Dear Harris Researchers, I see from some e-mails on Harris-Hunters that a lot of us Harris-Hunters are confused about the identities of some colonial Virginians named William Harris [whose wife was Temperance Overton] and several Robert Harrises. One contention is that William Harris of colonial Hanover Co., probably previously of New Kent Co., had a brother named Robert Harris. My statement, not to belittle such a statement, is that I have not discovered a brother Robert Harris for this older William Harris. I would like very much to see some proof of such a relationship. Histories written of three contemporary William Harrises in colonial Hanover Co., VA do not seem to indicate such a brother but perhaps a son of William Harris--Robert Harris who married Mourning Glen[n]. This Robert Harris was later a surveyor for colonial Louisa Co. Again, I would like some documentation of a brother of William Harris of New Kent or Hanover Co. VA who is named Robert Harris--of early years. Here is a paragraph from some of my notes of a William Harris of early Hanover Co. CAPT. WILLIAM HARRIS OF HANOVER CO. WIR00046 There is much difficulty in sorting out the various Harrises of early Virginia. One of the best explanations seen to date, 1997, is that of Malcolm Hart Harris, M.D. Dr. Harris, in "Three William Harrises in Hanover County," in VIRGINIA GENEALOGIST, V. 22. Dr. Harris has done a thorough examination of land patents and locations of land described in these patents. Harris's conclusion is that Capt. William Harris of Hanover Co., VA was the son of Robert Harris (called in this account, Robert Harris the immigrant). He also was the father of William Harris, Jr. and that they were of Cedar Hill. [there is more but I am not sharing currently.] In the meantime, I am sharing notes on William Overton, and one can see some of the conflict which has arisen about this colonial resident, William Overton, of the area around the Pamunkey River, a part of the North Anna River. Because my notes are rather lengthy, and Rootsweb limits the amount of material submitted, I shall post the info in a separate e-mail. If you use this material in your own genealogy program--or even an e-mail--please try VERY HARD to include the source. Genealogists are more and more suspect of *bald* statements without documentation of some sort. (You may be challenged to give some supporting evidence.) I believe Torrence may be the more reliable source about the Overton family, and he shares with us his failure to reach a FIRM conclusion about relationships. Some of these sources have been filmed and are at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City, and a few have probably been digitized. E.W.Wallace PS If you have access to the online genealogical database HeritageQuest, through your local or nearby public library, you may want to take a look at this additional genealogy about the Overton family. Anderson, W. P. The early descendants of Wm. Overton & Elizabeth Waters of Virginia and allied families Cincinnati, Ohio: W. P. Anderson, 1938 163 pgs. **************Get the Moviefone Toolbar. Showtimes, theaters, movie news & more!(http://pr.atwola.com/promoclk/100000075x1212774565x1200812037/aol?redir=htt p://toolbar.aol.com/moviefone/download.html?ncid=emlcntusdown00000001)