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. Not being based on modern notions of certainty does not necessarily make such conjecture irrelevant, as in small, isolated communities, such as Nunney and Mells, marriages were based on the rigid principle of kinship: people married within their kinship group. 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.

Another cast-iron principle of this time was the influence of lordship. The Squires of Mells (Syme), Wedmore (Hodges), and Cheddar (Lancaster) were related in the same way as their tenants. They all held land in each others domain, creating the possibility of tenants moving to other villages as an opportunity of a better occupancy arose.

Thus, where I have used conjecture, it is not without knowledge of how marriages came about – usually by match-making to the advantage of families; randomness being associated with dreaded instability.

Such interbreeding disguises the closeness of associations as predicted by DNA testing – that which seems close is likely to be more distant.

The communities mentioned in this account were of a mixed agricultural nature. Cereal crops could be grown on higher ground; as could be reared cattle, pigs, and sheep. The Somerset Levels which skirted many communities was prone to devastating flooding, and any settler in Virginia from this region would have been well used to swampy conditions. Each village would have its compliment of skilled artisans, such as Thomas Harrys, the carpenter:

1. Thomas Harrys of Mells, carpenter, b. 1494. Depositions as to the late abbot of Glastonbury (Somerset) taken at Wells (Somerset) before Nicholas Fitzjames esq and John Mawdleyn’ gent, king’s surveyors.Thomas Harrys of Mells, carpenter, 50, deposes that the tenement and mills were in great decay, and that for his labour he received £7 from Burges. He also received £10 for repairing the grist mill. (Nat. Arch., ref. E 135/2/32).
1.1. John Harrys, witnessed a Will in 1554 concerning Mells.
1.1.1. Richard Harris, bur. Dec. 19, 1593, in Nunney.
1.1.1.1. Richard Harris, bapt. Aug. 24, 1589, m. Edith Burges, Jan. 14, 1607, in Nunney.
1.1.1.2. John Harris, m. Joan Collier, July 19, 1601, in Nunney.
1.1.1.2.1. William Harris, bapt. Oct. 3, 1602, Mells. Perhaps the William who was headright of John Moone (1637) and John Seward (1648) in Isle of Wight. John Moone’s da., Sarah Moone, m. Lt. John Pitt, son of Col. Robert Pitt, the Bristol sea captain and merchant. John Moone’s da. Mary Moone, m. Thomas Green; his sister m. Anthony Fulgham, of Pitminster, Somerset; their son, Michael Fulgham, m. Anne Izzard, having issue: (1) Anne Fulgham, who m. Robert Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688. (2) Susannah Fulgham, who m. Hardy Council, son of Hodges Council Jr. and Lucy Hardy, in 1705. The Hodges and Council families were of Wedmore, Somerset, 20 miles from Nunney, on the main east/west road.
1.2. William Harris, m. Dorothy Westbrooke, Aug. 31, 1562, at Wivelscombe, Somerset.
1.2.1. Richard Harris, m. Elianor Bennett, Oct. 8, 1594.
1.2.1.1. Thomas Harris, m. Judith Blake, Nov. 20, 1623, most likely he (or a son and namesake) 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’).
1.3. John Harris, m. Joan Stubbs, 10 Feb. 1569, in Wedmore.
1.3.1. John Harris, d. 1625, m. Penelope Millard, 9 Sept. 1611.
1.3.1.1. Robert Harris. Lawne’s Creek, October 26, 1646: “James Tooke (his family were tenants of the Symes) to Robert Harris, all my right and title to this lease”.
1.3.1.1.1. Edward Harris, bapt. 8 Aug. 1624, probably d. in 1677, in Virginia.

1.1.2. John Harris.
1.1.2.1. Thomas Harris bapt. Feb. 3, 1582; “son of John”.
1.1.2.2. Sergeant John Harris, bapt. Oct. 1, 1587, bur. Aug. 3, 1637, in Nunney. A 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 (Nat. Arch., ref. 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. (Nat. Arch., ref. 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. Witnesses: Lawrence Hulett and John Owell’ (Nugent, B. 1., part 2, p. 113).

1.1.2.2.1. Thomas Harris, d. 1677, m. Alice West (in 1635) in Nunney; most likely of a family of West, of Nunney, where Richard West was bapt. Sept. 26, 1574; William West was bapt, Jan. 17, 1579; and William West was bapt. Feb. 12, 1581. Thomas Harris is recorded as being executed in 1677: Sir William Berkeley’s list of names of those who have been executed in the late rebellion in Virginia with the character of each. These include Johnson, Farlow, Carver, Wilford and Harsford at Accomack and Young, Page, Harris and Hall at York and Drummond at Middle Plantation and Col. Crews, Cookson and Digby. (Nat, Arch., ref. ADM 106/321/495). On September 13, 1677 administration of the estate of Thomas Harris was granted to John Echols and John Hardaway. Thomas Harris, likely grandson of the elder Thomas Harris, and who had come of age, petitioned the court to summon Echols on March 2, 1690.

