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GENEALOGY OF THOMAS HARRIS, JR b 1730 ISLE OF WIGHT, VIRGINIA |
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A group of Harris researchers working on the family of Thomas
Harris (Testator of 1729) Isle of Wight have found new evidence
for his son Thomas Harris, Jr. Thomas Harris, Jr. has been mixed up by researchers with another Thomas Harris who died in Bute North Carolina in 1770. |
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Thomas Harris who died in 1770 Bute Co NC is not Thomas Harris, Jr
and he did not have a son named Solomon Harris that we have found.
He had two children West and Elizabeth and possibly a third, an
unborn child mentioned in his will. The Executor and one of the
witnesses to his will was Joseph Harris. This man signed Joseph
Harris. This confusion may have existed for a few reasons. 1) The area where Thomas Harris, Jr. lived in Granville NC is right on the edge of Granville on the part that broke off to Bute in 1764 and then shortly later broke again into Warren & Franklin NC. 2) A document about Solomon Harris misfiled in the folder of Thomas Harris 1770. 3) Lack of evidence and mindset that Thomas Harris, Jr went to Granville County NC with other Harris families since some of the grandchildren of Thomas Harris (Will 1688 IOW) lived in Granville Co the same time as Thomas Harris, Jr. It should be noted that these Harris families settled mostly on Fishing Creek a very different area. |
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Thomas Harris Will 1729 Isle of Wight, Virginia. Thomas Harris died relatively young. The DOB of Thomas & Hannah about 1700 Isle of Wight. Her parents are unknown. |
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Important facts from this will. 1) Written 25 December 1729 Recorded 23 March 1730. 2) Wife named Hannah, Son Joshua and daughter Mary Harris. 3) Unborn child wife now goes with. 4) Son Joshua Harris received various items plus “my plantation and all my land being 400 acres. (Virginia Land Patents & Grants Vol 111 1695-1732 Thomas Harris 290 acres IOW Maherin River & both sides of Herbert’s Branch adjacent Edward Brantley & Wm Simmons line 24 March 1725.) 5) Daughter Mary 6 Pewter dishes, 5 pewter plates 1 basin, 6) Unborn child 3 pewter dishes, 5 pewter plates. 1 basin but if unborn child a boy: Land on the other side of the Harbor’s. 7) Wife Hannah Harris one half of balance of estate. 8) Brother Henry Harris & wife Hannah as Executors. Only Henry presented Will To Court. 9) Edward Brantley (his neighbor), John Tharp & Thos. Purcell Appraisers. Because records are often not extant this early nothing more was ever known about Hannah as she was not involved as an executor of his estate. No guardianship papers were found or anything to define where or with whom these children lived. |
| Family of Thomas
Harris & Hannah (LNU) Harris Thomas Harris b c/a 1700 d 1730 Isle of Wight, VA Son of Edward Harris mother unknown. (Research by John A Brayton “The Five Thomas Harrises of Isle of Wight Virginia). Hannah (unknown) b c/a 1700 d before 1777 Orange Co. North Carolina. |
| 1) Joshua Harris b
c/a 1725 Isle of Wight, Va. d 1770 Southampton, County, Virginia 2) Mary Harris b c/a 1727 Isle of Wight, Va. 3) Thomas Harris, Jr. b 1730 Isle of Wight Co, VA d 1761 Granville, County, N. C. Brantley researchers have evidence that John Brantley a son of Edward Brantley (neighbor and appraiser of Thomas Harris 1729) married a Hannah about 1730/31. No marriage records are extant but evidence strongly suggests Hannah Harris married John Brantley. The children of Thomas & Hannah were raised with their mother and stepfather John Brantley. John & Hannah Brantley sold land in Isle of Wight 17 Feb 1745 to John Caltharp and migrated to Granville County, N. C. before 1747 when they began to show up in deeds. It should be noted Joshua Harris son of Thomas & Hannah Harris would have been of age at that time to administer his inheritance from his father. |
| Granville Co NC
Tax Lists. 1749 Tax List of people on John Brantley’s list includes himself with 7 polls. 1750 Tax List on John Brantley’s list shows the following on his personal poll. Jno Brantley Thoms Harris Theo Pettey Negro Woman Doll Negro Woman Pat 1751 Tax List shows John Brantley 6 polls including Thomas Harriss, Negros Peter, Patty, Doll & Sam 1752 Tax List John Brantley & Thomas Harris are shown separately. (Note Thomas Harris b 1730 would be 21 years old here. 1753 Tax List Thomas Harris with 2 polls extra person is David Bowers. There was no other Thomas Harris listed in the above tax years. |
