I have been asked to share my voluminous [well- 7 pages, single spaced] to help a Harris-Hunter try to sort out her Harrises. My initial response is I don't think they are linked, but one never knows!!! I shall send my notes on Tyree Harris in installments. Even though you are not related to Harrises, you might take a look at these notes. Perhaps one of your ancestors was a witness to a deed or a will--or his property lines may be mentioned. Think of the population figures at that time. Aren't you amazed after you have been studying these families for a while how many of them may have had interface with one another in colonial days? E.W.Wallace Albemarle Co. VA DB 51768-37-38 2 June 1768 William Dabney & Jane his wife of Albemarle Co. to William Shelton of same for the sum of 200 pds. Virginia money, a tract of land lying on Mechams River in Albemarle Co., Wm. Wallace's lines... crossing the River South..crossing Mecham's River..Wm Dabney & Jane his wife affixed their seals... Signed, Seald & Delivered in the presence of Thomas Grubbs Wm. Dabney Elizabeth Jones, Chrstopher Harris, Robert Harris, Tyre Harris (Adapted from Ruth & Sam Sparacio, ALBEMARLE COUNTY DEED BOOK... 1768-1772, Part I [McLean, VA: The Antient Press, p. 21) (We are inclined to believe this is a younger Tyree Harris, probably the son of Christopher Harris, as his brother was clearly in North Carolina during this time period.) Tyree Harris: children: Tyree, Robert, Ede Simpson, Christopher, Lydia Abercrombie, Nancy, Francis Dabney (1786, Caswell Co.NC )Will Jan 1787 /////////// Preparer: E W. Wallace, CA Rev Dec 1999 Rev partially 2003 TYRE/TYREE HARRIS. Caveat: There is some question in the mind of this writer that Tyree Harris of early Caswell Co., NC is the same Tyree Harris of colonial Albemarle Co. and Louisa Cos., VA although the possibility is strong that he is the same person. In constructing a timeline of his activities in Virginia one finds that such activities precede some of those which occurred in North Carolina --Granville Co., Orange Co., Caswell Co. One should bear in mind that not only did Tyree Harris have a son Tyree Harris, he also had a nephew by that name--son of Christopher Harris, his brother. And the name continues to be borne by various living males to this day, according to some of this writer's e-mail correspondents. Virginia Activities "Tire Harris" was granted land in Albemarle Co. in 1749: Patent Bk 27-p. 489: Tire Harris. 315 acs. Albemarle Co. on the S side of James Riv on the Brs of Willis's Cr.; adj. Gideon Patterson, Edmund Gray, William Gray & John Cook; 15 Dec 1749, p. 489. L1.S15 (Dennis Ray Hudgins, CAVALIERS AND PIONEERS, VOL. FIVE [Richmond: Virginia Genealogical Society, 1994], p. 300) About the same time, however, in April 1749, one Tyree Harris filed a petition for a warrant for land for 600 acres in Anson Co., North Carolina, which later divided into many other counties. Is he the same Tyree? "At A Council held at New Bern 5th April 1749 Present His Excellency the Governour..... Read Sundry Petitions for Warrants for Land as follows Vizt.... Tyree Harris 600 Do [ditto, Anson Co.]" (Saunders, COLONIAL RECORDS OF NORTH CAROLINA 1734-1752, p. 959.) In 1751, Tyree is said to have been of Louisa Co., VA as stated in this deed in which he is selling the land he had patented in Albemarle Co., as above: Albemarle Co. DB1-333: 15 July 1751 Tyree Harris, of Louisa, to Jas. Bradley for 30 pds., 315 acres on branches of Willis, pat. 15 Dec 1749. Adj. Gideon Patterson, Edmd. Gray, Wm. Gray, Jno. Cook. Wit: Claten Cook, Jno Brown, Jno. Cook. >From The Rev. Bailey Fulton Davis, THE DEEDS OF AMHERST