1.
2. John Harris, m. Jone … Jone Harrys of Badgworth. May, 10, 1541. To be bur. in churchyard of Bagworth (5 mls Cheddar/juxta Wedmore). Ch. of Wellys 4d. Ch. of B. I2d. Izabell Stebbes a cow, my second kyrtell, my best neck kerchyff, a wovyng (woven) apron; Thomas Stebbis her son a calff.
3. Richard Harris.
4. John Harris, of Wedmore, m. Joan Stubbs, Feb. 10, 1569, in Wedmore. Their grandson, Thomas Harris, m. Joan Gardner, bapt Apr. 6, 1617, in Cheddar, sister of John Gardner bapt. there on Nov. 1, 1621, whose son. John Gardner Jr., m. Mary Coomer* (Oct. 24, 1664, in Cheddar). “John Gardner, dying intestate admin. requested by relict, Mary. Security Thomas Joyner, James Gardner, 1684”, p. 56. Thomas Harris and Joan Gardner had issue, Thomas Harris, born in 1637, whose orphan was placed with this Thomas Joyner’s brother, Bridgeman.

2. Thomas Harris, b. 1495.
3. William Harris, m. Dorothy Westbrooke, Aug. 31, 1562, in Wiveliscombe.
4. Richard Harris, m. Eleanor Bennett, Oct. 8, 1594, in Wiveliscombe; the Harris becoming cousins of the Blands. The entirity of the connection between families of Bland and Harris in Virginia was initiated by the marriage of Theodorick Bland, baptised at St. Antholins on Jan. 16, 1629, with Anne Bennett, dau. of Governor Richard Bennett; the cousin of the Thomas Harris, who m. Judith Blake, Nov. 20, 1623, in Wivelsicombe, Somerset. To which may be added: the entirity of the connection between many families and the Harris depended on the Harris being cousins of a very influential family, which made them ‘magnets’ to which others were attracted. Theoderick Bland’s second cousin, Jane Bland, m. (2) John Holmwood, witnessed here: March 23, 1653. Convy. of John Holmwood, atty. for Mr. Theodorick Bland, merchant, to John Barker. (John Barker was the son of William Barker, as anon, partner of Francis Derrick Jr., who purchased the land of Dorothy Harris.
5. Thomas Harris, d. 1672, m. Judith Blake, Nov. 20, 1623, in Wivelscombe.
5. Edward Harris, held land of (kinsman) Governor Richard Bennett’s patent of Nov. 4, 1642.
6. Edward Harris, d. 1677.
6. Thomas Harris, d. 1677, traded in tobacco with kinsman, “Mr. Jno. Bland”.

5. John Harris, rec. Jan. 16, 1637 as “servant” of Arthur Bayly, as Thomas Busby.
5. Richard Harris. Richard Drew, d. after Apr. 4, 1679, Surry Co.; held land adj. Richard Harris, guardian of Richard Drew’s grandson, Edward, son of Edward. Richard Drew was probably he bapt. April 28, 1622, in Dunster, 12 mls N. of Wiveliscombe.
6. John Harris, bapt. Feb. 18, 1624, in Wiveliscombe (“son of Richard”); a headright of Thomas Busby. John Harris probably m. either (1) a dau. of Thomas Busby Jr.; a sister of Grace Busby, who. m. John Barker Jr. (2) A sister of John Barker Jr. (the most likely); a son of John Barker (and Letitia Drew), who patented 600 ac. on Chippoke Creek, Oct. 5, 1657. “Rec’d of Mr. Jno Barker in acct of what he oweth to Mr. John Bland & Company for the plantation of Chippoakes I sould him the some of 5000 pounds of tobacco with caske, this 13 Jany 1653, signed Theoderick Blande. R. Oct. 26, 1658.
7. John Harris, estate admon, Mr. John Barker, Patrick Lashley (whose son m. a dau. of John Barker); Feb. 11, 1698, p. 165.
8. William Harris, m. Elizabeth … Elizabeth Harris, widow, estate admon. by (eldest son) Henry Harris. June 16, 1711. Wit. John Barker. (B. 6, p. 52).
9. Henry Harris, 280 acs., Is. of Wight Co; on S. side of the Flatt Swamp; June 16, 1727, p. 77. He m. a granddau. of Edward Drew Jr.
9. Thomas Harris, d. 1729/30. In his Will, Thomas names a brother, Henry Harris, son Joshua, and also an ‘unborn child wife now goes with’. (Thomas).
10. Joshua Harris. Joshua Claud, estate appraised Dec. 14, 1775, by Samuel Westbrooke Sr., Samuel Westbrooke Jr.

