taken to Texas by her husband, > accompanied about five children, one of whom was my great- > grandfather. who did not bear the surname Harris, of course!. I do > research on her siblings from time to time, but I have not detected > movement of her siblings to Missouri. > > However, Carlisle Harris's father, Overton Harris (d. testate 1827 > in Madison Co., KY) mentioned in his will his ownership of land in > Missouri. I have often wandered whether any of his sons or his > grandsons may have gone on to claim that land. My research to date > indicates they stayed in Madison Co., Ky--but I am always open to > the facts that people show up in some of the darndest places!!! > > This is the transcribed will of this Overton Harris [one of many of > that name]. John Franklin Harris is one of his brothers. He > mentions ownership of land in Missouri. > > From Madison Co. Wills, Bk __, p. 331 > > "I Overton Harris of Madison County and State of Kentucky do > make and ordain this my last will and testament. > > "1st I hereby appoint Thomas Richardson and John Franklin > Harris Executors to this will. I wish them to collect all debts due > and pay all debts I owe and sell such part or parts of my ----able > state as they may they think for the best interest of the estate. > > "Secondly I wish my wife Nancy Harris to keep all my children > and have them as well educated as she can. I wish her to have the > sole use and control of the house where I now live with all my > furniture and so much of my lands as may be sufficient for her with > my children and slaves to occupy to the interest of the estate and > so much of my stock of every description as may be necessary for the > -- of the family. > > "It is my will that she with the aid of my eldest sons keep > this property above named together for the purpose of raising and > educating of my youngest children for the term of fifteen years on > conditions she remain in widowhood. If she should marry in that > event I wish my estate immediately sold or divided the widow taking > a third and the rest equally divided between my children and managed > for the best interest of them which may not be able to manage for > themselves. > > "Thirdly I wish each of my children when the[y] severally (?) > arive at the age of eighteen years to have a horse and saddle given > them and each one charged with the same at its value. I wish each > of my sons as they arrive to the age of Twenty one years shall have > a portion of my estate not to exceed one thousand dollars each to be > charged with the amount he receives. I wish each of my daughters to > have the same amount as they arrive to the age of twenty one or they > should they marry charging them with the amount they receive. > > "Fourthly I wish my executors at any time that any of the > negroes I may have become ungovernable or unprofitable to the estate > to sell any part of them at any time either privately or at public > sale. I wish my executors to receive a deed from the Sheriff to a > tract of land I purchased at Sheriffs sale in --- bond and have sold > the same to John White. I wish and hereby authorise my Executors on > receiving title from the Sheriff to convey the same to said White on > his paying the purchase money. At any time that any of my sons > after the arrive at the age of twenty one years may wish to go to > the Missouri and settle on any of my lands in that State I wish them > to have it at value. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my > hand and affixed my seal this first day of September in the year of > our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty seven. > (s) Overton Harris > Teste [Ty]mple (?) Burgin, Milton Oldham Francis (his mark) Marsh > Kentucky Madison County SCt > > "I David Irvine (?) clerk of the court for the county aforesaid > do hereby certify that a county court held for Madison County on > Tuesday the 6th day of November 1827. This instrument of writing > was produced in court and proven to be the last will and testament > of Overton Harris decd by the oath of Jacob S. White a subscribing > witness thereto and it was proved by said White that he saw the > balance of the witnesses hereto sign their names as witnesses except > Francis Marsh and that he saw him make his mark and the same was > ordered to be entered of Record and the same has been done accordingly > > Attest to David Irvine CMCC > > Submitted by E.W.Wallace > > > > > > New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines.

