William Harris (1713 - 1788)

Born 2 Jul 1713 in York County, Virginia Colony

Ancestors

Husband of Mary (Netherland) Harris — married 1736 (to Nov 1788) in York County, Virginia Colony

Descendants

Died 25 Nov 1788 at age 75 in Green Creek, Albemarle County, Virginia, USA

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Biography

William Harris was the oldest son of Matthew Harris and Elizabeth Lee Harris. William was born on his parents' plantation, Prestons, in York County, Virginia, which he inherited on his father's death in 1727. On coming of age, he sold Prestons to his mother's second husband, Edward Baptist,^[1] and moved north-west into Virginia's rich Piedmont territory during the 1730s, marrying Mary Netherland in Goochland County in 1736. They secured extensive land-holdings in what would become Albemarle County in 1744 (formed from parts of Louisa & Goochland Counties) and set up the first grist-mill in the area of Green Creek.^{[2] [3] [4]}

William Lee Harris and Mary Netherland Harris had 10 children as follows: ^{[5] [6] [7] [8]}

1. Matthew Harris, b: 25 NOV 1737 in St. Anne's Parish, Albemarle County, Virginia
2. Catherine Harris, b: 1744 in Albemarle County, Virginia
3. Sarah Hankins Harris, b: 1745 in Albemarle County, Virginia
4. Elizabeth Harris, b: 1746 in Albemarle County, Virginia
5. Mary Netherland Harris, b: 1747 in Albemarle County, Virginia
6. William A. Harris, b: 13 JUL 1748 in Albemarle County, Virginia
7. Judith Harris, b: ca. 1753 in Albemarle County, Virginia
8. Benjamin Harris, b: 30 JAN 1754 in Albemarle County, Virginia
9. Ann C. "Nancy" Harris, b: 20 JAN 1756 in Albemarle Co., Virginia
10. John Lee Harris, b: ca. 1758 in Albemarle County, Virginia

William Lee Harris died on his plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia, USA, in November 1788. His Will was written on October 26, 1788 and proved after his death on December 11, 1788. It is transcribed below.

A history of Albemarle County states: ^[9]

William Harris was long one of the early and leading citizens of Albemarle. His first patent was located on Beaverdam of Hardware in 1739. He also made entries on Totier and Green Creeks, until during the next forty years he possessed more than two thousand acres. He was evidently a man of fine judgement and great energy. He established on Green Creek one of the first mills erected in that part of the county, and it has ever since been an important centre to the surrounding country. In 1746, the year after the county was organized, he was appointed one of its magistrates. he died in 1788. His wife was Mary Netherland, and his children, Matthew, Sarah, the wife of a Mosby, Elizabeth, the wife of John Digges, Catharine, the wife of a Steger, John, William, Mary, the wife of a Woolfolk, Benjamin, Ann, the wife of Hawes Coleman, and Judith, the wife of George Coleman. From this stem has sprung a greater number of families perhaps than from any other ever domiciled in the county.

Will of WILLIAM HARRIS
from: Albemarle Co., VA Will Book 3, p. 55
dated Oct. 26, 1788; proven December 11, 1788
from: Ancestry.com: Copeland,Harris,Lawrence,Neville,Pittman,Turner,Wheeler Page by Jesse Macon Lawrence Jr.

"In the name of God Amen the 26th day of October anno domini 1788 I William Harris of the County of Albemarle and the Parish of St. ...... (unreadable) being in perfect Memory and Remembrance praised be to God for the same But weak in body I do make and Ordain this my last Will and Testament in manner and form following Viz First I bequeath my Soul unto the hands of Almighty God hoping that through the Victorious Death and Sufferings of my great Redeemer to Receive free pardon and forgiveness of all my sins and my body to the grave to be Buried at the Discretion of my Executors herein and after nominated as for my worldly goods with which the Almighty hath been pleased to Endow me with I give and bequeath in measure and form following Viz I give and bequeath to my son MATTHEW HARRIS the land and plantation whereon he now lives with all the land that is my property on Rockfish River in Amherst County. I give to my son BENJAMIN HARRIS the plantation whereon I now live with all the lands which I posess on the waters of Green Creek only a small part Joining the lands of Samuel Hensley and William Thurmond and bounded as followeth To Wit Beginning at a Red Oak on...... where the path crosses the Branch which lies Betwext my land known by the Name of the Red Oak Field and Jerusha Turner's old place and Running with my line to a corner in Hensley's line and with Hensley's line down the Creck [sic] to Thurmonds line and with his line to the Branch above mentioned and then up the said Branch to the first Station which land last mentioned I give and bequeath to my Grandson WILLIAM HARRIS MOSBY."

