This information is for anyone doing research on Harris families in Southern Maryland during the early Colonial periods. JOHN HARRIS B. 1684 CHARLES CO, MD D. 1740 PG, CO. WAS NOT THE SAME MAN AS JOHN HARRIS, SR. D. 1776 PRINCE GEORGE’S CO, MD. Proof is provided below. AND MARY JOHNSON WAS NOT THE WIFE OF THE JOHN HARRIS B. 1684 D. 1740. SHE MAY HAVE BEEN THE WIFE OF JOHN HARRIS SR D. 1776 BUT THIS HAS NOT BEEN PROVEN. Proof is provided below. Over the past 10 years or so there have been a number of webpages reporting these two men as being the same person. All of the authors of these websites were notified of the error over a year ago and were asked to make the appropriate corrections. To my knowledge none of them have made any changes. This is unfortunate. WARNING: BE VERY CAREFUL OF ANY WEBPAGE WITH THIS ERROR. THIS MAKES OTHER INFORMATION SUSPECT. The John Harris b. March 5, 1684 d. March 30, 1740 in Prince George’s Co. MD was the son of Thomas Harris, b. abt 1654 who lived in Pickawaxen, Charles Co, MD and Mary Pope b. abt 1661 and died bef November 23, 1686. Certain members of this family are well published and this information is available from a number of sources. New information of the ancestry of this family has been developed by other researchers and I'll leave it to them to carry this forward. If anyone knows a male Harris descendant from this family, a dna submission would be very interesting and very welcome. Children of Thomas Harris and Mary Pope were: Bethsheba Harris b. April 5, 1670 Mary Harris b. Nov 16, 1680 Thomas Harris b. Feb 26, 1682 John Harris – the subject of this eamil was born March 5, 1684 d. 1740 At first glance it seems strange that this family would only have four children but apparently, both Thomas and Mary Pope were deceased by July 19, 1686. It is not known (to this author) if there were children between 1670 when Bethsheba was born and Mary’s birth in 1680 and if there were, if they lived. I have not seen a record of why both Thomas and Mary died at the same time or who the children lived with during their childhood. Maybe members of this family could shed some light on these questions. Account and Probate of John Harris b. 1684 d. 1740 Microfilm at MD Archives, Annapolis MD has 2nd page that is too dark to read. (c harris 1998) Probate record Inv. 25.61, 30 April 1740; 20 May 1740. John Harris Next of kin; Thomas Harris, Barton Harris. Adm. Elisabeth Harris John Harris Account, Charles Co., Oct 22, 1741 (charris 1998) Sureties, Joseph Timms, Samuel Lewis. Payment rec’d from Alexander Semmes. Payments made to Joseph Pile, Francis Posey, Thomas Clark, widow Jane Wells, Thomas Samuel Clare, Jane Lewis, John King, Peter ? , Jane Lettmore, John Hall, Dr. Gustavius Brown, widow Jane Wilson, Daniel Dulany, Esq., Samuel Hanson, Susannah Lewis (her portion of estate of Gilbert Lewis (accountant was administratris), Walter Hanson, Thomas Harris. Representatives: widow (unnamed), 6 children unnamed, Adm, Elizabeth Harris. This John Harris had two wives. His first wife’s name is reported to be Elinor Warren (unproven) b. abt 1690 and she died before 1730. His second wife was the widow Elizabeth Cooksey (Lewis), dob is unknown, and they were married by April 4, 1730 when the account of Gilbert Lewis was probated. Elizabeth Cooksey Lewis Harris was deceased by June 15, 1750 Charles Co., MD. Gilbert Lewis CH Apr 4, 1730; Jul 11, 1730. Appraisers: Charles Musgrave, John Hamill. Creditors: Edward Stonestreet. Next of kin: Jesse Cockley, William Cockley. (Probably Cooksey) Administratrix: Elisabeth Harris, wife of John Harris. Records of the two marriages and subsequent families of John Harris b. 1684 d. 1740 are not complete. The account of the estate of John Harris b. 1684 in October 1741 states he had six children but did not name them. Various records indicate the following known children but we do not know which of these children were from which mother. Samuel Lewis Harris Nathaniel Harris Joseph Harris Susannah Harris Unknown – female Unknown – female Many researchers have reported that Mary Johnson was the wife of this John Harris b. 1684. They have confused various pieces of information. They make their assumption from the will of George Johnson listed below where the will states, George Johnson gives “John Harris of Prince George’s Co. and his daughter Mary” personalty. Researchers are claiming this means Mary was George Johnsons daughter named after his daughter Mary. This is all possible, but it could not have been with this John Harris b. 1684. This John Harris b. 1684 was deceased by April 30, 1740 when his will was probated so how could he possibly still be alive in 1743 when the will of George Johnson was written and probated. Johnson, George, Charles Go., 4th Feb., 1743-4; 29th Feb., 1743/4. To Henry Blanchet, John Harris of Prince George's Co. and his dau. Mary, godson Thomas Williams and servant Mary Dickson, personalty. To William Munroe and Sarah Rosan, exs., and William Williams, residue of estate. Test: Daniel Chambers, James Quesenbury. MCW 23. 443. Summary: The John Harris b. 1684, d. 1740 was definitely not the John Harris, Sen'r d. 1776 (will probated) (b. abt 1700) Prince Georges, Co, MD. This family is my own line and recent research has identified his father and at least one other sibling. This will all be reported later. Anyone interested in or with additional information on the Harris families from these early periods in Southern Maryland are asked to please contact this author. Thanks Chuck Harris **************Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10 or less. (http://food.aol.com/frugal-feasts?ncid=emlcntusfood00000001)