James Harris (1722 - abt. 1792)

Born 3 Apr 1722 in Albemarle, Virginia Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Harris — married before 1751 in Virginia

Descendants

Died about Sep 1792 at about age 70 in Albemarle, Virginia, USA

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Laurence Houlgate [send private message]

Biography

James Harris was born in Hanover County, Virginia, 1722. His parents were James Harris Sr. and Sarah Crawford.

James fought in the French & Indian Wars. James was a County Constable during the Revolution.

After this War, he married Mary in 1751 and they moved to Albemarle Co. Virginia. They had nine children together.

Timeline

21 Oct 1751: Robert Harris of Fredericksville Parish, Louisa Co. For Natural love & affection to my son, Christopher Harris and son-in-law, James Harris. To son Christopher: Negroes Jimmy, a man; Millington, a boy; Abby, a woman. To James Harris: 2 girls, Janney & Henriette. Signed: Robert Harris Wit: Thomas Perkins, Tyree Harris. Ack. 22 Oct 1751^{[1] [2]}

18 Feb 1754: Benjamin Brown of Fredericksville Parish, Louisa Co to James Harris, Albemarle. 80 acres; James Harris's corner in the Albemarle County line; Wm Brown's line. Signed: Benjamin Brown. Wit: Ben Brown Jr., Wm Brown, David Thomson, David Epperson. Proved by three witnesses, 26 Apr 1754. ^[3]

25 Oct 1758: A vestry held for Fredericksville Parish 25th day Oct of 1758 Ord. that James Harris and Gabriel Maupin do procession all the lands on North side the Buck elbow to the Extant of the County [Louisa?] and so all along the Ridge of the Mountains to the Coty line Northward down the County line to where it crosseth Doyls River down the same to Moremans River up Moremans River to Danl. Maupins Junr. and so to the Lower Point of the Bucks elbow. ^[4]

11 Mar 1761: James Harris and Mary his wife of Albemarle Co. to Thomas Grubbs of said county... consideration ten pds. curent money of Virginia... certain parcel of land lying on Moormans Run... [Measurements but no acreage given] Presence: John Rodes James Harris Wm. Shelton, John McCord ^[5]

23 Jan 1763: Jno. Mullens, Goochland, to James Harris for 40 pds., 200 A adj Benj. Brown. Wit: Mosias Jones, David Rodes, Ro. Miller, Jos. Woods, Ro. Morris. ^[6] (Benjamin Brown, a neighbor of Harris, is the father of Lucretia Brown who married Robert Harris, son of Major Robert Harris of Albemarle Co.) ^[7]

circa 1767: From Fredericksville Parish vestry book: "Order'd that James Harris and John Mullens do procession all the lands between Doyls & Moremans River up to the Great Mountain."^[8][9]

12 May 1768: Benjamin Brown of Parish of St Martins and county of Hanover to James Harris of Parish of Fredericksville and County of Albemarle for 20 £. Parcel of land in Fredericksville Parish, 22 acres, bounded beginning at James Harrises corner. Signed: Ben Brown Wit: Zachariah Mills, Thomas Langford, John Mullins Junr ^[10]

Nov 1772: James Harris was witness to a deed of Barnard Brown of Albemarle Co. to Ben Brown of Hanover Co., branch of Rockey Creek, granted to the late Benj. Brown, deced, bequeathed to his son Barnard Brown. ^[11]

Oct 1773: John Burk & Feba his wife of Augusta Co. to James Harris 331 acs., Albemarle Co., on both sides of South Fork of Rockey Creek.^[11]

13 Nov 1783: From Fredericksville Parish vestry book, at Charlottesville: Ordered that James Harris, John Mullins, John Maupin & Martin Gentry do possession [sic] the Land Beginning at the fork of Moormans River, thence up doyls River to Harrises Road, thence up to the Widow Harrises Quarter, thence straight to the Top of the Great Mountains thence along that to the Ridge that Comes down to the fork of Moreman's River thence down that River to the Beginning.^[12][9]

Will

25 Feb 1792: Will of James Harris of Albemarle County, dated 25 Feb 1792. Probated Sept Court 1792. Daughter - Anna Haden, Negro woman Johanna and her increase. Granddaughter - Lucy Dabney other daughters: Mouring Maupin , Sarah Harrison, Susanna Burnley, Lucy Grubbs sons: Thomas, Joel, James and Nathan Thomas to have land adj Capt. Robert Harris, dec'd. to wife Mary Harris, all land not bequeathered to son Thomas, land adjoining Capt. Robert Harris, Dec'd. Executors: Joel & James Harris Wit: B. Brown, William Spears.

His will can be read here.

Research Notes

John Burk & Feba his wife of Augusta Co sold to James Harris' heirs, 331 acres, Albemarle Co, both sides of South Fork of Rockey Creek. [may be a restatement of the deed of Oct 1773 to James Harris]

Another daughter "Jane" is named in some databases. Jane Harris is not listed in the GEDCOM from Ancestry, nor on the Harris home page. She isn't named in the Will of James Harris either. Rev. Edgar Woods, historian of Albemarle Co, ALBEMARLE COUNTY IN VIRGINIA, 1900, said Jane married a Dabney. He seems to be the origin of this information and he is known to have made errors. Perhaps he was confused because the will of James Harris mentioned a granddaughter named Dabney who was the child of Anna Harris Dabney Haden by her first husband.

Sources

1. ↑ Louisa Co DB A, p.443
2. ↑ LOUISA CO VA DEED BOOKS A & B, 1742-1759; Rosalie Edith Davis, 1977, p.69
3. ↑ Albemarle Co DB C, p.16
4. ↑ p. 61 of Vestry book
5. ↑ Albemarle Co. DB 3 p. 38-39
6. ↑ Albemarle Co. DB-3 pg. 389
7. ↑ Adapted from Ruth & Sam Sparacio, DEED ABSTRACTS OF ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VIRGINIA DEED BOOK 3, 12 FEBRUARY 1761-9 AUGUST 1764 [McLean, VA: The Antient Press, 1988], p. 12
8. ↑ Fredericksville Parish vestry book, p. 81, ca 1767
9. ↑ ^{9.0 9.1} Rosalie Edith Davis, FREDERICKSVILLE PARISH VESTRY BOOK 1742-1787, Vol. I [Manchester, MO: Published by author, 4th printing 1989], p. 66
10. ↑ Albemarle Co DB 4, p.521
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1} Sparacio & Sparacio, ALBEMARLE COUNTY, VIRGINIA DEEDS 1772-1776
12. ↑ Fredericksville Parish vestry book, p. 118, 13th day of Nov 1783 at Charlottesville

See also:

• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/), "Record of James Harris September 8, 2016", Ancestor # A051654.
• Find A Grave: Memorial #14140244

• VETERAN --- French and Indian Wars.

Acknowledgments

• Thank you to Darlene Burton for creating the WikiTree profile Harris-9160 through the import of clay3_2013-07-25.ged on Jul 25, 2013.
• Thanks to Laurence Houlgate for creating the WikiTree profile Harris-5763 through the import of HoulgateExportLegacy2012.ged on Jun 18, 2012.
• Thanks to Rick Tuter for creating the WikiTree profile Harris-6033 through the import of The Tuter and Bunch Families_family line_2012-08-23_01.ged on Aug 23, 2012.
• See the Changes page for details on the edits and contributions to this profile.