Some ‘Harris researchers of old’ are of the opinion that Thomas Harris of Virginia, d. 1688, was of Mells/ Nunney, Somerset. (The Harris family of both adjacent places were synonomous, as given elsewhere). They claim that the closely (consanguineously) connected Harris family of Somerset would have shared the associations brought about through intermarriage. Thus, all would have prospered through kinsfolk intermarrying with the Bennetts of Wiveliscombe, Southwark, London, and Virginia; the family of its Governor. In same vein, cousins of Mells/Nunney would have shared the benefits of their Wedmore/Cheddar cousins being associated with Hodges Counsell of Virginia.Such is the premiss, and such the problem. We try and split differences in modern terms when there were none in older ones.

I do not share their opinion, but herein give some information that does not contradict it.

1. John Harris, m. Charity Lucocke, Nov. 13, 1587, in Mells.
1.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. March 24, 1600, in Mells, m. (1) Alice West, Oct. 1635. She was probably bapt. Sept. 16, 1615, in nearby Bath, dau. of William West. He m. (2) Eleonor George, and d. in Virginia in 1672.
1.1.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. Aug. 14, 1636, in Nunney, and d. in Virginia in 1688.
1.1.2. John Harris , bapt. in 1640. He m. Margaret Beard, in 1664; her familly intermarried with the Bennetts of Wiveliscombe and Virginia.
1.1.2.1. John Harris, bapt. June 24, 1667.

In 1654, Nicholas Hale “suffered penalty” concerning a gun in the house of Margaret Grimes, wife of Edward Grimes (Colonial Records, vol. 1, p. 163). He owned land in York Co., before patenting (May 18, 1660), in Lancaster Co., 738 ac. on NW branch of the Corotoman River. (Colonial Abstracts of Lancaster Co., p. 219). On Feb. 8, 1668, in Lancaster Co., George and (his brother), Nicholas Hale, witnessed the Will of Margaret (Hale?) George, wife of Nicholas George, and mother of Eleonor George, wife of Thomas Harris, d. 1672.

Nicholas hale had some connection to Bristol, as Thomas Gayner of Bristol, merchant, gave power of attorney to him to collect debts in Lancaster Co., Feb. 15, 1668 (Colonial Records, Lancaster Co. vol. 2, p. 72).

Nicholas George Sr. patented land in IOW Co. in 1638; 400 ac. for transportation of 8 persons (including himself and his wife). He patented land in Lancaster Co. circa 1653, hence the reason for his son-in-law, Thomas Harris, holding land there. His Will was proved May 8, 1661: “My wife may enjoy the lands I now live on her life time, only my sonne Nicholas George may have land upon the devident to make a plantation on if he will. My daughter Grace George may have a parsell of land one the other side the River adjoyninge upon the land of John Edwards upon the line of marked trees before Nicholas Hale’s last survey. …. My wife may have my man servant Absolam Ware if and she give unto daughter Grace 1000 pounds of tobacco to by her a bed. One Chest to my wife. Three basons and two dishes and two apeese to my three children. Signed Nicholas George. Witnesses: John Sharpe, Henry Davis”. Lancaster County Order Book, May 11, 1670: the estate of Margaret George, widow, to be appraised by Mr. George Flower (a Bristol merchant; d. 1682, Fleet’s Bay), and Nicholas George, her son.

A br. of Nicholas Hale, George, is recorded here: “A suite beinge commenced att this Court by Mr. Thomas Jones, Attorney of Mr. John England of Bristoll, Marriner, against George Heale, Administrator of Mrs. Mary Heale the Relicte and Administratrix of Mr. Nicholas Heale, deced…”. (Lancaster Orders, 1680-1686, p. 100). “Upon petition of Nicholas George and George Heale, securities for the estate of Henry King, dec.d, it is ordered by the court (Charles Merriman who married the widow and relict of the said King being clandestinely departed this countrey) that for the securtiy of said Nicholas George and George Heale, that an inventory of the whole estate belonging to the said Merriman in this county be forthwith taken by Robert Pritchard and Thomas Parfit and exhibited at the next court, the said Nicholas George and George Heale to the secure of the said estate”. (ibid.)

George Hale (or Heale) left Bristol on the ship “Supply”, and arrived in “James Cittie” in 1620.

The overarching connection seems to be the familly of Hill:

1. Robert Hill (of Yard, near Taunton) M.P, of Taunton, d. bef. June 2, 1581, in Charde. m. (1) Alice Clark.
1.1. Elizabeth Hill , (maritagium in Chard), m. William Symes, of Poundisford Park, Pitminster, landlord of the Fulghams. Symes, of Chard, Somerset: az. three escallops in pale or.
1.1.1. John Symes, bapt. Mar. 4, 1573, m. Amy Horner, dau. of Thomas Horner, of Mells.
1.1.1.1. John Symes m. (1) Abigail Arscott, dau. of Arthur Arscott, of Tetcott, (2) Eleanor Martin, dau. of Sir James Martin.
1.1.2. Joan/Jane Symes, m. *John Cogan, of Chard, named as a cousin in the Will of John Cogan, Merchant of Chard, proved February 10, 1593. As the Fulghams, the Cogans were tenants of the Hills/Symes. The former John Cogan was described as sometime of Chard and now of London. *Cogan v Stegge. Plaintiffs: John Cogan of Chard, Somerset. Defendants: Nicholas Stegge. Subject: Failure to repay loan; detention of bond. Before 1579. (N.A, C 2/Eliz/C16/26). ‘Cogans Charity’ was described in the Borough Records of 1648 as ‘secured on the burgage of Mr Barcroft’.* That is, (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, a Bristol sea captain and merchant. (Anthony Fulgham, of Pitminster transported Charles Barcroft, IOW, 1650). George Moore’s da., Ann Moore, m. Thomas White. Their son was John White; his Will probated May 2, 1754 (Chapman, Wills, p. 177); great-grandfather of Avis White, who m. John Harris, the son of Robert Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688. Thus, as plain is plain, George Moore is in ‘genealogical concrete’ associated with Thomas Harris, d. 1688; and, by implication, so are the Barcrofts and Cogans of Chard. So, by what sense is the witness of the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1688, supposed to be not of this kinship network?; for, if he is not, all sense of the workings of English kinship groups is made mockery.

