Richard Harrison (1600 - 1664)

Born 1600 in Colchester, Essex, England

Descendants

Died 1664 at about age 64 in Skimino Hundred, York County, Colony of Virginia

Biography

Richard Harrison was a Virginia colonist.

Richard Harrison

"On Richard Harrison's plantation, lying on Queens Creek in Skimino Hundred, about five miles northeast from the town of Williamsburg, he and his immediate descendants from father to son cultivated tobacco for five generations and one hundred and eighty-five years."^[1]

Origins

Richard was born in 1600 at St. Nicholas Parish, Colchester, Essex, England.^[2]

Arrival in the Virginia Colony

"We know that Richard Harrison (1600-1664), the immigrant, was born in St. Nicholas Parish in the town of Colchester, Essex, but when and under what circumstances he came to Virginia we do not know. The earliest record of him in Virginia is of his paying tithes in 1634 in respect of a patent of land on Queens Greek, in Middletown (afterward Bruton) Parish, York County. His plantation lay within the limits of Skimino Hundred, and for nearly two hundred"^[3][1]

Virginia Planter

On December 29, 1662, the York County records show Richard brought into the colony eight persons, "certificate is granted to Richard Harrison for five hundred acres of land for the transportation of Tenne persons into this colony, vizt: Richard Harrison, Elizabeth Harrison, John Mecorpent, Peter Plumer, Thomas Shaw, James Been, William Dickes, James Besouth, Nicholas Hull and Nanne Morgan, a negro woman." (James Besouth was Richard Harrison's brother-in-law) and the other names, in addition to the negro slave, are doubtless those of indentured servants" from England who were the laborers on his plantation.^[1][2]

Marriage and Family

Richard married Elizabeth Besouth. They likely married in England as she accompanied her brother James and Richard to the colony and her name was Elizabeth Harrison in the land record of 1662.^[1][3][2]

Richard and Elizabeth had the following children:

• John, married Mary Hall
• William (1646-1713), married Mary Hubbard, the daughter of Matthew Hubbard, a renowned planter
• James
• Anne
• Ellenor

Dr. Jeremiah (Jeremy) Harrison and his brother John, sons of Sydney Harrison of St. Runwalds Parish, Colchester, England. (John Bapt. 12/31/1610-----will 12/5/1690; Jeremiah Bapt. 12/31/1612 --- He had wife Frances)^[2] James Besouth, after the death of his brother-in-law Richard Harrison in 1664, served as the guardian of his minor children. He was prominent in church matters, and was one of the original vestry of Bruton Parish in 1674. In 1678 James Besouth headed the list of contributors to the foundation and erection of the subsequently famous Bruton Parish Church, in Williamsburg. He died in 1681. It is worthy of note that Richard Harrison's son-in-law John Kendall was also a vestryman of Bruton Parish, in 1694, and that Richard Kendall, the grandson of Richard Harrison, succeeded his father in that important office in 1710. Catharine, the widow of James Besouth, left a legacy for the purchase of a "suitable piece of plate for the use of Bruton Parish, ' ' which was duly presented by Richard Kendall in 1712.^[1]

Will and Property

We learn from the Harrisons of Skimino that Richard Harrison died sometime before December 20th of 1664 when his will was probated. He left a record of the division of his property upon his death. This document was in the possession of William Harrison (Richard's great great grandson) when he emigrated from Virginia to Ohio. The document is the collection of Francis Burton Harrison Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary. Here is the content of the statement:

"This is the Devision of the Estate of RICHARD HARRISON deed., of Middle Towne of the County of York, by Mr Napier & Mr. Lyman, accordinge to the order of Corte held the 20th of December, 1664." "THE WIDDOWS third is thus sett downe: It (is) thus ordered: That the widow take fully into her possession the man servant & the horse, wch is one third ; & the boy servt, & the mare colt, wch is another third ; and the mare, wch is the next third, which third that belongs to the widow is the boy & the maire-colt ; and for the other two parts the widow is ordered to be Debtor to her children (in) the sume of thirty foure pounds sterlg. The widow is further to stand indebted to the children twenty shillings for their parts of the house furniture, wch makes the sum in all thirty five pounds, to each child a like portion. Beddinge: The widow's part of beddinge is her owne fether bed: (&) sheets, with the Furniture belonging to itt: The widow's part of the sheetes is three sheetes, & for Table linen, it is ordered by the deviders that the widow doe enjoy itt all, & be accomptable to her children the value of two napkins apiece, which is their full due. The widow's third of the Pewter is two dishes and small Basin, three plates, 4 pint potts, 1 ladle cupp,—1 salt seller, 2 purringers, 1 saser, 10 spoons, 1 skim- mer, 1 Bastinge Ladle. Iron: The widow's third is the middle pott, 1 greate skillett, iron kettle, one frying pan, 1 pr. tongues, 2 prs. pott hooks, 1 wedge, 1 pestle, 1chest, 1 gunn ould. The widow's third of these things following is this: 7 milk trays, 1 cheese fatt & cover, 1 pr. bellows, 1 hand sawe, 1 pair of hinges, 1 new hatchett, 1 grubbing hoe new. More to the widow: 3 paire shoes, & 2 paire hose. Cattle: Nightingale" & her calfe, "Mopus" & her calfe, Lady Gentle, 1 Black Steare ; 8 hogges with no marks but the eare marke. This is all the widow's thirds. JOHN HARRISON'S parte is this: 2 three year old heifers, 1 cowe yearlinge of a browne couler, & 2 bull calves, 3 hogges with 3 marks, 1 fflock bed with the furniture & 1 sheete; 2 napkins, 3 pewter dishes, 1 great candlestick, 1 tanker, 1 plate, 4 spoons, 1 new gunn, 1 frying pan, 1 pestle, 3 trays, 1 adz, 1 stock-lock, 2 paires of hookes and hinges, 1ax, 1 pre. of shooes & stockings. WILLIAM HARRISON'S parte: Old & young Prim- rose" & 1 pied heifer, 3 hogges with 1 marke apiece, 1 fflocke bed wth the furniture, 1 paire of sheets & 2 napkins, 1 pewter dish, 1 greate Basin, 4 spoones, 1 qrt. pott with new lid, 1 paire of andirons, 1 skitt, 1 pott & pothooks, 3 trays, 1chaire, 1 paire of shooes & hose. JAMES HARRISON 'S parte: 1 Young & 1 old steare, 3 hogges with 5 marks, 1 fflocke bedd with the furniture, 1sheete, 2 napkins, 1 pewter dish, 2 plates, Beane Bole, 1 candle stick, 4 spoones, 1 great old chest, 1 great iron pott, 1 fire shovell, 1 paire of tongues, 1 old brass skillett, 3 trays, ] leather chaire, 1 paire shooes & hose, ANNE HARRISON: Bess & the heifer with calfe & 1Bull, 3 hoggs with 4 marks, a feather bed with the furniture, which is between her and her sister EUena ; 1 sheete, 2 napkins,2 pewter dishes, 1 Brass morter & pestle, 2 porringers,1 plate, 4 spoones, 1 dramm cupp, 1 greate brass kettle, 2 wedges, 1 pestle, 3 trays, 1 froe, 1 auger, 1 ax, 1 paire shooes & stockings. ELLENA HARRISON: Younge Modesty & mother, 2 napkins, 1 grizzled throated heifer, 3 hoggs wth 2 markes, 1ffeather bed between her sister and she, 1 sheete, 1 pewter dish, 1 great pott, 1 plate, 1 porringer, 1 salt seller, 1 dramm cupp, 1 saser, 4 spoones, 1 great chest, 1 dripping pan, 1 pott and potthooks, 1 chafing dish, 1 little pott, 3 trays, one wooden chair, 1 paire shooes & hose. This is all the childrens' parts. Pat. Napier, John Lyman. (with their marks)

(Note: A contemporary copy (as evidenced by the chirography) of the above document was taken across the Ohio by William Harrison 4) (fourth of the name) in 1817. In 1910 it is still extant, in possession of William Jordan Harrison of Mount Pleasant, Ohio, the son of Jordan Harrison, who emigrated with his father, William Harrison,4 and it corresponds exactly with the above transcription from the York County records. To this copy are appended the receipts for their several portions given by the children of Richard Harrison to their mother Elizabeth, his executrix, who before 1670 had married again one David Dunbar, e.g.)

Receipt of Division from William to his Mother Elizabeth

I, WILLIAM HARRISON, son to Richard Harrison, deceased, doe by these presents acknowledge to have received of my mother, Elizabeth Dunbar, formerly Harrison, all my parte in the Devision made of my father's estate according to his will, and do hereby aquit my mother, Executrix to my father, deceased, from all debts, dues and demands due to me by virtue of my father 's wife. Witness my hand this 10th of March, 1670. William Harrison. Witness : the mark of John -f Harrison, James Besouth.

Sources

see also:

• Francis Burton Harrison Papers, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, College of William and Mary.Francis Burton Harrison Papers, 1873-1957

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} Harrison, Francis Burton and Fairfax Harrison. Aris Sonis Focisque; Being a Memoir of an American Family, the Harrisons of Skimino: and Particularly of Jesse Burton Harrison and Burton Norvell Harrison. New York: De Vinne Press, 1910. Archive.org (Pages 4-32)
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Jones, Ruth Harrison, Harrison Heritage December 1986 Vol. VI, No. 4. Settlers by the Long Grey Trail
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} COLKET, MEREDITH B., JR. Founders of Early American Families: Emigrants from Europe, 1607-1657. Cleveland: General Court of the Order of Founders and Patriots of America, 1975. 366p.