The Thomas Harris of Cheddar designated as 1.4 hereinafter was not a br. of John Harris of Blagdon. They were kinsmen (of the “Harris of Bristol”), and lived with a few miles of each other. The notation given him is for the illustrative purpose of denoting close kinship, and shows that a member of his family did not intermarry with a descendant of the Moores until ca. 1715. The Barker connection to the Moores, and hence the connection of the Harris family of Blagdon, greatly pre-dated this, and so, consequently, did their connection to the Brantleys. A connection of a Harris family connected to the Barkers in Virginia would result in a strong connection to the Brantleys. Harris of Bristol = Salmon.

1. John Harris, bapt. April 7, 1558, d. 1633. (Blagdon).
1.1. Joan Harris, bapt. May I, 1603. Her second husband, John Osen, was the father-in-law of James Derrick, cousin of Francis Derick Jr., bapt. March 10, 1607, in Long Ashton (9 mls N. of Blagdon), who bought land from Dorothy, “daughter of the late deceased Sergeant John Harris”, p. 113.
1.2. William Harris, m. Dorothy Bath, Nov. 17, 1628.
1.2.1. John Harris, bapt. 1633.
1.2.1.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. Jan. 26, 1654.
1.2.2. Dorothy Harris, bapt. June 1, 1636, d. June 3.
1.2.3. William Harris, bapt. Oct. 4, 1640, m. Judith …
1.2.3.1. William Harris, bapt. April 13, 1665.

1.3. Sergeant (probably) John Harris, bapt. 1589/90, in Blagdon, (of the “Harris of Bristol”, see previous notes), possibly m. Dorothy Poule (Poole/Poolie/Pooley), bapt. July 20, 1595, in Loxton (7 mls W. of Blagdon); daughter of Thomas Poule, and sister of Christopher Poule, bapt. Sept. 19, 1585, and Matthew Poule, bapt. Oct. 7, 1592; and presumably related to William Poule, who m. Rebecca Hatchet, Jan. 10, 1586, in Loxton, which is situated 6/7 mls fr. Cheddar/Wedmore.

It was in this latter place that a branch of the Poule family were situated, and where these marriages took place: Thomas Poole, m. Susanna Lyde, May 2, 1596; Henry Poole, m. Christian Counsell, Oct. 31, 1636, thus, having links to the Hodges family (intermarried with Lydes), and the Counsells, intermarried with the Hodges, from whence Hodges Counsell of Virginia.

Reverend Greville Pooley, age 46, in 1623, in Virginia, made a complaint in the House of Burgesses, on June 4, 1623, against Cecily Jordan. On June 14, 1623, Captain Issac, Mary Maddison, and “Sargeant John Harris” were summomed before the Council of Virginia regarding the supposed contract of marriage between Mr. Greville Pooley and Mrs. Cecily Jordan a few days after the death of her husband. “John Harris sworne and examined saith that he heard Mrs. Jordan say that Mr. Pooley “aught thank himself for he might fared the better but for his own words”.

Mr. Pooley’s Christian name may have been corruption of Gravell; a family of that name being established in Bishopsworth, in Bedminster (10 mls N. of Blagdon), being tenants of lands from 1566 owned by “Henry Mansuer of Inner Temple, London, and Smyth and Pigott families of Long Ashton”, along with “the Harris of Bristol“. (S.H.C. DD\X\CC/1). The Derricks were tenants of the Smyths of Long Ashton, and the Smyths were familial to “the Harris of Bristol”, again, see previous notes. The relevant parish registers are fragmentary, and therefore can not preclude Mr. Pooley being related to Dorothy Poule, his mother being of the Gravell family, and he being a kinsman of Sergeant John Harris.

1.3.1. Dorothy Harris. Sold land to Francis Derrick Jr. She probably m. John Barker, b. 1613.
1.3.2. John Harris, infant in 1624, witnessed a bond of Robert Mosley to John Felton in 1654, concerning land “joyneing upon the lands which was John Harryes lyeing in the County of Surry in Virginia commonly called Upper Chippoakes”. (V.C.R, v. xi, p. 31). William Lea sold this land to William Simmons Sr.* May 2, 1654.
1.3.2.1. John Harris, d. 1697/8. The estate of John Harris, d. 1697/1698, was administered by John Barker Jr.
1.3.2.2. William Harris, d. 1711. Either he or his br., John, m. sister of John Barker Jr., or a dau. of Thomas Busby, whose son and namesake m. Mary Simmons, dau. of *William Simmons Sr., and sister of William Simmons Jr.,* whose land adjoined that of Thomas Harris, d. 1729/30. John Barker Jr. m. a dau. of Thomas Busby.
1.3.2.2.1. Henry Harris, b. ca, 1685, admon. of mother’s estate. R. June 16, 1711. Wit. John Barker Jr. He appraised the estate of Elizabeth, relict of Richard Norwood, of Dunster, Somerset, (his appraisal by Edward Brantley, Oct. 25, 1731); with Thomas Cook (rec. Jan. 28, 1733, p. 386); the latter’s Will was witnessed by John Brantley (rec. Nov. 22, 1736, p. 186). Richard Norwood’s niece, Jane Sowerby, m. John Deberry, br.-in-law of John Brantley, son of Edward Brantley Sr. (For Brantley relationships, see previous notes).
1.3.2.2. Thomas Harris, d. 1729/30. His relict m. Edward Brantley, nephew of Edward Brantley Sr. whose estate was appraised by Henry Harris and Thomas Barrow, July 25, 1737(B. 4., p. 176), husband of Elizabeth Brantley, dau. of John Brantley, son of Edward Brantley Sr. In his Will, Thomas Harris names a brother, Henry Harris, son Joshua, and also an ‘unborn child wife now goes with’. (Thomas).