Dear Leon and other interested parties, Refer below to your message of land patents in Missouri for persons named Overton Harris. My research shows this is a favorite name among Harris families, not all of whom have been proved to have been related!!!! The Overton Harris (wife Nancy Oldham, who later married Anderson Chenault) who died testate 1817 in Madison Co., KY did indeed refer to land he owned in Missouri. However, his son named Overton is said to have died at about age 18. I have not searched for a probate for him, but took the word of a distant cousin. I assume, perhaps wrongly, that a male under age 18 to 21 may not have had a probate, at least at that time. This is among my notes: I am willing to change the notes should one provide other contradicting information. Submitted by E. W.Wallace OVERTON HARRIS. WIR00372 [this is ID number, ignore] Son of Overton Harris and Nancy Oldham of Madison Co., KY. The elder Overton died testate 1827. Although he is referred to as Overton, Jr., he must have been at least the fourth male by this name at this time. According to 1990 communication with William A. LaBach, Lexington, KY, who is a descendant of Tillitha Harris, Overton, Jr. never married. He died in 1840 at age 17. Madison Co. DB 3-252, Christopher C. Harris, grantor to Waller Chenault, grantee [the latter married to Talitha Harris, one of the younger daughters of the elder Overton], mentions two deceased siblings, Overton C. Harris and Nancy [overwritten probably F. Harris]. The date of the deed is 31 Jan 1847. Therefore, there is verification of the death of these two siblings, but the exact death dates are unknown as of Sep 2007. There is an Overton Harris-Naomi Fielden marriage in Madison Co., KY in 1842, but obviously he is not the same person. This latter Overton Harris appears in the 1850 census, Madison Co. (Sistler abstracts) Harris, Overton - age 30 Maoma [Naomi] - age 26 Ellen A. - age 7 Minerva - age 5 Milly J. - age 4 Josephine - age 1 In a message dated 1/1/2009 2:12:57 P.M. Pacific Standard Time, [email protected] writes: There are several Overton's listed as buy land in Missouri, most in Boone County. See the list below from the BLM site. There ealiest was Feb 20 1819 in Chariton Co. and there was a Overton G who bought land the same time as an Overton, Nov 2 1837. They were still buying land up to Dec 28 1987. One could put forth and arguement that Overton G was a son of Overton. HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 12/28/1987 Franklin 1162 61-88-0016 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 5/11/1944 Franklin 1263 1118409 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 6/7/1949 Franklin 1503 1126054 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 6/4/1930 Franklin 1505 1037859 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 10/22/1945 Franklin 1506 1120203 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 9/24/1969 Franklin 1683 1241984 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Chariton 2/20/1819 Missouri 19818 MO6190__.172 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 1/10/1828 Franklin 2418 MO0450__.437 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 11/2/1837 Fayette 8385 MO2640__.356 HARRIS, OVERTON G MO Boone 1/10/1840 Fayette 10961 MO2690__.296 HARRIS, OVERTON G MO Clay 4/5/1855 Plattsburg 12474 MO4640__.121 HARRIS, OVERTON G MO Boone 1/15/1856 Fayette 33141 MO3120__.286 HARRIS, OVERTON G MO Boone, Howard 6/1/1859 Fayette 34160 MO3190__.020 HARRIS, OVERTON G MO Boone 11/2/1837 Fayette 9678 MO2670__.070 HARRIS, OVERTON M MO Monroe 7/1/1858 Palmyra 30327 MO2610__.476 My Harris ancestor John Harris, bought land in Macon Co Missouri, April 1 1839. We know he was in Washington County VA in around Jan 1831 when a will of Augustine McGehee was recorded. John had married Amey McGehee daughter of Augustine and she had inherited some of the land Augustine owned in Washington Co VA. If you look at the BLM records there were many Harrises who came to Missouri in the early 1800's. Leon **************New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026)

There are several Overton's listed as buy land in Missouri, most in Boone County. See the list below from the BLM site. There ealiest was Feb 20 1819 in Chariton Co. and there was a Overton G who bought land the same time as an Overton, Nov 2 1837. They were still buying land up to Dec 28 1987. One could put forth and arguement that Overton G was a son of Overton. HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 12/28/1987 Franklin 1162 61-88-0016 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 5/11/1944 Franklin 1263 1118409 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 6/7/1949 Franklin 1503 1126054 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 6/4/1930 Franklin 1505 1037859 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 10/22/1945 Franklin 1506 1120203 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 9/24/1969 Franklin 1683 1241984 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Chariton 2/20/1819 Missouri 19818 MO6190__.172 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 1/10/1828 Franklin 2418 MO0450__.437 HARRIS, OVERTON MO Boone 11/2/1837 Fayette 8385 MO2640__.356 HARRIS, OVERTON G MO Boone 1/10/1840 Fayette 10961 MO2690__.296 HARRIS, OVERTON G MO Clay 4/5/1855 Plattsburg 12474 MO4640__.121 HARRIS, OVERTON G MO Boone 1/15/1856 Fayette 33141 MO3120__.286 HARRIS, OVERTON G MO Boone, Howard 6/1/1859 Fayette 34160 MO3190__.020 HARRIS, OVERTON G MO Boone 11/2/1837 Fayette 9678 MO2670__.070 HARRIS, OVERTON M MO Monroe 7/1/1858 Palmyra 30327 MO2610__.476 My Harris ancestor John Harris, bought land in Macon Co Missouri, April 1 1839. We know he was in Washington County VA in around Jan 1831 when a will of Augustine McGehee was recorded. John had married Amey McGehee daughter of Augustine and she had inherited some of the land Augustine owned in Washington Co VA. If you look at the BLM records there were many Harrises who came to Missouri in the early 1800's. Leon

