Here is a draft of a biography of William Harris (wife Temperance Overton). It may be too long for a rootsweb post. If so, let me know. I will welcome any corrections, additions, comments. This draft was done long ago. E.W.Wallace CAPT. WILLIAM HARRIS OF HANOVER CO. 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, 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. Other genealogists disagree with this conclusion of the father-son relationship. Refer to the processioners' reports of 1715-1716, as defined in biography of Robert Harris I. These reports indicate that both Robert Harris, probably a younger man of that name, however, and a William Harris owned land in Hanover Co. The name of Widd. Bradley appears in conjunction with both reports, but this does not prove a relationship of the two men--only that the two Harrises were contemporaries and lived in the same county--Hanover ca 1715-1716. Indeed, as put forth by Dr. Harris, the two Harrises--Robert and William--may well have been brothers. The land of the third William Harris, the subject of this biography, lay on Cub Creek, "which lies wholly within the county of Louisa and is about six miles from the nearest tract on upper Little River." Louisa Co. was formed 1742 from Hanover which in turn was formed 1721 from New Kent Co. In a subsequent article in THE VIRGINIA GENEALOGIST, V. 25, Dr. Harris describes the land as being at Cedar Hill on the North Anna River, near Doswell of the present day. It was/is here that the tombstone of Temperance Overton lies. . According to Dr. Harris, "Capt Harris first appeared in the records of Hanover on 28 Jan 1706 [really, it was in St. Paul's Parish, which later was in Hanover Co.] when he was appointed surveyor of a new road in the Forks, which places him in the area where he had his home." He gives as his source THE VESTRY BOOK OF ST. PAUL'S PARISH, HANOVER COUNTY, VIRGINIA 1706-1786, p. 18 (Richmond, 1940). (This information concerning dates is somewhat confusing in that Dr. Harris in a later article states that other children of Robert Harris were born later, e.g. 1709. Perhaps these entries in the parish vestry book pertained to another Robert Harris and not the son of William Harris.) (Captain William Harris should not be confused with an earlier Major William Harris of Charles City Co. who was active in that early county in the 1650s. Refer to Beverly Fleet, VIRGINIA COLONIAL ABSTRACTS "Charles City County, Court Orders 1655-1658" for information concerning the activities of this earlier William Harris.) Dr. Harris states that Capt. Harris's residence was in the Forks of the Pamunkey River at his plantation called Cedar Hill. In Hanover Co., he was a justice of the peace and a vestryman in both St. Paul's Parish and later in St. Martin's Parish. The St. Paul's Vestry Book shows Harris's association with James Overton, 1722. William Harris was a church warden, and later "Mr. James Overton" was admitted as vestryman. Later that year, Cornelius Dabney was on a road gang. These family names, plus those of Rice, Gentry, Garland also certainly help identify this man as of the Harris family who intermarried with these families. However, if Capt. William Harris (wife Temperance Overton) had died in 1687 at age 35, as reported, then the younger William Harris is not the same person. A Younger William Harris Examination of the transcribed version of St. Paul's Parish, Hanover Co., show that in 1722, a William Harris was church warden. Another notation: "To Mr. Wm. Harris for 4 bottles do [claret] 120:C." Because of the association in St. Paul's Parish of William Harris with other persons associated with various members of the Harris family--e.g., James Overton, Cornelius Dabney, Edward Rice, Samuel and Nicholas Gentry, Edward Garland--this is probably the same William Harris of whom Malcolm Hart Harris has written. William