The Harris family of Nunney, Somerset, were synonomous with their namesakes at adjoining Mells. This is evidenced by a deed of the Whitchurch family, which descibes property in Nunney being tenanted by “Harris of Mells”. (Nunney deeds, ref. DD\BR\ls/8).

This presents a problem of discerning, from those related by various degrees of cousinship, from which particular family might have Sergeant John Harris belonged. It also involves a certain amount of conjecture.

The name of the first ‘Harris of Nunney’ is not known. His eldest son, Richard Harris, was buried on December 19, 1593. He had issue, two sons, Richard and John. The first named was the father of (1) Richard Harris, baptised on August 24, 1589, who married Edith Burges, January 4, 1607. (2) John Harris, who married Joan Collier, July 19, 1601. Their son was William Harris, who was baptised on October 3, 1602, in Mells. Another branch of this family stemmed from John Harris, brother of the Richard who died in 1693. His son was Thomas Harris, baptised February 3, 1582.

Another child, whose Christian name is illegible, was baptised on October 1, 1587. A conjecture might be that this was Sergeant John Harris of Virginia, who returned to Nunney, being buried there on August 3, 1637. If so, he may have been the father of a Thomas Harris born circa 1610 (the registers are scant enough not to disprove this), who did not accompany his father to Virginia, being apprenticed.

However this may be, it is a fact that a Thomas Harris married Alice West in 1635, in Nunney, they the parents of (1) Thomas Harris, baptised on August 14, 1636. (2) John Harris, baptised in 1640. He married Margaret Beard in 1664, they having issue: John Harris, baptised June 24, 1667. (3) Roger Harris, baptised June 23, 1642. (4) Katherine Harris, baptised June 27, 1643. (5) Ann Harris, baptised October 21, 1646, who married Robert Millard, in May 1667; he baptised September 11, 1625, in Nunney, the son of Francis Millard. The Millards were primarily of Wedmore (20 miles from Nunney), where they intermarried with the Harris family of that place:

John Harris, who died in 1625, married Penelope Millard, on September 9, 1611, in Wedmore; parents of Robert Harris, father of Edward Harris, baptised on August 8, 1624. Robert may have been connected with Lawne’s Creek. On October 26, 1646, a deed is recorded from “James Tooke to Robert Harris, all my right and title to this lease”. The Hodges family were squires of Wedmore; their tenants being the Counsell family.  Hodges Counsel of Virginia, guardian of an orphan of Thomas Harris, d. 1688, was undoubtedly of this place.

The wife of the John Harris baptised in 1640, as above noted, may have been related to the wife of Thomas Bennett, baptised on November 11, 1603, at Wiveliscombe; who married Agnes Beard, on July 17, 1623. If so, a connection between Thomas Harris, brother of the said John, and the following can be envisaged:

1. Robert Bennett, a tanner, of Wivelscombe, m. Elizabeth Edney. 1.1. Thomas Bennett, d. 1616, Wivelscombe. 1.1.1. Thomas Bennett, b. Nov. 11, 1603 at Wiveliscombe. 1.1.1.1. Alice Bennett, m. John Hardy. Nugent, C&P vol. 1, p. 569: Mr. John Hardie 1150 acres IOW Co., 5 June 1666. Beginning at upper corner tree of Mathew Tomlins old land, running SSE by Wm. Westwrayers land &c. SW on Mathew Tomlins new land. (A John Harris married Mary Tomlin, on November 9, 1620, in Mells). Matthew Tomlin of the Lower Parish of Isle of Wight County to John Johnson of the same parish, ‘for a valuable consideration’, a 225-acre tract ‘commonly called Pigneck’, bounded by Thomas Harris’s (d.1688) corner tree, pp. 570-571. 1.1.1. Governor Richard Bennett. 1.2. Edward Bennett, baptised February 2, 1577, in Wivelscombe; later of of St Olave, Southwark, London, and Lawn’s Creek, Virginia.
1.2.1. Mary Bennett, m. (1) John Day; (2) Thomas Bland. 1.2.1.1. Mary Bland, m. (1) James Day, (2) John Johnson. 1.2.1.2. Thomas Day, m. Mary Davis, da. of John Davis.
1.2.1.3. Elizabeth Day, m. Nathaniel Ridley, nephew of William Ridley, associated with Thomas Harris, d. 1672. 1.2.2. Silvester Bennett m. Nicholas Hill. 1.2.1.1. Mary Hill, m. John Jennings Jr., witness to the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1672. 1.3. Elianor Bennett, m. Richard Harris (8 Oct. 1594), son of William Harris, who m. Dorothy Westbrooke, Aug. 31, 1562, at Wivelscombe. 1.3.1. Thomas Harris, m. Judith Blake, November 20, 1623, at Wivelscombe, most likely he who died in Virginia in 1672. Thomas Harris was the cousin of Richard Bennet, whose first wife was Anne, who was Charles Barham’s sister (see Douglas Richardson, ‘Plantagenet Ancestry’). Thomas Harris and Charles Barham were involved in the Will of William Ridley.

