This is an account of Thomas Harris of Cheddar, who, I suggest, died in Virginia in 1688.
I have posted the suggestions of other ‘Harris Hunters’, who believe in a much closer relationship between various members of a Harris family of Somerset than may be the case.
The hardest thing in genealogical research is one of differentiating one line of a family from another, as the advantageous associations of one were shared by the other, and they often married into the same families; thus, distant consanguineous links were ‘refreshed’ by non-consanguineous marriages, producing a dense mesh of various cousinship relationships – the basis of the English kinship system that was continued in Virginia, as a matter of enhancement and survival.
Such it was with a family of Somerset Harris. One branch of it married into the family of Governor Bennett; that of Thomas Harris, d. 1672, and Edward Harris, d. 1677, and, thus, their cousins, of the family of Thomas Harris, d. 1688, shared many connections to the Bennetts and their associations. In the account that follows it would be easy enough to detail the shared links to such families as Barham, Bland, Branch, Brantley, Fulgham, Monger, Moore, and Thorpe (as previously given, perhaps ad nauseam); but this would miss the specific, enduring, and defining link between the families of Counsell and Harris.
As I have pointed out, the level of inbreeding between such families of this time was extraordinary by modern standards, which makes DNA ‘results’ very questionable as to the closeness of proposed relationships; people being denoted as a sibling or cousin, when, in fact, a relationship as a distant cousin may be more apt.
In what follows, it is assumed that Thomas Harris, father of Thomas Harris, baptised 1637, in Cheddar, married Joan Gardner, rather than Joan Kirton, as assumed in previous notes; an almost fact, pointed out to me by fellow ‘Harris Hunters’.
This line of Harris had very prestigious and powerful connections of the ‘old money’, making it an attractive proposition for such families of the ‘new money’ (as the Bennetts) to marry into their wider family.
THOMAS HARRIS – 1637-1688
1. Thomas Harris of Mells , carpenter, b. 1494; landowner as tenant of the Dyer family of Glastonbury Abbey; they interm. with the Paulets.
1.1. John Harris, noted in a deed concerning Mells, 1555.
1.1.1. John Harris, of Blackforde, in Wedmore, bur. Jan 27, 1597, “servant” (probably estate steward) of Robert Sherwell, who m. (Oct. 6, 1578), Maria Beard/Berd/Berde (see N.A. C 3/8/108), dau. of John Beard. The Will of Maria Sherwell, widow of ‘Robert Sherwell, of Blackford, Somerset, gent.’, was proved Nov. 26, 1627: She requests burial at Wedmore, and named ‘cousin Richard Counsell’,* ‘cousin Margery Hodges’,* and ‘Mr. George Hodges, of Wedmore’ (son of Thomas Hodges, son of George Hodges Sr.).
The Hole family intermarried with the Fulghams were probably they of Wedmore (and adjacent Cheddar and Meare). Conveyance from Robert Hole, Wedmore, yeoman, son and heir of Marie Hole, sister and co-heir of Robert Sherwell, and Temperance his wife to Richard Counsell, Heathhouse, Wedmore, yeoman: ¼ part of free chapel. Reciting letters patent April 14, 1603, granting the free chapel to Michael Cole and John Rowdon who sold it to Robert Sherwell. April 15, 1625. (Bristol Arch. HA/D/357). Edwards v Hole. Plaintiffs: John Edwards and Katherine Edwards his wife. Defendants: Robert Hole, Temperance Hole his wife and Thomas Southworth. Subject: messuages and lands in Wedmore, Somerset, late of Thomas Eaton. 1603-1625. (N.A. C 2/JasI/E6/66).
At this generation, Richard Harris (of Glastonbury) established himself at Wiveliscombe (25 miles ‘as the crow flies’ from Wedmore/Cheddar/Meare), his family intermarying with the Bennets of Wiveliscombe and Virginia.
1.1.1.1. 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. John Counsell, m. (1) Margaret Browning, April 28, 1567, in Wedmore. (2). Joan Thurston, afors.
1.1. *Richard Counsell, bapt. Apr. 4, 1568. PROB 11/104/18, May 4, 1604. Held one third of the manor of Mudgley.
1.1.1. *Margery Counsell, m. John Hodges, 1610. (‘1590 Margeria f. Richardi Cownsell jun. de Muddeslei’, i.e. Mudgley, where his family held a third of that manor.
1.2. John Counsell, bapt. Dec. 25, 1569, seen here: Francis & Blanche James to John Counsell, lease. (Som. Arch., DD\GB/83/1, 1613).