1.1.2.1. John Cogan, m. Frances Bland; the second cousin of (1) Theodorick Bland, born 1628, who m. Anne Bennett, da. of Governor Richard Bennett; the cousin of the Thomas Harris* (d. 1672), who m. (1) Judith Blake, Nov. 20, 1623, in Wivelsicombe, Somerset, who (it is my belief) almost certainly died in Virginia in 1672. (2) John Bland, of “Lime Street”, London, who m. Sarah Greene.
1.1.2.1.1. “John Coggins”, of Bristol. Witness of the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.
1.1.3. Alice Symes, m. William Hodges; perhaps the son of William Hodges of Speckington, d. 1580, uncle of Thomas Hodges (see C 142/193/78; Som. Wills, ed. Brown, iii. 69); perhaps the progenitor of the Wedmore line. Ball v Hodges. Plaintiffs: Robert Ball. Defendants: William Hodges. Subject: manor of Bridghampton with Speckington, Somerset. 1603-1625.
1.2. Hugh Hill ‘of Yard’, d. 1631, m. Mary Bond, dau. of Sir George Bond, of London, whose sister, Rose, m. William Hale (1568-1634) in Hertfordshire (Kings Warden). There is no proof of them being the progenitors of Nicholas Hale, of Virginia, yet a sound circumstantial case can be made for this proposition; and in regard of Thomas Harris, d. 1672, and his namesake, d. 1688, having many associations in common. (See : https://tinyurl.com/y9mxyewl).

Of unclear, but certain, association:

Mells:

1. Robert Hill, bapt. Oct. 21, 1562, m. Grace Stoke; Apr. 12, 1589.
1.1. James Hill, m. Katherine Holcombe, Oct. 17, 1625, dau. of John Holcombe and Tomasin Herringe, who m. July 4, 1607 (he m. (2). Tomasin Bull, Apr. 27, 1617), son of Nicholas Holcombe, and br. of Christian Holcombe, who m. John Hawkes, May 9 1614.
1.1.1. Nicholas Hill, bapt. Feb. 2, 1626; d. Mar. 26, 1674, Virginia. He m. Sylvestra Bennett, da. of Edward Bennett, and was granted 670 ac. on Blackwater”, begining near Parsons bridge on the Beverdam branch at a pine in George More’s line.

1. …
1.1. Katherine Lucocke, m. John Hill, Nov. 9, 1567.
1.2. Joan Lucocke, m. John Hill, Nov. 4, 1578.
1.3. Alice Lucocke, m. Thomas Hill, Nov. 26. 1579.
1.3.1. George Hill, bapt. May 2, 1591, m. Elizabeth Harris, bapt. Oct. 25, 1590 (dau. of John); Jan. 27, 1619.

1. John Harris, m. Charity Lucocke, Nov. 13, 1587.
1.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. March 24, 1600; m. Alice West, Oct. 1635. She was probably bapt. Sept. 16, 1615, in nearby Bath, dau. of William West. (As given, some contend that he died in Virginia in 1672).
1.1.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. Aug. 14, 1636, in Nunney; again, a contention is that he died in Virginia in 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 adj. 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.
1.1.2. John Harris , bapt. in 1640. He m. Margaret Beard, in 1664; her familly intermarried with the Bennetts of Wiveliscombe and Virginia.
1.1.2.1. John Harris, bapt. June 24, 1667. (It can not be discounted that emigrated to Virginia).

1.2. Elizabeth Harris, bapt. Oct. 25, 1590, m. George Hill, son of George and Joane Biggs, who m. Sept. 1, 1588.
1.2.1. George Hill, bapt. Oct. 22, 1620. (This family is possibly related to Hugh Hill, who married Rebecca Biggs by 1610. She subsequently m. a Mr. Rose. On the 1625 Muster, the widow Rebecca Rose is recorded as aged 50, of West and Sherley Hundred, Charles City, having children, Jane (aged 14) and Marmaduke (aged 11). She apears to be the sister or sister-in-law of Richard Biggs of West and Sherley Hundred, Charles City. The 1625 Muster states him to be aged 41, and living with “cousin” Thomas Turner, aged 11. His Will, dated Sept. 10, 1625, names his son, Richard, and bequested land to “sister” Rebecca Rose, and tobacco to his “friend” Samuel Sharpe.

As an aside, the Rector of Mells was William Hill, Doctor in Divinity (PROB 11/135/286, March 10, 1620). He was a well-published author, of tracts such as ‘The First Principles of a Christian’, which ran to 14 editions. It primarily was aimed at his parishioners and children, and railed agaist “riotous swaggerers, horrible blasphemers, and filthy drunkards”; warning children that Satan would steal their soul if they secumbed to such behaviours. It was against this backcloth that the Somerset witchcraft trials should be set. Ministers would preach against witchcraft, then lead their congregations to attack Quaker meetings; hence the exodus of Somerset Quakers to Virginia, and, it may be presumed, of much harrassed “riotous swaggerers, horrible blasphemers, and filthy drunkards”; not of Harris stock, it may safely be presumed.

copyright m stanhope 2018