James Harris (1740 - 1798)

Born 1740 in Ireland

Husband of Mary Anne (McKinney) Harris — married 1758 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania

Descendants

Died 3 Jul 1798 at about age 58 in Greensburg, Green, Kentucky, United States

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Biography

From Findagrave: Born in Northern Ireland to Scottish parents. Both parents died when James was an infant (either shortly before, during or after their immigration voyage). The Harris' likely immigrated with the Andrew McClure family from Donegal, N. Ireland. As an orphaned infant, James was raised with the family of Andrew McClure in Augusta Virginia. James married Mary Anne McKinney in Lancaster, PA, in 1758. For many years he lived in Augusta, Rockbridge Cty, VA. He served in the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War in the 15th regiment of the Virginia Militia. Attained rank of Captain. Moved to Greensburg, KY after 1791 and died there in 1798 at the age of 58.

Capt. James Harris performed Patriotic Service in Virginia in the American Revolution.

James Harris is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A051645.

The DAR states he provided grain to the Continental Army.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:SYNF-7MW :

The following is copied from "That's The Way It Waz" by Zan and Marge Harris of Macomb, IL dated Dec. 1975.

In the area known as the 'Upper Valley of Virginia' many of the settlers were from Ulster, Ireland or Strathclyde, Scotland. The terrain of mountains, streams, and valleys of Ireland-Scotland and this part of Virginia is very similar. The climate of Virginia is milder. It is estimated that as many as 300,000 immigrated from Ireland to America in the early 1700's to get away from severe persecution and oppression by the government and the Church of Ireland. Most of the new immigrants landed at Philadelphia because the Pennsylvania colony was known for the liberality of its government. The Quakers did not welcome so many strange people and the immigrants gradually pushed inland. The Germans mostly moved to the right and the Ulstermen to the left. The Ulstermen were inclined to keep together and it was not unusual for the whole congregation (usually Presbyterian) to leave Ireland and settle as neighbors in America.

There was a trail wide enough for wagon traffic from Pennsylvania through the Valley of Virginia known as the 'Indian Road' or the 'Pennsylvania Road'. This was near the present 'Skyline Drive', 'Blue Ridge Parkway', and U.S. Highway #11 and entered eastern Kentucky near what is now Smoky Mountain Park.

One of these immigrants was James Harris, born about 1740 in North Ireland, probably of Scotch parents. He was reared by a Mr. McClure and apprenticed to a master in England to learn blacksmithing and coopering. About 1758, he married Mary Anne McKinney at Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Sometime after this they moved to Rockbridge County, Virginia. A son, Alexander was born there in 1765 and they purchased land there in 1767. The first settlement in this vicinity was in 1737.

Benjamin Borden received a grant of 100,000 acres on the waters of the James River. James Harris purchased 200 acres in the 'Borden Tract' for 14 pounds in 1767. This was "located on Hays Creek near Francis Wilson". Hays Creek started in Augusta County and flowed into the North River, which joined the James River.

The settlers built log houses with high chimneys of native stone. They tilled small amounts of ground. The pioneers grew little more than what was needed for their own use. A flax patch was part of every farm and weaving of linsey-woolsey and linen was common. Hemp was raised for a cash crop. Orchards were begun with apple and peach trees moved from Pennsylvania. Kitchen gardens are said to have been unkown before the Revolution when a group of Hessian prisoners-of-war at Staunton, Virginia, asked for permission to grow vegetables near their camp. The area around Rockbridge was suited mostly for grazing but for many years it was necessary to protect animals at night from wild animals such as bear, puma, and wolves.

Most of the population of Rockbridge was Presbyterian. The Sunday services started at ten o'clock in the morning and lasted until sunset except for an hour at lunchtime. Some would walk barefoot to near the church and put on shoes and stockings after crossing the last branch on the road. To serve even hot coffee on Sunday was considered a desecraion of the Sabbath.

James Harris, James Crawford and Isaac Anderson were on the List of Tithables for the year 1778. A tithable was an individual subject to head tax. In 1782 the personal property lists for the various counties of Virginia were used as a state census. Issac Anderson owned seven slaves, 13 horses and 31 cattle. James Crawford owned 6 horses and 20 cattle and James Harris owned 4 horses and 6 cattle. Two sons of James and Anne Harris married daughters of Isaac Anderson and James Crawford.

The Harris family moved to Kentucky. James made his will March 17, 1798. One source lists his death as July 3, 1798. He left the land on which they lived to Anne as long as she needed it for "a decent and comfortable support" then it went to Josiah along with "two workhorses, four milch cows, --hogs, and tools necessary for the working of the place". Alexander, William, Susanah and another son whose name is not legible now received sums of money. Susanah and Mary received personal property and Samuel, age 16, was to "be put to a trade that would appear most suitable for him".

Anne Harris died in 1816. She and James were buried in the Ebenezer Cemetery, Green County, Kentucky.

Sources

• Daughters of the American Revolution, DAR Genealogical Research Databases, database online, (http://www.dar.org/ : accessed 14 Apr 2024), "Record of James Harris", Ancestor # A051645.
• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/65478006/james-harris
• https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/2:2:SYNF-7MW