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Arthur Harris (abt. 1586 - 1632)

Sir Arthur Harris aka Herrys Herris
Born about in Woodham Mortimer, Essex, Englandmap [uncertain]
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married about Jul 1606 in St Mary Aldermanbury, City of London, Englandmap
Husband of — married 31 Jan 1614 in St Olave Hart Street, City of London, Englandmap
Descendants descendants
Died at about age 46 in Creeksea, Essex, Englandmap [uncertain]
Problems/Questions Profile manager: Richard Draper private message [send private message]
Profile last modified | Created 17 Sep 2011
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Contents

Biography

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Sir Arthur Harris (aka Herris or Herrys)[1] was probably born in Creeksea or Woodham Mortimer, Essex. He was the son of Sir William Harris alias Herris and Alice Smythe, daughter of Thomas Smythe, Haberdasher and collector of customs, of London, Ashford and Westenhanger, Kent. Long established locally, the Harris / Herrys family had achieved landed gentry status under King Henry VIII with the dissolution of the monasteries and subsequent land transfers (ca. 1539). Sir Arthur's paternal grandfather, also named Arthur, had been granted a crest for his ancestral coat of arms in 1578 and named High Sheriff of Essex in 1589, under Queen Elizabeth I.

His father, Sir William, had also been a High Sheriff of Essex in 1598-99 and was knighted in 1603 at King James I's coronation. He paid for an excellent education for his oldest son and heir and Arthur studied for 2 years at Cambridge University before being granted a passport to travel abroad in 1604. On his return in 1605 he was admitted to Gray's Inn, one of the four "Inns of Court," which all English lawyers must join, and he was knighted himself in 1606 by James I. He also joined the Lincoln's Inn, second of the four, in 1607. This was just the beginning of a notable career as a London barrister and parliamentarian.[2].

In July 1606, he married Anne Cranmer, daughter & heir of Robert Cranmer of Chepsted, Kent, at St. Mary the Virgin church, Aldermanbury, London. They had two sons: Cranmer Harris (b. 1608) and John Harris (b. 1611); and one daughter, Jane Harris (b 1609). Anne died in 1613 and Sir Arthur remarried on January 31, 1614/1615 in Saint Olave, Hart Street, London, to Anne Salter, daughter and sole heir of Sir Nicholas Salter of Enfield, Middlesex, Clothworker. Anne was the widow of Sir Henry Bowyer of Denham, Buckinghamshire. They subsequently had 5 sons and 5 daughters between 1615 and 1628.[3].

Sir Arthur Harris was an incorporator and subscriber of The Virginia Company between 1612-1624, after which the Company was dissolved by King James I and Virginia became a royal crown colony.

He also held several official posts in both Essex and Kent and in 1624 was named by the electors of Maldon, Essex, to represent them as their Member of Parliament. He remained in Parliament for 5 years when age and declining health led him to retire to his family estates in Essex. There he made his Will in 1631 in which he provided legacies for his younger sons and portions of £2,000 each for his daughters.

Sir Arthur Harris / Herrys died on January 9, 1631/1632, and is buried in All Saints Church, Creeksea, where a bronze plaque attests that he was a just and pious gentleman.

Other Biographical Information

Arthur Harris was a beneficiary of the will of his grandmother, Alice (Judde) Smythe, the will made on 10 Jul 1592[4].

Arthur Harris, son and heir of Sir William Harris of Cricksey, Essex, was admitted to Sidney, Cambridge in Feb 1601/1602, he matriculated in 1602, was admitted to Gray's Inn on 20 Nov 1605, and 'perhaps' admitted at Lincoln's Inn on 28 Apr 1607[5].

Arthur Harris of Essex was knighted on 15 Jul 1606 at Oatlands[6].