The farm of Thomas Harris was shown by his patent to have been adj.  “William Simmon’s line”, on March 24, 1725, and “adj. Herbert’s branch”, and on “both sides of the Meherrin river”.

1.4. Thomas Harris, m. Joan Gardner, bapt. Apr. 6, 1617, in Cheddar (4 mls fr. Blagdon), sister of John Gardner, bapt. Nov. 1, 1621, in Cheddar, who m. (2) Mary Coomer, on Oct. 24, 1664. John Gardner, dying intestate admin. requested by relict, Mary. Security Thomas Joyner,* James Gardner, 1684, p. 56. *Br. of Bridgman Joyner, guardian of an orphan of Thomas Harris, d. 1688. These families had strong connections to the Counsell family.
1.4.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. 1637, d. 1688.
1.4.1.1. Robert Harris, b. ca. 1665. (The only certain son).
1.4.1.1.1. John Harris, b. ca. 1690, m. a granddau. of George Moore, of Bristol, who stood surety, with Edward Brantley Sr. (his possible br.-in-law) for the marriage of his cousin, Thomas Moore, to Elizabeth, dau. of Giles Elbridge, of Bristol, and Elizabeth Aldworth (dau. of John Aidworth), and sister of Martha, who m. Thomas Barker.*

It is not possible to understand anything connected to the most likely candidate for being Sergeant John Harris without understanding his likely connection to the Derrick and Barker families. It is very likely the case that Dorothy Harris sold land to a kinsman, the usual avenue of this time.

The farm of Thomas Harris, d. 1729/30, was very likely that of Sergeant John Harris. There is a clear connection between the John Harris who witnessed the transaction in 1654, concerning land “joyneing upon the lands which was John Harryes”, and the farm of Thomas Harris, who d. in 1729/30; and an equally strong connection between the John Harris who was baptised on Blagdon in 1589/90 and the Derrick and the Barker families; one of the latter having owned the farm of Thomas Harris, d. 1729/30.

It is not strain to join these dots. The descendants of this distinct branch of a Harris family of Somerset, descendants of Solomon Harris, can suggest their ancestor was Sergeant John Harris with some creditability, without anything like the mental gymnastics associated with other claims.

CONDENSED BARKERS

1. William Barker, of Hopton Castle, Salop.
1.1. John Barker, d. 1607.
1.1.1. John Barker, of Bristol, merchant, bapt. Nov. 30, 1584 On Nov. 22, 1627, he is recorded as the owner of the Mary Rose as Baker query Barker.
1.1.1.1. Elizabeth Barker, m. John Goninge, merchant partner of Francis Derrick Sr., who probably m. John Goninge’s sister.
1.1.1.2. John Barker (Baker), b. 1613, m. Dorothy Harris.
1.1.2. Thomas Barker, m. Martha, dau. of John Aldworth, and sister of the wife of Giles Elbridge: their dau. m. Thomas Moore, security being Edward Brantley Sr. and George Moore, cousin of Thomas, and possible br.-in-law of Edward Brantley Sr.
1.2. Richard Barker, d. 1614, m. Sarah, b. ca. 1570. Her Will, proved Aug. 25, 1637, bequeathed property in Bristol to her son, William.
1.2.1. William Barker, bapt. on May 7, 1592, in St. Werburgh’s, Bristol; merchant and mariner, who deposed his age to be 37 in 1629.
1.2.1.1. Sara Barker, m. Richard Taylor, Oct. 27, 1646, in Rappahannock, who owned land adj. that of Sergeant John Harris, which enentually devolved to William Simmons Jr., neighbour of Thomas Harris, d. 1729/30. “William Lea and Alice (Feltham), his wife, to William Heath, 150 acres … formerly Thomas Felton’s … joyneing upon the lands which was John Harryes lyeing in the County of Surry in Virginia commonly called Upper Chippoakes”. Ordered that Wm. Lee pay unto Richard Taylor 350 lbs of good tobacco and cask due per a bill of his predecessor, Thomas Felton”. As given previously, the Taylors were tenants in Long Ashton, as the Derricks, of the Smith family, and originally were tenants of the Smiths in Bedminster.
1.2.1.2. John Barker, settled on Chippoakes, in 1649.
1.2.1.2.1. *John Barker Jr., m. Grace Busby, sister of Thomas Busby Jr., who m. Mary Simmons, dau. of *William Simmons Sr., and sister of William Simmons Jr., whose land adjoined that of Thomas Harris, d. 1729/30, ancestor of Solomon Harris, whose proven descendant has a standard HG4 DNA profile.

When I ask some ‘Harris researchers of old’, if you had yor time of conjecture again, would you choose a different Harris ancestor? the reply is mostly in the affirmative.

copyright m stanhope 2020