1. Thomas Harrys of Mells, carpenter, b. 1494. “Thomas Harrys”, a tenant of Glastonbury Abbey, who is recorded thus: Harrys v Dyar. Plaintiffs: Thomas Harrys. Defendants: Thomas Dyar, knight. Subject: Tenement in the late abbot of Glastonbury’s manor of Greinton. Somerset. 1544-1551. (C 1/1228/15-18).
1.1. John Harris.
1.1.1. Richard Harris, bur. Dec. 19, 1593, in Nunney.
1.1.1.1. John Harris, m. Joan Collier, July 19, 1601, in Nunney.
1.1.1.1.1. 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.
1.2. John Harris, m. Joan Stubbs, Feb. 10, 1569, in Wedmore.
1.2.1. John Harris, d. 1625, m. Penelope Millard, Sept. 9, 1611, in Wedmore. He m. (2) Christiana Thurston, bapt. 28 Oct. 1591, on Oct. 8, 1618; the great-niece of Joan Thurston, who m. (2) John Counsell, on Aug. 13, 1573.
1.2.1.1. Robert Harris. Lawne’s Creek, October 26, 1646: “James Tooke (his family were tenants of the Symes, of Mells) to Robert Harris, all my right and title to this lease”.
1.2.1.1.1. Edward Harris, bapt. 8 Aug. 1624, probably d. in 1677, in Virginia. The inventory of Edward Harris states that he owed money to “Mrs Davis”; almost cartainly the wife of John Davis, i.e. Mary Greene; da. of Thomas Greene and Mary Moone, and cousin of Martha Greene, who m. Anthony Fulgham, of Pitminster, Somerset, aforesaid.
1.3. William Harris (“of Glastonbury”), m. Dorothy Westbrooke, Aug. 31, 1562, at Wivelscombe, Somerset.
1.3.1. Richard Harris, m. Elianor Bennett, Oct. 8, 1594, sister of Edward Bennett, aforesaid.
1.3.1.1. Thomas Harris, m. Judith Blake, Nov. 20, 1623.
1.3.1.1.1. Thomas Harris, died in Virginia in 1672, second-cousin of Governor Richard Bennet, whose first wife was Anne, who was Charles Barham’s sister (see Douglas Richardson, ‘Plantagenet Ancestry’).
1.3.1.1.2. John Harris, bapt. 18 Feb. 1624; probably d. 1687, Virginia, m. Unity.
1.1.2. John Harris. Held land in Aller, of the manor of Greinton.
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, m. Dorothy Collier, bapt. Jan. 26, 1594, in Nunney, da. of Joseph Collier, Rector of Nunney, and sister of George, Rector of Nunney in 1635.
The principal applicants for the manor of Nunney, post-dissolution, were Thomas and John Horner, who in 1543, 22nd May, sent in their valuation for the Manor of Nunney, part of the possessions of the “attainted” Monastery of Glastonbury. The Crown still held some rents (the advowson) in Nunney, and these, “in consideration of the good, and faithful and acceptable services of our loving servant, Edward Dyar, Esq.”, son of Sir Thomas Dyar, aforesaid, landlord of the Harris family in Gtreinton, and the grantor of the Church living at Nunney to Joseph Collier, to whom, as the norm for these times, he was probably related. (See Liber Institutionem, First Fruits, New Series, Vol. II., 1876).
The intermarriage of the Horners and Symes families brought about the prosperity of the latter
1.1.2.2.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. Oct. 8, 1615, in Othery, juxta Greinton, son of a John Harris “of Aller”, 6 miles from Greinton, and three miles from Othery. He d. in 1677, having m. Alice West, in 1635, in Nunney (married by his br.-in-law), da. of William West (of Nunney) and Katharin Perry, who m. on May 23, 1608, in Bath (18 miles from Nunney); their da., Alice, being bapt. Sept. 16, 1615, in Bath. It was common practice to marry in the parish of a prosperous God-parent/in-law. Thomas Harris returned to Nunney with his father, before returning to Virginia.
1.1.2.2.1.1. Thomas Harris. bapt. Aug. 14, 1636, in Nunney, 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. The Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1688, was witnessed by John Coggin, of Bristol. John Seward patented land in 1638: “Upon Warresquioke River. Beginning at a pynie pint by a little gutt running into the woods right over against the land of Nathaniell Floyd* and near his former pattent. “Francis Hobbs’ now wife Mary was former wife of Nathaniel Floyd deceased”. Francis Hobbs’ da. was the wife of John Harris, son of Thomas Harris, who died in 1672. Francis Hobbs Jr. left a legacy to “cousin John Davis”.
1.1.2.2.1.1.1. William Harris, m. Mary Short, grandda. of William Short, whose 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: 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. 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. March 25, 1734.
1.1.2.2.1.1.2.1.1. Nathan Harris.
1.1.2.2.1.1.2.1.2. West Harris.
1.1.2.2.1.2. John Harris, baptised in 1640. He married Margaret Beard in 1664.
1.1.2.2.1.2.1. John Harris, baptised June 24, 1667. (It can not be discounted that emigrated to Virginia with his cousins).
1.1.2.2.2. Dorothy Harris, m. John Baker, a transportee of Mr. George Menefee, in James City Co., in 1635. George Menefee’s Will, dated December 31, 1645, named Overseers as “friends Captain Peter Andrews, and Richard Bennett, Esq.”; the latter’s land being adjacent to his. The Menefees were a Devonshire family, who like many (the Pitts etc.) were drawn to the trading opportunities afforded by Bristol. (See Will of Elizabeth Minifee, Widow of Bristol. PROB 11/126/446. November 15, 1615).
John Baker was probably he who was bapt on March 14, 1616, in West Cranmore, Somerset, 5 miles from Nunney, brother of William; sons of Matthew. “John Baker, 650 acs. Chas. City Co., 20 Nov. 1637, p. 497. 150 acs. E. upon Causons field Cr. N. upon Appamattock Riv., towards the Citty Cr. W. & S. into the maine woods; & S. up along the Citty Cr. 50 due in right of his first wife Priscilla Palmer, 50 acs. by deed of gift from his Mother in Law Jone Palmer 2 Jan 1633 & 550 acs due for his own per. adv. the per. adv. of his late wife Alice, of his wife Dorothy & for trans. of 8 persons”. Joane Daniell was bapt. March 4, 1581, and m. Thomas Palmer on April 28, 1597, in East Brent, Somerset, 10 miles from Greinton.

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