Henry Harris (abt. 1705 - abt. 1779)

Born about 1705 in Isle of Wight County, Colony of Virginia

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Harris — married 1740 in St. Lukes Parish, Isle of Wight County, Colony of Virginia

Descendants

Died about 1779 at about age 74 in Montgomery, North Carolina, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Richard Draper [send private message], Virginia Project WikiTree [send private message], and Todd Altic [send private message]

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Biography

Henry Harris was born about 1705 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia.^{[citation needed]} He is the son of Edward Harris Jr.

His brother was Thomas Harris. They were proven brothers in 1721 when John Gibbins' Will was witnessed by their father Edward Harris Jr., name of mother undisclosed, due to others stealing these brothers as their own.^[1] [what does "stealing these brothers as their own" mean? Spratlin-29 14:25, 17 June 2023 (UTC)]

Henry received a patent of 280 acres in 1727 in Isle of Wight County.^{[citation needed]}

Henry married Mary Harris in 1740 in St. Lukes Parish, Isle of Wight County, Virginia.^[2]

Henry and Mary are named in her grandfather Edward Drew's Will dated 1 February 1747/8.^[3][4]

They sold their 280 acres of land in Isle of Wight County in 1772 to Mary's brother Nathan Harris before Henry and his entire family moved to Anson County, North Carolina.^{[citation needed]}

Henry and sons John and Arthur signed the Petition to form Montgomery County, North Carolina, in 1779, for which they are recognized as Revolutionary War Patriots. Please see attached records. [which attached records? why would signing this petition make them Revolutionary War Patriots? Spratlin-29 14:25, 17 June 2023 (UTC)]

Henry died in late 1779 in Anson, North Carolina.^[5]

Children

Henry and Mary's children included:^{[citation needed]}

1. John Harris, b. 27 May 1741, Isle of Wight VA, d. 16 Jun 1806, Montgomery Co, N.C.
2. Elizabeth (Harris) Mounger, b. 12 Feb 1746, Isle of Wight VA, d. bef 1798, Wilkes Co., GA
3. Olive Harris, b. 7 Apr. 1749, Southampton, VA, d. 7 Aug 1812, Warren Co. GA
4. West Harris, b. 10 Mar 1752, Southampton, VA, d. 24 Oct 1819, Maury Co., TN
5. Arthur Harris, b. 20 Jul 1758, Southampton, VA, d. 25 Dec 1818, Montgomery Co., NC.

Research Notes

Often Conflated

Two (2) Marys, LNAB Drew and Harris respectively, married John and Henry Harris. All four (4) are named in the Will of Edward Drew (abt.1667-bef.1746). The Mary profiles are:

• Mary (Drew) Harris (1700-1764), wife of John Harris (1698-1764), daughter of Edward Drew and Frances Ann Newitt.
• Mary Harris (1721-abt.1764), wife of Henry Harris (abt.1705-abt.1779), granddaughter of Edward Drew and Frances Ann Newitt.

Unknown Mother

Henry is the son of Edward Harris Jr (1664-abt.1721) for whom no wife or date or place of death has ever been found.

Disproved parents include:

• This Henry Harris is not the son of Edward Harris Jr [profile id?] and Mary (Thorpe) Harris (1677-1738). [because? Spratlin-29 14:38, 17 June 2023 (UTC)]
• A duplicate profile for Henry, Harris-3789, previously listed his parents as Edward Harris (abt.1665-bef.1734) and Mary (Turner) Harris (abt.1667-aft.1733), with Henry's birth as 1705, Isle of Wight County.^[6] However, there is no evidence that couple had a son named Henry.

Needs Research

The below information were previously contained in the profile John Harris (1698-bef.1764), whose Proper First Name was temporarily changed to Henry, but has now been returned to John: Spratlin-29 14:53, 17 June 2023 (UTC)

"All of the known children and grandchildren of Edward Drew are named by their birth names in this three page Will, including those of two other daughters. The seven younger children [of John Harris and Mary Drew Harris] are named in his 1764 Will. The oldest child [of John Harris and Mary Drew Harris] Mary Harris had evidently died before 1764 when records show Henry Harris with a new wife. This 2nd wife and Henry then sold the land patented by Henry Harris to Mary Harris' brother Nathan Harris."

"These eight children are those shown in the profile of John Harris (1698-bef.1764) and his wife Mary (Drew) Harris (1700-1764), they are enumerated in the 1745 Edward Drew (abt.1667-bef.1746) Will as documented in the John Brayton FIVE THOMAS HARRISES reference book on pgs 1-62 on the descendant of Thomas Harris d1688 down to his granson John Harris and Mary Drew on pgs 63-65, including their daugher Mary Harris married to Henry Harris. this Mary Harris is listed with her husband Henry Harris on pgs 120-121, but no children listed for them."