1.2.1. John Counsell, bapt Nov. 28, 1601, in Wedmore, ‘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; daus. of John Coomer, and sisters of John Coomer, father of Mary Coomer, who m. John Gardner, on Oct. 24, 1664, in Cheddar (son of John Gardner, d. 1677). John Gardner was the br. of Joel Gardner, father of (1) Jane Gardner, who m. James Counsell, June 12, 1682, in Cheddar. (2) Elizabeth Gardner, who m. George Tibbits, May 1678, in Cheddar, sister of Hester Tibbits, who m. Thomas Harris (as second wife), Apr. 24, 1679, in Cheddar; Hester Harris d. 1680, probably in childbed. Thomas Harris, d. 1688 in Virginia, is not recorded there before 1681.
(John Gardner, dying intestate admin. requested by relict, Mary. Security Thomas Joyner, James Gardner, 1684, p. 56. ‘Thomas Taberer assigned a bill to John Gardner against Rebecca Izard’ (Mr. Boddie, p. 562); step-mother of Ann Izard, who m. (2) Michael Fulgham; their issue: Sara Fulgham, who m. William Raiford (a kinsman); Michael Fulgham, who m. Mary Pitt (of the Bristol Pitts); Anthony Fulgham, who m. Sara Raiford (likewise kin); Susannah Fulgham, who m. Hardy Counsell (son of Hodges Counsell Jr.); Ann Fulgham. who m. (Mr. Boddie conjectured), Robert Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688. Thomas Joyner (father of Bridgeman Joyner, as follows) was connected to the Bennett family, in ways I have previously given, thus connected to the general family of Harris. Like the Hardy and Pitt families, he was of Dorset, where many Bristol seafarers and merchants (as Mr. Seward) plied their trade).
1.2.1.1. John Counsell, m. Alice, the relict of Richard Jeffries. Richard Jeffries, dying intestate, administration requested by John Counsell, who married the relict of the said Jeffries, Aug. 9, 1666. Security, Mr. (Francis) England, and his son-in-law, George Branch (B. 2, p. 13). Deborah Joyner, wife of Bridgeman Joyner (guardian of William Harris, orphan of Thomas Harris, d. 1688), gave ‘cozin’ (cousin of sister’s husband), John Counsell, a young heifer.
(Francis England’s grandson, Francis Branch, m. Elizabeth Norwood, niece of Henry Norwood, son of Henry Norwood and Elizabeth Rodney, of Cheddar, kin of the Hodges family of adjacent Wedmore. Francis Branch was the br. of Ann Branch, who. m. Robert Hodges Jr. (undoubtedly of the Wedmore Hodges). The W&M Quarterly, p. 741, 1982, makes George Branch the brother of a Thomas Branch, who may have been he who witnessed the Will of John Bly in Virginia (proved May 16, 1664), with John Gardner, John Bly bequesting a hogshead of tobacco to Christopher Branch Sr. (‘for writing my Will’), probable father of George and Thomas. (See Lothrop Withington, Virginia Gleanings in England, p. 112, 1980). The connections are the tobacco trade. (Some connection to Thomas Bridgeman, merchant, of Bristol, is highly likely).
(1. John Rodney, m. Ann, dau. of Sir James Croft.
1.1. Maurice Rodney, of Stoke Rodney, Sheriff of Somerset, d. 1588, m. Joane Dyer, dau. of Sir Thomas Dyer, of Somerforth, landlord of the aforesaid Thomas Harris of Mells, carpenter, b. 1494.
1.1.1. Dorothy Rodney, m. Rees Davis – hence connections to Davis in Virginia; and to Bartholomew Owen.
1.2. George Rodney, m. Elizabeth, dau. of ‘Kirton, of Cheddar’.
1.2.1. Agnes Rodney, m. Captain Thomas Hodges, son of this Thomas Hodges: Oct. 1, 1576. ‘Licence for Thomas Gresham, knight, and Anne his wife to alienate lands in Wedmore, Marcke, Wookey, Meare, Stoke Gyfford, Chelton, Panboroughe, Blackeford, Allerton and Sonde and common of pasture in moors (named) there, co. Somerset, to Thomas Hodgys. For 13s. 4d. paid to the Queen’s farmer’.
1.2.2. John Rodney, m. Jane, dau. of Sir Henry Seymour (brother to Edward, Duke of Somerset, Lord Protector in the reign of King Edward VI.) and to Jane, wife to King Henry VIII. ‘He bought the farm at Cheddar, and made many other purchases, notwithstanding which, the said ancient inheritance in his time became considerably diminished by law-suits and portions settled on his daughters. He had by his said wife seventeen children, seven only of whom survived him; viz. three daughters’ (Mr. Collins), inc. Elizabeth Rodney, wife of Henry Norwood.
These were connections of great political and social weight).