"On 15 Jul 1606, Sir William Harris Knight of Crixeth Co Essex and Robert Cranmer of Chepsted par Chevening co Kent Esq allege marriage between Arthur Harris Knight of Crixeth, bachelor, about 22, son and heir of sd Sir William Harris Kt and Anne Cranmer of St Mary Aldermanbury London, maiden about 19 daughter of sd Robert Cranmer Esq; at St Mary Aldermanbury"[7]. However, the transcript of the Register for St Mary Aldermanbury gives a date of 07 Jul 1606 for the marriage of Sir Arthure Harris to Ms Anne Cranmer[8].

He was a beneficiary of the will of his godfather and uncle, Sir John Smythe, the will made on 16 Mar 1607/1608[9].

In the Harris Pedigree in the Visitation of Essex in 1612[10] he was recorded as Arthur Harris, eldest son of Sir William Harris and Alice Smith.

Arthur was recorded on the memorial to his first wife, Anne, at Chevening, Kent, she having died in 1613[11].

Marriage Licence dated 18 Jan 1614/1615: Sir Arthur Harris Kt of Crixeth, Essex, widower, 30, & Dame Anne Bowyer of St Olave Hart Street, 22, widow of Sir Henry Bowyer, Kt, who deceased ¾ year since; at St Olave Hart Street.[12]. Sir Arthur Harris married "Ladie Ann Bowyer" on 31 Jan 1614/1615 at St Olave Hart Street, London[13].

Sir Arthur Harris was recorded as a subscriber to the Virginia Company of London in a list of 1618 (or 1619) and a list of 22 Jun 1620. In both cases his subscription was £37 10s.[14].

He was recorded in the will of his Aunt, Lady Katherine (Smythe) Scott, the will made on 11 Jan 1616/1617[15].

Sir Arthur Harris was recorded in the will of his bother, Thomas Harris, the will made on 10 Mar 1616/1617 and proved 08 Jul 1617[16]. A transcript of the will has been kindly provided by others [4].

In her will made in 1619 (no date given) and proved on 11 Jun 1621, Ursula (Smythe) Butler made a small bequest to her nephew and godson, Sir Arthur Harris[17].

Sir Arthur Harris was a beneficiary of the will of his uncle, Sir Thomas Smythe, the will made in 1620/1621 and proved in 1625[18].

In 1622 he was noted in the will of Sir Thomas Herris of Maldon, Essex.[19]

He was noted in the will of his uncle, Sir Richard Smythe, his will made on 12 Oct 1627[20].

He was noted in the will of his aunt, Elizabeth Fanshawe, the will made on 20 Feb 1629 and proved on 02 Jun 1631. By deed of 20 May 1629 she had conveyed her lease of the Manor of Dengy alias Dengy Hall in Dengy St Lawrence and Bradwell, Essex, in trust to her son in law Sir Capell Bedle, her nephew Sir Arthur Harris/Herris and her brother in law William Fanshawe esq. Some of the legacies in her will were to be paid from the future rents and profits from the Manor of Dengy Hall[21][22].

Monumental Inscription for Sir Arthur Herris at All Saints, Creeksea, Essex

On a stone set in the Chancel floor at All Saints Creeksea[23]:

Here Lyeth Interred Y Body Of Sr Arthur Herris of Creeksey In Y Countie of Essex Kt Sonne & Heire To Sr William Herris Of Y Same Place And County Kt First Married To Ann Sole Daughter And Heire To Robert Cranmer Of Chepsted In The County Of Kent Esq By Whom He Had Issue Cranmer Herris Kt John Herris And After To Dame Ann Bowyer Formerly Wife To Sr Henry Bowyer Of The Countie Of Buck Knight And Sole Daughter And Heire To Sr Nicholas Salter of Y City Of London Kt By Whom He Had Issue Ann Herris Alice Herris Mary Herris Dorithe Herris Salter Herris Francis Herris Thomas Herris Arthur Herris Edward Herris Willm Herris Eliz Herris

If any prying man here after come, That knowes not who's the tenant of this tomb, Wee'l tell him freely, as our sighes give leave, One, whose religious brest to God did cleave, And that to men just offices discharged And to the pinched soule his hart inlarg'd, One, that though laid in dust, of breath bereft. Like dying Roses sweet distillments left And moulders hoping, from this stone, God may Raise up a child to Abraham, one day.

