Mr. Greer’s compilation of emigrants appears as an unintelligible collection of unrelated acquaintances; yet it is far from that. It is a priceless record of the working of the English kinship system, wherein kin helped kin, naturally (at least in those days). I have documented my thoughts on the connections between various members of a family of Somerset Harris on many occasions (and have included interpretations of my notes of ‘Harris Hunters’ of old), and hereinafter will not repeat the relationships between these Harris and the all-powerful Bennett family; the heart of their kinship centrifuge, to which all circling families were drawn (by way of political security and financial furtherance); they, in turn, attracting other families, the moreso the nearer to the centre they became. By such method early Virginia was colonised; Mr. Greer’s notes being a testimony to this.

Harris John 1636 Randall Holt James City.
William Harris: his Will was probated 19 April 1721. To wife Margaret. To grandson Harris Taylor. To granddau. Mary, wife of Thomas Taylor. To grandson Harris Taylor, land purchased of Robert Girly. To granddau. Mary, land at her death to her husband Thomas Taylor. At their deaths, to their son Thomas Taylor. Friends Capt. Thomas Holt and William Gray to divide property and overseers of the will. Executor, Thomas Taylor. (W.B 7, p. 325). Thomas Holt was the son of Randall Holt and Elizabeth Hansford, da. of of Colonel John Hansford. Thomas Holt’s first wife was Frances Mason, da. of Francis Mason , whose Will names Thomas Holt, “Son-in-law” (B. 2., p. 116). Elizabeth Mason, wife to Francis, and mother to Thos. Holt was the widow of Thomas Binns, Sr. As Mrs. Elizabeth Binns she patented 777 ac. on 18 Oct. 1669. (B. 6, p. 281) On May 6, 1701., as Elizabeth Mason, she deeded 388 ½ acres to grandson, Francis Holt, and 388 ½ acres to grandson, Francis Mason – “if he dies, to Grandson, Charles Binns.” (Surry W&D B. 2., p. 225) Thus, Frances Mason Holt, first wife of Thomas Holt, was ½ sister to Thomas Binns (Jr). Robert Barham lived successively with Thomas Binns, Robert Hart, and Thomas Holt. Robert Barham, son of Charles, associated with Thomas Harris, d. 1672, as previous notes.

Gillett John 1637 Nathaniel Floyd Isle of Wight.
Tomlin Mathew 1637 Nathaniel Floyd Isle of Wight. Mathew Tomlin, neighbour of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.
Alice Bechinoe, dau. of Edward, m. Robert Kae, of Bristol. She m. 2. John Goodrich. Robert Kae’s sister, Elizabeth Kae, m. Timothy Fenn; their dau. Kae Fenn, m. John Fiveash, 1709. (B. 2., p. 509), br. of Thomas Fiveash (James Pyland witnesses his Will, dated Jan. 4, 1725); uncle of Thomas Fiveash, who m. (1712), Alice Harris, da. of John Harris.* (B. 7, p. 288), son of Thomas Harris, d. 1672. “Francis Hobbs’ now wife Mary was former wife of Nathaniel Floyd deceased”. Francis Hobbs’ da. was the wife of *John Harris. Francis Hobbs Jr. left a legacy to “cousin John Davis”, and “brother John Harris”; his Will being recorded on June 9, 1688. Edward Harris, d. 1677, was in debt to John Davis. James Pyland was the son of Richard Pyland and Elinor Moore.
Floyd Arthur 1647 Elizabeth Barcroft Isle of Wight.
Floyd Nicholas 1654 Abraham Moone.

Hamlin Margaret 1653 John Gillett Lancaster.
Harris Thomas 1650 Stephen Hamlin Charles City.
Harris William 1637 John Moone Isle of Wight. The Moones were kin of the Fulghams. The only recorded Harris connection is to a granddau. of Thomas Harris, d. 1672, marrying a Fulgham.
White Peter 1635 Richard Bennett.
White Peter 1653 Nich. Meriwether Northumberland. A Bartholomew Owen connection.
White Peter 1637 George White New Norfolk.
Moone William 1637 George White New Norfolk.
George White was a merchant adventurer, and owned ships with Humphrey Hooke, whose dau. m. Apr. 30, 1635, Mr. Giles Elbridge, of Bristol, merchant. 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). John Fones was a merchant-partner of the following: 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. 41 Eliz. (Bristol Arch, E 133/9/1413). A *John Whitstone withessed the Will of Edward Brantley. The will of Aldworth Elbridge, “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 1610, who “died in parts beyond the seas”, took over admin. of this estate in 1680. Thomas Moore Jr. was possibly the father of Thomas Moore and: (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). (2) Katherine Moore, who m. (2) Robert Flake, a tobacco factor for Bristol merchants. George Moore had issue: Ann Moore, who m. Thomas White (almost certainly of the family of George White, if normal standards of kinship association are adhered to). They had issue Thomas and John White, brothers of Avis White, who m. John Harris, son of Robert Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688. George Moore’s brother, Thomas, was an overseer of the Will of John Jennings, dated Oct. 19, 1678 (witness of the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1672, as kin), who witnessed the Will of George Hardy, proved April 14, 1655, who came to Virginia before 1636, when he is called “Shipright”. In 1644, he patented 300 ac. situated upon Lawne’s Creek and bordering upon Alice Bennett’s land, and bequested “To my kinsman George Hardy 3000 lbs. of tobacco to buy two servants”; he, aged 37 in 1670, appraised the estate of Edward Harris, d. 1677, with Edward Bechinoe (of Bristol), Richard Corsey, John Williams, and Richard Hansford. The Will of Francis Corsey, rec. May I, 1679, was witnessed by George Moore.