3. John Harris, m. Agnes White, Sept. 1, 1560, in Taunton. His family were connected to that of Herring, both families also being later connected in Wayne Co. – 1. William Harris, b. ca. 1745, d. 1817. 2. William Harris. 2. John Harris, m. Susanah Herring. 3. John Harris, m. (cousin) Elizabeth Herring, probable aunt of Jehu Herring, the adoptee, whose descendant is a perfect Group 4 Harris, with no differences at all to the Harris Group 4 mode (ie. average STR result among 52 testees).
4. Tamsin Harris, m. John Herring “the elder”, April 11, 1608. He was (1) uncle of William Herring, bapt. 1602, father of William Herring, who m. Judith Pardoe, Sept. 28, 1646, in Pitminster, parents of John Herring, bapt. May 15, 1659. (2) Father of John Herring Jr.*
4. William Harris, m. Alice, Oct. 3, 1598.
5. Phillipp Harris, m. Joan Parsons, Oct. 8. 1621.
5. Edward Harris, m. Alice Brice, Sept. 5, 1626.
5. Christopher Harris, m. Joan Parsons, Jan. 19, 1623; sister of Eleanor Parsons, who m. *John Herring Jr., Nov. 25, 1626.
6. John Harris.
7. John Harris (a carpenter) m. Feb. 12, 1700, Mary Parsons.
8. John Harris, bapt. Jan. 30, 1707.

Judith Pardoe was almost certainly of the well-known family of bellfounders, established in Taunton and Pitminster (as neighbours of the Fulghams). They seem to have been related to a family of Batten: Purdue v Batten. Plaintiffs: George Purdue (of Taunton – MS). Defendants: Elizabeth Batten widow, and John Batten. Subject: property in Easton in Gordano (nr. Bristol), Somerset. 1687. (C 5/180/110).

These Battens were of the renowned naval family: Batten v Woodward. Plaintiffs: Andrew Batten of Easton-in-Gordano, mariner. Defendants: Christopher Woodward of Bristol, ironmonger and Robert Woodward his brother of Portbury, mariner. Subject: Action on a bond drafted by defendants Christopher Woodward and Robert Woodward in terms not agreed to between the parties for securing the title of Martha Batten, daughter of plaintiff Andrew Batten and wife of the said Robert Woodward, to a tenement in the manor of Portbury. 1620. (STAC 8/48/15).

1. John Woodward, bur. Nov. 9, 1562, in Winford, 8 mls. fr. Easton in Gordano.
1. John Woodward, bapt. Feb. 28, 1559, in Easton in Gordano.
2. Mary Woodward, m. Richard Tayler, Sept. 2. 1602, in Long Ashton. Francis Derrick Sr., of Long Ashton, Somerset, d. 1637. In 1632, he gifted bread to the poor of St. Stephen’s, in Bristol. His son and namesake purchased land from the dau. of Sergeant John Harris., as follows.
2. Christopher Woodward (of Winford), bur. Aug. 22, 1629. in Winford, m. Eleanor … (d. 1634).
3. Christopher Woodward. Hellier v Woodward. Plaintiffs: Christopher Hellier. Defendants: Christopher Woodward, Anne Woodward and Herbert Vaughan. Subject: personal estate of Eleanor Woodward, widow, Bristol, Gloucestershire. 1658. (C 10/48/68). Weldon v Woodward. Plaintiffs: William Weldon and Mary Weldon his wife, Anne Woodward and Sarah Woodward. Defendants: Christopher Woodward and Elizabeth Woodward his wife. Subject: property in Henbury, Gloucestershire, Bedminster, Somerset and St Thomas, Bristol, Gloucestershire. 1672. (C 8/196/214).

Davis v Hull. Plaintiffs: John Davis gent, of Chew Stoke, Somerset, next friend, Elizabeth Davis (alias Elizabeth Woodward) his wife, next friend, Christopher Woodward infant and Elizabeth Woodward infant. Defendants: Robert Hull merchant, of English Bicknor, Gloucestershire, Thomas Cole merchant, of Bristol, Gloucestershire, William Donning merchant, of Bristol, Gloucestershire. Subject: The plaintiff Elizabeth employed her brother, the defendant Hull, to settle the affairs of Christopher Woodward merchant, of Chew Stoke, Somerset, deceased, her late husband and take possession of his real and personal estate which included sugar plantations, sugar works, negroes [slaves], etc in Nevis, West Indies. She claimed he and the other defendants embezzled her and her children. 1681. (C 6/405/77).

