To understand the principle of the English kinship group, as a method of protection and advancement, furthered by associations to the ‘lordship’ class, of which they were tenants, is a gateway into discerning ancestry. The notion of random marriages was an absurdity to them, frought with perils.

What follows may appear as a simple collection of names, but it is one discovered after the kinship method of intermarriages and shared associations was applied to research. Understanding this method is everything.

Those of Somerset, described hereinafter, were more physically akin to Alan Ladd than John Wayne, and spoke a regional dialect that would be totally alien to modern listeners, and to their English contemporaries of other parts. Borrowed from Thomas Elsworthy’s The Dialect of West Somerset, vol. 2., 1875:

“Tidon, twau’dn, mean it is not, it was not; aa’rtn “art thou not ?” shaton “shalt thou not?” wiloton “wilt thou not?” kas’m “canst thou not?” Tae-ilk aup u gin’t pai’g bee dhu taa’yl Óa un, un dhu uyz oa un ul vaa’l aewt, is a version of the old saying: “Take up a Guinea pig by its tail, and its eyes will drop out”. From these and other examples it will be noticed that our possessive case is nearly always formed by the preposition; we very seldom use the ordinary’s. We have, too, no neuter pronoun for denoting a common substantive. The word it is never used, except an abstract idea is to be expressed. We should say taiz for “it is,” and aa’y oan dile ut, “I won’t do it,” but never give it me, always gee un tu mee. The nominative ai (he) does duty for both genders. A man said to me of his daughter, Urz a maa’yn guurt strau’ng maa’yd, ai aiz, “She’s a main great strong maid, she is”.

1.
1.1. Thomas Bland.
1.1.1. Elizabeth Bland, m. Edward Holmwood, in 1620.
1.1.1.1. John Holmwood. A Court at Westover Dec. 10, 1664. “Present: Theoderick Bland, Esqr., Lt. Coll. Tho. Drewe, Mr Stephen Hamelin (Thomas Harris, d. 1672, his headright), Mr Anthony Wyatt, Capt. Edward Hill, Capt. Robt Wynne, Capt. 0tho Southcott, Mr John Holmwood. Whereas one sloope hired of Mr John Holmwood by Mr Anthony Fryer Comand’r of a shipp oasually sunke with oerteine goods in her whereby the sd Fryer is endamaged fifteene hundred p’ds of tobbo. Judgt to Mr. John Holmwood agent for Roger Greene merchant against Capt Ed. Hill for 1980 lb tobo. Holmwood to account to Hill for 1 hhd of tobo adventured with sd Greene, either at the arivall of the sd Greene or at least by or at the arivall of the last London Shipp this yeare”; pp. 525,526. Jno. Holmwood and Captain Otho Southcott settle s/c between Jno Cogan and Phill Limbrey at 700lb tobbo due Limbrey. Cogan appeals to General Court. Gives bond (p. 620). In 1673, William Duke was one of the auditors appointed to examine the accounts between Mr. Roger Greene and Mrs. Bland.

Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1666, Nell Marion Nugent: Thomas Harris, 850 acs. Surry Co., Feb. 13, 1657, p. 168, (250). On S. side of James Riv. & on N. W. & S. E. sides of the head of the sunken marsh above & below the mill, Nly. on the rich Neck & land of Robert Webb & Mr. Edward’s lands, Ely. on *William Carter, Sly. on Chipoaks path to the mill & on Mr. Green’s land. 300 acs. granted unto Mr. Jno. Holmwood, Oct. 26, 1650, & by Holmwood assigned to sd. Harris & 500 acs. for trans, of 11 pers, part for the headright of his wife “Elinr. Harris” (Eleanor George). That is, Elinor George, bapt. Dec. 31, 1626, Frome, Somerset, da. of Henry. Frome, 24 mls fr. Cheddar.

On the same day the above patent was renewed, March 18, 1662, he received 600 acres in Lancaster County, bounding northeast upon a branch of Corotoman River and upon land of one Hawkes, southeast upon land of Wm. Thatcher, etc. This land was granted to Gervase Dodson June 4, 1655, and sold, by him, to said Thomas Harris, for 4800 lbs. of tobacco, and cask. Gervase Dodson appointed Francis Hobbs attorney to acknowledge sale, (ibid, p. 436).