| A deed in Southampton
County, Virginia (previously IOW C0.) dated 27th day of January 1753
between Thomas Harris of Granville Co NC and Joshua Harris
Southampton Co. Virginia. “one certain tract or parcel of land of 290 acres of land granted to Thomas Harris the elder by a patent bearing date at Williamsburg the 24th day of March 1725 and by the said Thomas Harris in his last Will of Testament bearing date of 25th Dec 1729 given unto Thomas Harris afores and bounded as in the said patent and will is expressed including all the said Thomas Harris’s part of the said 290 acres of land containing by estimation 100 acres more or less”. This deed is proof of the name of the unborn child of Thomas Harris & Hannah who was born in 1730 after the death of his father. It is further proof that he was in Granville County, North Carolina in 1753. Evidence would indicate he was the one in the household of John Brantley. After Thomas sold his land to his brother Joshua in Southampton Co VA. he began buying land in Granville Co. Granville Deed Bk B pg’s 424, 425, 426, 427. Feb 15, 1755 Giles Bowers & wife Susan to Thomas Harris for 26 pounds 300 acres on Linches Creek Wit: Daniel Potter, Joseph Brantley, William Eves. Feb 25, 1755 Giles Bowers and wife Susan to Thomas Harris for 26 pounds for 200 acres on both sides of Linches Creek Wit: Daniel Potter, Joseph Brantley, William Eves. 17 July 1755 Thomas Harris to Sugar Jones for 30 pounds 300 acres on w side of Linches Creek Wit: Joseph Brantley, Thomas Fox, Atkins McLemore ( Sugan (Sughan) Jones married Mary Brantley, a daughter of Hannah and John Brantley) 17 July 1755 Thomas Harris to ______for 30 pounds both sides of Linches Creek No acreage mentioned. Wit: Atkins McLemonre Jan 13 1756 Lewis Brantley of Orange County, NC to Thomas Harris for 40 pounds 100 acres on n/s of Sandy Creek. He seems to have been an entrepreneur as he bought both properties in Feb 1755 and sold both in July 1755 and made 6 pounds on each property. |
| Thomas Harris, Jr.
married a daughter of Theophilus Goodwin and Elizabeth Wyche Goodwin
about 1755/56 in Bute County, NC. Marriage records aren’t extant on
this marriage but researchers of Theophilus Goodwin, which has been
thoroughly researched, indicate her name was Sara Goodwin b about
1733 in Surry County, VA. They also indicate the parents of Sara’s
husband as Thomas Harris and Hannah Harris of IOW, VA. It is
possible her name may have been Elizabeth or Sara Elizabeth
according to a gift deed in 1762 to Solomon Harris using the name
Elizabeth Harris. Some additional evidence show Theophilus Goodwin and John Brantley both had land on Sandy Creek and the Tar River. John Brantley Gent sold land to Theophilus Goodwin 28 Aug 1749 On the Tar River. They witnessed on other property as well. One child a son was born about 1758 to Thomas Harris, Jr. and his wife Sara. They named him Solomon Harris. Thomas Harris, Jr. died intestate before February 1761 in Granville, Co NC. He was about 31 years old and his death was perhaps unexpectedly or accidental. On the above date in The Court of Granville Co. NC an Administrators Bond was issued for the estate of Thomas Harris. “Know all men by these presents that we Theophilus Goodwin, Daniel Underwood & Thomas Goodwin are held and firmly Bound unto his Excellency Arthur Dobbs, Esq. Cap. General & Governor in Chief & c. in the Sum of four hundred pounds prsal money to be paid unto the said Arthur Dobbs…..dated the 13th day of February 1761. The condition of this Obligation is such that is the above bound Theophilus Goodwin Administrator of all and singular the Goods and Chattels Rights & Credits of Thomas Harris late of Granville County County deced do make or cause to be made a true and perfect Inventory of all and singular the Goods an Chattels Rights and Credits of said deced……Then this Obligation to be void.” |
| That the Goodwin’s
were involved in this estate and with Son Solomon Harris indicates a
close relationship likely the marriage of Theohilus’s daughter to
