Pittsylvania List members, Mary Leigh has given me permission to post to the list her article on Rev. Samuel Harris. This should help clear up the confusion of his descendants. Thank you, Pat C. Johns SAWING A LIMB OFF THE WRONG TREE, by Mary Leigh Boisseau, Piedmont Lineages, The Quarterly Journal of The VA-NC Piedmont Genealogical Society, Volume XIII, February 1881, Number 1, pp. 14 & 15 A number of descendants of Samuel Harris and Nancy Overton mistakenly consider themselves descendants of the famous Baptist minister, Samuel Harris and his wife Lucy Camp. This erroneous limb of the minister's tree is perpetuated in several family files in the society's research room and in a number of publications. A study of several pertinent documents helps a researcher delineate between two contemporary Samuel Harrises and prove that Samuel who married Nancy is not the son of the minister. (d. 1799). First this study examines the DOCUMENTED LIMBS of the minister's tree. Pittsylvania County, VA. Order Book 9:213 on 16 Dec 1799 shows a suit of JOHN P. PERKINS and ELIZABETH, HIS WIFE; SAMUEL HARRIS; JOHN BUCKLEY AND MARY, HIS WIFE VS NATHANIEL HARRIS AND BENJAMIN HARRIS, executors of SAMUEL HARRIS, deceased. Thus, it lists the children of the minister and the husbands of his daughters. According to the county's marriage bonds, ELIZABETH married JOHN PYROR PERKINS with consent of her father SAMUEL 25 June 1798; MARY married JOHN BUCKLEY 24 Oct 1786; and BENJAMIN married LUCY CONWAY 15 Dec 1794. No marriage is in the county's bonds or returns for NATHANIEL or SAMUEL. SAMUEL HARRIS, son of the minister, died around 1816; and his will (D&W 11:423) and county marriage bonds give the researcher this family: Son MANDLEY WINSTON HARRIS Dau MARGREATE (md. JOSEPH YARBROUGH 9 Feb 1819) Dau JEAN (md THOS. PENDLETON WINKINSON 16 Dec 1822) Dau ELIZA P. (md BENTON BUMPASS 18 Jan 1825) Dau SARANNA (md HENDERSON BUMPASS 30 May 1829) Widow ELIZABETH HARRIS (md 2nd BEZABEL WEIR 1816 & they consent to her daus' weddings) In Chancery Book 2: 127 & 232, a suit, after SAMUEL, JR's death, to divide the minister's land give shares to the above grandchildren or their heirs, proving that this family is that of the minister's son SAMUEL and his wife ELIZABETH. Meanwhile, in Charlotte Co., VA, 16 Nov 1791, ANOTHER SAMUEL HARRIS and NANCY OVERTON, dau of WILLIAM got a marriage bond and married 1 Dec. Apparently, the couple lived in Charlotte Co. until 1808. Then, on 15 Oct 1808, JOHN MURPHY, SR. and his wife CATY of Bedford Co. sold to SAMUEL HARRIS of Charlotte Co., for $600, 110 acres on the Sandy River in Pittsylvania Co. He recorded the deed 20 Feb 1809 (Pittsylvania Co. DB 16: 359) Account Books of Pittsylvania Co. show that SAMUEL (husband of NANCY OVERTON) had died by July 1811 (AB 4: 394). His estate division among his heirs and accounts for his orphans in 1819 and 1820-1822 respectively (AB 6:245, 247, 417) show the following legatees: To Widow [NANCY per OB 15: 415] 1/3 value of 11 slaves To seven legatees 2/3 share WILLIAM HARRIS JAMES HARRIS OVERTON HARRIS JAMES LEWIS for his wife POLLY (md. 21 May 1812) SAMUEL HARRIS (md. 3 times; SEE BELOW) NANCY HARRIS (md. SOLOMON FULLER, 23 Nov 1825) MICAJAH HARRIS The widow, NANCY (OVERTON) HARRIS, married JOHN INGE, SR. on 18 Jan 1819; and on 25 Jan 1819, they recorded their marriage contract in Pittsylvania Co. DB 22:182. This contract specifies that said NANCY is the widow of SAMUEL HARRIS and that INGE will have no control over the estate NANCY had prior to their marriage. Further, INGE will take care of NANCY (JR) and MICAJAH, son and daughter of said NANCY, without charging them board. If NANCY (SR) survives him, he will leave her 200 acres laid from the tract where he now lives, agreeable to said NANCY and HIS children; but at her death, the land reverts to his estate. SAMUEL HARRIS, son of SAMUEL & NANCY (OVERTON), left a number of descendants by his three wives, one of whom is H. F. HAYMORE (from * below), current Clerk of Circuit Court of Pittsylvania Co. SAMUEL'S three families were (per marriage records, Will Book 3:222, Death Reg., & Birth Reg.): By MARTHA M. PRITCHETT (md. 6 Dec 1824) ELIZA H. (md. JOHN M. PATTON 15 Jan 1839 - CONSENT) ANN (md.JOEL W. TUCKER 24 Dec 1846-CONSENT) MARY (md BENJAMIN TOWLER 30 Dec 1846 - CONSENT) MARTHA (b. Apr 1843; d. 15 Aug 1553 - DEATH REG.) MARCELLUS (md. JAMES J. FOULKES 26 Jul 1854) By SARAH C.S. ELLIOTT (md 1 Apr 1851) SARAH E. (b 29 May 1855, md DANIEL BOAS 24 Dec 1872) JOHN E. (b. 14 Jan 1857) By RITTER F. NUCKLES, dau. of JOHN NUCKLES & BERINTHA GRUGG (md. 8 Aug 1861) STONEWALL JACKSON HARRIS (b. Oct 1862) EUFALDA HARRIS (b 28 May 1865) MARGARET R. (b. 28 Oct 1867) · LELIA (LILLIAN) (b. 1872; md. J.S. STOWE 2 Jan 1890) MYRTLE D. (b. 14 Apr 1875) Thus through documentary study, the researcher can saw SAMUEL and NANCY (OVERTON) HARRIS'S limb off the family tree of the noted Baptist minister SAMUEL HARRIS and replace it with SAMUEL and ELIZABETH (???) HARRIS'S limb. Descendants of SAMUEL and NANCY (OVERTON) HARRIS need to search in a Charlotte Co. forest for the tree upon which to attach their limb.