*William Carter claimed the headright (in Henrico) of Edward Bland in 1636. He was very likely to have been the William Carter who was bapt. on May 8, 1599, in the church of St Andrew, Tangmere, Sussex. William Carter, of James City Co., then Surry Co., deposed in 1653 that his age was 54. The Carters were tenant farmers of the Baker family: Catherine Scott m. Sir John Baker. Her sister, Mary Scott, m. Richard Argall; their dau. Elizabeth Scott, m. Sir Edward Filmer; theor dau., Katherine Filmer, m. Robert Barham; their son was Charles Barham. Thomas Harris was the cousin of Governor Richard Bennett of Virginia (both being of Wiveliscombe, Somerset), 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, who was probably the br. of Elizabeth Ridley, Charles Barham’s wife. Catherine Scott and Sir John Baker had issue: Sir Richard Baker (of Sissinghurst), whose tenants were the Carter family, and whose dau., Elizabeth, m. Sir James Kirton, of Somerset; their son m. Elizabeth Rodney (as second-cousin), da. of John Rodney, who bought the manor of Cheddar, whose tenants (n.b.) included the Harris family of that place. The Rodney connection is a familial link to the Hodges family of Wedmore, whose tenants were the Counsell family; see previous notes.

The will of Thomas Harris, dated March 30, 1672, named legatees: son Thomas; son John (who m. a da. of Francis Hobbs); land in Corotoman in Lancaster County; wife Alice (Numan), dau. Mary.

1.1.2. Gregory Bland, bapt. April 22, 1567.
1.1.2.1. Frances Bland, m. John Cogan, very likely to have been of Chard, Somerset.
1.1.2.1.1. “John Coggins”, of Bristol. Witness of the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.
1.1.2.1.1.1. Robert Coggan, m. Sara Greene, da. of John Green. The Will of George Green, dated Oct. 8, 1705 named legatees: wife Anne; brother John Green, the Red Point Plantation on which Sarah Bradshaw now lives; sons of Thomas Greene (br. of Martha Fulgham, wife of Anthony Fulgham, and mother of Michael Fulgham, whose da. m. a son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688), and Mary Moone. Indenture, Mar. 4, 1694, between George Green and Richard Wilkinson, Jr. for 5000 lbs. tbco., 159 ac. now in possession of the said George Green, containing 200 acres granted to Capt. John Moon, Nov. 20, 1642, and by Moon given in his will to his dau., Mary Moon, afterwards by marriage, Mary Green, from whom it did descend to her son, Thomas Green, and from said Thomas to the said George Green, land called Poplar Neck on Nansemond Path. Wit: Geo. Moore.

(1.
1.1. John Barcroft, died in Virginia.
1.1.1. John Barcroft, noted in an assignment of interest in 1652 as John Barcroft, late of Chard, Somerset.
1.2. Charles Barcroft, d. Sept. 23, 1661. Administration on Charles Barcroft’s estate granted to his son-in-law George Moore. (Anthony Fulgham transported Charles Barcroft, Isle of Wight, 1650).

1.1.2.2. Jane Bland, m. (1), her kinsman, Edward Bland, son of John Bland and Susan Delabere. She m. (2) John Holmwood.
1.2. John Bland, a Hamburgh merchant, m. Susanna de Dobbeler in August, 1606, in Stade, Hamburg.
1.2.1. Theodorick Bland, born 1628, m. Anne Bennett, da. of Governor Richard Bennett; the cousin of the Thomas Harris who m. Judith Blake, Nov. 20, 1623, in Wivelsicombe, Somerset, who almost certainly died in Virginia in 1672. Richard Bennett, bapt. Aug. 6, 1609, in Wiveliscombe, d. 1675, in 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.
1.2.2. John Bland, of “Lime Street”, London, m. Sarah Greene, as follows.
1.2.2.1. Giles Bland.
1.2.3. Edward Bland, headright of William Carter, see hereintofore.