Harris was apparently a fairly reliable and honest vestryman, as this entry appears in the cited Vestry Book: "To Tobacco to lie in Mr. Wm. Harris's hands to pay for Books, and Ornaments for the 2 Chapels 7000:CC" (1s of 7br, 1722) According to W. P. Anderson in ANDERSON-OVERTON; A CONTINUATION OF ANDERSON FAMILY RECORDS (1945), at a meeting of the vestry at the Lower Church, St. Paul's Parish, 3 Apr 1716, William Harris was elected vestryman in the room of Captain Robert Anderson, lately deceased. Also according to W. P. Anderson, Robert Anderson II married Mary Overton, sister of Captain James Overton (1633-1749) and daughter of William Overton. (Full title, film of book is at Family History Library, Salt Lake City: Anderson - Overton : a continuation of Anderson family records, published 1936, and the early descendants of William Overton & Elizabeth Waters of Virginia, and allied families, published 1938.) Ca. 1695, Capt William Harris married Temperance Overton, daughter of William Overton and Elizabeth Waters, his wife, who also lived in the Forks. Therefore, Temperance and Mary (Overton) Anderson were sisters. This date may be incorrect, as William Harris is alleged to have died 8 March 1687. Temperance is buried at Cedar Hill. From St. Peter's Parish Register, as quoted by Malcolm H. Harris in A HISTORY OF LOUISA COUNTY, VIRGINIA, p. 348, an earlier publication than the foregoing article, these were the children of William Harris and Temperance Overton: 1. Robert, b. 1696 2. Elizabeth, bapt, Nov 27, 1698 * 3. George, bapt, April 13, 1701 * 4. John, bapt, March 28, 1703 * 5. Thomas 6. William Jr., b. before 1710 Those with asterisks are taken from St. Peter's Parish Register. In the later work published in THE VIRGINIA GENEALOGIST, Dr. Harris had revised this list, using both court and family records. The children of William Harris, as determined by Dr. Harris were: 1. Major Robert Harris of Albemarle Co. (Note: According to the few remaining court records of Hanover of the period 1733-1735, in 1733, Robert Harris was in Hanover, Albemarle not having been formed until 1744. Prior to being in Albemarle Co., however, he was in Louisa Co., where at times he was surveyor for that county. He was also a vestryman, and at times, a member of the House of Burgesses. Reports are that he removed from Albemarle back to Louisa Co.) 2. Benjamin Harris of Hanover. (He was the grantor in a 1733 deed in which Robert Harris was grantee. This was acreage on north fork of Little River and it was land left to Benjamin by the will of his father William Harris, decd, "being commonly known as Walker's Neck.") 3. William Harris, Junior, of St. Paul's Parish. He appears as a witness to a document in Hanover in 1733 and again in 1734. 4. John Harris. He, too, appears in Hanover court records 1733. He may have been the father of John Harris, Jr., who appears in the court records of July 1734. 5. James Harris of Hanover Co. He execute a deed in 1734. 6. Jemima Harris who married her cousin William Overton. There are quite a few references to one James Overton in Hanover Co. records 1733-1734; also in the above-referenced Vestrybook of St. Paul's Parish. A Less Reliable Source Another account, WILLIAM CROSS OF BOTETOURT CO., VIRGINIA, pp. 157-157, gives some conflicting data, which seems less reliable. Dr. Malcolm Harris, in contrast, had throughly studied the early Harris families of Hanover and nearby counties, and his material is more thoroughly documented, at least his later research. (Full name of book, which film is at the Family History Library, Salt Lake City: William Cross of Botetourt Co., Va., and his descendants, 1733-1932 : also a record of the related families of McCown, Gentry-Blythe, Cain- Robertson, Harris-Martin, and Conner, of Virginia, Kentucky, Illinois and Missouri) This is the information from Wm. Cross: William Harris