1.1.2.2.1.1. Thomas Harris. bapt. Aug. 14, 1636, d. 1688. John Seward, the Bristol sea captain and merchant, held land in Somerset at Hemington, which is 4 miles fom Mells/Nunney, and named one land grant in Virginia “New Hemington.” (Tyler, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography). Thomas Harris settled on 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). John Seward da., Margaret (Seward) Edwards, m. John Edwards, 28 January 1633, Temple church, Bristol. Alice Edwards, was a headright of John Seward in 1648 (IOW). The Will of Mary Pitt “of the parish of St. Thomas within the city of Bristol, widow”, mother of Robert Pitt of Virginia, proved 25 Nov. 1634, bequested to her grandchild, the said “John Edwards a silver beer bowl”. (His br., William Edwards, also received a bequest). It may be significant that a John Harris, a cousin of the Nunney Harris, m. a Tomlin. John Harris (brother of Thomas), bapt. 1640, m. Margaret Beard, 1664. (N.B. Thomas Bennett, b. Nov. 11, 1603 at Wiveliscombe; m. Agnes Beard, July 17, 1623). John Harris’ da., Anne Harris, bapt. 21 Oct. 1646, m. Robert Millard, May 1667, Nunney. (N.B. John Harris, m. Penelope Millard, 9 Sept. 1611, Wedmore). *A Turner family of Wedmore were related to the Hodges family through their respective intermarriages with the Rodneys. William Turner m. Jane Rodney, 28 May 1612; issue: John Turner: *Johannes Turner, bapt. 14 May 1618.

Adam Sims, who m. Elizabeth Walton, da. of George Walton of Brunswick Co., and who was, thus, the brother-in-law of Nathan Harris, grandson of Thomas Harris, d. 1688, and br. of West Harris, was very likely a descendant of Sir John Symes, of Mells, who m. Amy, the da. of Thomas Horner esq., lord of Nunney. The Symes family’s tenants included such families as the Bonds and Fulghams.

1.1.2.2.1.1.1. William Harris, m. Mary Short, grandda. of William Short (br. of Thomas, of Cabin Point, Surry). He originally lived in Charles City Co., on the south side of the James River (later Prince George County); he repatented 1100 acres ‘above the head of Chippokes Creek about one and one-half miles up the western most branche’, identifying himself as ‘the son and heir of William Shorts’. The land had been granted to Robert Moseley on Jan. 7, 1649, and then assigned to William Short Sr., on Oct. 28, 1657. (See Tidewater Families of Virginia, p. 544). This was the land identified as adjoining that of Sergeant John Harris: ‘William Lea and Alice (Feltham), his wife, to William Heath, 150 acres (gifted to william Harris, grandson of William Short Jr., “tract of land 150 acres where his father now liveth”) formerly Thomas Felton’s, deceased, and lyeing and being in Southwarke Parish in the County of Surry in Virginia in the woodes joyneing upon the lands which was John Harryes and neere unto the plantation which was formerly Robert Moseleys, adjoining to a great swamp which divides Surry Co. from Charles Cittie County … one hundred and fifteen acres of said land lyeth in Charles Cittie County adjoining unto the rest of the divident which lyeth in said surry County. Witnesses: Robert Spencer, John Gittings’. (Dated Oct. 4, 1660. Surry Co. Court Records. R. November 10, 1660. William Short Sr. was likely to have been he born June 29, 1626, at Mells, with sons, Thomas, bapt. May 23, 1654, and William, bapt. March 30, 1658.

1.1.2.2.1.1.2. Robert Harris, m. Anne Fulgham, da. of Michael Fulgham, of Pitminster, Somerset. Susannah Fulgham, Anne’s sister, m. Hardy Council, son of Hodges Council and Lucy Hardy.
1.1.2.2.1.1.2.1. Edward Harris, Will pr. 25 March 1734.
1.1.2.2.1.1.2.1.1. Nathan Harris.
1.1.2.2.1.1.2.1.2. West Harris.

The Will of Thomas HarriS, d.1688, was that of a yeoman farmer, gifting milk trays, hogs, cattle, and wheat:

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. Aug. 25, 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).

Although the ancestry of John Cogan is problematic, his social status (gent), and the connection of Philibert Cogan, gent, of Chard, Somerset, to Virginia, is suggestive of an affiliation to his family: John Ludlow, living in York Co., Virginia, in 1660, died in Somerset, England in 1664 (Brown, Somerset Wills, pp. 28-29, 1890. His sister, Sarah, was the fourth wife of Col. John Carter, Esq. of Lancaster Co. They has issue, John and Robert. Col. Carter died in 1669 (ibid.). John and Sarah Ludlow were nephew and niece of Roger Ludlow, who m. Mary Cogan (b. 1604), da. of Philibert Cogan, gent, of Chard, Somerset, and Anne, da. of Thomas Marshall. Roger Ludlow’s br., George, was in Virginia in 1665. Roger Ludlow moved to Chard, Somerset, and came in contact with the “John and Mary group”.