Bennett Sarah 1642 Stephen Hamlin York.
Harris Ann 1653 Robert Tomlin.
Harris Anne 1653 John Gillett Lancaster.
Harris Elin 1656 Thomas Harris Lancaster. There is no proof of her being Elinor George.
Thomas Harris, 650 acs. on th N. side of the head of Puscaticon Cr Lancaster Co., 23 Aug. 1656, p. 392 Adj. land of Oliver Seger, & opposit an Indian feild. Trans. of 13 pers, inc. Giles Driver, p. 319. A headright of Thomas Harris, d. 1672, was Giles Driver, witnessed here: Bridgman Joyner (guardian of an orphan of Thomas Harris, d. 1688): Appraised by Thomas Mandew, Giles Driver, Andrew Griffin. Ordered in October Last past. R. Dec. 4, 1719. Signed Ann Joyner. (G.B. 23).

Harris Thomas 1643 Peter Knight Isle of Wight. (Father of Thomas, who d. 1672).
Knight Robert 1638 John Watkins James City.
Knight Robert 1648 Thomas Hart James City. The Nusome connection.
Hart Thomas 1654 Nich. Merywether Westmoreland. A Bartholomew Owen connection.
Hart James 1653 Abraham Moone Northumberland.
Bennett Chris. 1653 Peter Knight.
Bennett Robert 1653 Peter Knight Northumberland.
On Oct. 9, 1619, in Wiveliscombe (from whence the intermarried Bennetts and Harris), Elizabeth Knight m. William Owen. He may have been the nephew of Robert Owen of Bristol (who held land in Portbury), kin of the Pitt family, and the father of Bartholomew Owen. It is highly probable that Elizabeth Knight was related to Sarah Knight of Wiveliscombe, who m. Nicholas Harwood, on May 2, 1614. Nicholas Harwood may have been he of that name who was security for Thomas Joyner in a suit against William Stone in James City in 1637, p. 122; probable grandfather of Bridgman Joyner, guardian of an orphan of Thomas Harris, d. 1688. Elizabeth Knight’s family (of Wiveliscombe) were cousins of the Bennetts of that place.
Harris William 1648 John Seward Isle of Wight. John Seward’s family were kin of the Bennetts through the Jennings.
Harris William 1643 Phillipp Bennett Upper Norfolk .

Moone Thomas 1652 Littleton Scarburg.
Tomlin Henry 1638 Edmund Scarburgh Accomack.
Tomlin William 1653 Charles Scarburg Northampton.
Holt Edward 1653 Charles Scarburg Northampton.
Knight Francis 1653 Charles Scarburg Northampton.
Knight Francis 1652 Littleton Scarburg.
Knight Robert 1638 John Watkins James City.
1. Governor Richard Bennett, bapt. Aug. 6, 1609, 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 dau., Ruth, m. John Numan, perhaps br-in-law of Thomas Harris, d. 1672. 1.1. Ann Bennett, who m. (2) Theoderick Bland: (1) the second-cousin of Frances Bland, wife of John Cogan (very likely to have been of Chard, Somerset, from whence Charles Barcroft, whose headright was claimed by Anthony Fulgham, IOW, 1650; likely to have been the parents of “John Coggins”, of Bristol, who witnessed the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1688. 1.2. Elizabeth Bennett, m. Charles Scarburgh, son of Edmund, and br. of Littleton Scarburgh (whose headright was the Bristol merchant, John Watson), in 1652. (2) Brother of John Bland, associate of Thomas Harris, d. 1677, as previous notes.

No escaping Thomas Harris, d. 1672, as if he had the measles.

Thomas Harris, d. 1688, can not have been the patriarch of the entire tribe of Harris.

There are lost ancestors, hidden in a dark forest, awaiting rescue; and the more they are looked for, the more they may be found. That will not be achieved by clinging to familiar pathways.

copyright m stanhope 2018