I often get asked whether it is certain that some Harris families had a paternal Salman ancestor. It is not, as it is possible to identify a Salaman Herry of Springfield (18 mls N.W. of Prittlewell and Southminster; 7 mls W. of Maldon), who may have been the Harris ancestor.

1. John Herry, alive in 1406.

1. “John Herry Jun.”, b. ca. 1360. Manor of Writtle, Court roll, 1385-1386, membrane 7: John Herry makes a plea of debt against the administrators of Thomas Whelere for 7s. 8d. due to Joan his wife for her wages as servant to Thomas, and for 1 bushel of corn worth 9d. and 3 bushels of drage worth 18d.

1.1. Thomas Herry, b. ca. 1385. 1414-1415, membrane 2: William Awdeby to answer to the lady for a ‘fardell’ with the goods therein which belonged to Agnes, servant of Thomas Herry, drowned by misadventure; attached to roll is a list of the goods by which Thomas Tayllour was attached to answer a plea of debt by Walter Hosyer; memorandum of the felling of oaken timber in Horsefrith Park and High Wood for the repair of the water-mill.

1.2. John Herry, b. ca. 1385., m. …Salman? April 1415: Grant: John Herry, William Springefelde, Richard Hervy and John Braynwode of Writtle to William Pepyr, citizen and pelterer of London. All lands and tenements which they had by gift of Thomas Chylde deceased in Writtle. (They may have been his sons-in-law). In a law suit between Margaret atte Tye and John Herry of Writtle in 1412 , when they rendered account for all their mutual obligations, Margaret found that what she owed John was more than she was able to pay in money. She repaid this by renting to John and his father land and a house that she promised to keep in repair.

(Antiquaries, when referring to the antiquity of the Salmons around Prittlewell, are alluding to a deed of 1347, preserved here: Parties: John son of John Salman of Great Sutton & William de Hertecoumbe and Alice his wife. Place or Subject: Great Sutton (1 ml. fr. Prittlewell). 1347. (E 326/8460). The Salmons are also recorded by Mr. Benton, Hist. Rochford Hundred, vol. 1., 1867: “There are several monuments and inscriptions in this church to the Salmon family, who resided here for three centuries, and were an opulent mercantile and maritime family. The first notice of them was on a stone in the north chapel, which contained a brass having the effigies of a man, and this:— “Hic jacet Robertus Salman, Alicia, & Johana uxor ejus. Robertus, ob. 15 Sept. 1472”. Transactions, v. 4, p. 169: “When Samuel Purchas took up his residence at Eastwood (2 ml. W. of Prittlewell), it threw him into the society and into the very midst of a set of remarkable men, great voyagers and travellers … mariners and seamen were visiting France, Spain, Portugal and the Canaries, the Mediterranean, the Coast of Barbary, the River Plate, the East and West Indies, and the Greenland Sea. Cotemporary with Purchas, and living there, were the Moyers, the Salmons, the Goodlads, the Haddocks, the Bonners, the Harrises; the Hares, the Cockes: and many others”).

1.2.1. Thomas Harry, b. ca. 1410. Feoffment by John Bysshop of Spryngefelde the elder, co. Essex, to John Bosy of the same, John atte Pathe, Thomas Harry, Richard Wulvet and John Neel the younger of the same, of all his lands in Spryngefeld and Little Waltham. Essex. Sunday after St Martin the Bishop. (Nov 16. 1432, E 40/7713).

Feoffment by Thomas Godeman of Little Waltham, John Belstede of the same, Thomas Herry of Spryngfeld, John Bisschop the elder of the same, Thomas Brydde of the same, Richard Wolvet of the same and John Bosy of the same, to John Neele of Spryngfeld, Thomas Herry of the same, SALAMAN HERRY of the same, and John Wodeward of High Easter (Alta Eston) of the lands etc. in Spryngfeld and Little Waltham which they had by the gift and feoffment of John Neele the elder otherwise called John Munde of Spryngfeld. Essex. (Jan 18, 1439. E 40/7799). There is a strong and historic connection to London merchants: Debtor: John Munde, vintner, and John Bird (Brid), draper [merchant] of London. Creditor: Peter de Mildenhall, skinner (merchant) of London. (March 29, 1370, C 241/151/125).

SPRINGFIELD

Grant John Neele, junior, and William Brid, both of Springfield, to John Pese of Springfield, (he held Springfield Berners) son of John Pese of Sandon, and William Prentys, son of John Prentys of Danbury. Land 1 acre in Quenotecroft between land of John Pese of Sandon and land called Pollardis in the hands of John Mannyng alias Webbe, abutting on land called Maystris and on the lane from Chelmsford to Samfordemelle in Springfield. Witnesses: Thomas Brid, Edmund Pese, John Ardele, John Bisschop, Thomas Herry, all of Springfield. Given at Springfield. 1441-1442.

Feoffment by John Nele of Springfeld, co. Essex, the elder to John Bisshopp of Springfeld aforesaid the elder, John Pese of the same, Nicholas Boxted and Richard Wolvett of all the lands in Springfeld and Little Waltham which he together with John Bosi, John at Pathe, Richard Wolvett, father of the said Richard, and Thomas Harry had of the feoffment of the said John Bisshopp by charter dated at Springfeld, Sunday after St. Martin the Bishop. (April, 17 1456, E 40/7344).

