It seems so long ago that a Harris researcher sent me a record of a Thomas Harris who gave a deposition of his age in Virginia in 1664, making him to be born in 1636. On July 25, 1664, he states he is age is 28 (Charles City Order Bk. 1655-1665). On the same date, a John Harris stated he is aged 37 or there abouts, i.e. born 1627/8, ibid. They may have not been related, of course. It is not possible to identity these people, yet the Thomas of 1636 has been claimed as either he who died in 1677, or he who died in 1688. (The-name-is-the-same, and when information is scarce, it is understandable to make an all too easy inference). Yet, it seems certain that a Thomas Harris who died in Virginia in 1677 was from Nunney, in Somerset.

“This Eleanor de la Mere was married to William Paulet, esq. serjeant at law, second son to Sir John Paulet, of Melcombe, in this county. He died in 1435. By this marriage Nunney Castle came into the family of Paulet, and the grandson of the pair was the celebrated William Powlett, the first marquis of Winchester”. (Mr. Collinson, Antiquities of Somerset, p. 218, 1791). A branch of the de la Mere family continued to live at Mells and Nunney. In Mells, “John Dalamere” was bur. Jan. 26, 1566/7; it was perhaps his son, Henry, who m. Joan West on June 16, 1590. In Nunney, “Robert Dallimore”, m. Elizabeth Cruchill, on Sept. 30, 1596, having issue: William, bapt. Aug. 7, 1597 (m. Joan Woollson, June 20, 1620), and Richard, bapt. Aug. 30, 1599. Of the general family of Paulet, the land of Thomas Paulet, who died in Virginia in 1644, including “Westover”, was eventually bought by the Theoderick Bland of this account.

The ancestry of this Thomas Paulet is subject to any number of “guestimates”, but this version is probably of merit:

1. Sir John Paulet of Basing and Nunney, Som. m. Alice, dau. of Sir William Paulet of Hinton St. George, Som.
1.1. John Paulet, Lord St. John, who succeeded as 2nd Marquess of Winchester in 1572, b. by 1488; m. Elizabeth, dau. of Sir William Capell of London, 4s. inc. Chidiock.
1.1.1. Chideock Paulet, b. by 1521, m. (1) Elizabeth White, dau. of Thomas White of South Warnborough; their son was Thomas Paulet, of Essex. (2) Frances Nevil, dau. of Sir Edward Nevil, relict of Sir Edward Waldegrave.
1.1.1.1. William Paulet of Eling, b. aft. 1545; ob. 1596, m. Dulcebella Paget (Chan. Inq. p.m. (Ser. 2), clxxii, 120). In the north chapel of Eling Church is a brass with an inscription to William Paulet, 1596, ‘nobili et illustri Pauletorum de Basing Familia,’ and his wife Dulcebella Paget, dau. of James Paget of Powlton, by whom he had five sons, great grandsons of the first Marquis of Winchester, of Nunney,
1.1.1.1.1. William Paulet, of Powlton, m. Frances, dau. of … St. Barb, of Broadlands in Hampshire, having issue, another William Paulet, of Powlton.
1.1.1.1.2. Chidieok Paulet.
1.1.1.1.3. Thomas Paulet, d. Jan. 12, 1643/4.
1.1.1.1.4. Edward Paulet.
1.1.1.1.5. John Paulet, bequeathed “Westover” by his brother, Thomas.

The Harris family of Nunney, Somerset, were synonomous with their namesakes at adjoining Mells. This is evidenced by a deed of the Whitchurch family, which descibes property in Nunney being tenanted by “Harris of Mells”. (Nunney deeds, ref. DD\BR\ls/8). A similar statement can be made about the West family of Nunney and Mells.

A Bristol merchant with ties to the area in which Nunney was situated was John Seward, who bequested lands in IOW County, one of which was called “New Hemington.” (Tyler, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography). Hemington is 4 miles fom Mells/Nunney. He would have been familiar with the family of Thomas Harris, born 1636, in Nunney, to Thomas Harris and Alice West.