COUNTY, VIRGINIA, 1761-1807 AND ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VIRGINIA, 1748-1763 (Easley, SC: Southern Historical Press, 1979], pp. 23.) (Is Willis Creek the one which is now in Cumberland Co.? Formerly Goochland Co., part of which became Albemarle Co.) >From Rosalie Edith Davis, FREDERICKSVILLE PARISH VESTRY BOOK, 1742-1787, VOL. I, the following notes have been taken: p. 46 [29 Nov 1752] Tyree Harris ordered to collect parish levy and pay off several creditors and that he give bond and Security for the same. p. 46 [27 Jan 1753] Tyree Harris chosen vestryman p. 47 [24 Jul 1753] Tyree Harris took the oaths in that Case made and Provided and Subscribed the Test. p. 47 At a Vestry held for Fredericksville Parish ye 10th day of Decr. 1753 -.... Tyree Harris. (Others were the Rev. Mr. Jas. Maury, Robt. Lewis, Chas. Barret, Thos. Paulet, Thos. Meriwether, Robt. Anderson, and William Johnson.) The vestry accounts follow and one for Tyree Harris reads as follows: [p. 48] To Tyree Harris Gent. as per list of Insolvents - 204 pds. On these other dates, Tyree Harris is listed as being present: 6 May 1754, 27 Nov 1754, but on 23 Jul 1755, he is not listed. However, at the vestry meeting 2 November 1757, he is present, according to the records. At the vestry meeting 24 January 1758: "Robert Harris, Gent is Chose a Vestryman in the room of Tyree Harris Gent he having Removed out of this Parish." (p. 60) It is unclear whether this Robert Harris is the father of Tyree Harris or the brother of the same name. Presumably this is his father Robert, as doubtless the brother would have been called Robert, Junr., since his father was still alive. A puzzling entry appears for the same year in Saunders, North Carolina Colonial Records, Vol. 4, p. 946. At a Council held at New Bern [North Carolina] 5th April 1749, members of the council met and read sundry petitions for warrants for land as follows, Vizt .... Tyree Harris 600 [acres] in Anson Co. Was there another person with the same name? Anson County was a huge county at this period. There was a subsequent entry on 31 Mar 1750, Tyree Harris, 450 [acres] Anson Co. (p. 1033) Until better evidence appears, we will assume this is a person of the same name, as the evidence is pretty clear that Tyree Harris, later of Orange Co., NC and then of Caswell Co. and associated with a Dabney male, was formerly of Louisa Co., VA and most probably not applying for land in Anson Co., NC. Perhaps Tyree Harris was petitioning for a warrant [making entry] but was not physically present. Or, perhaps he changed his mind about pursuing the warrant, which was one of the first steps in acquiring land from the government. Somewhat earlier, in 1746/47, Tyree's brother Christopher Harris patented land in Louisa Co., Virginia on the Goochland Co. line--under the foot of the Ragged Mountains and on both sides of a West fork of Rockey Cr. (Patent Bk 28, p. 25) That a Tyree Harris of Louisa Co., Virginia is the son of Robert Harris of Louisa (and later of Albemarle Cos., VA) is verified by the following Louisa Co. deed: Louisa Co., VA Deed Bk A-452. 31 Jan 1751. Robert Harris of Fredericksville Par., Louisa Co., Gent., to Tyree Harris of same, Son of Robert Harris. For natural Love and Affection and for 5 shillings currt. money. 400 acres and plantation in Fredericksville Par., whereon sd. Robert Harris now lives...Thomas Poindexter's corner...head of Rocky branch in John Street's line ...along sd. Street's and John Matlock's line ...Samuel Waddy's line by the main branch of Hiccory Bear Creek ...Thomas Thompson's corner ...Thompson's and John Wollums' line; part of a tract granted to John Blair of the City of Williamsburg, Esq., by patent 17 Mar 1736; by Indenture of 23 Oct 1742 conveyed to Benjamin Harris; by sd. Benjamin Harris and Sarah, his wife by Indenture of 25 June 1745 sold to sd. Robert Harris. 