1. …
2. John Harris, m. Jone … Jone Harrys of Badgworth. Will dated May, 10, 1541. Bur. in churchyard of Bagworth: Izabell Stebbes a cow, my second kyrtell, my best neck kerchyff, a wovyng (woven) apron. Thomas Stebbis her son a calff. Edyth my dau. my best kyrtell. Crystyan Paynys a payer of shetis: Jone Furbar a flannyng apron and a crescloth (kerchyff). Elyn Brese a russet kyrtell. … Taber a flaning petycote and a smocke. Richard Harrys my blacke mare and a wenlyng calff. Agnes Harrys a kerche. Residue, Walter Harrys my son. Witnesses, Sir Rich. Rowlandson, Rich. Harrys, Walter Harrys. Summa £4 1 Is. Sir Rich. Rowlandson (clerk) and John Harrys witnessed the Will of “William Sowter of Badgworth, dated July 3, 1541.
The advowson of Badgworth was held, as Wells (“including Wivelscombe, Badgworth”), as “liberty Possessions of the bishopric of Bath and Wells”. 1535. (SC 6/HENVIII/3075). The chief landowners were the Rodneys, of Stoke Rodney, Somerset (3-4 mls fr. Cheddar/Wedmore). Rodeney v Hogges. Plaintiffs: George Rodeney. Defendants: John Hogges, husbandman. Subject: Obtaining from John Rodeney, knight, father of complainant, a lease of a meadow in Blackford held of the manor of Over Badgworth at less than the customary rent. Somerset. 1544-1547. (C 1/1154/28).
As follows, Blackford, in Wedmore, was the abode of the later Harris family.
(1. George Rodney. 1.1. Maurice Rodney, Esq., m. Joan, dau. of Sir Thomas Dyer of Somerford, Co., Wilts. The family of Thomas Harris, b. 1495, of Mells, were tenants of the Dyers. 1.2. Agatha Rodney, m. Captain Thomas Hodges, d. 1583. 1.2.1. Thomas Hodges, d. 1600/1601, m. Eleanor, dau. of John Rose, of Shepton Beauchamp, Somerset. 1.2.1.1. John Hodges, m. Margery Counsell, dau. of Richard Counsell, as follows.
What is witnessed here is an ‘overblanket’ of tenurial associations, under which closely associated families sought to improve their lot by intermarriage into their landlord’s family.
3. Richard Harris.
4. John Harris, m. Joan Stubbs, Feb. 10, 1569, in Wedmore.
5. John Harris, d. 1625, m. Penelope Millard, Sept. 9, 1611, in Wedmore. He was named as a ‘Servant’ of Robert Sherwell’ (gent), husband of Maria Beard, da. of John Beard (this family intermarried with the Bennetts of Wiveliscombe). Marie Sherwell, widow of Robert Sherwell, of Blackford, Somerset, gent. Will proved Nov. 26, 1627. ‘To be buried at Wedmore. “My cousin Richard Counsell”. (His dau.) “My cousin Margery Hodges” (wife of John Hodges, and grandmother of Hodges Counsell Jr.).
The Hole family intermarried with the Fulghams were probably they of Wedmore. Conveyance from Robert Hole, Wedmore, yeoman, son and heir of Marie Hole sister and co-heir of Robert Sherwell, and Temperance his wife to Richard Counsell, Heathhouse, Wedmore, yeoman: ¼ part of free chapel. Reciting letters patent April 14, 1603, granating the free chapel to Michael Cole and John Rowdon who sold it to Robert Sherwell. April 15, 1625. (Bristol Arch. HA/D/357).
6. 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 (father of Bridgman Joyner, guardian of an orphan of Thomas Harris, d. 1688), James Gardner”, 1684, p. 56.
7. Thomas Harris, bapt. Dec. 31, 1637, in Cheddar, d. 1688, in Virginia.
8. Many Harris Group 4 males claim descendancy from the said Thomas. Although this may be true in some instances, it can not be true that this Thomas was the ancestor of the multitude assigned to him, through claimed descendants and their wives, who bore an heroic number of offspring. As a much revered Harris researcher once implied, the task is to bridge the gap between the claimed ancestor of the 17th century and the first authentic (in the pulic domain) records that individual Harris can trace back to. In this regard, connections to the James Harris (1842-1924), who Mary Jane Dowling, grandparents of … Harris, whose test results with Family Tree DNA are a perfect match with Harris Group 4 males (and with a descendant of Jehu Herring), might be one port of call.