1. Thomas Harrys of Mells, carpenter, b. 1494. Depositions as to the late abbot of Glastonbury (Somerset) taken at Wells (Somerset) before Nicholas Fitzjames esq and John Mawdleyn’ gent, king’s surveyors.Thomas Harrys of Mells, carpenter, 50, deposes that the tenement and mills were in great decay, and that for his labour he received £7 from Burges. He also received £10 for repairing the grist mill. (Nat. Arch., ref. E 135/2/32).
1.1. Richard Harris, b. ca. 1535, bur. Dec. 19, 1593, in Nunney.
1.1.1. John Harris, m. Charity Luckox, on Nov. 13, 1587, in Mells.

John Harris was bur. Aug. 3, 1637, in in Nunney.

1.1.1.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. March 24, 1599/00, in Mells, m. Alice West, in Oct. 1635, in Nunney. She was most likely of a family of West, of Nunney, where Richard West was bapt. Sept. 26, 1574; William West was bapt, Jan. 17, 1579; and William West was bapt. Feb. 12, 1581. A John West is recorded as the father of Sapian West, bapt. Oct. 21, 1599. This comprises of all the records in the parish register for the name of West. In adjoining Mells, there are also sparse entries for the name of West, one of which may be of some interest, Joan West m. Henry Dalamere, on June 6, 1590; he almost certainly of the family intermarried with the Paulets of Nunney. This Thomas Harris was named for a namesake, born in 1595, who died in infancy.

Thomas Harris Sr. was bur. March 7, 1668/9. Alce (West) Harris, described as “widow”, was bur. Nov. 26, 1671, in Nunney.

Thomas Harris, bapt. Oct. 1636, in Nunney, is not recorded as dying there.

1.1.1.1.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. Oct. 1636, d. in 1677. On Sept. 13, 1677, administration of the estate of Thomas Harris was granted to John Echols* and John Hardaway, relationships unknown. The Charles City Order Book refers to the “orphans of Thomas Harris” (d. 1677), so he had unknown children who had not reached the age of majority.

(John Monger’s headright in Virginia in 1650 was William Hadway/Hardaway, of Bristol. John Monger, 800 acs. on N. side of Rappa. Riv. in Corotoman Riv. … Due sd. Monger for trans, of 16 pers: Charles Barcroft the 4th tyme, George Moore,* Anthony Peace, Hugh Cary, William Hadway, etc. *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).

Thomas Harris was associated with the Bennett/Bland tobacco cartel. This is not to suggest that he was a direct member of the Wiveliscombe branch of Harris, but it might be worth considering these Harris are described in the Wiveliscombe parish register as being of Glastonbury, which is ca. 12 miles from Mells/Nunney, and he may have been a “cousin”. To the following (amended) Harris reconstruction (explained in a subsequent post – THOMAS HARRIS (1668), WILLIAM HARRIS (1721) OF VIRGINIA – is added this supposition.

1. Thomas Harrys of Mells, carpenter, b. 1494.
1.1. William Harris, m. Dorothy Westbrooke, on Aug. 31, 1562, in Wiveliscombe, Somerset.
1.1.1. Richard Harris, m. (1594) Elianor Bennett, sister of Edward Bennett, and Thomas Bennett, father of Governor Richard Bennett, whose dau., Ann, m. Theoderick Bland, the purchaser of Thomas Paulet’s estate of Westover“. He was (1) the brother of “Mr. Jno. Bland of London”. 1677, Charles City Order Book: Administration is granted Ebbet Harris upon the estate of Thomas Harris, dec’d, she to return to the next court a true inventory with security, p 165. Admin, of the estate of Thos. Harris dec’d is granted Jno. Eckles* and Jno. Hardaway, jointly both of Westover Par. Samuel Phillips enters as security, p. 107.

“At a Court at Westover, Feb. 7, 1689: “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* confesses to. Maj. Jno. Stith, Guardian. At a Court at Westover, Oct. 15, 1679: ‘Admin, granted Jno. Hardeway on the estate of Ebbett Harris dec’d’. Ebbett was not an uncommon West Country name.

