Nathaniel Harris (1727 - 1773)

Born 6 Feb 1727 in Amelia County, Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Eleanor Ellender (Sullivan) Harris — married 1740 in Amelia County, Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died 11 Jun 1773 at age 46 in Orange County, North Carolina

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Biography

Nathaniel Harris was born in the year 1712, in Amelia County, Virginia. His parents were Edward Harris and Unity Callahan. Nathaniel Harris married Ellender Sullivan in 1740, in Amelia County, Virginia. Nathaniel passed away 11 June, 1773 in Orange County, North Carolina.^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]}

Deeded Property

"8 Mar 1747, Amelia Co., VA | Edward Harris and his wife Unity of Amelia County deeded property to their son Nathaniel. The deed was witnessed by John Fips, Robert Gresham, and Charles Harris."^[8]

Edward Harris Will

"16 Mar 1747, Amelia Co., VA | Edward Harris of Amelia County wrote a will in which he names his wife Unity and his son Nathaniel Harris. The will was witnessed by the same three men as in the 8 March 1747 deed: John Fips, Robert Gresham, and Charles Harris. The will mentions slaves of Harris. Nathaniel Harris later (18 March 1747) sold two slaves to Robert Gresham which he had inherited from his father."^[9]

1755 North Carolina, Compiled Census

Name: Nathaniel Harris

State: NC

County: Granville County

Township: No Township Listed

Year: 1755

Database: NC Early Census Index^[10][11]

Home

He lived in St Matthews Parish. Land was located near present day Lake Michie and the small community of Bahama (named for the Ball-Harris and Mangum families that lived in the area at that time). This is the northeastern part of present day Durham Co, near both person and Granville Counties...^[12]

Property Purchase

Nathaniel bought 100 acres of land on Matrimony creek, Rockingham Co NC.^[13]

MOUNT BETHEL METHODIST CHURCH

"Nathaniel Harris in the mid-eighteenth century acquired a tract of 6000 acres in what is now the community of Bahama in northern Durham County. Thereon his son Archer built a meeting house around 1784 which operated for the benefit of all denominations until 1808 when it affiliated with the Methodist Church. The first building was a log structure and was used by all who desired to worship, white and black. The meeting house, originally known as Crossroads, is mentioned in a deposition filed against Archer Harris in 1784 as part of a boundary dispute.

In 1812 a two-acre tract was conveyed to church trustees. The church was placed within the Granville Circuit of the Virginia Conference. On December 20, 1820.

Washington Duke, patriarch of the Dukes of Durham, was converted to Methodism at the church. His parents, Taylor and Dicey Jones Durham, were members at Mount Bethel. The gifts of the Duke family to Methodist causes, not the least of them the establishment of Duke University, are many. Duke is said to have claimed that "whatever I am, I accredit to the Methodist circuit riders". The present church building was completed in 1949 and is the congregation's sixth. The raising was the culmination of a prolonged fundraising effort. Harley Chester, minister, recalled that gallons of Brunswick stew were made and sold, suppers were given, bazaars were held, Negro minstrels, plays, a womanless wedding and almost anything to make an honest dollar."^[14][15][16]

For photo of Church see: *Wikitree: Photo of Church on Profile of Nathaniel Harris

• Durham County North Carolina Cemeteries: Mt. Bethel Methodist Church Cemetery
• http://mountbethelumc.com/history-of-mt-bethel/
• Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bahama,_North_Carolina Bahama North Carolina: Historic Marker]
• Marker: Mount Bethel Methodist Church
• Open Durham.org: Buildings: Mount Bethel United Methodist Church

In 1828, the church received the name of Mount Bethel and was placed on the Hillsborough Circuit. In 1926 the Bahama Circuit was created, and Mount Bethel became the focal point of it. The church has continued to grow and to reach out to those in the community and in Durham County.

The fellowship hall of Mount Bethel was built in 1982 and 14 years later, Mt. Bethel completed the educational wing.

Owned Harris' Mill. Lived in St. Matthews Parish. Land was located near present day Lake Michie and the small community of Bahama (named for the Ball-Harris and Mangum families that lived in the area). This is in the northeastern part of present day Durham County, near both Person and Granville Counties. Nathaniel lived in Prince Edward, Halifax and Amelia Cos., VA before coming to NC.^[17]

Occupation: Cherokee Indian.^[17]

Nathaniel lived in St Matthews Parish. Land was located near present day Lake Michie and the small community of Bahama (named for the Ball-Harris and Mangum families that lived in the area at that time. This is the northeastern part of present day Durham Co, near both person and Granville Counties.^[3] Nathanial lived in Prince Edward, Halifax and Amelia Co's Va before coming to N.C.^[3]

Marriage

Husband: Nathaniel Harris

Wife: Ellender "Nancy" Sullivan

Children:^[13]

1. HARRIS b: 31 JUL 1742 in Amelia,VA
2. Unity "Montie" HARRIS b: in Amelia,VA
3. Lenora HARRIS b: 1745 in Amelia Co,VA
4. Archer HARRIS b: 1747 in Amelia,VA
5. Charles HARRIS b: 1750 in Amelia,VA
6. Edward HARRIS b: 1751 in Orange,NC
7. Mary Ethel HARRIS b: ABT 1760 in Orange Co,NC
8. Lurena HARRIS
9. Arthur HARRIS
10. Luvia HARRIS

Will

"In the Name of God Amen This Eleventh Day of June in the year of Our Lord Christ One Thousand Seven Hundred Seventy Three I Nathaniel Harris of the Parish of Saint Matthews County of Orange North Carolina do make my will being in my Proper Senses and Memory first and Principally Recommend (y) my Soul to god who gave it and my body to the Earth from whence it was taken hoping for a Joyful Resurrection through the Merits and Visitations of our Lord Savior Jesus Christ and as for such Goods as God hath bestowed on me I give and Bequeath the same in the manner Directed.

