Dear Listers, Some Harris-Hunters of colonial Virginia have indicated an interest in Temperance Overton, wife of William Harris, the progenitor of many Harrises of colonial Virginia and of Kentucky and probably many other Southern states. This information I have gathered over the years is not well documented, but there are enough citations that you may be able to find these publications and conduct your own research. If you do enough colonial Virginia research, you will learn that there were some Overton males in Northern Neck Virginia, which I believe have to be distinguished from those in and around New Kent and Hanover Cos., VA, with descendants in Louisa Co., Albemarle Co., and perhaps other adjacent counties. The counties kept dividing. (Overton is a popular place name in England. I visited Cold Overton near the new-old county of Rutland, a few years ago. Of course, Overton is a popular given name with persons descended from the Harris family. I have several in my immediate and extended family.) By the way, if anyone has a list of the alleged thirteen (13!!!!) children of Temperance Overton Harris, will you please share that info with me and perhaps with the list. As I remember my notes about William Harris, her husband, he did not live very long. But so many colonial records are missing, it is difficult to document much about this early family of Virginia. Major Robert Harris and I believe his brother Benjamin Harris are a couple of children for whom documentation can be produced. Here is a URL I picked up in my surfing the net: http://www.rootsweb.com/~vapittsy/Overtongen.html Notes only on Temperance Harris - subject to correction, and, of course, subject to addition: Preparer: E.W.Wallace 9/97 TEMPERANCE OVERTON. (1679 -1710) Dates are open to question based on other information given below. The list of her children may be incomplete. One Jemima Harris is reported, but not proved, to have been one of the children. The International Genealogical Index of May 1988 shows in four places that the parents of Temperance Overton were William Overton and Mary (Elizabeth) Waters and that she was born (not christened) 2 March 1679 in New Kent Co., VA. New Kent Co. was the parent county of Hanover Co., the acknowledged residence of the Harris-Overton families. Films containing this information have not been researched. Reportedly the dates are taken from the tombstone of Temperance Harris, which has now disintegrated, according to Dr. Ben Harris, ltr ca 1996. Two entries in the IGI state Hanover Co. was birthplace of Temperance Overton, which is probably incorrect since Hanover was not formed until 1720. Two entries show New Kent Co., parent county of Hanover, was her birthplace, and this is more probable. But one must recognize that possibly she was born in England. In Vol. 7 of the Lineage Book of the Daughters of the American Colonists, p, 271, the dates given for Temperance Overton, wife of William Harris are 1679-1716. No documentation is presented. (Lineage of Mrs. Virginia Field Walton Brooks, born in Jonesboro, Arkansas.) Tradition is that William Overton, her father, was an officer under Cromwell but was imprisoned at the Tower of London. Old history books of England tell us that an Overton was so imprisoned. Whether this person was the father of Temperance has not been determined. It is uncertain whether Overton was executed or whether he escaped. Francis Stuart Harmon in ADAM'S EVES believes it was William's father (Temperance's grandfather), Robert Overton, a "Roundhead" Major General, who was in Cromwell's army. More research is needed. The June 1714 Virginia Land Patent Book (Patent Bk 10, p. 132) of Charles Fleming, Henrico Co., lists among the 29 persons he claims to have imported one Temperance Harris. This would indicate she, Temperance Harris, may have married Harris in England (or Wales, as some maintain Harris was Welsh). One should bear in mind, however, that much fraud occurred in the patenting of these Virginia lands, and many persons who were transported were claimed by numerous claimants (as evidenced in Northumberland Co., VA court records). Tradition, cited by Malcolm Hart Harris, M.D., quoting William Pope Anderson, THE EARLY DESCENDANTS OF WM. OVERTON AND ELIZABETH WATERS OF VIRGINIA, AND ALLIED FAMILIES, p. 54, is that Temperance Overton married William Harris on the deck of the ship in which she came on 24 Nov. 1670 at Yorktown. ("Major Robert Harris of New Kent Co.", THE VIRGINIA GENEALOGIST, V. ..., p. 195 ff.) The following records at the Land Office of Virginia verify that some Overtons were in Virginia beginning ca. 1663. Several of these entries pertain to transactions of William Overton. 1. 21 Aug 1663 - Overton, Francis & Charlton, Wm., 410 A on the S. side of the Rappahannock --- backing land of David Fox. Patent No. 5, p. 459. 2. 18 Mar 1663/4 - Overton, Roger & Lary, John, [old] Rappahannock Co., 18 Mar 1663/4, 100 A Begin & c on Swamp ground under the hills side & adjoining to a parcel of land formerly belonging to James Ganall & now in possession of Overton & Lary [patent omitted in error]. [This would place this land in Northern Neck Virginia.] Whether these Overtons in Northern Neck Virginia are related to those in Tidewater Virginia is open to question. 3. 23 Apl 1681 - Overton, Wm. & Jones, Evan - New Kent Co., 4,600 A on freshes --- so. side of Pamunky River, Patent 7, p. 78. See CAVALIERS & PIONEERS, V. II, pp. 218-19; Overton & Jones transported 92 persons, including Elizabeth Overton and several persons named Jones, probably all relatives. This person is more probably the father of Temperance as the Harrises as well as the Overtons were located on or near the Pamunky River. 4. 23 Oct 1690 - Overton, Wm. & Lydall, John - New Kent Co. (to be equally divided between them) - 837 A. above the main fork of Pamunkey R. next above a dividend of land granted Jonathan Newell & Ambros. Clara late in the tenure of Samuel Ousteen [Overton?], Patent 8, p. 121. 5. 20 Feb 1723 - Overton, James - Hanover Co. - 400 A. on the N. side the S. fork of Elk Crk. Patent 11, p. 323. 6. 7 Jan 1725 - Overton, Wm. (son of Saml) Hanover Co. - 400 A on both sides the South & North fork of Elk Creek adjoining John Ragland's line. Patent 12, p. 335 In St. Paul's Vestry Book, Hanover Co., VA, not only do we find William Harris, church warden in 1722, but also "Mr. James Overton," was admitted as vestryman the same year. Later there is reference to lands of Samuel Overton and James Overton. Some later Overtons are found in Hanover Co. Land Book of 1782, St. Martin's Parish gives these names: Col. Sam Overton's 1428 A was put at 20 [pds] = 14.5.7 Wm. Overton's 1096 A was put at 20 [pds] = 14.5.7 (Rosewell Page, HANOVER COUNTY, ITS HISTORY & LEGENDS, privately publ. 1926; William & Mary Swem Library F232 H3P13) Overton Harris 1080 A was put at 16 [pds] = 8.12.0. (He most probably is NOT our ancestor of the same name, who died in Madison Co., KY in 1827. Overton Harris of Maadison Co., KY was a son of Christopher Harris, formerly of Albemarle Co. and Louisa Co., VA. Christopher, also of Madison Co., KY, was a son of Major Robert Harris, and thus a grandson of William Harris and Temperance Overton.) Temperance Overton Harris is said to have been the mother of thirteen children, but there is much disagreement about the names of these children and the number. Refer to Virginia Armistead Nelson, "Genealogical Notes on Keziah Harris Nelson Who Lived in Hanover County, Virginia, in the 18th Century," in GENEALOGIES OF VIRGINIA FAMILIES, VOLUME II, p. 756 ff. E.W.Wallace PS If you use this material in your own research, please use the citations where I have used them. Give the compilers credit for their work--an excellent genealogical practice and a requirement for lineage societies!!!