1.2.2. Hodges Counsell Sr.
1.2.2.1. Hodges Counsell Jr. Daniel Boucher (of Bristol), Will rec. May 1, 1668. Leg. to my kinsman Robert Boucher; dau. Elizabeth; to Hodges Counsell the younger, … to Elizabeth Monger the dau. of John Monger. Friends John Hardy and Thomas Taberer overseers. Witnesses: Hodges Counsell, and William Bacon. John Hardy was the likely father of (1) Debora Hardy, wife of Bridgeman Joyner; (2) Lucy Hardy, wife of Hodges Counsell, Jr.
1.2.2.1.1. Hardy Counsell, d. 1750, m. Susannah Fulgham.
1.2.2.1.1.1. Mary Counsell, m. (1) Henry Applewhite, (2) Phillip Brantley.
1.2.2.1.1.1.1. Thomas Applewhite, m. Elizabeth Fulgham, dau. of Nicholas Fulgham and Martha Pitt, son of Nicholas Fulgham and Sara Davis, son of Anthony Fulgham. Anthony Fulgham’s son, Michael Fulgham, m. Anne Izzard.
1.2.2.1.1.1.1.1. Henry Applewhite, d. 1739, m. Mary Counsell, da. of Hardy Counsell and Susannah Fulgham.
1.2.2.1.2. John Counsell sold to James Counsell (witnessed by Nathan Counsell), on May 2, 1756, 174 ac. on the south side of the Blackwater Swamp adj. William Harris, (Southampton Co., B. 2, p. 97). William Harris sold to Nathan Counsell of IOW Co. (on Apr. 8, 1756), 100 ac. adj. Bridgman Joyner Jr. Wit. Jesse Jones, Sarah King, and James Kitchen. (ibid. pp. 97-98).
1.2.2.1.2.1. James Counsell.
1.2.2.1.2.1. Nathan Counsell).
1.1.1.1.1. Thomas Harris, (br. of said John Harris, husband of Agnes Comer), m. Joan Gardner, bapt Apr. 6, 1617, in Cheddar, sister of John Gardner bapt. there on Nov. 1, 1621, son of John Gardner, d. 1677, as given. Boultinge v Harris. Plaintiffs: John Boultinge. Defendants: Joan Harris, Thomas Harris and Thomas Hill. Subject: property in Blackford, Somerset. 1658. (C 10/48/20. PROB 11/372/389). Will of John Boulting, Yeoman of Wedmore, March 24, 1683. John Boulting had m. Hannah Counsell dau. of William Counsell, relict of Thomas Hardwitch, of Cheddar, d. 1646; he was the son of John Boultinge and Ann Hix, m. Jan. 27, 1619.
1.1.1.1.1.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. Dec. 31, 1637 (d. 1688, in Virginia), m. (1) unknown, (2) Hester Tibbits (1679-1680). A John Harris m. Susan Hole. in 1640, in Meare.
The following assumptions of birth dates are based on 21 being the age of majority.
1.1.1.1.1.1.1. George Harris, b. 1671 (to live with John Turner 4 years).
1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1. William Harris, d. 1765, with wife Charity, of Halifax Co., NC., to John Counsell, Oct. 11, 1764, 100 ac. on the north side of Black Creek (patent to Barnaby McInnie, who sold it to George Harris, who gave it to his son William). Sig. William Harris and Charity Harris. W. Henry Pope, Simon Harris (William’s son), and William Kitchen.
1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1.1. Simon Harris.
1.1.1.1.1.1.2. Martin Harris, b. 1672 (to live with brother Edward 5 years). Will proved, Apr. 14, 1750, bequests to ‘my cousin James Harris son of Robert Harris the plantation whereon I now live … James Harris son of Edward Harris … Mathew Harris son of Robert Harris … James Harris son of James Harris … and I do appoint John Dunkley, Joseph and William Jones Executors of this my last Will and Testament … In the Presence of us Catherine Dunkley, Joseph Monger … Memorandum It is my Desire that James Harris on my Giving him my Land to make over to his brother Mathew Harris his part of the land given him by his father Robert Harris’. (Southampton Co., W.B. 1, pp. 10-11).
1.1.1.1.1.1.3. Edward Harris, m. Mary Turner.
1.1.1.1.1.1.3.1. Edward Harris, m. Mary Thorpe, sister of Timothy Thorpe, whose dau. Mary Thorpe m. James Barham, son of Charles Barham, son of Robert Barham and Elizabeth, dau. of John Clarke and Mary Flake, probable dau. of Robert Flake and Katherine Moore (their dau., Joyce, m. Francis England), aunt of Ann Moore, who m. Thomas White; their dau., Avis, m. John Harris, son of Robert Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.
1.1.1.1.1.1.3.1.1. James Harris.
1.1.1.1.1.1.3.1.2. Henry Harris.
1.1.1.1.1.1.3.1.2.1. Elizabeth Harris, m. Henry Monger.
1.1.1.1.1.1.3.2. James Harris, d. 1749, m. Cheary (sister of Mathew Joyner, son of Thomas Joyner, Will dated April 13, 1740; the son of Thomas Joyner (br. of Bridgeman Joyner, the guardian of an orphan of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.