1 Robert Harris Wit: Ben. Brown Jr., Lucy Harris, Sarah Harris, Thomas Perkins. 25 Jan 1752 acknowledged by Robert Harris. (Rosalie Edith Davis, LOUISA CO. VA DEED BOOKS A AND B, 1742-1759 [Bellevue, WA: Privately published, 1976], p. 71) (Refer to the biography of Matthew Jouett who also held land on Hickory Bear Creek. Jouett's daughter Henrietta married Joseph Williams I, son of John Williams I "of Hanover." Jouett's probable grandson John Jouett, later of Albemarle Co., married Mourning Glen Harris, daughter of Robert Harris and his wife Mourning [Glen?]. Robert Harris was father of Tyree Harris also. In colonial Hanover Co., VA, there was an association of the Matlock family with Nathaniel Williams, probable son of John Williams I "of Hanover Co." Research is continuing in 2002 on Nathaniel Williams the elder, who was a neighbor of William Graves, son of Henry Graves. William Graves, later of Granville Co., NC, in his deeds in Louisa Co., makes reference to land of Nathaniel Williams. Except for reference in land records, however, there seems to be no trace of Nathaniel Williams in later records of Virginia, unless he is the one who is found in Lunenburg Co. records. No link has yet been discovered, however.) Other Louisa Co. Records of Tyree Harris The following are abstracts of Louisa Co. deeds of Robert Harris (the father) which were witnessed by Tyree Harris: In 1751, Louisa Co. DB A-442-443 shows deeds of Robert Harris's gift of slaves to son-in-law John Jouett, to son Christopher Harris, and to son-in-law James Harris. (Ibid., pp. 68-69) (James Harris probably was the husband of Mary Harris, Robert's daughter. James may have been Mary's cousin, but this has not been established. Virginia deeds seem to link Benjamin Harris, son of William Harris, and Robert Harris, but the relationship is unstated, except that Benjamin is son of William. Robert, of course, has long been assumed to have been a son of of an older William Harris [married to Temperance Overton], and thus the two men were probably brothers. Refer to biography of Robert Harris II in which there is reference to Feb 1733 indentures between Robert Harris and Benjamin Harris. In the second indenture, Benjamin refers to 256 A. left him by the last will and testament of his father, William Harris. James Harris and Richard Harris witnessed these indentures. The land was commonly known by the name of "Walker's Neck.") In 1752, a deed of gift of slaves, Robert Harris to son-in-law William Shelton (A-486-487), was witnessed by Tyree Harris, Ben. Brown, Jr., Robert Wilson. (Ibid., p. 80) Refer to the biography of Elizabeth Chapman, alleged first wife of Tyree Harris. Tyree Harris and a Constance Chapman divided the eight slaves of the estate of John Chapman, deceased by order of Louisa Co. court of September 1753. This deed appears in Albemarle Co., VA, and it verifies that Tyree Harris is of Louisa Co. Albemarle Co. DB 1-333: 15 Jul 1751 Tyree Harris of Louisa, to Jas. Bradley for 30 pds., 315 ac. on branches of Willis, pat. 15 Dec 1749. Adj. Gideon Patterson, Edmd. Gray, Wm. Gray, Jno. Cook. Wit: Claten Cook, Jno Brown, Jno. Cook. (Ibid.) (The abstract which appears in Sparacio & Sparacio's abstracts of Albemarle Co. deeds expands on the reference to the patent: "... granted to ... Harris by Patent bearing the date the fifteenth day of December one thousand seven hundred & forty nine..." Willis River and Little Willis Creek were later in Goochland Co. from which Cumberland Co. was formed.) (Albemarle Co. abstracts from The Rev. Bailey Fulton Davis, THE DEEDS OF AMHERST CO, VA 1761-1807, AND ALBEMARLE CO., VA, 1748-1763, pp. 2 and 23.) Reference to the land of Tire [Tyree] Harris is found in Patent Bk 31: "Charles Lee, 248 acs. Albemarle Co. on S side of James Riv. on both sides of Willis's Cr. adj Tire Harris, Gideon Patterson & Edmund Gray; 10 Sep 1755, p. 709. 