(What is evidenced is a historic link between families: Feoffment by Thomas son of Gilbert Wolvet of Springefeld to Richard Bissop and Avice his wife of 1½ acres land between the road from Hoclee wood to Chelmersford and Robert Wolvet’s land. Warranty. Witnesses: Peter de Wandever, Sewallus Cobbe, and others (named). Essex. Seal: Gilberti Wolvet. (May 2, 1316, E 40/7338). Feoffment by William Wolvet of Little Waltham, to John Bysshop, of a croft, enclosed, called ‘Herewoldescroft’ in Little Waltham, bounded on two sides by land of the said John Bysshop, and by the street called ‘Oklestrat’. (May 8, 1367, 40/7706).

1.2.2.. SALAMAN HERRY.

1.2.2.1. Thomas Harry, b. ca. 1435. Feoffment by Joan Herlyng, of Chelmesford, widow, late the wife of Guy Herlyng, of the same, Robert Plommer, Thomas Salle, gentlemen, Richard Pratte, Thomas Tendryng, bailly (ballivus), Thomas Chalk, ‘draper,’ John Cornyssh, the elder, ‘mercer,’ John Chertesey, the elder, John Munde, ‘mercer,’ John Holden, fuller, William Munde, son of the said John Munde, Thomas Harry otherwise called Thomas Salmon, et al. (Apr 2, 1487, E 40/12394).

1.2.2.2. William Harry. March 12 1469/70: Feoffment Thomas Heigate of Sandon to John Pese, son of John Pese formerly of Sandon, deceased, and wife Agnes. Parcels of land called Deveneis, whereof one called Deveneisacre lies between land formerly of John Pese on east and land sometime called Belcroft and now le Comon` on west, abutting on the highway from Sandon church to Mepesalesbregge and on land sometime of John Ailemar’; three crofts and two gardens lie between lands called Dawes and Clerkes on east and a croft appertaining to the manor of Sandon on west, a field called Welfeld on south and the highway from Kellingescrosse to Dawesasshe on north; and land 1 acre lies in the field called Haselmer’ next land formerly of John Pese; all in Sandon which he had among other lands and tenements jointly with John Borham of Sandon, Thomas Hill of Great Baddow, John Heigate of Sandon, William Brid (Bird) of Springfield, William Harri of Springfield and John Smyth of Sandon, now all deceased, and with Simon Sawier, who released all his right to the feoffor, of the grant of John Pese and wife Agnes Witnesses: John Welles, gentleman, John Borham, Robert Havene, John Pulter, THOMAS DANYELL. Given at Sandon.

1.2.2.2.1. “John Harrys of London”, b. ca. 1460, d. ca. 1520, m. (2) Joan/Jane Danyell, probable sister of Thomas Danyell. Will, dated Oct. 18, 1514, of Thomas Danyell of the parish of Sandon, in which he bequeathed to the church there, among other gifts, 3s. 4d. to buy a ‘corperas casse,’ to Joan, his wife, his house and land at Pulteres Ty, for her life, and after her death to Edward, his son (or to Thomas, another son, if Edward should die before his mother), paying 20s. each to Denys, his daughter, and to John Harrys; also to Joan, his wife, his house at Sandon End, for her life, and on her death to his daughters, Joan and Margery ‘to scheyft betwyxt them,’ but so that if they should both die before their mother, she should dispose thereof for the good of his and her souls, and that if she should die before his younger daughter reached the age of 16 years, this daughter’s share should be held by John Harrys till her marriage. Bequest of the residue of his estate to his wife for his soul’s health and appointment of her as executrix and John Harres as overseer. Witnesses:Sir Richard Kyng, curate, John Harrys. Essex, Nov. 14, 1514.

1.2.2.2.1.1. William Harris, “b. by 1502, prob. 1st s. of John Harris of Prittlewell Essex by w. Joan. educ. L. Inn, adm. 16 Feb. 1520. m. (1) by 1527, Joan, da. and h. of John Smith of (Cold Norton) Essex, 4s. inc. Vincent† 4da.; (2) Joan Cooke* (dau. of John Cooke, and granddau. of Sir Philip Cooke), Essex, 1s.; (3) by Oct. 1540, Agnes, da. of William Rutter of Southwark, Surr. 2s. 2da. suc. fa. 1520” ( S.T. Bindoff (‘Hist. Parl.), 1982. *Cooke, Essex: erm on a chevron gules amd azure between 3 CINQUEFOILS of the second. Cooke, Essex: sable on a chevron or, 3 door staples gules betw. 3 foxes heads erased ermine (which can be taken as wolf heads).
1.2.2.2.1.2. John Harris, of Bristol (by Elizabeth Bull). Harrys v Bele. Plaintiff: John Harrys, of Bristol, grocer, son of John Harrys, of London. 1504-1515. (C 1/320/92). Hence to the Harris family of Blagdon.

p.s.

1. John Smith (of Cold Norton), b. ca. 1465, d. 1524.
1.1. John Smith, of Saffron Walden, High Sheriff of Essex and Herts in 1539, bought the advowson of Long Ashton (near Blagdon), in Somerset.
1.1.1. Sir Thomas Smith. Strype speaks of him as “the best scholar of his time, a most admirable philosopher, orator, linguist, and moralist”. Monument in Theydon Church, Essex records he died in 1577, æt. 65.
1.2. Joan Smith, m. William Harris.

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