Thomas Harris. Inventory made May the 11, 1761 includes 2 Littell Negrows 1 three year old 1 five year old. Other things usual household items, farming equipment, animals (but not an excessive amount) , a sord (sic), pistole, 1 Testament, 1 fiddle, 1 pocket book, Leather wallet, 2000 6’ nails & 2000 8’ nails . (Some of the items suggests he may have been a carpenter or builder by trade.) May Court 1762 Distribution of the estate made to the widow Harris and to the Olfin Solomon Harris. No guardian was appointed or mentioned for Solomon Harris but he remained connected with the Goodwin’s and likely raised by his mother on land adjoining the Goodwin’s. No deed was ever found where the 100 acres Thomas Harris January 1756 from Lewis Brantley on the n/s of Sandy Creek was sold. |
| A later deed in 1773
where Theophilus Goodwin & wife sold land on n/s of Sandy Creek
adjoining Solomon Harris & Watkins suggests this was the land of his
father and mother. A very important point must be stressed here. The part of Granville County NC where the Goodwin’s, Brantley’s and Solomon Harris lived became Bute County in 1764. Nothing more is known about Sara (Elizabeth) Goodwin Harris the mother of Solomon Harris. There is no record of a remarriage that we have found or in the Goodwin Research, no will or estate records are extant for her. She may have died sometime before 13th Day of August 1772 when the following document was presented to the Court in Bute County, NC or she may have deferred to her brother Peter Goodwin to represent the interests of her child. Due to the move of the county lines there may be documents missing and not all marriage records are extant or found. |
| Guardianship of
Solomon Harris, Bute County, NC, 1772: ”Know all men by these presents that we Peter Goodwin, Edward Richardson, Theop’s Goodwin all of Bute County are held and firmly bound unto Wm. Johnson, Phil. Hawkins, James Payne, Esq’rs, Justices of the Court of Bute County now sitting in the sum of two hundred Pounds Proclamation money . . . this 13th day of August 1772 The Condition of the above Obligation is such that if the above bound Peter Goodwin his Ex’rs or adm’rs shall well and truly pay and Deliver or cause to be paid & delivered unto Solomon Harris, Orphan of Thomas Harris dec’d, all such Estate or Estates as now is or are or hereafter shall appear to be due to the said orphan when and as soon as he shall attain to Lawfull age, or when thereto required by the Justices of the said County Courts .” (Peter Goodwin is the brother of Sara Goodwin Harris and son of Theophilus Goodwin) Thomas Harris, Jr died in Granville County, NC but because of the County change this document was executed correctly in the new County of Bute. Due to the fact another Thomas Harris who made a Will in 1768 and died in 1770 in Bute County the above document was incorrectly filed in his file. |
| THE FAMILY OF
THOMAS HARRIS, JR. Thomas Harris, Jr son of Thomas Harris, Sr and Hannah (Unknown) Born: 1730 Isle of Wight County Virginia Died: Before 13, February 1761 Granville County, North Carolina. Married: c/a 1755/56 (no marriage record extant) Sara (Elizabeth) Goodwin daughter of Theophilus Goodwin and Elizabeth Wyche CHILD OF THOMAS HARRIS, JR AND SARA GOODWIN 1) Solomon Harris (son) (The settlement of Thomas Harris’s estate, whereby the widow inherited 1/3 of the Personal Property and Solomon inherited 2/3 of the Personal property, establishes that he was Thomas’s only child) Born: about 1758 in Granville, County, North Carolina. Died: Before July 1837 Mecklenburg County, North Carolina Married: Milly Watkins 3 March 1778 Bute County, North Carolina Daughter of John Watkins & Lydia Gilliam moved to Bute in 1764 from Southampton County, Virginia. The family of Solomon Harris will be covered in an additional report. |
| John & Hannah
(Unknown) Harris Brantley the mother and stepfather of Thomas
Harris, Jr. had a large family of their own. They moved from
Granville County to Orange County NC before 5 January 1761. They
were living in Orange Co on this date when they sold property in
Granville witnessed by Theophilus Goodwin, Sr & George Goodwin. Hannah died in Orange County NC before 1777. |
| Researched by Beverly Peoples, John Blythe, Jr & Elgivia Lisle |
| Report by Elgivia
Lisle July 7, 2012 |
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©2012 by Beverly Peoples, John Blythe, Jr & Elgivia Lisle; Deloris Williams for the NCGenWeb Project. No portion of this or any document appearing on this site is to be used for other than personal research. Any republication or reposting is expressly forbidden without the written consent of the owner. Last updated 02/07/2021 |
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