Thus, were the shared associations of Thomas Harris, died 1672, and his namesake, who died in 1688, of a mostly non-consanguineous nature? That is, cousins of whatever distant degree intermarried into the same families, and shared their associations. This point seems vital in any discussion of relationships between such as they – the distance of consanguinity being disguised by shared intermarriages.

Returning to the Thomas Harris who married Alice West in 1635, in Nunney. Was it he whose estate was administered by John Echols and John Hardaway, probable brs.-in-law, in 1677? Was his grandson the Thomas Harris who, on March 3, 1690, petitioned that John Echols be summoned to the next court, perhaps to claim against the surviving executor of his grandfather’s estate? Was this Thomas Harris he who made a deposition in 1692 that he was then 25 years old? (D.B. 1, p. 52).

Was he the son of Thomas Harris, who died in 1688, and mentioned in his (yeomans) will?:

(In the name of God, amen: I, Thomas Harris, of the Isle of Wight County, being sick and weak in body, but in sound and perfect memory, I do first and primarily bequest my soul unto God Almighty who gave it, and secondly, my body to the Earth to beburied in a decent and Christian like manner, and do ordain this to be my last will and testament in manner and form as followeth: Lly. I doe give and bequeath unto my well beloved sonne Edward Harris my plantation that I now live on with all my land belonging to it, the same to him and his heyers forever; also one yoke of draught steers, with a cart belonging unto them, also one great chest and eight ells of sheeting and canvass, three iron wedges, one froe, one small frying pan, also I  doe give and bequeath unto my well beloved sonne John Harris, one great iron pot, two pewter dishes, one bigger than the other, one large frying pan, one iron pestle, two chests, one small table & one coutch. Also I doe give unto my well beloved sonne Thomas Harris fower pewter dishes and a flagon, two salt sellers, one small iron pott, one cow and heifer of two years old one yearling heifer. Also I doe give unto my well beloved sonne Robert Harris one bed being part of flake and feathers with all the furniture thereunto belonging, one small gun, one horse to be sold for his use. I doe give unto my well beloved daughter Jane Jones eight milk trays.

I doe give and bequeath unto my well beloved daughter Anne Harris one bed that I now ly uppon with all the furniture thereunto belonging, but in case she dieth before she cometh of age or marrieth then the bed with what belongeth to itt shall
fall to my sonne Robert Harris, alsoe I give her a large brass kettle and one iron pott containing two or thre gallons with two pewter dishes, but if she dyeth that the same likewise fall to Robert and John Harris. I alsoe desire that what cattle is
left that is not herein disposed of may be sould and likewise my stock of hogs to be sould after my debts being payed .

I doe desire likewise what wheat I have now growinge on the plantation if it pleases God it come to maturity the same be sould likewise with the cattle, and what hogs may be left after the debts aforesaid payd, the same to be sold to the profitablest uses as may bee thought fit by my sonne Edward Harris, being my whole executor, and John Fulgham and John Turner, they two persons beinge appointed my overseers of this my last will and testament, they with my executor to advise to the disposall of all my cattle, hogs and wheate to the best advantage for the good of my three yougtest sones, George Harris, Martin Harris and Williams Harris: only two pewter dishes to be purchased, and one ironn pott, out of the proceeds to be delivered to Robert Harris, and the remainder to be equally divided between the said George Harris, Martin Harris and William Harris, and likewise I desire that these three boyes last mentioned as Robert Harris, George Harris and Martin Harris to remain this present year uppon the plantation and afterwards that Robert Harris may dwell with John Fulgham three years, and George Harris to dwell with John Turner tower years, and Martin Harris to remain with his brother Edward Harris five years, and my sonne William Harris to live with Bridgeman Joyner seven years and likewise my daughter Anne to live with Mrs. Anne Tharpe seven years if the said Mrs. Anne Tharpe shall livesoe long.

I further desire that if my sonne Edward Harris beinge appointed my executor in **** or my appointed overseers Mr, John Fulgham Mr. John Turner that is them or either of them shall find that my children that is placed out as aforesaid be abused that then either of them may have the liberty of removing them to some other place where they shall think fitt. one thing more — I bequest unto three of my grand children
a cow calfe a piece to them and **** of the female: thus owning and acknowledging this to be my last will and testament and doe revoke, renounce and deny all other wills or testaments from or by me made, as witness my hand and seal this forteenth day of March in the year of our Lord 1687-8. The mark of Thomas Harris (seal). Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of us. John Sherrer. John Coggin. Proved by John Coggin and John Sherrer in open court held for the Isle of Wight County October ye 9th, 1688. Teste, John Pitt, Cl. Cur.

