Mary E (Williams) Harrison (abt. 1789 - 1874)

Born about 1789 in Deutschland

Wife of Thomas Watkins — married 11 Dec 1812 in Alexandria, District of Columbia, United States

Wife of John Harrison — married 28 Sep 1820 in Alexandria, Virginia, United States

Descendants

Died 4 Jan 1874 at about age 85 in West End, Fairfax, Virginia, United States

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Biography

Mary (Williams) Harrison has German Roots.

Mary was a daughter of Josias Williams. She married Thomas Watkins in 1812.^[1][2]

She married John Harrison on 28 September 1820.^[3] On the 1850 Census, Mary is living with her children, John H. and Diana Harrison. She is next door to her children from her first marriage.

Father Josiah Williams and husbands Thomas Watkins and Mr. Harrison from a 1873 court case.^[4]

Birth

Mary (Williams) Harrison migrated from Germany to Virginia.

There is no documented birth date or place. The place is either Germany or Virginia (see research notes). The date was set at 1772 from the GED upload but there was no documentation to support that date. The last census before her death (8 Jul 1870) indicates that she was born circa 1788^[5] and the one just prior states 1789^[6] and the 31 Jul 1850 census also indicates 1789^[7], One obituary gives her age as 85 and another say that she had been in the area for 86 years placing her estimated birth year prior to 1788^[8].

Obituary

Alexandria Gazette

Alexandria, Virginia

5 January 1874, page 3

DIED.

On Sunday, at 3 o'clock p. m., at her residence in West End, Fairfax county, Va., MARY HARRISON, in the 85th year of her age. The funeral will take place from the M. E. Church South to-morrow afternoon at 2 o'clock. The friends and acquaintances of the family are invited to attend.

Local Brevities, page 3

Mrs. Mary Harrison, the aged and respected mother of Messrs. D. G. and J. H. Watkins, died at her home near West End, yesterday, after a residence of eighty-six years in that immediate neighborhood, honored and esteemed by the many who knew her.^[8]

Research Notes

The 1880 census of her son David^[9] shows that the father was from Wales and Mary was from Germany although the three census records available for Mary all show that she was in Virginia and the 1880 census of son John^[10] shows that both parents were born in Virginia.

We cannot simply decide by looking at the number of documents. It is common for immigrants to claim to be born locally and rare for locally born individuals, or their issue, to claim foreign birth, and there is some undocumented family history that points to the German origin as well. However, one cannot be certain until we have more information. It might be true that she was only an infant when she arrived and has no memory of Germany. It might also be true that her father and sister were born there and she truly was born in Virginia.

As her sister married in 1806 and assuming that if they were immigrants they came together, we should place the immigration date between 1789 and 1806.

One might be keen to recognize that "Williams" is not a very German name and the original name was likely Anglicized from the original German, probably Wilhelm. Also, "Mary" was probably "Maria." As it turns out, there was a "Maria Wilhelm" born in Germany in 1779 (rather than the stated year of 1772) with a father named Josua (rather than Josias).

• "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N8MY-JJ5 : 28 November 2014), Maria Dorothea Willhelm, 29 Jul 1779; citing ; FHL microfilm 1,056,991.

Mary had a sister named Margaret and we can see that the parents of "Maria" above had a girl named "Catherine Margaret" four years later.

• "Deutschland Geburten und Taufen, 1558-1898," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:N8MY-QRP : 28 November 2014), Catharina Margaretha Willhelm, 16 Dec 1783; citing ; FHL microfilm 1,056,991.

None of this is conclusive but does provide some possible leads to be validated or invalidated.

Also note: when living with son in 1860, the census record showed birth year 1789, middle initial 'E', and birth place Virginia.^[6] I have seen DOB, and place of birth range widely from one census to another. The middle initial might be 'E' or some letter that sounds like it (e.g. 'B', 'D', 'T', 'V' but not hard ones like 'C' or 'G' or 'P').

And we can demonstrate the lack of consistency in John Henry's 1870 census where the middle initial is now 'H' (for 'Harrison possibly) and the surname has switched from Harrison to Watkins.^[5]. A little lie never hurt anyone (save a genealogist) but I can see where it is easier to say your surname matches your son's and why not say you're from Virginia even if you are not?

Mary is listed as being born circa 1809 in the 1850 census but it was common for women to underestimate their age as they got older. Were that number true, she would have been only 11 when she married John and 3 when she married Thomas Watkins and bore her first child.

The minimum age for Mary in 1812 was 13 meaning that she was born in 1799 or earlier. The average age at marriage was in Virginia in that time period was about 20 and, if that were true for Mary, would put her birth year at 1792. Her obituary says she was 85 in 1874 thus making the year circa 1789.

Sources

1. ↑ T. Michael Miller, compiler, Alexandria & Alexandria (Arlington) County, Virginia: minister returns & marriage bonds 1801-1852 (n.p.: Heritage Books, Inc., 1987); page 162. "Thomas & Mary Williams, Dec. 11, 1812 - bdsm: Thomas Watkins, Jacob Heineman."
2. ↑

   Washington, D.C., Compiled Marriages, 1801-1825

   Name	Mary Williams	Spouse	Thomas Watkins
   Marriage Date	12 Dec 1812	Marriage Location	Alexandria, District of Columbia

3. ↑ T. Michael Miller, compiler, Alexandria & Alexandria (Arlington) County, Virginia: minister returns & marriage bonds 1801-1852 (n.p.: Heritage Books, Inc., 1987); page 20. "John to Mary Watkins, Sept 28, 1820 (JM)." Note: JM=James Muir.
4. ↑ John H. Watkins v. Mary E. Watkins, etc.; Index #1873-019; Case #CFF102 S; page 2 refers to Mary Williams intermarried with Thomas Watkins; having children: David G. Watkins, Thomas J. Watkins, John H. Watkins, James M. Watkins; page 3 refers to Thomas's widow, Mary, remarried to ___ Harrison; Mary Williams Watkins Harrisons' father's name is given on page 4.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} "United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MFLT-V6T : 17 October 2014), Mary H Watkins in household of Henry Watkins, Virginia, United States; citing p. 36, family 261, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 553,144.
   Living with her son John's family and close to son David and family.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} "United States Census, 1860", database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M417-H6P : 30 December 2015), Mary E Harrison, 1860.
   Living with her son John's family.
7. ↑ "United States Census, 1850," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M881-9SX : 9 November 2014), Mary Harrison, Fairfax county, Fairfax, Virginia, United States; citing family 58, NARA microfilm publication M432 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
   Living next door to son Thomas
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1} Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, Virginia; 5 January 1874; page 3.
9. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC5M-RQF : 11 August 2016), David G Watkins, Falls Church, Fairfax, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district ED 37, sheet 319A, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1364; FHL microfilm 1,255,364.
   N.B. parents place of birth
10. ↑ "United States Census, 1880," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC5M-2R5 : 11 August 2016), John H Watkins, Falls Church, Fairfax, Virginia, United States; citing enumeration district ED 37, sheet 323B, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 1364; FHL microfilm 1,255,364.
    N.B. parents place of birth

• "Virginia Deaths and Burials, 1853-1912," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X5RB-6LV : 12 December 2014), Nancy Watkins in entry for Thos. J. Watkins, 24 Oct 1858; citing Fairfax, Virginia, reference p 10; FHL microfilm 31,329.

See also:

Chancery Case