Hello, Might this Overton Harris who died in 1827 in KY, will dated 6 November 1827 be the son of Christopher Harris/Agnes McCord? His wife was Nancy Oldham. I have 3 children listed in my files: Elizabeth Harris m Joseph Tevis John Franklin Harris Solon M. Harris I have no further information. Peggy in CA **************Stay up-to-date on the latest news - from fashion trends to celebrity break-ups and everything in between. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000024)

Dear Sandy - What a well-composed mini-history you gave us of the Harrises of early California. Thank you so much. It made great reading. Although I do not connect with any of these persons [that I know of], I do know that a great many Kentuckians headed for Missouri. I seldom do research of Missouri, as my direct Harris 2nd great-grandmother of Madison Co., KY was taken to Texas by her husband, accompanied about five children, one of whom was my great-grandfather. who did not bear the surname Harris, of course!. I do research on her siblings from time to time, but I have not detected movement of her siblings to Missouri. However, Carlisle Harris's father, Overton Harris (d. testate 1827 in Madison Co., KY) mentioned in his will his ownership of land in Missouri. I have often wandered whether any of his sons or his grandsons may have gone on to claim that land. My research to date indicates they stayed in Madison Co., Ky--but I am always open to the facts that people show up in some of the darndest places!!! This is the transcribed will of this Overton Harris [one of many of that name]. John Franklin Harris is one of his brothers. He mentions ownership of land in Missouri. From Madison Co. Wills, Bk __, p. 331 "I Overton Harris of Madison County and State of Kentucky do make and ordain this my last will and testament. "1st I hereby appoint Thomas Richardson and John Franklin Harris Executors to this will. I wish them to collect all debts due and pay all debts I owe and sell such part or parts of my ----able state as they may they think for the best interest of the estate. "Secondly I wish my wife Nancy Harris to keep all my children and have them as well educated as she can. I wish her to have the sole use and control of the house where I now live with all my furniture and so much of my lands as may be sufficient for her with my children and slaves to occupy to the interest of the estate and so much of my stock of every description as may be necessary for the -- of the family. "It is my will that she with the aid of my eldest sons keep this property above named together for the purpose of raising and educating of my youngest children for the term of fifteen years on conditions she remain in widowhood. If she should marry in that event I wish my estate immediately sold or divided the widow taking a third and the rest equally divided between my children and managed for the best interest of them which may not be able to manage for themselves. "Thirdly I wish each of my children when the[y] severally (?) arive at the age of eighteen years to have a horse and saddle given them and each one charged with the same at its value. I wish each of my sons as they arrive to the age of Twenty one years shall have a portion of my estate not to exceed one thousand dollars each to be charged with the amount he receives. I wish each of my daughters to have the same amount as they arrive to the age of twenty one or they should they marry charging them with the amount they receive. "Fourthly I wish my executors at any time that any of the negroes I may have become ungovernable or unprofitable to the estate to sell any part of them at any time either privately or at public sale. I wish my executors to receive a deed from the Sheriff to a tract of land I purchased at Sheriffs sale in --- bond and have sold the same to John White. I wish and hereby authorise my Executors on receiving title from the Sheriff to convey the same to said White on his paying the purchase money. At any time that any of my sons after the arrive at the age of twenty one years may wish to go to the Missouri and settle on any of my lands in that State I wish them to have it at value. In Testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand and affixed my seal this first day of September in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twenty seven. (s) Overton Harris Teste [Ty]mple (?) Burgin, Milton Oldham Francis (his mark) Marsh Kentucky Madison County SCt "I David Irvine (?) clerk of the court for the county aforesaid do hereby certify that a county court held for Madison County on Tuesday the 6th day of November 1827. This instrument of writing was produced in court and proven to be the last will and testament of Overton Harris decd by the oath of Jacob S. White a subscribing witness thereto and it was proved by said White that he saw the balance of the witnesses hereto sign their names as witnesses except Francis Marsh and that he saw him make his mark and the same was ordered to be entered of Record and the same has been done accordingly Attest to David Irvine CMCC Submitted by E.W.Wallace **************New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making headlines. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026)

