Hi All, I am wondering if this Col. Ben is the reason so many Harrisons of Rockingham line have family legends of a relationship to Ben the Signer! If anyone has any additional info to offer, please jump in and post to the list :-) this article sent in by "Diana Bennett" <bennett@npcc.net> Centennial History of Washington County Indiana by Warder W. Stevens, published 1916 by B.F. Bowen Company, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana. The following is as copied from the book. Rev. William Cravens, Fighting Methodist (page 247) On the banks of the Blue River, in Pierce township, on a farm upon which he settled in 1819, reposes the dust of Rev. William Cravens, one of the most celebrated ministers of his day, or that ever traveled the circuit in this Western country in the first part of the nineteenth century. He was noted for his originality, not only of thought, but in his methods of presentsatellites. He had an extensive acquaintance all over this Western country, having ridden thousands upon thousands of miles during his active life, getting into the byways and out-of-the-way places, where people very rarely ever heard a sermon preached. He had friends among people who had never seen him, but had heard of his mighty power as a preacher, and was dreaded by his enemies who knew him not. William Cravens was born in Rockingham county, Virginia, July 31, 1766, in the beautiful Shenandoah valley, through which runs the Shenandoah river, so named by the Indians; on account of its surpassing beauty, the name signifying the Daughters of the Stars. There it was that in 1794 William Cravens was converted to the doctrines and tenets of the Methodist church, with which he was prominently identified in after life. There, also, in 1794, he married Jane Harrison, a daughter of Col. Benjamin Harrison, who was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. By this marriage he had three children, John, Benjamin and Hannah, who married the Rev. William Shanks, a noted preacher of the Methodist church, who was also quite prominent in the early history of this county. In 1800 Cravens was licensed to preach, being ordained a deacon by Bishop Asbury. When and by whom he was ordained elder is not now known, but it is supposed he received this title about 1810. I believe this Ben is this one in our database: (1) 1 Col. Benjamin HARRISON, 269 - -------------------------------------- Birth: 1741, Dayton, Rockingham Co., VA Death: 1819, Rockingham Co., VA Occ: He Became One Of The Greatest Known Officers In Rev War Residence: Dayton, Rockingham Co., VA References: See:[67, p. 320],[224] Father: Capt. Daniel HARRISON Sr., 271 (~1701-1770) Mother: Margaret CRAVENS, 254 (1702-1753) [419] Complier's note: There is so much which differs in the various references that each one is given separate: Benjamin, b. 1750 Williamsburg, Va; d. 1808, Washington Co; Capt in Rev. War. m. Mary McClure. DAR No. 83 980. Benjamin, 1741, d. 1819, son of Daniel and Margaret Cravens m. Mary McClure, Lofland, p. 59. Lt Col. Benjamin, b. 1741; d. 1819; m. Mary McClure. Dar No. 28 057. Lt. Col. Benjamin, b. 1740 Maryland; d, 1819, Dayton, VA.; in Rev. War. m. Mary McClure, b. 1745, d. 1815. Dar 83 120. Spouse: Mary McCLURE, 266 Birth: 1742[456] Death: 1815 Residence: Dayton, Rockingham Co VA References: See:[67, p. 320] Father: John McCLURE, 2046 Mother: Mary, 21443 Marr: 8 Aug 1763, Rockingham Co. VA [224] Children: Edith, 2189 Eudocia, 2211 Jean, 2193 (-1835) Marillah, 2210 Parthenia Frances, 2209 Jesse (Twin), 2206 (~1764-) Robert, 2048 (~1764-) Thomas (Twin), 2208 (~1764-) Daniel, 2178 (1765-1837) Benjamin, 2183 (~1768-) James, 2186 (~1770-) Margaret, 2191 (1773-) John, 2181 (~1776-) Fielding, 2200 (~1777-1829) Peachy, 268 (1777-1848) William, 2203 (~1780-) 67. J. Houston Harrison, Settlers by the Long Grey Trail: Some Pioneers to Old Augusta County Virginia and Their Descendants, of the Family of Harrisons and Allied Lines., 665p, C.J. Carrier Co., Harrisonburg VA 1935, reprint 1983. 224. Ruth H. McConathy, The House of Cravens, publ. privately Charlottesville, VA, 1972. 419. Virginia County Records, Vol IV, Early Virginia Marriages, edited by Wm Armstrong Crozier. Genealogical Pub Co. Inc. 1982. 456. Sherri Tatham email: tatham@chem.ufl.edu 8/12/99 formerly che40004@frank.mtsu.edu Becky Bass Bonner Email: rbonner@imail.ouhsc.edu old:rbonner@rex.ouhsc.edu Home of the *HARRISON* Repository http://moon.ouhsc.edu/rbonner/harintro.htm My Family WWW: http://moon.ouhsc.edu/rbonner/index.htm Data Managed by me and my mom Josephine Lindsay Bass (jbass@digital.net)