of Hanover and Henrico Cos. was born ca. 1662 in Virginia, married ca. 1696 to Temperance Overton, and died in 1720. His father was Robert Harris and his mother was Mary (Claiborne) Rice. His wife Temperance Harris, the daughter of William Overton, was born 2 Mar 1679 and died 19 Feb 1716. She is buried at Cedar Hill. Their children were listed in Cross's article. Then some unidentified person wrote in birthdates. The bracketed names were "children of William Harris and Elizabeth Burdett." This information is probably less than reliable: Robert Harris b. 1698 m. Mourning Glenn. They were the parents of Overton Harris b. ca. 1728/30, m. Ann Nelson. (This probably cannot be proved. Overton Harris is not named in any of the Louisa Co. deeds Robert Harris made to his children and to his sons-in-law. The parentage of this Overton Harris is unknown to this writer, although it is known such a person existed. He may have been a nephew of Robert Harris.) The following children were allegedly the children of said William Harris and Elizabeth Burdett. This family is not believed to be the writer's direct line. We do not find these names later in Albemarle Co., near "the Blue ledge," where several Harrises, including Christopher, migrated. Frederick Harris b. ca. 1742, m. Eliza Terrell Temperance Harris b. ca. 1750, m. Samuel Baker Jemima Harris m. William Overton [error?] Keziah Harris b. ca. 1750 m. William Overton Mary Harris b. ca. 1727 m. Edward Nelson Anne Emillia m. Wm. Day Benjamin Harris m. Mary, d. ca. 1765 New Kent Co., VA, Parent County of Hanover Co. From Nell Marion Nugent, CAVALIERS AND PIONEERS, V. III, (Patent Book 10): P. 135: "William Harris, 400 acs. (N[ew] L[and]) in New Kent Co.; sd Co. adj John Munro, on the north river; 13 Nov. 1713, p. 101. 40 shill." P. 143: "William Harris, 380 acs. (N.L.), New Kent Co., in St. Peter's Par; beg. on the South River over against George Alvis land; to head of Ground Squirrle Br; 16 June 1714, p. 135. Imp. of 8 pers [named]." P. 192: "William Harris, 300 acs.(N.L.), New Kent Co., in St. Paul's Par; beg. at Edward Garland; by Beaver Dam Cr., & c; 15 July 1717, p. 326. Imp. 6 persons [named]." On p. 207, an entry for John Smith states his patent dtd 14 July 1718 is adjacent to William Harris. It is N. side the Beaverdam Cr. and S. side the Northanna (Riv.). Smith's patent was in New Kent Co. in St. Paul's Parish. "Beaverdam Creek" is mentioned in later patents. Pat. Bk 11 has an interesting entry. Because of the proximity to Overton's, perhaps there is a relationship of Richard Harris to the other Harrises of the James River area. "RICHARD HARRIS, of Hanover Co. 2570 (Lapsed lease), New Kent Co., in St. Peter's Par; beg. on Littlepage's line; down Falling Cr; adj. Liddall's; Overton's; & Jenings' line; 24 Apr 1722, p. 86. Granted Benjamin Buckley, 26 Oct 1699 upon condition of seating &c. Now granted, &c. 5 pds. 5 shill. & Imp. of 31 persons [listed]." Hanover County, Formed 1720 from New Kent Co. In Charles P. Blunt, IV, LAND PATENTS AND GRANTS OF HANOVER COUNTY, VIRGINIA (1721-1800) (n.p., ca. 1981) (LAPL Gen R. 975.51 H24 Blu - 001), there is reference to several Harrises. The dates given are later than those in in V. III of Nugent's works, CAVALIERS AND PIONEERS. References to Harrises of Hanover Co., of whatever forename, are given below, in an effort to sort out the relationships. At times, a collateral will also be included, such as Rice, Dabney. From patent books of Hanover Co., VA: Bk 11, p. 156 patent to James Sutor, 17 Nov 1722 makes reference to "William Harris' line." The patent is between the North Anna and Beaverdam Creek, lower corner of John Smith's and Harris' line. (This concurs with other descriptions found in CAVALIERS AND PIONEERS, as above. As one can see, the land was formerly in New Kent Co., St. Paul's Parish.) Book 11-160, patent to Abraham Cook, Jr., 