Hi Pat The Edward I found in Kentucky (who was grandfather to Charles P Harris' wife Carrie) was born in SC ~1790. I wonder if he was the son of the Edward and Sally mentioned in the post you sent to me? If so that would link this Wooldridge line to the (well-researched) line starting in America with John the blacksmith. Thanks for the tidbit! I also found a link to a Rev War pension application transcribed by Leon Harris and he and I are trying to figure out (1) if there is a link and (2) why he transcribed it (he is trying to figure out if he knew of a harris connection). I tried responding directly to your email but it was bounced back several times so I tried this instead. Sandy

A living brother, Charles Harris was mentioned in the obituary for James Madison Harris published in the October 23, 1933 Napa Daily Journal. Although I had seen his name mentioned in the 1880 Bearcreek in Cedar Co, MO census, I had never found any other reference to him and thought he might have died young. I focused my search for him in Fresno, CA and found Charles living with his wife Carrie L. in Fresno county in the 1900-1930 census. With this as a start, I followed them back to Missouri where I found their marriage license and information about Carrie’s parents and extended family. The following summarizes what I have discovered in the last few days. Charles P Harris was the 7th and last child of Dr. William Henry and Nancy (Taylor) Harris. He was born in December 1870 in Bearcreek, Cedar Co, MO. His brothers and sisters were : Mary A (1854-?), James Madison (1857-1933), Catherine Barkeley (1860-?), George J (1862-?), Elizabeth S Hopkins (1864-ca 1891), Margarette Janie Hopkins (1868-1949). He had three brothers by his father’s first wife Mary Ann Phillips: John Jefferson (1847-1933), William Henry (1848-?), and Thomas Taylor (1850-after 1830). On August 28, 1898, Charles married Carrie L. Wooldridge in the Stockton, MO home of the Justice of the Peace. At some point between his Missouri marriage, the death of his father on July 23, 1899, and June 14 1900 he moved to Selma, CA, joining his brother James and his wife's family (although James had already left for the Yukon goldfields). Charles and Carrie had their only child, Genevieve, on July 6, 1907. They continued to live in the Fresno area, living first in rented houses and then their own home. Charles worked as a farm laborer, drawbridge operator, and night watchman in a raison plant. Genevieve was still living at home in 1930, working as a stenographer in an attorney’s office. She married a man named Davidson and died at the age of 74 in San Francisco on Mar 22, 1982. Carrie was the youngest child of Dr Madison B and Anna L or E (Morgan) Wooldridge. Her mother was born ca 1846 in Tennessee. Her father was born ca 1832 in Kentucky. He was a physician and I wonder if Charles’ father William apprenticed with him. Was his name the source of James Harris’ middle name? Carrie’s other siblings were Edward W, Clara M, and Lula M (born circa 1867, 1871, and 1874 in Missouri). Her family moved to Linn in Cedar Co, MO by 1870 and to Bearcreek by 1880 where they lived near the extended Harris family. Madison and Anna probably named Edward after his grandfather, Edward W Wooldridge who was born in South Carolina ca 1790 but lived most of his life in Kentucky; Hopkins Co (1820) and Christian Co, KY (1830-1850). The family appeared to be prosperous and owned slaves. Edward and his wife Margaret had at least one other child, a son Wilson W who was also a physician and lived in Bearcreek, MO arriving by 1860. Wilson lived first with the George and Mary Fleeman family and then established his own household after marrying Jane Hamby on Feb 2, 1866. There a fair amount of information about the Wooldridge family on the internet and a 2-volume book is available about them.

I recently visited the graves of my paternal GGrandparents (James Madison and Georgia Mattie (Reed) Harris), as well as those of three of their children, Russell Vance Harris, Roma DeWitt (Harris) Stewart, and Ruth Oneita (Harris) Alexander. They are buried in a in the Tulocay Cemetery on Combsville Road in Napa, CA. I would be happy to share photos of the headstones if you send me your email address. James Madison Harris was the eldest son of “Dr.” William Henry and Nancy (Taylor) Harris of Patrick Co, VA, Roane/Rhea Co, TN and Cedar Co, MO and grandson of Joseph S and Nancy (Morefield) Harris, whom Pat Seaver and I have been researching for several years. Their male descendants are in FTDNA Harris Group 30. I found James’ obit in the Napa Daily Journal a few days after his death on October 21, 1933: J Harris Dies in Cordelia Cordelia, Oct 18 – Following an extended illness, J. M. Harris, 76, father of Reed Harris, Cordelia Service Station operator, passed away tonight at the home of his son here. Funeral services will be held Saturday afternoon in Suisun from the funeral home of W. C. Hansen. Interment will be in the family plot at Tulocay cemetery in Napa. Deceased was well known in the Green Valley section and also in the Soscal district in Napa county where he lived on a ranch for a number of years. Surviving relatives include the widow, Mrs. Georgie M. Harris; four sons and two daughters, Mrs. Roma D. Berry of San Francisco, Ralph Harris of Richmond, Ray Harris of Modesto, Reed Harris of Cordelia, Vance Harris of Vallejo, and Mrs. John Anderson of Yakima, Wash. A brother and a sister, Charles Harris of Fresno and Mrs. J. T. Hopkins of Richmond also survive. Deceased was a native of Missouri and was born January 7, 1857.