25 Shill." ("Land Patent Book 31" in MAGAZINE OF VIRGINIA GENEALOGY, Vol. 31, No. 3, p. 253) Note that at that time, Albemarle Co. extended to the South side of the James River. At about the time these deeds were being recorded in Louisa Co., VA, it appears Tyree was also selling property in North Carolina. There is evidence of his being granted land in Anson Co., NC in 1749: Anson County NC Deeds Tyree Harris of Va....appoints Benjamin Dumas of Anson, Gent, lawful attorney to sell my lands in Anson county 21 Apr 1752. Tyree Harris of Louisa County, Va..planter, to Andrew Lambert of Anson county..80 pounds Va money, 600 Acres on neare side of S fork of Cataba..."lower end of an Engin old field..."granted to Tyree Harris 13 Sep 1749 (E-mail 12/26/99 from _jimgoad@hpe.infi.net_ (mailto:jimgoad@hpe.infi.net) ) More Louisa Co. Records In 1753 and 1754, Tyree Harris was one of the Vestrymen of Fredericksville Par., Louisa Co. See Deed Bk. A-520-521 in which Nicholas Meriwether and Frances his wife sold 400 acres to the listed vestrymen, among them Tyree Harris. The purchase of land may have been for a glebe for the parish. In the following deed, we learn of the first wife of Tyree Harris--Elizabeth, whose reported surname was Chapman. Later, in North Carolina, Tyree remarried to Mary Ann Simpson, one of several daughters of Richard Simpson II of Caswell Co., NC. (Simpson and wife, the former Mary Kincehloe, probably the widow Barker, were formerly of Fairfax Co., VA as proved by deeds of that county) . The name Chapman is noted only once in Fredericksville Parish--Jane Chapman. Part of her land was being processioned in 1742/43. She apparently lived not too distant from the widow Jouett, into which family the Harris family married. Louisa Co. DB B-148. 22 Feb 1757. Tyree Harris of Fredericksville Par., Louisa Co., Planter, and Elizabeth, his wife, to William Anderson of St. Martin's Par., Hanover Co. 75 pds. currt. money. 400 acres in Fredericksville Par. ...Thomas Poindexter's corner ...head of Rocky branch in John Street's line ...sd. Street's and John Matlock's lines ...Matlock's corner in Samuel Waddy's line by main branch of Hickory Barr Creek ...Thomas Thomson's corner ...on Thomas Thomson's and John Woollom's line ...Woollom's corner...Poindexter's line; granted to John Blair of City of Williamsburg, Esq., by patent 17 Mar 1736; conveyed to Benjamin Harris 23 Oct 1742; conveyed by sd. Harris and Sarah, his wife, to Robert Harris 26 June 1745; conveyed to Tyree Harris by deed of Gift 31 Jan 1752. Tyree Harris Elizabeth Harris Wit: Saml. Waddy, Nathl. Pope, Antho. Waddy 22 Feb 1757 acknowledged by Tyree Harris. 24 May 1757 Elizabeth Harris, relinquished right of dower. (Davis, p. 119) Comment: This is apparently the same land involved in the 1751 deed of Robert Harris to Tyree Harris. The identity of Benjamin Harris is unknown, but, again, he is conjectured to be the brother of Robert Harris and thus paternal uncle of Tyree. "Sarah, his wife" refers to the wife of Benjamin Harris. Refer to biographies of the Matlocks, who seemed to be close associates of the Williamses of Hanover Co. ************************************** See what's free at http://www.aol.com.