John Cogan was associated with John Wilkins. March 22, 1647: John Wilkins his tobacco ordered viewed upon ye peticon of John Cogan Mchant It is ordered yt Capt. William Roper, Mr Edward Drew & John Harloe bee requested & appointed to view certayne hodges of tobacco wch ye said Mr Coghan recd of John Wilkins gent. And in respect of ye said Mr Coghan his p’sent voyage [voyage] out of ye Countrye. It is desired yt this ordr may bee pformed And rept thereof made to ye Comissiosrs wth all convenit [convenient] speed that further ordr may bee (if occasion shall require). April 24, 1647: John Wikins bill of debt: This bill byndeth us Mr John Wilkins & John Marshall joyntly & severally our heyres Exrs & Admrs or Assignes to pay or cause to bee pd unto Hugh Yeo mrchant his heryes Exres Admres or Assges ye full whole & just sume of foure hundd powndes waight of good mrchantable Virginia Leafe tobacco. Att or before ye 10th of 8ber next ensueinge ye date hereof in witness of ye truth wee have hereunto sett our handes ye 24th of Aprill. John Marshall witnessed the WillS of John Wilkins (Northampton Co. W&D, B.3, pp. 288-289), and Edward Drewe (1650 vicesimo Octavo die mense Janura. Memorand that this day the last will and Testamt of Mr Edward Drew late of Northampton County decd was pved in app Cur by the deposicons of Mrs Ann Wilkins, Jno Marshall and Mrs Hanna Mountney her attestacon”.

He m. (1) a da. of Gregory Bland, and, as such, became peripheral kin of the Harris family: He was associated with those connected to Thomas Harris, d. 1688: “Wm. Browne, Henry Tucker. Richard Booth sells to Hodges Council 150 acres, 10 Feb., 1679, Jno. Bromfield, Wm. Morris. Richard Booth on this deed signs all his right to Bridgeman Joyner. 9 Jan. 9, 1680. John Cogan, Wm. Morris”.

THE BLAND CONNECTION
1.
1.1. Thomas Bland.
1.1.1. Elizabeth Bland, m. Edward Holmwood, in 1620.
1.1.2. Gregory Bland.
1.1.2.1. Frances Bland, m. John Cogan.
1.1.2.2. Jane Bland, m. (1) Edward Bland son of John Bland and Susan Delabere. She m. (2) John Holmwood.
1.2. John Bland.
1.2.1. Theodorick Bland, m. Anne Bennett, da. of Governor Richard Bennett.

1. Robert Bennett, a tanner, of Wivelscombe, Somerset, m. Elizabeth Edney.
1.1. Thomas Bennett, d. 1616, Wivelscombe, m. Ann Spicer.
1.1.1. Thomas Bennett, b. Nov. 11, 1603 at Wiveliscombe; m. Agnes Beard, July 17, 1623.
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 Tomlin’s old land, running SSE by Wm. Westwrayers land &c. SW on Mathew Tomlin’s new land.
1.2.1.1. Lucy Hardy, m. Hodges Council.
1.1.1.2. Mary Bennett, m. Richard Jackson, who patented 450 acres in IOW adjacent to Justinian Cooper.
1.1.1.2.1. Mary Jackson, m. Capt. George Hardy, who patented 500 acres on July 17, 1648 ‘lying on east side of Lawne’s Creek extending to main river and along the great river to the creek dividing the same from land of Alice Bennett’. On 19 June 1666, he made a deed to land which belonged to his wife Mary whom he refers to as the ‘daughter of Richard Jackson, dec.’. Her sister, Sarah Jackson, m. Col. Arthur Smith II. George Hardy was an appraiser of the estate of Edward Harris, d. 1677.
1.1.2. Richard Bennett, b Aug. 6, 1609, Wiveliscombe, d. 1675, Virginia; his Will bequesting: “To William Yearret of Pagan Creek and to the wife of Mr. Thomas Taberer, to each of them two thousand pounds of tobacco”. His da. Ruth m. John Numan, br-in-law of Thomas Harris, d. 1672.
1.2. Elianor Bennett, bapt. Mar. 5, 1567, m. Oct. 7, 1594 Richard Harris, son of William Harris, who m. Dorothy Westbrook, Aug. 31, 1562, at Wivelscombe.
1.3.1. Thomas Harris, m. Judith Blake, Nov. 20, 1623, at Wivelscombe; either he or a namesake and son being he who d. in 1672.

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