18 Feb 1722, makes reference to lines of John Harris "on the ridge between the North Anna and Little Rivers." Names of adjacent landowners were, besides Harris: Edward Garland, John Perkins and James Sutor. Garland and Sutor are mentioned above. It is inferred John Harris was of the same Harris family, since William Harris patented land the next year in the same vicinity. A William Rice is found in the same neighborhood, on the north side of Newfound River. There was present in Hanover Co. at this time one John Glen, his line being given in the patent of Henry Woody, Bk 11-164, dated 18 Feb 1722. This was on the south side of the South Anna. Refer to biography of Mourning Glenn, wife of Robert Harris. Book 11, p. 220 William Harris of Hanover Co (5 Sep 1723) 400 A .. on the ridge between the North Anna and Little Rivers .. corner of Abraham Cook's running to New Market tract lines. Reference to the approximate location of this land is made in an early deed of Louisa Co., VA, which was formed 1742 from Hanover Co. DB A-13-15, 10 Jan 1742 Laurence Redman to William Adams ... 104 acres on north side of the South Anna River, Fredericksville Par., .. William Harris's corner ... down the South Anna River. (Adapted from Rosalie Edith Davis, LOUISA COUNTY, VIRGINIA DEED BOOKS A AND B, 1742-1759 [Bellevue, WA: Published by author, 1976], p. 1-2.) Book 11, p. 224, patent to Thomas Harris, 5 Sep 1723. 300 acres on the north side of the Little River between the lines of Thomas Sharp and Thomas Rice. Book 11, p. 226, patent to William Harris, 5 Sep 1723; 400 acres on both sides of Bull Swamp. Cornelius Dabney of King William Co., 10 Dec 1724, 400 acres on the north side of the South Anna. Neighbors were Thomas Meriwether and Richard Phillips. Refer to entry on page 15 of Blunt, cited below. Also note county of residence of Dabney. His name or that of a successor is mentioned in the ca. 1796 will of Christopher Harris of Madison Co., KY, Mary Dabney having been Christopher's first wife. Christopher Harris was a son of Major Robert Harris. Book 12, p. 124, patent to Thomas Stanley, 1724 on Cawthorn Branch twice mentions "in William Harris' line." Other neighbors were Williamson, Morris, Chiswell. Book 12, p. 358, patent to William Harris, 24 Mar 1725, 400 acres on both sides of Cubb Creek and Harris' Fork, at Captain Dabney's upper corner. (See CAVALIERS & PIONEERS, V. III, p. 296) Book 12, p. 359, patent to Thomas Harris, 24 Mar 1725, 400 acres on both sides of Harris' fork of Cubb Creek...at William Harris' white oak...at Dabney's white oak. (See CAVALIERS & PIONEERS, V. III, p. 296) If the older William Harris was deceased, then this patent probably refers to a younger William Harris. although death did not interfere with the issuance of a patent, it seems, unless contested. Book 12, p. 389, patent to William Harris, Gentleman, 24 Mar 1725, 76 acres at James Glen's corner, on the north side of the Little River, the upper corner of New Market Line. (Robert Harris was married to Mourning Glen[n]. Is James Glen[n] a relative of hers?) Book 12, p. 419, 24 Mar 1725, mentions Overton's fork of Elk Creek. Although the forename of Overton is not given, the Overtons must have had a patent in this particular area prior to Mar 1725 when the patent of 1,000 acres was made to James Nuckolls, Jr. on both sides of Overton's fork of Elk Creek...at Mr. Dickason's corner. See citation on Page 16, second entry, for William Harris, Jr. William Harris, Jr. William Harris, Jr. is introduced in the following patent: Book 12-419, patent to William Harris, Jr., 1,500 acres, joining to Mrs. Arnold and George Woodroof's lines, in Overton's fork of Elk Creek. P. 16: Re: Captain William Harris. Book 12-420, patent to Captain William Harris, Gentleman, 14 Mar 1725, 266 acres at Thomason's ash on the south side of the Little River at the mouth of Byar's