I lend unto my loving wife Ellender Harris my land & one negroe fellow named Will one wench named Tamer one wench named Maddam and One Bay Horse one feather bed & half of my Movable Estate during her natural life and after her decease

Item I give and bequeath to my son Nathaniel Harris the above mentioned negroe Will to him and his heirs for Ever. Item I give and bequeath the above mentioned negroe Tamer and a negroe Girl named Dilay to my son Archer Harris and his heirs for Ever. Item I give and bequeath unto my son Edward Harris my land and three negroes named Sall Isaac & Maddam and all my Estate not before given to him and his heirs for Ever Except one negroe Girl named Linder this I give and bequeath to my Granddaughter Mary Harris I likewise give and Bequeath to my Granddaughter Mary Harris one…cow and calf to her and her heirs for Ever

Item I give to my son Charles Harris one Dollar

Item I give to my Daughter Unity Callahan one Dollar

Item I give to my Daughter Lenora Burks one Dollar

Lastly I appoint my son Edward Harris my Executor of this my Last will and Testament Witness my hand the day and year above written.

Sealed & Published In presence of us Wortham Glenn Nathaniel Harris Ann A Glenn Mildred Woods North Carolina Orange County May Court 1774 The execution of the will as affirmed in Open Court by the affirmation of Ann Glenn one of the subscribing witnesses thereto and Ordered to be Recorded.

Will dated June 11, 1773.

Proved May 1774."^[18]

Rockingham N. C. Will Abstracts Vol 1 1785-1865; Nathaniel Harris; 13 Apr 1800. No probate date. Wife Nancy. Six sons: Jesse Harris, Thomas Harris, Webb Harris, Charles Harris, Edward Harris, Archer Harris. Daughters: Elizabeth Murphey, Elsey Cox, Polly Murphey, Elender Harris, Celah Harris. Exrs: Jesse Harris, Thomas Harris, WebbHarris. Wts: Edward Calahan, Darby Hopper, Jerey Hopper.

Nathaniel Harris was born about 1696 in , Rockingham, North Carolina and died on 14 Jun 1773 in , Orange, North Carolina.

He lived in St Matthews Parish.

Nathanial lived in Prince Edward, Halifax and Amelia Co's Va before coming to N.C.

Noted events in his life were:

1. Land: 11 Oct 1786, Bought 100 Acres On Matrimony Creek, Rockingham Co

NC.

1. Will: 11 Jun 1773, P.39, Book #1, Rockingham Co NC, Exec, Son Edward.

Nathaniel married Eleanor (Ellender) Sullivan about 1729 in Amelia Co VA.

Children from this marriage were:^[19]

1. Unity Harris
2. Nathaniel Harris
3. Charles Harris
4. Lurena Harris
5. Arthur Harris
6. Archer Harris
7. Edward Harris
8. Luvia Harris

Sources

1. ↑ https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:38YD-RJ1
2. ↑ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/131287965/nathanial-harris
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2} http://bloodroyal.tripod.com/AbbeyParker1879Line1W.html
4. ↑ http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/s/a/l/Sandra-R-Salyers/GENE19-0001.html
5. ↑ https://www.geni.com/people/Nathaniel-Harris/6000000008428900354
6. ↑ https://www.ourfamtree.org/browse.php/Nathaniel-Harris/p90883
7. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com/family-tree/person/tree/12404360/person/12529102697/facts?_phsrc=LDZ3028&_phstart=successSource
8. ↑ https://phippsgenealogy.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/remarkable-virginia-and-north-carolina-connections/
9. ↑ https://phippsgenealogy.wordpress.com/2015/06/02/remarkable-virginia-and-north-carolina-connections/
10. ↑ Jackson, Ron V., Accelerated Indexing Systems, comp.. North Carolina Census, 1790-1890. Compiled and digitized by Mr. Jackson and AIS from microfilmed schedules of the U.S. Federal Decennial Census, territorial/state censuses, and/or census substitutes.
11. ↑ https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?indiv=1&dbid=3566&h=16703806&ssrc=pt&tid=12404360&pid=12529102697&usePUB=true
12. ↑ Will: 11 JUN 1773 P.39,book #1,Rockingham Co NC, Exec, son Edward
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=mjr6387&id=I34285
14. ↑ Jean Bradley Anderson, Durham County: A History of Durham County, North Carolina (1990)
15. ↑ Harley A. Chester, “A History of Mount Bethel Methodist Church” (eight-page pamphlet published by the church, n.d., 1950?, copy in the marker files, North Carolina Office of Archives and History
16. ↑ "Orange County Deed Books, North Carolina State Archives "
17. ↑ ^{17.0 17.1} Geni People: Nathaniel Harris
18. ↑ https://www.ancestry.com/mediaui-viewer/collection/1030/tree/12404360/person/12529102697/media/445bebc5-450d-4b3b-bf81-19b7769a33ea?_phsrc=LDZ3029&usePUBJs=true
19. ↑ Abstracts of wills recorded in Orange County, North Carolina, 1752-1800 , p 27