
1. Richard Harris, m. Eleanor Bennett, Oct. 8, 1594, in Wiveliscombe; the sister of Edward Bennett, business partner of Edward Robins (whose attorney was Thomas Joyner, whose son was the guardian of an orphan of Thomas Harris, d. 1688), and father of Silvestra Bennett, who m. Nicholas Hill, who (with Edward Brantley) witnessed the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1672. Christopher Reynolds Sr. emigrated to Virginia as an indentured servant of ‘Mr. Edward Bennett’. B. 1, pp. 46-8, “Imprimis: I give and bequeath unto my son Christopher Reynolds Jr. all my land on the southerly side of the Freshest swamp that Richard Jordan (his son-in-law who m. da. Elizabeth Reynolds) now liveth upon”. Appraisal of estate of Giles Driver (headright of Thomas Harris, d. 1672) by Robert Coleman, Thomas Green, Richard Jordan Sr., Thomas Giles, Daniel Long. Richard Jordan’s Will was witnessed by Joshua Proctor (son-in-law of Bartholomew Owen), who, with William Rose, returned the inventory. The probable father of Bartholomew Owen, William Owen (nephew of Robert Owen, merchant of Bristol), m. Elizabeth Knight, on Nov. 19, 1619, in Wiveliscombe, granddau. of Alice Bearde, sister of John Bearde, great-grandfather of Agnes Bearde, who m. a nephew of Eleanor Bennett, Thomas Bennett (on July 17, 1623, in Wiveliscombe), headright of his br., Richard (in 1636), Governor of Virginia, whose dau., Ann Bennett, m. Theoderick Bland, br. of John Bland, trading partner (in tobacco) of Thomas Harris, d. 1677, in Virginia, father of Giles Bland, d. 1677, whose attorney was Robert Kae, of Bristol, son-in-law of George Bechinoe, whose father, Edward, appraised the estate of Edward Harris, d. 1677. Theoderick Bland was also the second-cousin of Frances Bland, wife of John Cogan, who proved the Will of Thomas Harris in court, Oct. 9. 1688. John Cogan, probably of Chard, Somerset, was an in-law of the Burridge family, important ship owners engaged in the tobacco trade. At an earlier date, John Cogan was associated with John Corker, father of William Corker, who m. Lucy White; their dau., Elizabeth, m. Robert Spencer, “friend” of Thomas Harris, d. 1672. In 1659, John Corker, paid 2,000 lbs. of tobacco and a “caske to contain it” to Bartholomew Owen, to “make good the debt and damages”.
The said Elizabeth Knight was the sister of Sarah Knight, who m. Nicholas Harwood, May 2, 1614, in Wiveliscombe. Will of Nicholas Harwood (tobacco planter), dated April 1, 1639, mentiomd debt to John Stringer (“for my phisicke”), who witnessed his Will. Deposition of John Stringer (p. 183) states that he was at Mr. Burdett’s house, where he witnessed Thomas Joyner (as given heretofore, attorney of Edward Robins) calling Mrs. Robins (wife of Obedience Robins, br. of the said Edward Robins) “dishonest”, she calling him a “knave”. Thomas Joyner was ordered to ask forgiveness by the court. (Beverley Fleet, Virginia Colonial Abstracts, vol. 2, p. 85, 1988).
2. Thomas Harris, m. Judith Blake, Nov. 20, 1623, in Wivelscombe, of the family of Arthur Blake, of Wiveliscombe, Somerset, gent. Will dated Nov. 3, 1652, proved June 16, 1653. Her cousin was Robert Blake, partner of Samuell Elridge, of Bristol, merchant, who jointly transported to IOW, Virginia (in 1650), Edward Alchard, John Clemens, Martha (Lear) Cole, Elizabeth Phillips, and John Storrey, a kinsman of the Bennetts and Harris. Samuell Elridge was a ‘driving force’ in the colonisation of the ‘New World’.
3. Thomas Harris, d. 1672. Mr. Charles Barham Ex., Thomas Harris and Thomas Tuke overseers, were officers of the Will of William Ridley, who was probably the br. of Elizabeth Ridley, Charles Barham’s wife.
4. John Harris, m. (April 13, 1689), Elizabeth Church.
5. Isabella Harris, b. April 17, 1695, m. Nicholas Fulgham, son of Nicholas Fulgham, d. 1736, and Martha Pitt. (Of the family interm. with that of Robert Owen, merchant of Bristol). (Their is no proof of the cousin branch of Harris (Thomas, d. 1688) being intermar, with the Fulghams).