3. John Harris, mentioned in a deed concerning Mells, 1554.
4. John Harris.
5. Thomas Harris, bapt. Feb. 3, 1582; “son of John”.
6. Thomas Harris, m. Alice West, in 1635, in Nunney (the Harris family that held land in Nunney were described as “of Mells” in deeds), where a family of West were established. William West m. Katharine Perry on May 23, 1608, in Bath (18 mls from Nunney); their dau. being Alice West, bapt. Sept. 16, 1615.
6. John Harris, baptised in 1640, m. Margaret Beard, in 1664.
6. Ann Harris, bapt. October 21, 1646, who m. Robert Millard, in May 1667; he baptised Sept. 11, 1625, in Nunney, the son of Francis Millard. The Millards were primarily of Wedmore. The wife of the John Harris was probably related to the wife of Thomas Bennett, baptised on November 11, 1603, at Wiveliscombe; who m. Agnes Beard, on July 17, 1623.
What is witnessed here is the different branches of the Harris family marrying into the same families. Thus, distant cousins were nearly always close non-consanguineous ones; the extent of which is hidden by original records either being incomplete or destroyed.
(1. …
1.1. Thomas Bennett, bapt. April 2, 1570.
1.1.1. Thomas Bennett, bapt. Nov. 5, 1603, who m. Agnes Beard, July 17, 1623, and who was the headright of his br., Richard, in 1636.
1.1.2. Governor Richard Bennett, bapt. Aug. 6, 1609.
1.1.2.1. Ann Bennett, who m. 2. Theoderick Bland
1.2. John Bennett, b. March 1, 1566, d. 1601.
1.2.1. Thomas Bennett, b. ca. 1590, listed in the 1624 census on the south of the James River, near Lawne’s Creek.
1.2.1.1. Richard Bennett, d. 1709.
1.3. Robert Bennett, bapt. April 27, 1571; d. circa 1623, in Virginia, m. Alice. On June 10, 1642, George Hardy received a patent for land adj. that of Alice Bennett on the easternmost side of Lawne’s Creek, IOW Co. (Nugent, p. 140). On April 2, 1644, Justinian Cooper sold to his neighbour, Alice Bennett, widow, for a cow and a calf and barrel of corn, 150 ac. in IOW, between Castle and Cypress Creeks. On July 19, 1647, Alice Bennett deeded the said 150 ac. to her granddaus., Mary (wife of George Hardy) and Sarah Jackson, daus. of Richard Jackson.
1.4. Edward Bennett, bapt. Feb. 2, 1577, m. Mary Bourne. Their dau., Silvestra, m. Nicholas Hill (as his second wife and her second husband) when he was advanced in age. Nicholas Hill appraised the Will of Thomas Harris, d. 1672.
1.5. Eleanor Bennett, grandmother of the said Thomas).
5. Sergeant John Harris (it may be presumed), bapt. Oct. 1, 1587, bur. Aug. 3, 1637, in Nunney/Juxta Mells. The location of the lands settled by Sergeant Harris are indicated by a fine imposed on William Simmons after Bacon’s Rebellion. “Ensign William Simmons paid heavy fines, keeping his farm on Burcher Swamp. His relatives, John Rutherford and Francis Gregory, were also “rebels.” Rutherford’s tract, owned in 1623 by John Harris, extended across the Chippokes into Charles City (later Prince George) County. Rutherford had transferred part of the farm to William Heath in 1663″. (V. Rollings. Daily Press, June 19, 1991). It appears that Sergeant John Harris had no male inheritor.
This is the almost unanimous view of some of the most respected Harris researchers of old who follow this blog. If anyone has a contrary view, then please provide proof as to who was his male offspring; that is, proof that exists in the public domain. It is very obvious that many Harris researchers have been coerced (they tell me) into accepting the ‘Sergeant ancestry myth’ and the equally implausible claim of Edward Harris (d. 1677) being the brother of Thomas Harris (d. 1688), based on claims (nothing more) of descendance from them. It is immaterial that living claimants share the same DNA profile; the salient point being that a claim is nothing more than that.