John Coggin was of Bristol. Abstract. Power of Atty. 25 Aug. 1658. Major John Harper Capt Thomas Morgan and Robt Dessell, Citizens of the City of Bristol to John Cogan of the City of Bristol ‘but now resident in Virginia aforesd chirugeon,’ to receive certain properties belonging to Margaret Bird. ‘Whereas Margarett Bird of the sd Citty of Bristoll widd (admr’ix of the goods and chattells that were of Capt Richd Bond late dec’d some-times of the Citty of Bristoll but dyed in the Countrey of Virginia) hath constituted and appointed as her attorneys concerning the mill plantacon stock goods merchandizies and debts w’ch were off the sd Capt Rich’d Bond as may apper’e.’ Wit: Richard Price, John Osborne, Francis Yeamans Junr. Rec 31 Janry 1658. (The Bond family were of Pitminster, Somerset, as the Fulghams, and tenants of the Symes (Sims) family of Mells. By 1658, John Coggin had married the widow of Richard Tye. He subsequently moved to Isle of Wight County, where his son is recorded: Thornton, John: Leg. – son William; daughter Ellinor; wife Willmuth, at her decease to her two sons, Richard and Robert Sims. R. May 1, 1688. Wit. John Coggan Jr., Thomas Gale).

Was his brother, William, he who married Mary Short? (suggestive of a geographical link to Sergeant John Harris); second-cousin of William Short, whose son and daughter, John and Mary, married, respectively, Elizabeth Echols and Isaac Echols. (There is no known link between them and the administrator of the estate of Thomas Harris). William Harris and Mary short had issue: William Harris, who probably married a daughter of Nicholas Thompson, who witnessed a deed of Carter Crafford, of Lawnes Creek Parish, with Samuel Lancaster, recorded November 2, 1708. (B. 5, p. 401). His son was Thompson Harris, of Bedford Co., who, in 1756, sold land to William Heath, grandson of this William Heath: ‘Indenture between Wm. Lea and his wife Alice, and Wm. Heath, planter, of Southwarke Par., Surry Co., for a parcel of land, 150 acres, formerly Thos. Felton’s deceased, and lyeing and being in Southwarke Parish in the County of Surry in Virginia commonly called Upper Chippoakes in the woodes joyneing upon the lands which was John Harryes (Surry B. I, 1652-1672, p. 161).

Another possible connection between the Harris family of Nunney and Sergeant John Harris concerns Francis Derrick, the Bristol Merchant, noted in 1635 as paying custom duties on booty taken fron Spanish ships (2. E 134/12Chas1/Mich39). Like many Bristol merhants, he held land in somerset, as noted on this certificate of residence: “showing Francis Derricke (or the variant surname: Dericke, Dyricke) to be liable for taxation in Gloucestershire, and not in the hundreds of Brent, Bempstone, Portbury, and Hartcliffe, Somerset, the previous area of tax liability. 1628. (E 115/128/37).

The Derrick family of the hundred of Winterstoke were almost invariably recorded as being of the parishes of Blagdon and Worle. The former is 18 miles from Nunney. Francis Derick bought the land of the daughter of Sergeant John Harris: Whereas John Baker and Dorothy his wife, daughter of the late deceased Sergeant John Harris, have by order of court at Henrico on the 27th day of August last surrendered to mee Captain Francis Derrick all the right and title which they and claime unto the devident of land belonging to the late deceased Georg Cawcott which was given to the said Dorothy by the last will and testament of the said Cawcott as by the surrender in the said court and by the pattent and will recorded at James Cittie, etc. For good and valuable causes and considerations. Wtnesses: Lawrence Hulett and John Owell’ (Nugent, B. 1., part 2, p. 113).

Another Bristol merchant with ties to the area in which Nunney was situated was John Seward, who bequested lands in Isle of Wight County, one of which was called “New Hemington.” (Tyler, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography). Hemington is 4 miles fom Mells/Nunney. He would have been familiar with the family of Thomas Harris, born 1636, in Nunney, to Thomas Harris and Alice West.

The Thomas harris who died in 1688 came to occupy land that had been John Sewards: April 27, 1686: Matthew Tomlin 1227 ac., lower par. IOW Co. on borders of Blackwater, 781 ac. being part of 1200 ac. granted to Mr. John Seward, 16 April 1648; 448 acres being waste adj.; beg. at a br. dividing land of John Turner and his daughter Marie’s, by William Westray, adj. Mary Turner, and Thomas Harris (d. 1688), to the bottom of Pig Neck; transp. of 9 persons. (B 7, p. 510).

Thus?

1.
1.1. Richard Harris, bur. Dec. 19, 1593.
1.1.1. Richard Harris, bapt. Aug. 24, 1589, m. Edith Burges, Jan. 14, 1607.

1.1.2. John Harris, m. Joan Collier, July 19, 1601.
1.1.2.1. William Harris, bapt. Oct. 3, 1602, Mells.
1.2. John Harris.
1.2.1. Thomas Harris bapt. Feb. 3, 1582; “son of John”.
1.2.2. John Harris, bapt. Oct. 1, 1587, bur. Aug. 3, 1637, in Nunney.
1.2.2.1. Thomas Harris, m. Alice West, 1635; of a family of West, of Nunney? Richard West, baptised Sept. 26, 1574. William West, bapt. Jan. 17, 1579. William West, baptised Feb. 12, 1581. Did this Thomas die in 1677?
1.2.2.1.1. Thomas Harris. bapt. August 14, 1636. Did this Thomas die in 1688?

So many unanswerable questions; the province of belief.

copyright m stanhope 2017