1.1.1.1.1.1.3.2.1. James Harris, m. Elizabeth Norfleet, dau. of Marmaduke Norfleet, son of Thomas Norfleet, who bought adjoining land from Robert Counsell (NC. Edg. Co. D.B. 1., p. 204), and was mentioned as a neighbour of Robert Counsell and Thomas Turner (J. Bryan Grimes, Abstracts of North Carolina Wills, p. 17).
(1. John Turner, m. Antonia Boulting (May 6, 1574) in Wedmore.
1.1. William Turner, bapt. March 11, 1579 in Wedmore, m. (May 28, 1612), Jane Rodney.
1.1.1. John Turner, bapt. May 14, 1618 in Wedmore, was a headright of Richard Tye (in 1650), whose relict (Joyce Bland – the Bennett/Harris connection), m. John Cogan. Thomas Harris, d. 1688, placed his son George with John Turner and his wife, a dau. of Mathew Tomlin. John Cogan witnessed the Will of the said Thomas Harris.
1.1.1.1. Mary Turner, m. Edward Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.
1.1.1.2. Joseph Turner.
1.1.1.2.1. Mary Turner, m. West Harris.
1.1.1.3. Thomas Turner, d. bef. September 5, 1751, m. Martha Joyner. dau. of Thomas Joyner (br. of Bridgman Joyner, guardian of an orphan of Thomas Harris, d. 1688).
(1. John Monger, his headright in Virginia in 1650 was William Hadway/Hardaway, of Bristol (a Bland connection). John Monger, 800 acs. on N. side of Rappa. Riv. in Corotoman Riv. … Due sd. Monger for trans. of 16 pers., inc. Charles Barcroft the 4th tyme, George Moore, and William Hadway, etc. George Moore was the father of Ann Moore, who m. Thomas White. They had issue: Avis White, who m. John Harris, son of Robert Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688.
1.1. Robert Monger Sr.
1.1.1. Robert Monger Jr. The progenitor of the Pittmans, Thomas Pittman, was born in Wedmore (as per deposition date). His descendant, Thomas Pittman, appointed Robert Lancaster, John Dunkley, and Robert Monger Jr., trustees to his son, Thomas PItman, 1728.
(Thomas Pittman, bapt. Dec. 24, 1613, in Wedmore, deposed to be 63 Years of age on March 5, 1677, in Surry Co.; deposed to be “about 70” on Nov. 4, 1684. He m. Lydia (“Lidie”) Gray; a da. of Thomas Gray Sr., the relict of Samuel Judkins, father of Charles Judkins. Thomas Pittman had first m. the relict of Thomas Atkinson, the father of John Atkinson, who m. Ann Holliman. Their da. Hanna Atkinson m. Reuben Cooke, who d. bef. August 1, 1751 in IOW Co., grandson of William Cooke, born March 27, 1613, in Bristol, d. bef. Nov. 10, 1679 in Surry Co. Lydia (“Lidie”) Gray was Thomas Pittman’s third wife’ he m. (1) Frances; (2) Martha Gwaltney, a widow, of Bristol. (Gwathney).
1.1.1.1. Joseph Monger.
1.1.1.1.1. Henry Monger, m. Elizabeth Harris, dau. of Henry Harris, Jan. 8, 1767, in Southampton Co.; son of Edward Harris, d. 1739 (and Mary Thorpe), son of Edward Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1688).
1.1.1.1.1.1.3.1. West Harris, m. Mary Turner.
1.1.1.1.1.1.3.1.1. Turner Harris.
1.1.1.1.1.1.3.1.1.1. Nathan Harris.
1.1.1.1.1.1.4. Robert Harris.
1.1.1.1.1.1.4.1. John Harris, m. Avis White.
1.1.1.1.1.1.4.2. Mathew Harris.
1.1.1.1.1.1.4.3. James Harris.
1.1.1.1.1.1.5. James Harris.
1.1.1.1.1.1.6. John Harris, b. 1670 (to live with John Fulgham 3 years).
1.1.1.1.1.1.7. Thomas Harris.
1.1.1.1.1.1.8. Ann Harris (to live with Ann Thorpe 7 years), probable aunt of Mary Thorpe, aforesaid, dau. of Joseph Thorpe, Sr. and Dorothy Fenn, dau. of Timothy Fenn and Elizabeth Kae, dau. of Robert Kae, of Bristol (atty. of Theoderic Bland, the kinsman of the Harris through the Bennetts).
1.1.1.1.1.1.9. William Harris, b. 1674 (to live with Bridgeman Joyner 7 years).
This was a specific strand of the Harris family, I suggest.
copyright m stanhope 2019
Walter FitzGilbert de Hamilton 