As we end this year, the subject of Robert Harris *the immigrant* has come up again. I recently cautioned Harris-Hunters to be careful in linking this man to William Harris and his wife Temperance Overton of the Pamunkey River area. My research has been primarily of secondary sources. I think it only fair to share this information so that you can either read the material written by professionals or take my word for it. Your choice. My bio of Robert t is longish. Rootsweb does not permit attachments--and besides I am not swift on the computer!!! Therefore it may be presented in installments. Watch for it. Print it out, if you wish and review it and argue with me--or preferably with the professionals. However, I know Malcolm Hart Harris is deceased, and I learned not long ago that Mrs. Davis is also deceased. Maybe, you, a Harris-Hunter, can crawl in an attic or a basement, preferably in a courthouse, and unearth some startling NEW information. E.W.Wallace **************One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. Try it now. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000025)

Leo Collins adds this paragraph to his query about some HARRIS families in North Carolina, of whom I know nothing!!! However, I received this information rather recently - about digitized NC Colonial and State Records, which has a lot of information about various early settlers of North Carolina There is a great index--look for the tab at the top of the screen. _http://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/_ (http://docsouth.unc.edu/csr/) This is Leo's added paragraph: Also, do any of you know of any more information on the Robert Harris-Mary Rice Claibourne connection that was called into doubt? And was that same Robert Harris the son of William Harris and Ellen Burrows, or the son of John Harris and Dorothy Calcott? For some reason I'm confused about that. My response: John Frederick Dorman, a well-known genealogist-author-lecturer of Virginia, also publisher of The Virginia Genealogist, in the past few years edited a history of the Claiborne Family. On one of the opening pages, he writes, [was it in a footnote?] that there is NO PROOF that a Robert Harris was married to a Mary Claiborne. A copy of Dorman's book is at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. If you use a form [look for the word Form somewhere on _www.familysearch.org_ (http://www.familysearch.org) ] called Request for Photocopy [you can download it], you can request a few of the beginning pages of his book--for a small fee. Here is the FHL catalog entry--I did a surname search for Claiborne in the Catalog [the formatting may get messed up] You can also do an author search for Dorman, John Frederick _Claiborne of Virginia : descendants of Colonel William Claiborne, the first eight generations_ (http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=758726&disp=Claiborne+of+Virginia) Dorman, John Frederick. Claiborne Others, writing of the Claiborne family, have concluded that Claiborne had no daughter named Mary. Indeed, trying to prove early Virginia families, especially if they were in Hanover Co. or other *burned* counties, is EXTREMELY difficult. Rice - there seem to be many of those are their grains of rice in a pound of rice!!!! If you include the Harris-Claiborne information in a family history, please state that it, the information, is unproven, or that it is a myth, or some such disclaimer!!!! If I were going to write a history of this particular Harris family, I believe I would omit, except perhaps for a paragraph or a footnote, the so-called immigrant Robert Harris in my lineage. To date, I have found nothing to link that poor fellow to William Harris and Temperance Overton of the Pamunkey River area of Hanover co. What have you other Harris-Hunters found--to verify that there is a linkage? A lot of us are hanging on your findings!!! (Positive findings, that is.) E.W.Wallace descendant of Robert Harris of colonial Louisa Co [and sometimes Albemarle Co.] and his wife Mourning [perhaps Glen or Glenn] **************One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. Try it now. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000025)

I'm interested in the Thomas Harris (abt 1676-1749) of Currituck, Perquimans, Carteret and Hyde counties, (changing boundaries I think), North Carolina line--m Ellender or Elender. Their son Thomas, his son Ezekiel, his son Isaiah, his son Nathan, and his son Alvin, who was my great-great grandfather. I've been working on this line off and on for about 40 years. They were Quakers at one time, and I keep wondering if there's some connection with Thomas Harris (abt 1586) of Curles who seems to have a Quaker connection . And then there was Thomas Harris (d bef 1675 I think) who married Diana Manners in North Carolina--the proximity seems a clue, but I don't know where he was born. Also, do any of you know of any more information on the Robert Harris-Mary Rice Claibourne connection that was called into doubt? And was that same Robert Harris the son of William Harris and Ellen Burrows, or the son of John Harris and Dorothy Calcott? For some reason I'm confused about that. Thank you for any information-- Michal Anna Collins