Who Deceased y 9th day of January 1631 Aetaris Suae 47

Summary of the Will of Sir Arthure Herrys 1632

In his will made on 04 Nov 1631 and proved on 18 Jan 1631/1632 he was recorded as “Sir Arthure Herrys of Woodham Mortimer in the Countye of Essex knighte”[24].

He bequeathed to his eldest son, Sir Cranmer Herrys, “All the Beddinge Hangings & Implements of howshold stuff which nowe are within my howse at Crixesey “.

To his wife, Anne, he bequeathed for “hir owne use all my Beddinge Hangings Lynnen & all other ymplements of Howshould stuff whatsoever which are at my dwellinge howse at Woodhammortimer”. He also bequeathed to Anne “all manner of Jewells and Pearles that shee hathe in hir custodye The Plate that thate byn ordinarilye used in hir chamber with one Bason and Eawer with Bolles, Salts, & Spoones which hathe byn commonly used in the Parlour And alsoe my best Coache and twoe of my best Coache horses and three other Naggs or Gueldings whiche shee shall choose wisshinge that my estate woulde have afforded leave to have given hir a better testimonye of my true love.”

He willed to his son in law [stepson] William Bowyer esq “twoe guilte Potts which I thought to suite with his Bason and Eawer” and to his other son in law [stepson] Henry Bowyer, £20.

He bequeathed to each of his daughters [not named] “Twoe thousand poundes a peece to be payde to everye of them at their severall & respective ages of Eightene yeares or the dayes of theire respective marriages which shall firste happen yf they shall severallye & respectively soe longe live”.

To his sons Edward and William he bequeathed £1,500 each, to be paid at the age of 24.

The Testator referred to an Indenture between himself and Sir Henry Myldmay of Grayes in the Parish of Little Baddow, Essex, and Gyles Browne esq of Flamberds in the parish of Norton, Essex concerning the settling of lands called Croxons and Waldons/Waldens Marsh upon his son Salter Herrys. He also referred to a further bequest of £600 to his son Salter Herrys, and a bequest of £500 to his son Arthure Herrys which were over and above lands that were already assured to them.

The Testator’s wife, Anne, was to take the rents etc. from his various lands and leases for the maintenance of his children and for raising the sums for their portions. The farms and lands mentioned in the will were Packards; Le Perry; Croxons; Waldons/Waldens Marsh; Canons and Wantscighte in the hundred of Dengie & Rotchforde, Essex; Hallywell Estwick & Westwick; Turnecole, Twiselford and Landsend in Burnham, Essex; and the Manor and farm of Kingsnorth in Kent.

He nominated his wife, Anne, as his Executrix; and his son, Sir Cranmer Herrys, and his son in law [stepson] William Boyer as Overseers. In the event of any differences between them they were to refer the matters to Sir Henry Myldmay of Grayes Kt, Gyles Browne of Flamberds esqr, Edward Herris of Lincolns Inn esqr and Nicholas Salter of London, gent. “And if they [i.e. the Executor and Overseers) cannot or shall not ende the sayd differences then they shall order & referre themselves to the order & judgement of Sir Thomas Fanshawe of Ware parks in the county of Hertford Knighte & Sir William Salter of [gap] in the county of [gap] Knighte for the final endinge of the said differences whose order and judgement I doe hereby direct & appointe shall stande and be as my Will for those poynts soe to them referred”.

The will also referred to the Testator’s sons Thomas and John and to an assurance the Testator made to George Rooke of Hocton, Kent.

He concluded with bequests to his servants [not named] and to the poor of the parish of Woodham Mortimer and the poor of the parish of Crixesey.

The will was signed by Sir Athure Herrys and witnessed by Giles Browne, Edw. Herris, and Roger Gittins.