6. Dorothy Harris, the land given her by George Cawcott was purchased by Francis Derricke (Nugent, B. 1., part 2, p. 113), the Bristol sea captain, who held land in Hartcliffe, 20 mls fr. both Mells and Wedmore. Another Bristol merchant with ties to the area in which Nunney was situated was John Seward, who bequested lands in IOW, one of which was called “New Hemington.” (Tyler, Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography). Hemington is 4 miles fom Mells/Nunney. The Thomas Harris who died in 1688 came to occupy land that had been John Sewards: April 27, 1686: Matthew Tomlin 1227 ac., lower par. IOW Co. on borders of Blackwater, 781 ac. being part of 1200 ac. granted to Mr. John Seward, April 16, 1648.
What is witnessed here is the shared associations of this Harris family, which, beguilingly, encourage the false belief in some that they descend from a son of Sergeant John Harris.
2. Thomas Harris, b. 1495, of Mells, 18 mls due E. of Wedmore.
3. John Harris m. Agnes White, who m. Sept. 1, 1560, in Taunton, 10 mls from Wiveliscombe. (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).
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.
5. Thomas Harris, d. 1672, m. Judith Blake, Nov. 20, 1623, in Wivelscombe.
5. Edward Harris, held land of Governor Richard Bennett’s patent of Nov. 4, 1642.
6. Edward Harris, d. 1677.
6. Thomas Harris, d. 1677, traded in tobacco with “Mr. Jno. Bland”.
5. John Harris, rec. Jan. 16, 1637 as “servant” of Arthur Bayly.
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.; their dau., Elizabeth Barker, m. Christopher Foster 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 Bland”. R. Oct. 26, 1658.
7. John Harris, estate admon, Mr. John Barker, Feb. 11, 1698 (B. 5. 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. His estate was appraised by Edward Brantley (nephew of Edward Brantley Sr., who appraised the estate of Thomas Harris, d. 1672), who m. the relict of Thomas Harris. 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. Joshua Harris: Estate appraised by Joshua Claud, Thomas Day (of Bennett association), and Samuel Westbrooke, June 14, 1770, p. 324. Joshua Harris m. Mary Drew, as given. Samuel Westbrooke: Estate appraised by Samuel Blake (son of Thomas Blake, per estate appraisal, rec. Feb. 12, 1789), who appraised the estate of John Foster, in 1773.
10. Thomas Harris, m. Sara Goodwin, dau. of Theophilus Goodwin and Elizabeth Wyche, and granddau. of Col. Thomas Goodwin and Martha Bridger, dau. of Joseph Bridger (business partner of Richard (4) and Thomas Harris, d. 1672).
11. Solomon Harris, m. Millie Watkins, on March 11, 1778, dau. of John Watkins and Lydia Gilliam, dau. of Walter Gilliam and Sarah Foster, dau. of John Foster, son of Christopher Foster Jr. and Mary Fort. John Foster’s dau. Elizabeth Foster, m. John Watts; having issue: Agatha Watts, who m. James George, great-grandson of John George, uncle of the first wife of Thomas Harris, d. 1672.
12. Henry Harris, b. ca. 1780, d. 1850, m. Nancy Nichols.
13. Zachariah Harris, b. 1806, lived in Pike Co., Georgia, where he was ordained for the ministry in 1848, d. near Ozark, Dale Co. AL., Jan. 15, 1888. He m. Mary Elizabeth Carricker, d. Dec. 23, 1891. (See 1850 Census of Pike Co., GA; 1860 Census of Dale Co., AL.; Death Certificate
14. James Harris (1842-1924), Mary Jane Dowling.
15. John Harris.
16. … Harris. His test results with Family Tree DNA are a perfect match with Harris Group 4 males, and with a descendant of Jehu Herring.
Bluntly, the task is really one of throwing off the shackles of belief dressed as fact, and the dictatorship of a clique of Harris ‘researchers’.
copyright m stanhope 2019
Walter FitzGilbert de Hamilton 