Because I have so many common names in my lineage, I have to pick up associates and watercourses to determine whether I may have the right family. My ancestor of colonial Louisa Co., VA was Robert Harris, called at times Major Robert Harris. His wife was Mourning [probably Glen]. One of their daughters, Lucy allegedly married a William Shelton. Those studying Shelton families may pick up some clues here. Note the citations. Mrs. Rosalie Edith Davis of Manchester, MO has a website but e-mail correspondents tell me she seems to be seriously ill. She is not answering her e-mails, but apparently is picking up her snail-mail. She has abstracted and personally published a goodly number of booklets on colonial Louisa Co. and two, I believe, on Hanover Co., a *burned* county. Here are my Shelton notes. If you use this material in your own works, please CITE THE SOURCES. Genealogy without sources is not very useful and may cause others to question your work. Preparer: E W. Wallace Revised Feb 1999 Rev Oct 2001; edited 6/03 WILLIAM SHELTON. William Shelton, who was married to a daughter of Robert Harris--Lucy Harris--was probably a resident in King William Co., VA before he removed to Louisa or Albemarle Co., VA. Or, more probably, there were several William Sheltons. Shelton was one of two executors of his mother-in-law Mourning Glenn Harris, whose will was proved in Albemarle March Court 1776. The Sheltons may have held land in both Louisa and Albemarle Cos. Also in Lunenburg Co., as indicated in a deed cited below. 1762 - An earlier deed found in Lunenburg Co. indicates that in 1762 William Shelton was of Albemarle Co. Lunenburg Co. DB 7, Jan 13, 1762 from William Shelton of Albemarle County, to Tyree Glen of L[unenburg], for 100 pds., a certain tract of land in L on the east or lower side of Reedy Cr containing 274 acres, being the lower part of the land Joseph Minor purchased of Mackie, and by Minor sold to Joseph Gentry, and by Gentry sold to the said William Shelton, all via L deeds. The land is bounded as per the deed of Joseph Gentry to the said William Shelton. Signed - Wm. Shelton. Wit - Nathll Williams, William Smithson, Jeremiah Glen. Recorded Feb 2, 1762. (TLC Genealogy, LUNENBURG COUNTY, VIRGINIA DEED BOOKS 7 & 8 (1761-1764) [Miami Beach: TLC Genealogy, 1990], p. 21) 1768 - William Shelton in mid-1768 purchased some land in Albemarle Co. from William Dabney and his wife Jane. Albemarle Co. DB 3-37-38: 2 June 1768 between William Dabney & Jane his wife of Albemarle to Wm. Shelton of same.. sum of 200 pds. current money of Virginia.. parcel of land lying on Mechams River, Albemarle Co...corner to Wm. Wallace...Mechams River to the first station. /s/ Wm. Dabney signed, sealed & delivered in the presence of Thomas Grubbs, Elizabeth Jones, Christopher Harris, Robert Harris, Tyre Harris. (Adapted from Ruth & Sam Sparacio, ALBEMARLE COUNTY DEED BOOK 5 1764-1772, PART I [McLean, VA: The Antient Press, 19??], p. 21) According to the index of Rosalie Edith Davis, FREDERICKSVILLE PARISH VESTRY BOOK, 1742-1787, Vol. 1, there were a number of Shelton males in that parish: David, Henry, Joseph, Thomas, William. 1771 - At a vestry held for Fredericksville Parish ye 14th November 1771: (p. 97) Ordered that James Kerr, Joel Terrell, Wm. Lewis, David Allen, John Barnett, Charles Goodman, Fra. Grymes, Samuel Rea & William Shelton do procession all the lands between Mechams River down to Carrs ford. the Three notched Road, down to Lewis's & the Fredericksburg Road. (Davis, p. 101) Shelton was a neighbor of some other members of the Dabney family as evidenced by the following Louisa Co. deed: 1777 - Louisa Co. DB E-216-217 8 Dec 1777 Isaac Dabney & Anne his wife of King William Co. to Cornelius Dabney of Louisa Co.; 85 pds.; 100 A on the south side of the Southanna River joining lands of Wm. Shelton & land conveyed by me to my Brother Cornelius Dabney. Wit: none 8 Dec 1777 ack. by Isaac Dabney. 13 April 1778 Commission for the Examination of Ann the wife of sd. Dabney (Rosalie Edith Davis, LOUISA COUNTY VIRGINIA DEED BOOKS E & F, 1774-1790 [Manchester, MO: Privately published 1983], p. 24-25) 1783 - At a vestry held for Fredericksville Parish the 13th day of November 1783 at Charlottesville .... (p. 119) Ordered that James Keer, George Divers, John Marks, William Shelton, Charles Goodman, Claudious Bustard do possession all the lands from Mechams River down to Carrs ford, the three Notched Road, down to Lewises old place. (Davis, p. 124) 1785 - Wm. Shelton's line in Louisa Co. is mentioned: Louisa Co. DB F-35-36 is a deed dated 7 April 1785 Thomas Johnson & Catherine his wife of Louisa Co. to Wm. Lovell of same.... 90 A. on waaters of Owens Cr... Wm. Sheltons line... John Symes line... Johnsons line (Davis, p. 50) 1786 - Louisa Co. DB F-192-193 16 Oct 1786 Thomas Johnston of Louisa Co. to John Richardson of Hanover Co.; 100 pds. 216 A. in Louisa Co. near Owens Cr. adj. lands of Collo. John Syme & known by the name of Bobits old Tract... corner of Late Capt. Joseph Sheltons line... Symes line... Lovels parcel of land bought of sd. Bobbits tract... William Shelton's line. /s/ Thos. Johnson Catharine Johnson Wit: Jesse Lacy, Stephen Farrar, Elisabeth (X) Johnson (Davis, p. 66) 1787 A William Shelton and a William Shelton, Sr. appear on the 1787 personal property list of Albemarle