N.B. Cart. of Roger Hill of Poundisford Park (his family intermarried with that of Symes, of Mells/Pitminster), compiled 1653-57; p. 6: “Lease for 21 yrs. by Bp. of Winchester to Hugh Portman of Orchard Portman, esq., of capital messuage and 120a. in Pitminster (where the Fulghams were tenants of the Symes) called Poundisford als. Old Poundisford als. The Lodge and Lodge Close, and moiety of West Close als. Pearses Lawne, formerly held in common by Wm. Symmes of Chard, merchant, in common with Sir Henry Portman, father of Hugh, 1590″. Of a highly significant nature (I suggest) in understanding a connection between the Bland/Symes/Fulgham/Harris families of England and Virginia and the Chard area of Somerset – p. 28 (ibid.): “Appointment by William Hill Of Anne widow of (n.b.) Robert Hassard to assign the 1597 lease to Giles Greene, Walter Yonge, John Hill and Gyfford Bale in trust for William Hill and then his son Roger, 1640”. (Som. Her. Cent., DD\X\VNL/1). That is: Giles Green married Elizabeth Hill of Poundsford Park, Somerset. Their son became clerk of the New River Company. A daughter, Sarah, married John Bland of London, naming her son Giles Bland after her father. He was a participant in Bacon’s Rebellion, for which he was executed. (See Browne Willis, Notitia Parliamentaria, pt. II, 1750. Warren M. Billings, Encyclopedia Virginia).

The Cogans were a prestigious family, descending from “William Cogan, knight”, of Somerset and Devon. (C 136/25/2).

At an early date, they were settled in Taunton, Somerset: Thomas Osborn of Taunton & William Cogan, vicar of St. Mary Magdalene Taunton, John Beffe of Meriet, William Cogan, tailor, and John Alrigge, Smith, of Taunton. Subject: Sherney, Pyleigh, and elsewhere within the hundred of Taunton. 1435. (Nat. Arch., E 326/5027).

They settled in Chard, Somerset. Cogan v Stone. Plaintiffs: Nicholas Cogan. Defendants: Richard Stone. Subject: Detention of deeds relating to a messuage and land in Chard. Somerset. 1518-1529. (C 1/492/41). Cogan v More. Plaintiffs: Robert, son and heir of Nicholas Cogan. Defendants: John More and John, his son. Subject: Detention of deeds relating to a tenement in Chard. Somerset. 1532-1538. (C 1/761/26).

Cogan v Smyth. Plaintiffs: Richard Cogan of Chard, chapman (brother of Robert). Defendants: Thomas Smyth. Subject: Price of linen and spices. Somerset. 1538-1544. (C 1/967/22). Probate October 31, 1550. His sons were (1) Thomas Cogan, Will probated November 16, 1580, who disputed a lease of land with “John Hudie of the parsonage of Chard” (C 2/Eliz/H23/36). (2) John Cogan, Merchant of Chard, Will proved February 10, 1593. Cogan v Stegge. Plaintiffs: John Cogan of Chard, Somerset. Defendants: Nicholas Stegge. Subject: Failure to repay loan; detention of bond. 1558-1579. (C 2/Eliz/C16/26). (3) Barnard Cogan, Yeoman of Chard, Will proved January 2, 1598.

The Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1688, was witnessed by John Coggin, of Bristol, see as follows.

Whichever way a Harris family of Somerset is dissected so as to provide those claiming descent from it a unique lineage, consistent with modern notions of such, it can not be escaped from that the Thomas Harris who died in Virginia in 1672 was a central cog in his extended family of many cousins; naturally so, as an association to the Governor of Virginia would have conferred benefits to his kinsfolk, as moths to a flame. This is not to infer that he was definitely the father or brother of so-and-so Harris, but he was a beacon to them all. His shared associations (considerable) with his namesake, who died in 1688, were the result of cousins of whatever distant degree intermarrying into the same families, and sharing their associations. This point seems vital in any discussion of relationships between such as they – the distance of consanguinity being disguised by shared intermarriages.