Branch...New Market lines...in Harris' lines. P. 17: Re: John Rice. Book 12-468, patent to John Rice, 24 Mar 1725, 400 acres. Some of boundaries: corner of Philip Higison's in William Rice's line, corner of Mr. Reuben Welch's land at the Head of a Great Glade, to David Thompson's corner. P. 19: Re: John Harris. Book 13-19, patent to William Angeley, 2 Nov 1726 mentions his acreage joining to the lines of Harris, Cook, Aldridge and Garland, John Harris, Abraham Cook, in Sutor's line, on Mussel Point Swamp. P. 22: Re: Robert and William Harris. Book 13-293, patent to Robert Harris, 28 Sep 1728, 400 acres..."by patent dated 5 September 1723 was patented unto William Harris of Hanover County...400 acres...on the ridge between the North Anna and Little River...corner of Abraham Cook's...to New Market lines...Robert Harris of Hanover County hath obtained a patent of the same land." * P. 29: Re: William Harris. Book 13-507, patent to William Harris, 28 Sep 1730, 150 acres...joining to the lines of Mr. William Harris and Henry Davis in Saint Martin's Parish...on the north side of Saxon's Swamp. (This probably the younger Williams Harris as his father reportedly was deceased by this date.) P. 33: Re: Robert Harris. Book 14-216, patent to Thomas Travelian, 25 Aug 1731...between the lines of New Market, Thomas Stocks, Robert Harris, Abraham Cook and Benjamin Henson...in Terry's line. P. 36: Re: John Harris. Book 14-321, patent to Joseph Temple of King William Co., 25 Aug 1731. "Between the lines of John Harris, Thomas Wash, Major Thomas Carr, Richard Bullock, Jr. and Mr. Benjamin Brown...on both sides of the Road in Brown's line...in the Grant line." P. 43: Re: David Harris (a name not mentioned in various genealogies of the Harris family). Book 15-34, patent to John Blalock, 20 June 1733....."on both sides of the South fork of Cubb Creek....pine of David Harris'... Thomas Rice's corner." Other names heretofore not mentioned in previous patents involving Harrises are: John Horn, ... Blalock's [corner], Marmaduke Kimbrow, Christopher Clark, Thomas Foard. Cubb Creek, of course, was mentioned in connection with patents in Book 12-358 and 359, cited above. David Harris probably is of the William Harris family. Kimbrow's patent in Book 14-213, dated 1731, shows his land was on both sides of Cubb Cr, on N. side the South Anna Riv; adj. Capt. Clark & William Harris. (See Nugent, V. III, p. 399). There are many references to Christopher Clark in the same volume of Nugent. Fifty plus years later, we find this deed: P. 88: Re: Overton Harris.* Book 14-297, patent to Overton Harris, 23 Nov 1787. 508 acres...471 1/4 acres being formerly patented, the residue never before patented...former patent dated 17 Nov 1786...on the north fork of Pamunkey River adjoing Overton Harris' land, Jacob Williams' land and Degernet's (DeJarnette?) land. *It is to be noted that this Overton Harris is not the son of Christopher Harris of Albemarle Co., VA, later of Madison Co., KY, where both Christopher and his youngest son Overton died, c 1794 and 1827, respectively. The Overton Harris to whom land was patented in Hanover Co. in 1787 may have been related to the Harrises who had migrated to Albemarle Co., VA before 1787. More study is needed of the families named in this patent. The following patent of Widow Littlepage links her as a neighbor of Thomas Clayborn, Jr., of Pr. William Co., whose family seems linked with the early generations of Harrises: Patent Bk. 11: FRANCES LITTLEPAGE, Widdow, of New Kent Co.; 725 acs (N.L.), King Wm. Co. in St. John's Par; below Cohoke Creek, bet. land of Mr. Thomas Clayborn, Junr., called Cohoke & Pomonkey River, on the N. side thereof; adj Richard Howel's Landing; & Thomas Clayborne, Junr., son of John Claiborne, dec'd; 5 Sept 1723, p. 229. 15 Shill. ************************************** See what's new at http://www.aol.com