Co., VA. Shelton, William - self - 1 white poll - 5 blacks above 16; 7 blacks under 16; 9 horses; 25 cattle Shelton, William, Sr. - self - 1-0-0-2-5 Shelton, Henry - self - 0-7-8-7-47 (Adapted from Netti Schreiner-Yantis and Florine Speakman Love, THE 1787 CENSUS OF VIRGINIA [Springfield, VA: Genealogical Books in Print] 1788 - Louisa Co. DB F-299-301 5 April 1788 Cornelius Dabney to William Shelton, both of Louisa Co., St. Martain's Par.; 63 pds-8s-9d; by late survey 36 1/2 A. bounded by lines of sd. parties, beginning at the old Mountain Road on the line of sd. Shelton... sd. Road, down same. /s/ Corl. Dabney Wit: James Shelton, Jesse Shelton, William Shelton Junr., Philemon Frayser 14 April 1788 ack by Corl. Dabney (Davis, p. 78) **************One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. Try it now. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000025)

Has anyone checked any of the North Carolina records? If so which ones and for what years. Please share if you have. Thanks. Sarah ____________________________________________________________ Can't pay your bills? Click here to learn about filing for bankruptcy. http://thirdpartyoffers.juno.com/TGL2141/fc/PnY6rw22U6ZAzlJEA5DSKO3fxnpxzJ51KjOTTYtXzJDvtZmTaV2uK/

Dear Diane of Conroe, Texas On Christmas Eve, you sent this message to Harris-Hunters: "Diane Ethridge" <[email protected]> Subject: [HARRIS-HUNTERS] Looking for Harris' from VA to IL & to GA I'm trying to find info on 2 different Harris families: In the 1850 census, my gg grandmother, Johanna Gilbert Wright, age 15, was living with Addison Schuyler Harris & his wife, Henrietta (Harris) Harris (cousins). I have info on this couple from Buckingham & Albemarle Co. VA but am still searching for their connection to my Wright family of Lunenburg/Brunswick Co. VA to Greene Co. OH to Henry/Hancock/Wayne Co. IN to Clark/Jasper Co. IL. These Wrights were affiliated with the M-E Church & many were ministers. Johanna was the dau of Rev. James Gilbert Wright & w/Lucinda McComas Wright. Johanna later married Wm Arbuckle & moved to MO. These Harris' settled in Richland Co. IL. Henrietta's death certificate was signed by a Dr. Henry J.B. Wright who later moved to Santa Clara, CA. ANY info on these people would be most appreciated. Also, looking for a James Harris who married Elizabeth Puckett in Paulding Co. GA in 1860s. My response to you: Wow--you have sent us too many problems to work on at once!!!!! First--I am told by correspondents in Texas that the Texas State Library in Austin has a subscription to HeritageQuest, an online genealogical database. May I suggest you contact that Library by telephone, ask to speak to a reference or research librarian, and ask whether you, in Conroe, are able to access that database from your home computer in Conroe. Do you need a State Library card? If so, how much does a card cost you, a resident of Texas? Most of the time, HeritageQuest database can be accessed on your home computer--but the card's number is your password. If that avenue is closed to you, contact the Houston Public Library system at the Clayton Library [THE genealogical library in Texas which has the mostest!!!] and ask whether you as an out-of-towner can pay a special fee to get a library card for the Houston PL system. Sometimes a resident in a nearby county can pay a fee and get a card, generally good for a year, at a *foreign* library, such as the Clayton, which is only branch of the Houston Public Library system. It seems you have some work to do on the censuses which are online at HeritageQuest and Ancestry.com. HeritageQuest is available only through subscribing libraries. However, Ancestry.com, for a fee, is available to anyone with adequate funds to pay the fee. I personally subscribe on a monthly basis to Ancestry.com, as I never know when I may have to unsubscribe because of family health problems. Only you can do what is best for your circumstances. When a *newbie* comes into the Family History Center with which I am most familiar, the old time researcher who practically lives there asks, Have you done your census work? The reason for his first question is, this: Some of the later censuses, beginning with the 1880 census, give LOTS of details which many of us fail to recognize. The 1930 census may give you some clues also. Now, of course, we all have problems with early censuses--or lack of them. In that case, we have to turn to other documents. Your ancestors, whether they liked the government or not, had interface with governmental agencies. Therefore, we have to turn to other documents. Some suggestions: Tax records - even in burned counties, such as in Kentucky, the tax records were frequently kept at the State level, and the State may have copies [on film] of tax records which no longer exist in the county courthouse. Those tax records are useful. Even if a fellow owned only his horse, beginning at about age 16 in some areas, he was counted as a taxable, sometimes called a tithable. Deeds - I have found some answers even in DEED indexes. If a person has after his name the abbreviation *Hrs*, I know he was deceased before that date. If the deed index has after the name *&c* I know others are involved--sometimes family members. One well-known author-lecturer-genealogist