They all shared associations to Sergeant John Harris (through those connected to the Blands, etc.), and any descendants of this kinship group share this association, if not a very desired direct link ton Sergeant Harris. The ‘genealogical bridge’ to cross is one of proving the descent from those recorded in the 1750’s to those earlier Harris mentioned herein. A gap of great span and difficulty, but ‘continuations of associations’ with the same families offers circumstantial evidence.

HARRIS ANCESTORS (It is possible to trace this line before this).
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)
1.1.1. 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. (2) Susannah Fulgham, who m. Hardy Council, son of Hodges Council Jr. and Lucy Hardy, in 1705. The Hardys were most likely of the family of John Hardy Esq., as given here: Hardy v Freke. Plaintiffs: John Hardy. Defendants: John Freke. Subject: property in Mere, Somerset, (5 mls fr. Cheddar/Wedmore). 1655. (N.A., ref. C 5/410/23). Exemplification of a common recovery. By John Hardy, Esq., and George Style, Esq., against George Parry, gent. and Thomas Abington, gent., of a messuage or fulling water-mill, etc. in Cole, Pittcombe, and Bruton. Nov 29, 1645. (Somerset Heritage Centre, ref. DD\WHh/650).

HARRIS GROUP A
1.1.2. John Harris, m. Joan Stubbs, Feb. 10, 1569, in Wedmore.
1.1.2.1. John Harris, d. 1625; m. (2) Christiana Thurston, bapt. 28 Oct. 1591, on Oct. 8, 1618; she was the great-niece of Joan Thurston, who m. (2) John Counsell, on Aug. 13, 1573.
1.1.2.1.1. 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”.
1.1.2.1.1.1. Edward Harris, bapt. Aug. 8, 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. (Pitminster: 30 mls south of Cheddar/Wedmore, on the main estuary road; n.b. 10 mls N.W. of Chard). He is not further recorded in the registers.
1.1.2.1.2. Thomas Harris.
1.1.2.1.2.1 Thomas Harris, bapt. Dec. 31, 1637, Cheddar, ‘son of Thomas’, perhaps he who pat. 240 a. adj. Mathew Tomlin, Mar. 27, 1686 (B.7, pp. 510-11), m. Hester Tibbits, probably as second wife, who decd. in 1581. He is not further recorded in the registers. His orphan was left in the care of Hodges Counsell, who was almost certainly of Wedmore. The Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1688, was witnessed by John Coggin, of Bristol, son of his namesake, noted here: “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 Chard/Mells.