Note: The will did not refer to any of the Testator’s siblings or cousins (other than those noted in the summary above).

Sources

  1. Harrys/Herrys, Sir Arthur - A9678; born 1584 Essex Co., England, died 9 January 1632/3; (Member of Virginia Company). accessed 17 August 2021
  2. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/herrys-sir-arthur-1587-1632
  3. Researched and added by Chet Snow, October 29, 2014.
  4. Will of Alice Smythe, Widow of London. 11 May 1598. PROB 11/91/377. National Archives.
  5. Alumni Cantabrigienses from the earliest times to 1751. Venn J and Venn J A (2001).
  6. Shaw W A (1906) The Knights of England. A complete record from the earliest time to the present day of the knights of all the orders of chivalry in England, Scotland, and Ireland, and of knights bachelors, incorporating a complete list of knights bachelors dubbed in Ireland. Vol. II. London [1].
  7. Allegations for Marriage Licences Issued by the Bishop of London 1520-1610. Publications of the Harleian Society Vol XXV. Edited by Armytage G J (1887).
  8. The Registers of St Mary the Virgin, Aldermanbury, London. Parts I and II. Bannerman W B (Ed). Publications of the Harleian Society. Registers - Volume LXI. 1931 and 1932.
  9. Will of Sir John Smyth of Ashford Kent. 25 May 1609. PROB 11/113/462. National Archives.
  10. The Visitations of Essex 1552-1636. Publications of the Harleian Society. Vol XIII. Edited by Walter C Metcalfe 1878. Volume I p213..
  11. Registrum Roffense: or; A Collection of Antient Records, Charters and Instruments of Divers kinds necessary for illustrating the Ecclesiastical History and Antiquities of the Diocese and Cathedral Church of Rochester. London. 1769.
  12. Allegations for Marriage Licences Issued by the Bishop of London 1611-1828. Publications of the Harleian Society Vol XXVI. Edited by Armytage G J (1887) [2].
  13. St Olave Hart Street, London. Register.
  14. The Records of the Virginia Company of London. Kingsbury S M (Ed.). Vol III. Washington, 1933.
  15. Will of Katherine Scott, late Wife of Nettlestead, Kent. 12 March 1617. PROB 11/129/289. National Archives.
  16. Will of Thomas Harris. 1617. Essex Archdeaconry Wills DABW20/299. Essex Archives.
  17. Will of Ursula Boteler, Widow of Biddenham, Bedfordshire. 11 Jun 1621. PROB 11/137/525. National Archives.
  18. Will of Sir Thomas Smithe of London. 1625. PROB 11/147/84. National Archives.
  19. Will of Sir Thomas Herris of Maldon, Essex. 06 Mar 1622. PROB 11/139/250. National Archives.
  20. Will of Sir Richard Smith of Leeds Castle, Kent. 01 August 1628. PROB 11/154/125. National Archives.
  21. Will of Elizabeth Fanshawe of Ware, Hertfordshire. 02 Jun 1631. PROB 11: Will Registers. 1624-1643. Piece 160: St. John, Quire Numbers 69-138 (1631). Accessed via Ancestry.
  22. Fanshawe Wills Part I. Communicated by Edward J Sage Esq. Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica Vol II, 1876, p280-303. (see p300-303) [3] .
  23. Monumental Inscriptions at All Saints Church Creeksea. 1631-2011. Essex Society for Family History. 2010. Essex Record Office.
  24. Will of Sir Arthur Herrys of Woodham Mortimer, Essex. 18 Jan 1632. PROB 11/161/40. National Archives.

See also:


Acknowledgements

Thanks to Richard Draper for creating WikiTree profile Harris-3826 through the import of Tap.ged on Sep 16, 201.





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Wow, I am really impressed by. The work that has been completed on this line!! I am relatively new to WikiTree, this is a beautiful example of the results of collaboration?

I hope I can eventually link my Harris line.

posted by Karen (Harris) Wall