of Salt Lake City lectures widely on land records and reminds us that in the pre-World War I days, about 90% of the white population owned land. (In fact, my English great-grandfather, not a Harris, came to USA because the railroad was selling cheap land in Texas in the 1880s). Court Records - Long ago, when I was employed, I hired a researcher in Frankfort, KY. He began with the court records, and I was glad to know of these records. There are references not only to lawsuits [everybody sued everybody for debt, mostly, but also trespass, etc.] but probates, deeds in some cases, pauper deaths, etc. Having a baby out of wedlock, hangings, etc. In your instance, you have to *partialize* your genealogical problems. In your message, you have lumped too many together. Were I you, I would get some guide books on each state in which you have to conduct research, read the history of that state [an encyclopedia may help here], but learn the way of acquiring land in that state. There are states called *state land* states and then there are *federal land* states. Most states acquired by the Federal government after the Louisiana Purchase [remember that event from your history book days?] are Federal land states--with the exception of Texas and Hawaii, and maybe one or two others. Most states with Federal land have land patents posted on the Bureau of Land Management web site. _http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/_ (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/) Last time I looked not all States had been entered--California was among the missing when I last looked. For Virginia, you are in a State land state. The Library of Virginia has most of the land patents on their website _http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/land/index.htm_ (http://www.lva.lib.va.us/whatwehave/land/index.htm) These patents are NOT the same as deeds. Deeds are between two private individuals or corporations. Only when the government is the issuing agency will you find the patents. (I am simplifying.) Depending on when your folks were in Lunenburg Co., VA and its progeny counties, you may find some books by Landon C. Bell either on HeritageQuest, mentioned above, or perhaps at your local library. I am fairly certain that the Clayton Library in downtown Houston would have one or two of Bell's books on Lunenburg Co. Sunshine on the Southside is a hefty book. You cannot read it in a day!!! You may just have to run away from home for a day or two and go to Houston and have a ball at the Clayton with some of their vast collections. But, first read a lot about how to do research in various states where your people lived. If your town or county has a genealogical society, join that society. They will help you with your genealogical problems--and maybe even have some field trips to Houston to the Clayton. Break down each of your families and do some family group sheets. I know a well-known researcher-author-lecturer-librarian who refused to discuss any genealogical problem with a client/or a friend who does not hand her family group sheets. In composing a family group sheet, for example, if you find the father of your ancestor is age 70 when the baby is born, you probably have the wrong date. And so on!!! You can find a lot of gaps yourself when you do a family group sheet. One one well known author long deceased messed up one of my North Carolina colonial families by skipping a generation. I could not make sense of it, until I discussed the problem with my friend who demands family group sheets. I said, It does not make sense. She, while we were in Salt Lake City as the world-famous Family History Library, took me over to the vast accumulated correspondence of this author in which many letters he received refuted his findings!!!! I hope you have lots of success. Repost your questions to Harris-Hunters, but throw one family at us at a time. Give not only Names and Places, but Dates. Virginia has been populated by Anglos since 1607, and I bet a Harris was among one of those early inhabitants!!! E.W.Wallace always trying to learn **************One site keeps you connected to all your email: AOL Mail, Gmail, and Yahoo Mail. Try it now. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000025)

I'm trying to find info on 2 different Harris families: In the 1850 census, my gg grandmother, Johanna Gilbert Wright, age 15, was living with Addison Schuyler Harris & his wife, Henrietta (Harris) Harris (cousins). I have info on this couple from Buckingham & Albemarle Co. VA but am still searching for their connection to my Wright family of Lunenburg/Brunswick Co. VA to Greene Co. OH to Henry/Hancock/Wayne Co. IN to Clark/Jasper Co. IL. These Wrights were affiliated with the M-E Church & many were ministers. Johanna was the dau of Rev. James Gilbert Wright & w/Lucinda McComas Wright. Johanna later married Wm Arbuckle & moved to MO. These Harris' settled in Richland Co. IL. Henrietta's death certificate was signed by a Dr. Henry J.B. Wright who later moved to Santa Clara, CA. ANY info on these people would be most appreciated. Also, looking for a James Harris who married Elizabeth Puckett in Paulding Co. GA in 1860s. These 2 Harris lines are not connected, as far as I know. Thank you, Diane Puckett Ethridge Conroe, TX