"It has always been the conclusion by a Southampton County Probate Judge, that all of the seven Harris children named in this 1745 Edward Drew Will, were over the legal age of 14 years. This was the age requirement without an administrator or guardian being appointed for them. Since there is no such language in this 1745 Will nor in its probate, requesting or appointing an administrator or guardian, the legal assumption is that all seven named Harris children, ie Newitt, Drew, Thomas, Nathan, Ann, Martha and Mary Harris were all at least 14 years old at the time this Edward Drew Will was written in 1745."

[Why would there be any expectation that the Probate of Edward Drew would appoint guardians for the children of son-in-law John Harris and wife Mary (Edward's daughter)? John did not die until 1764. Spratlin-29 14:53, 14 June 2023 (UTC)]

The above information appears to state that Henry was married twice, and his wife Mary Harris died before 1764. Are there reliable sources for this?

The above information also appears to provide a lead on the birth date of Henry's wife Mary Harris—the discussion of guardianship and "at least 14 years old".

Needs Research #2

The below information were previously contained in the profile John Harris (1698-bef.1764), whose Proper First Name was temporarily changed to Henry, but has now been returned to John: Spratlin-29 14:53, 17 June 2023 (UTC)

Per Tom King:

• Note - Much has changed since the first of the following messages was sent in 2014. Most obviously, that this profile is no longer for the Henry Harris Tom commented on, so is not attached as the son of Thomas Harris d1712 and his wife Judith Edwards. However, the profile for Benjamin has been re-attached as the son of this John Harris and his wife Mary:
• On December 22, 2014: Henry Harris was NOT the son of Thomas Harris d1712 and Judith Edwards. Judith was still single in Sep 1701 when she sold her inherited land from her father. It has been proven for two decades that Thomas Harris and Judith Edwards who only had ONE child that lived to adulthood, a son Benjamin who in turn died before 1758 when his only child, a daughter Mary Harris signed a quit claim in Isle of Wight as "sole heir" of the property of Judith Edwards Harris. Henry Harris did NOT die in 1755. That is an error in Torrance Virginia Wills that is actually for a Henry HARRISON. Henry had patented 280 acres in 1727, which he sold in 1772 with Mary (Drew) his wife and moved to that part of Anson Co., NC that became Montgomery Co., NC in 1779. Henry and Mary Drew married in 1740 according to their Family Bible which does not list any son named Benjamin. I have researched this family for 50+ yrs and have never found any proof of parents for this Benjamin Harris or any of his siblings named in the 1791 will of a totally unrelated Henry Harris.
• On January 17, 2017: This tree has not been corrected since I made the comment 2 years ago. The brother Thomas Harris has only one correct profile Harris-2898 while the Harris-3806 if a different Thomas Harris should be corrected to show no date of death. The six children of Henry Harris and Mary Drew listed in their Family Bible were born 1741 to 1758 on the land he patented in 1727, 3 of them in Isle of Wight and 3 of them in Southampton when it was formed out of Isle of Wight in 1749. There is an IOW 1721 Will that specifically states that Thomas Harris and his brother Henry Harris were the sons of Edward Harris who witnessed the Will.
  • This abstract of the 1721 will Tom mentions includes the statement "son of Edward" for just Thomas Harris.

Sources

1. ↑ 1721 IOW Will of John Gibbins witnessed by Edward Harris Jr naming his sons Thomas (d 1730) and Henry (d 1779)
2. ↑ Marriage to Mary Harris
3. ↑ County Court, Southampton County, Virginia, Will books, with inventories and accounts, 1749-1916; general index to wills, 1749-1937, Will book, No. 1-3 1749-1782; database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C9TZ-HQ65), images 18-19.
4. ↑ Will, VA, Isle of Wight, Edward Drew 1745. [incomplete transcription missing items immediately after that for Ann Harris]
5. ↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/132394294/henry-harris : accessed 20 January 2022), memorial page for Henry Harris (1706–1779),Find A Grave: Memorial #132394294, citing Harris Family Cemetery, Onvil, Montgomery County, North Carolina, USA ; Maintained by 55Chevy (contributor 48081247) .
6. ↑ Ancestral File Number KBG0-N5.

See also:

• 1727 IOW Patent to Henry Harris IOW Great (Deed Bk 1 pg 77).
• 1772 Southampton Deed Bk 4, pg 471, patent land to Nathan Harris.
• 1772 Montgomery Co., NC Tax Rolls.
• Book "The Five Thomas Harrises of Isle of Wight County Virginia" 1995 by John Brayton.

Acknowledgements

• The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, data as of 5 January 1998), source citation for WikiTree profile Harris-3789 created through the import of Tap.ged on Sep 16, 2011 by Richard Draper.
• Ancestry Family Trees (Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members), source citation for WikiTree profile Harris-3358 created through the import of altic Family Tree.ged on Aug 3, 2011 by Todd Altic.