"I give and bequeath to my children MATTHEW HARRIS, SARAH HAWKINGS MOSBY, ELIZABETH DEGGS, CATHERINE STECCER, JOHN HARRIS, WILLIAM HARRIS, MARY WOOFOLK, BENJAMIN HARRIS, ANN COLEMAN AND JUDITH COLEMAN the negroes and properties which I have heretofore given them and which is now in their possession. I lend to my wife MARY HARRIS the plantation whereon I now live Stock of Horses, Cattle Hoggs Household and kitchen furniture with the plantation utensil and 11 negroes namely Peter Ned Harry Joe Frank John Charles Sabra Bette Rachel and Judah during her Natural life and I nominate my sons JOHN HARRIS and WILLIAM HARRIS and BENJAMIN HARRIS as my executors to execute this my Last Will and Testament."

"My will is that my three sons John William and Benjamin above mentioned have the management of all my property which I left for the maintenance of my wife MARY HARRIS and all the profit arising therefrom which is over and above maintaining and supporting her at her own discretion is to be equally divided betwixt my said three sons JOHN, WILLIAM and BENJAMIN and my will is that on the death of my wife MARY HARRIS that all the property that is now left to support her to be equally divided amongst all my children above mentioned as Witness my hand and Seal this the date above mentioned."

William Harris (seal)

Witnesses: Richard Farrar,

Lee Harris,

L. McLean,

John Farrar,

Isham X Bradley

FamilySearch.org: William Lee Harris L6GD-T72​​, Birth 2 July 1713 Virginia Death 25 October 1788 Albemarle Co. VA Spouse: Mary Ann Netherland LR7L-Z4R​​, Birth 1719 Goochland Co. VA Death 20 May 1799 Hales Ford, Franklin Co. VA Marriage: September 1738 Virginia

Sources

1. ↑ Seaman, Catherine H.C. “Tuckahoes and Cohees: The Settlers and Cultures of Amherst and Nelson Counties, 1607-1807 : Seaman, Catherine H.C. : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming, Pg. 104 & others.” Internet Archive. Sweet Briar College, January 1, 1992. https://archive.org/details/tuckahoescoheess00seam/page/104/mode/2up
2. ↑ Family Data Collection - Births by Edmund West, compiler; Ancestry.com Operations Inc., Date: 2001; Provo, UT, USA
3. ↑ Birth year: 1713; Birth state: VA from: Family Data Collection - Individual Records, Edmund West, compiler; Ancestry.com Operations Inc., Date: 2000; Provo, UT, USA
4. ↑ Family Data Collection - Marriages by Edmund West, compiler; Ancestry.com Operations Inc., Date: 2001; Provo, UT, USA
5. ↑ Document: Personal Property Tax Lists, 1782 [Virginia State Library]; Call Number: FHL Film 2024443; Page: 32; Family Number: 7. From: U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820, Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Date: 2011; Provo, UT, USA
6. ↑ U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current; Ancestry.com; Date: 2012; Provo, UT, USA
7. ↑ U.S., Sons of the American Revolution Membership Applications, 1889-1970 from Ancestry.com Operations, Inc. Date: 2011; Provo, UT, USA
8. ↑ Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly; from Ancestry.com Operations Inc. Date: 2002; Provo, UT, USA
9. ↑ History of Albemarle County, in Virginia, by Rev. Edgar Woods, p. 219; cited on: William Harris profile on Geni.com

• Greer Ancestry on RootsWeb: William Lee Harris

• William Lee Harris on Genea.net

• William Harris profile on Geni.com - Includes lengthy biography and original Virginia sources citations. Mistakenly adds a 2nd wife (Mary Netherland was his only wife).

FamilySearch.org