*Sarah Greene. Giles Green m. Elizabeth Hill of Poundsford Park, Somerset. (Where the Fulghams were tenants of the Hills/Symes). Their son became clerk of the New River Company. A dau., Sarah, m. John Bland of London, naming her son Giles Bland after her father. He was a participant in Bacon’s Rebellion, for which he was executed. (See Browne Willis, Notitia Parliamentaria, pt. II, 1750. Warren M. Billings, Encyclopedia Virginia). (2) Second-cousin of Frances Bland, who m. John Cogan (associated with Thomas Harris, d. 1688).
1.1.1.1. Thomas Harris, m. Judith Blake, in 1623.
1.1.1.1. Thomas Harris, b. ca. 1625, d. 1672, in Virginia

1.1.2. William Harris.
1.1.2.1. Richard Harris, bapt. Jan. 28, 1595, “son of William”. (“Harries”).
1.1.2.1.1. John Harris,* bapt. Feb. 18, 1624, “son of Richard”.
1.1.2.1.1.1. John Harris.
1.1.2.1.1.1.1. Elizabeth Harris, m. Samuel Lancater, son of Robert Lancaster.
1.1.2.1.2. Thomas Harris, d. 1668.

1.1.2.1.2.1. William Harris, d. 1721.

1.1.1.2. Edward Harris, exec. of the Will of Judith Bennett, wife of Richard Bennett, *Edward Bennetts uncle.
1.1.1.2.1. Edward Harris, d. 1677.
1.1.1.2.2. Thomas Harris, d. 1688*.

1.2. Richard Harris, b. ca. 1535, bur. Dec. 19, 1593, in Nunney.
1.2.1. John Harris, m. Charity Luckox, on Nov. 13, 1587, in Mells.
1.2.1.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. March 24, 1599/00, in Mells, m. Alice West, in Oct. 1635, in Nunney.
1.2.1.1.1. Thomas Harris, bapt. Oct. 1636, certainly he who d. in 1677, associated with “Mr. Jno. Bland of London”. Admin. of his estate, John Eckles*.
1.2.1.1.2. John Harris, bapt. in 1640, m. Margret Beard in 1664, in Nunney.

“Thomas Beard to *John Eckles, 7 yrs Virginia” (Mr. Coldham, The Bristol Registers of Servants sent to foreign plantations, p. 217, 1988). Date of Indenture: Nov. 7, 1665.

Thomas Beard was most likely he bapt. Jan. 6, 1632/3 in Nunney (son of Anthony), and certainly a close relation of Margaret Beard (dau. of James), bapt. Feb. 21, 1639/40, in Nunney, wife of John Harris, brother of Thomas Harris, bapt. Oct. 1636, in Nunney, husband of Alice West.

Mells/Nunney, ca. 20 miles S. of Bristol.

1.1.1.2. William Harris, bapt. Oct. 3, 1602, in Mells. Perhaps the William who was headright John Seward (1648) in Isle of Wight.

Thomas Harris, 1636-1677, was barely old enough to have two married daughters, supposed to have m. John Eckles and John Hardaway; a proposition the more questionable by the fact that John Eckles was at least as old as Thomas.

This Thomas Harris, born in 1636, was not the *Thomas Harris who died in 1688, but may have been a degree of kin, though this cannot be known; yet, if accounts do not contain reasonable supposition, then all that is left are “genealogical skeletons”, devoid of any possible substance; their bones identified only as “unknown”.

The people of “old Somerset” spoke a regional dialect that would be totally alien to modern listeners, and to their English contemporaries of other parts. Borrowed from Thomas Elsworthy’s The Dialect of West Somerset, vol. 2., 1875:

“Tidon, twau’dn, mean it is not, it was not; aa’rtn “art thou not ?” shaton “shalt thou not?” wiloton “wilt thou not?” kas’m “canst thou not?” Tae-ilk aup u gin’t pai’g bee dhu taa’yl Óa un, un dhu uyz oa un ul vaa’l aewt, is a version of the old saying: “Take up a Guinea pig by its tail, and its eyes will drop out”. From these and other examples it will be noticed that our possessive case is nearly always formed by the preposition; we very seldom use the ordinary’s. We have, too, no neuter pronoun for denoting a common substantive. The word it is never used, except an abstract idea is to be expressed. We should say taiz for “it is,” and aa’y oan dile ut, “I won’t do it,” but never give it me, always gee un tu mee. The nominative ai (he) does duty for both genders. A man said to me of his daughter, Urz a maa’yn guurt strau’ng maa’yd, ai aiz, “She’s a main great strong maid, she is”.

by m stanhope, copyright B.T. Shannon 2024