HARRIS GROUP A1
1.1.2.1.3. John Harris, m. Agnes Comer, Feb. 4, 1635. (1. John Counsell, bapt. 1573. 1.1. John Counsell, bapt Nov. 28, 1601, married Mary Coomer, on Nov. 26, 1631; the sister of Agnes Coomer, who married John Harris in the adj. parish of Cheddar, in Feb. 1635; uncle of Thomas Harris, bapt. Dec. 31, 1637, in Cheddar). 1. John Counsell, bapt. 1573. 1.1. John Counsell, bapt. 28 Nov. 28, 1601,’ f. Joannis Counsell‘, m. Mary Coomer, Nov. 26, 1631; the sister of Agnes Coomer, who m. John Harris in the adj. parish of Cheddar, Feb. 4, 1635; uncle of Thomas Harris, bapt. Dec. 31, 1637, in Cheddar, and Edward Harris, bapt. Aug. 8, 1624, in Wedmore 1.2. Richard Counsell, bapt. 3 Sept. 1613 (fr. Blackford), m. (1) Joan Taylor, Aug. 12, 1640, (2) Elizabeth Hix (the Chapman link), Aug. 12, 1647, da. of William Hix and Grace Morton, m. Jan. 23, 1625, and niece of Margaret Hix, who m. Simon Day, Jan. 14, 1632. 1.2.1. Hodges Counsell. Richard Counsell was the br.-in-law of Susan Lancaster, and Hodges Counsell may have received his Christian name after her husband, William Hodges, a member of the very influential Hodges family, squires of Wedmore, who was probably his Godfather.
1.1.2.1.3.1. John Harris Jr. (so designated).
1.1.2.1.3.2. Arthur Harris.
1.1.2.1.3.2.1. Arthur Harris, bapt. June 23, 1663.
1.1.2.1.3.2.1.1. Samuel Harris, bapt. 2 Jan. 1686, m. Hannah Comer, bapt. 4 Dec. 1702.
1.1.2.1.3.2.1.1.1. John Harris, bapt. Mar. 30, 1706.
1.1.2.1.3.2.1.1.2. James Harris, bapt. Oct. 5, 1707.
1.1.2.1.3.3. Anthony Harris.
1.1.2.1.3.3.1. Isaac Harris, bapt. Feb. 27, 1663, m. Dorothy Harris, bapt. June 13, 1675.
1.1.2.1.3.3.1.1. Robert Harris, bapt. Jan. 3, 1692.
1.1.2.1.3.3.1.2. James Harris, bapt. Feb. 18, 1704.
1.1.2.1.3.3.2. John Harris.
1.1.2.1.3.3.2.1. John Harris, bapt. Aug. 23, 1694, m. Mary Rogers, Dec. 26, 1723.
1.1.2.1.3.3.3. N.B. Robert Harris, m. Mary Hill, June 29, 1695.
1.1.2.1.3.3.3.1. John Harris, bapt. Mar. 30, 1707.
1.1.2.1.3.3.4. Thomas Harris, m. Anne Marshall, bapt. Oct. 20, 1678.
1.1.2.1.3.3.4.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. 12 June 1698.
1.1.2.1.3.3.5. James Harris, m. Hannah Marshall, Mar. 28, 1706.

This particular line of Harris should be of some consideration in English/Virginia genealogies. The entirety of this Harris family did not descend from one ‘Moses’ ancestor. The clues are in who the ‘Comer’ Harris married, writ large.

HARRIS GROUP B
1.2. William Harris (“of Glastonbury”), m. Dorothy Westbrooke, Aug. 31, 1562, at Wivelscombe, Somerset.
1.2.1. Richard Harris, m. Elianor Bennett, Oct. 8, 1594, sister of Edward Bennett.
1.2.1.1. Thomas Harris, m. Judith Blake, Nov. 20, 1623. He was the cousin of Governor Richard Bennett, whose first wife was Anne, who was Charles Barham’s sister (see Douglas Richardson, ‘Plantagenet Ancestry’.

HARRIS GROUP C
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 (it may be presumed), bapt. Oct. 1, 1587, bur. Aug. 3, 1637, in Nunney/juxta Mells.
1.1.2.2.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. Oct. 8, 1615 (in Othery juxta Greinton, whence the family holding, yet noted in the register as a son of a John Harris “of Aller”, 6 miles from Greinton, who is not recorded in the Aller registers), d. 1677, m. Alice West, in 1635, in Nunney, where a family of West were established. William West m. Katharine Perry on May 23, 1608, in Bath (18 miles from Nunney); their dau. being Alice West, bapt. Sept. 16, 1615. It was a common practice for marriages to take place in such ‘regional’ churches as Bath, especially if a rich relative (Godparent) lived there; a consideration of ample proportion.
1.1.2.2.1.1. Thomas Harris. bapt. Aug. 14, 1636, in Nunney, possibly he who d. in 1668. 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 (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. (Nat. Arch., 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 dau. of Sergeant John Harris.

Please note, William Short, associated with land adj. that of Sergeant John Harris (see prvious notes) was probably he who was bapt. June 29, 1626, in Mells, with sons, Thomas, bapt. May 23, 1654, and William, bapt. March 30, 1658, whose dau, Mary, m. a William Harris.

May thy New Year be happy, An’ may thy cares be vew, An’ may success thy labours bless, May all thy vrien’s be true. Vor love ‘ull banish zorrow, An’ Love can lighten pain, An’ scatter afar the clouds 0′ war, An’ brighten the world again.

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