My view of the ancestry of Thomas Harris, d. 1688, is partly concerned with his likely knowing Hodges Counsell, of Wedmore, the guardian of his son, and the likely connection of his family to that of Branch, and, thus, Francis England, as given previously. However, as also previously given, some researchers point to the shared associations of Thomas Harris, d. 1672, and Thomas Harris, d. 1688, to suggest a father and son relationship. Whatever the case, they were closely associated with a number of Bristol merchants, whose families were often closely intermarried, or of peripheral kinship. Two such being those of White and Moore, and it is not fanciful to suggest that their descendants settled in Virginia.

White v White. Plaintiffs: Elizabeth White widow (of George White, Will probated October 23, 1634; Treasurer of the Merchant Venturers, 1610, and who bequested the founding of his charity – M.S). Defendants: George White (son – M.S) and others. Subject: property in St Thomas and St Mary le Port, Bristol, Gloucestershire. 1641.
George White of Bristol, merchant. Lease of a tenement in Redcliffe street, to Thomas Cecell,* of Bristol. 1628. (Bristol Archives, 9835/2/e). George White jr. was a probable br. of John White (merchant), given here: White v White. Plaintiffs: John White. Defendants: George White. Subject: property in Bristol, Gloucestershire. 1660. (N.A, C 6/162/173).

John White was the father of “John White, haberdasher”,* who was admitted to the “Liberties of this Cittie” (Bristol) on March 31, 1665. (Patrick McGrath, ed.. Merchants and Merchandise in Seventeenth-century Bristol, vol. 19, p. 34, 1955).
George White’s apprentice, freed of him in 1610, was Humphrey Browne, of St Walburge, Bristol; his Will dated Jan. 27 1630. He m. Elizabeth White, his Master’s daughter; his br. and heir being Francis Browne, aged 50. The family were armigerous, and owned property throughout Gloucestershire, and the manors of Greucastle and Laugaine, in Carmarthenshire.

George White Sr. was a merchant adventurer, and owned ships with Humphrey Hooke, whose dau. m. Apr. 30, 1635, Mr. Giles Elbridge, of Bristol, merchant.
In 1630, John Winthrop founded a settlement at Charlestown, and about the same time Robert Aldworth and Giles Elbridge, two Bristol merchants, founded a colony further north in Maine. “The other to the merchants of Bristol, Exeter, and Plymouth for the colonization of that part of Virginia lying between 380 and 450 N. The chief organizers … among other men whose names figure on the list of pioneer colonists in Virginia are those of Robert Aldworth and Giles Elbridge”. (R. Hargreaves-Mawdsley, A Record of the First Settlers in the Colonies of North America, 1654-1685).
George White (Sr. and Jr.) were probably related to William White: Feoffment and co-part. 1. *Thomas Cicell, late sheriff, William White, sen. tanner, and George Davis, feltmaker, surviving feoffees. 2. Hierom Ham, gent. and Henry Pirry, yeo. Church lands (not specified). 1620. (Bristol Archive, P/St.MR/D/1/4/a-b).

(The Queen and William Tegoe v. John Tristam, John Otlyman, John Whitson, Thomas James and George West; the queen and John Hill v. John Aldworth, John Fones, George Lane and George White v. Philip Cowper, Richard Barker and Christopher Whitson. Customs due on merchandise imported by the defendants. Bristol. 40 Eliz. Trin. to 41 Eliz. Easter E 133/9/1413).

“Giles Elbridge, son of William Elbridge, apothecary, of the City of Gloucester, was bound apprentice to Robert Aldworth and Martha his wife, of Bristol, 13 June, i6o8, and was admitted a Burgess i Oct., i6i5, in virtue of this service, Robert Aldworth being then an Alderman of the City, and whose partner he subsequently became. His first wife was Elizabeth Aldworth, daughter of John Aidworth, the brother of his former master, to whom he was married before 1624. He married, secondly, at St. Stephen’s, Bristol, 30 April, 1635, Mrs. Mary Hooke, daughter of Humphrey Hooke, merchant and Alderman of Bristol. She was buried 30 Nov., 1637, in the Aldworth Family vault in the Church of St. Peters, Bristol. Giles Elbridge died in 1643 and was buried, 25 Feb., of that year, in the same vault with his wife. His will was probated in the Prerogative Court at London, 19 March, 1643-4”. Clues from English Archives Contributory to American Genealogy, The New York genealogical and biographical record, vol. 91).

The will of Aldworth Elbridge (b. circa 1580), “of the city of Bristol, merchant”, Sept. 1, 1653: “Imprimis, to my cousin Thomas Moore (his executor), twenty punds of lawful English money”; meaning his br.-in-law, wife of his sister, Elizabeth, as specified in the Will. He identifies himself as son of “Giles Elbridge merchant deceased”. Thomas Moore (the executor) died in the lifetime of the testator. His son, Thomas, b. circa 1605, who “died in parts beyond the seas”, took over admin. of this estate in 1680.