5. (Half sister) Alice Harris, m. Thomas Fiveash. Edward Symes (of the family of the Fulgham landlords), m. (2) Susannah Champion, widow, 12 Oct. 1676, in Bath. Edward’s br., James Symes, was the grandfather of Robert Symes, who m. (1719) Phillis Fort, in Virginia, her first husband being Francis Fiveash, whose nephew, Thomas Fiveash, m. (1712) Alice Harris, da. of John Harris. (D.B. 7, p. 288). Phillis Fort was the sister of Elias Fort: Appraisal by Edward Brantley, John Britt, William Baldwin, and Edward Champion. R. 9 April 1679. Elias Fort (likely grandson of George Forte, bapt. Feb. 19, 1604, in Wiveliscome; his family interm. with the Blakes and Bennetts), m. Hannah Jordan (dau. of Richard Jordan and Elizabeth Reynolds). Appraisal of estate of Giles Driver (headright of Thomas Harris, d. 1672), by Robert Coleman, Thomas Green, Richard Jordan Sr., Thomas Giles, Daniel Long. Richard Jordan’s Will was witnessed by Joshua Proctor (son-in-law of Bartholomew Owen), who, with William Rose, returned the inventory. Richard Jordan Jr. – his exexutors “trusted friends Josiah Proctor* and (son-in-law) John Forte. Witness, Robert Owen, son of Bartholomew. Richard Jordan Junr., 260 ac. on the northeast side of Johnchecokuck Swamp in the upper parish of Surry County, beginning at the mouth of a branch which branch parts this land from sd Jordan’s own land, being part of Mr. Owen’s dividend (B.4, p. 104); 260 acres Upper Parish of Surry Co on the NE side of John Checokuck Swamp being part of Mr.Owen’s deviant for transportation of 6 persons: Mary Hoskins, John Avery,* John Cooke, George Miller, Thomas Bernard. (1. Thomas Reynolds b. 1563 in Melcombe Regis, Dorset, m. Cecily Phippen, March 10 1592, in Melcombe, having issue: Cecily Reynolds and Christopher Reynolds. Thomas Reynolds was a son of Owen Reynolds, of the Reynolds of Langport, Somerset, He was mayor of Melcombe 5 times, and customer of its port. It may be pertinent that a Thomas Joyner, b. 1595, in Bere Regis (15 miles fr. Melcombe (being 50 ml. fr. Wiveliscombe, a.t.c.f.), had a son Thomas, b. 1619. The advantage of the Dorset ports over that of nearby Bristol was cost. *Assuming a strong familial connection between Ambrose and Joshua Proctor, the associations are self evident: Ambrose Procter trans. to Isle of Wight in 1637 (with Mathew Tomlin Sr.), by Nathaniel Floyd, whose widow m. Francis Hobbs, father-in-law of John Harris, son of Thomas Harris, d. 1672.*Elizabeth Avery trans. by Ambrose Bennett to Isle of Wight in 1641.
4. Thomas Harris. (No proof that it was his line ending in heirs female).
2. Richard Harris.
3. Edward Harris of St. Dunstan in the East, London, merchant, aged 45, named in the Hubberday v. Penniston court case of 1641, which stated he received tobacco from Virginia with Captain Thomas Cornwallis, associate of Richard Bennett. Edward held land patented by his cousin, Richard Bennett, on Nov. 4, 1642. This was adj. land held by Wm. Newsome, April 6, 1653, p. 51.
4. Edward Harris, d. 1677, m. Martha Hardy. (No proof of issue).
(1. … George Hardy, appraiser of the estate of Edward Harris, d. 1677. 2. Mary Hardy, m. William Bennett, probable grandson of Richard Bennett, d. 1709 (br.-in-law of Charles Barham), great-nephew of Elenor Bennett, afors. 2. John Hardy, d. 1677, m. Olive … (No proof of her being a Counsell). Such as Bodie confounded two strands of the Harris family, giving to one the associations of the other.
1.2.1. John Hardy. Will probated June 9, 1677, witnessed by Richard Reynolds, who m. a dau. of Edward Bennett’s “servant”, Christopher Jordan.
4. Thomas Harris, d. 1677, tobacco associate of kinsman, John Bland, br. of Theoderick Bland, husband of Ann Bennett, great-niece of Elenor Bennett. “At a Court at Westover, Feb. 7, 1789: “Mrs. Sarah Bland proves her letter of atty. from her husband, Mr. Jno. Bland of London. John Hardeway John Ekoll on behalf of the orphans of Thos. Harris, dec’d., agst. Mr. Jno. Bland for 700 lbs. tob. owed for an ox which debt Mrs. Sarah Bland (aforementioned) confesses to. Maj. Jno. Stith, Guardian. At a Court at Westover, Oct. 15, 1679: ‘Admin, granted Jno. Hardeway (almost certainly of Bristol) on the estate of Ebbett Harris dec’d’. Ebbett was not an uncommon West Country name. (There are no proven children of this Thomas. He was not the son of “the Sergeant”) This kinship patch of Harris was one of many that together spread over Virginia and beyond.
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