2. Robert Woodward, mariner, m. Martha Batten, Aug. 28, 1609, in Easton in Gordano.
3. John Woodward, bapt. Feb. 23, 1611, in Easton in Gordano
3. Andrew Woodward, bapt. Nov. 27, 1614. in Easton in Gordano
3. Martha Woodward, m. Richard Bradford, Aug. 15, 1632, in Easton in Gordano. he had m. (1) Elizabeth Edwards, on Oct. 18, 1624, in Easton in Gordano. They had issue: Mary, Elizabeth and Thomas Bradford, the latter bapt. Dec. 19, 1630, in Easton in Gordano.
4. Richard Bradford, bapt. Nov. 23, 1634, in Easton in Gordano, d. after July 14, 1716, in Westover Parish, Charles City. He m. Frances, dau. of Richard Taylor and Sarah (dau. of William Barker, mariner,* and Frances Drew) and sister of John Barker: “‘Whereas by and after the decease of John Barker late of Flowerdue Hundred in Charles City Coun. in Virginia deceased, all that tract commonly called Flowerdue Hundred containing 1,000 acres did lawfully descend and come to Sarah then the wife of Richard Taylor, deceased, and now the wife of Robert Lucy and Elizabeth, wife of Phillip Limbry — sisters and co-heirs with the said John Barker”. John Barker m. Hannah, dau. of Thomas Drew, and sister of Thomas Drew Jr.; the father of Letitia, wife of Capt. John Barker, mariner, who settled on Chippokes Creek, James City Co. in 1649. They had issue: Jethro,* Joel, and John Barker.

*William Barker bought part of Flowerdieu Hundred from Elizabeth Stephens who had inherited the property from her father, Abraham Piersey. n 1637 and 1639, Wm. Barker appears as a headright in two Henrico patents involving Arthur Bayley, Thomas Crosby, & Samuell Almond. *Jethro Barker. 1685: Jethro Barker of upper parish to John Harris (d. 1686), of the same 120 ac. adj. sd Jethro Barker. Wit: John Barker and Thomas Cotten. Jethro Barker and Joell Barker entring themselves securities for Mary Harris due and faithfull admon. on the estate of John Harris her late father deced are accepted and ordered to give bond accordingly. Thomas Busby, Gent, to Roger Potter … 100 ac. on the head of upper Chipeokes Creeke and bounded by John Barker and the path to Mr. Stevens’ mill. Wit. William Rooking. R. 7 May 7, 1689. Jethro Barker to Jethro Barker, Jr. for 5 pds. current money, two tracts of land on north side of Otterdam Sw. being 270 acs. bounded by Harises Branch, George Barker and Hills Branch. R. Sept. 19, 1744.

*William Barker was also a partner of Francis Derrick: April 13, 1639: ‘Bond of Francis Derrick (the younger), of Bristol, and William Barker, of Ratcliffe, Middlesex, to the King, in 1,000l. conditioned for the appearance of Derrick before the Council, to answer an accusation of piracy pretended to have been committed by him upon a Spanish ship in a voyage to Virginia, about 11th October 1636’. Francis Derrick (whose family hailed from Somerset) was associated with Sergeant John Harris: ‘Francis Derrick to Richard Johnson, bill of sale for 30 acres, October 14, 1638: ‘Whereas John Baker and Dorothy his wife, daughter of the late deceased Sergeant John Harris, have by order of court at Henrico on the 27th day of August last surrendered to mee Captain Francis Derrick all the right and title which they and claime unto the devident of land belonging to the late deceased George Cawcott which was given to the said Dorothy by the last will and testament’ (Nugent, B. 1., part 2, p. 113).
3. Thomas Woodward, bapt. Feb. 14, 1622, in Winford, m. Katherine …
4. Thomas Woodward, Will dated Feb. 9, 1680. Security Nicholas Fulgham and John Whitley; witnesses Anthony Fulgham and John Wingate.
4. John Woodward
5. John Woodward. Âccount of estate examined by John Eley, James Bridger and John Westray; witnessed by Daniel Herring Jr. R. Jan. 3, 1754, p.74.

A deed of June 12. 1746 records Edward Harris selling land to John and Daniel Batten; witnesses: William Eley, Daniel Herring Jr., and John Harris.

On May 2, 1750, John Batten sold 100 ac. to Thomas Bracey; part of a patent of 240 ac. granted to Thomas Harris on April 27, 1686, p. 342. On Sept. 12, 1754, John Batten and his wife, Martha (Herring, dau. of Daniel Herring Jr., per his Will, rec. Oct. 6. 1785, p. 11; witnessed by William, Peter, and John Woodward), sold to George Hall 20 ac. (part of the said Harris patent), and by Edward Harris, sold to said Batten on June 10, 1746), adjoining Daniel Batten,* the Blackwater Road and Thomas Bracey, p. 279).

The estate of John Fulgham was appraised by Arthur Pursell, John Johnson, John Batten. (R. June 23, 1729, p. 168). *His estate was appraised by Daniel Herring, John Tomlin, Mathew Tomlin, 1741, p. 352.

It is a very murky picture. The assumption that many Harris of Virginia stem from a single patriarchal line, the wives of which bore a heroic number of children, is wrong. There were multiple lines of descent from various branches of the same family, with an added complication being that emigration by this family to Virginia was an ongoing process.

copyright m stanhope 2020