Thomas Moore Sr. and Aldworth Elbridge borrowed £50 from the bequest of John Whitson to Bristol Corporation in 1632 to loan to younger merchants (B.R.O, “Loan Money, 1648). Thomas Moore Jr. was possibly the father of:
(1) George Moore (stated to be “age 78 years” when he made his will in 1710 (Chapman, IOW Wills, p. 54), and who m. Jane Barcroft, dau. of Charles Barcroft, whose family held land in Chard, Somerset. Administration on Charles Barcroft’s estate granted to his son-in-law George Moore. (Anthony Fulgham, of Pitminster, Somerset, transported Charles Barcroft, Isle of Wight, 1650).

He was also the br. of Katherine Moore, who m. (2) Robert Flake, a tobacco factor for Bristol merchants. By her first husband, she had issue: Joyce, who m. (1) Francis England, (2) George Cripps. Francis England, George Cripps. William Jennings of Bristol, surgeon, appts. Thomas Moore of Pagan Creek his atty. to collect from Arthur Skynner, Gyles Dryver (headright of Thomas Harris, d. 1672), and Joseph Whitson, and by virtue of a letter of atty. from John Hardiman of Bristol, taylor, to collect from William Hudson in Nansemond. June 29, 1667.
George Moore had issue:
(1) Eleanor Moore, who m. Richard Piland, the son of James Piland, bapt. on 30 August 1604, in St Mary’s Le Porte, Bristol, headright of Francis England, in 1642.
(2) Ann Moore, who m. Thomas White, possibly the son of *John White, haberdasher, above given.

They had issue Thomas and John White, possibly the same who died in IOW, c. 1754, and whose estate was appraised by John Barlow, Jr*. (p. 177). George Barlow. Leg.-son *John; dau. Elizabeth; son George; dau. Sarah; dau. Mary; son Thomas. Wife Extx. with the assistance of John Brantley (who appraised the will of John George, almost certainly of the family of Nicholas George, father-in-law of Thomas Harris, d. 1672); son of Edward Brantley, brother of Edward Brantley Jr. (half), Phillip Brantley Sr., and James Brantley.

Brantley, Edward Sr. – will recorded Jan. 9, 1688. Legatee son Edward and his son James, 165 ac.; son Phillip and his son Edward; son John and his son John; dau. Mary exc.; to my sons oldest sons. Witness John Whetstone (Whitson), Anne (Moore) White and Will Evans. (B.2, p. 289). Brantley, John – will recorded Mar. 22, 1730. Legatees: grandsons John and Thomas Brantley, sons of my son Clay Brantley; friend Thomas Walton. Exc son Clay Brantley; witness Thomas Walton and Elizabeth Walton. (B. 3, p. 248).

The estates of Ann Moore and her husband were appraised between betw. 1741 and 1742 by Thomas Day, John Goodrich, and Edward Brantley. (ibid., p. 142).
Edward Brantley Sr. was security for the estate of Thomas Harris, d. 1672.

April 18, 1679: Joyce Cripps: Leg. Husband George Cripps the lands and tenements given me by my former husband, Francis England, to the son of Francis England’s brother*, if he comes to Virginia and makes claim to the said land within seven years; names “my mother Flake”. My husband Extr. R. June 9, 1679. Wit: John Goodricke, Rebecca Davis, William Evans. (B. 2, p. 202). *John England, of Bristol, merchant.

May 13, 1677: Francis England of Blackwater in IOW: Leg. da. Ann Branch, wife of George Branch and her sons, George, Francis and John Branch. Wife Joyce, Extrx. Overseers, John Gutridge and John Pearson. R. June 9, 1677. Wit: Nicholas Davis, George Cripps, Richard Bennett. (p. 144). Richard Bennett being the cousin of Thomas Harris, d. 1672. The land settled by Thomas Harris, d. 1688, was adj. that of Francis England.

August 20, 1695: John Goodrich Sr. of Upper Parish. Legatees: son Charles, wife Rebecca, John Goodrich the son of my wife Rebecca, reversion to my grandson John Goodrich, the son of Captain John Goodrich. Wife Extx. R. June 9, 1698. Wit. Robert Kae. (ibid., p. 389).

Edward Bechinoe’s Will was rec. June 9, 1679, naming wife, Mary, son George.
George Bechinoe’s Will, rec. 1688, was witnessed by Robert Kae (of Bristol), his son-in-law, and mentions Edward Bechinoe, his son.

Edward Harris: Appraisers: Edward Bechinoe, Richard Corsey. The Bechinoe family held property in Bristol, see previous notes.
The Will of Richard Corsey, rec. May I, 1679, witnessed by Thomas Moore.
The Will of Francis Corsey, rec. May I, 1679, witnessed by George Moore.
John Goodricke, appraised the Will of the said Richard Corsey.
(2) Thomas Moore, an overseer of the Will of John Jennings, dated Oct. 19, 1678 (witness of the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1672), who named son-in-law William Seward, grandson of John Seward, the Bristol sea captain and merchant, on adjacent land to whom settled Thomas Harris, d. 1688.

In any normal interpretation of the workings of English kinship systems, there are very obvious interpretations, but ones that introduce a maelstrom into the becalmed waters of the Harris albatross.

copyright m stanhope 2018