Harrison Genealogy Repository

Notes

There seems to be some confusion as to the whereabouts and origin of this John Harrison. Gen. Francis Burton Harrison who worked with his late brother, Hon. Fairfax Harrison, a descendent of John and Sarah states that John Harrison was from the Queen's Creek (York Co. Va.) Harrison. The other Harrison's are referred to as the (James River) Harrison. He goes on to say- It is not improbable that there may have been a remote connection between the James River Harrison's and those who settled on Queen's Creek in York Co.Va.

Meynard: "It was long believed that John Harrison of Halifax, who married Sarah Daniel, was the son of Andrew and Elizabeth (Battaile) Harrison, Jr. of Orange Co. VA, formerly of Caroline Co. VA. The basis for this premise was a deed of 28 Nov 1751 in which Andrew Harrison of Orange deeded 100 acres in St. Thomas Parish, Orange Co. to son John Harrison planter, of same parish and county. Subsequent deeds prove this is not John Harrison of Halifax. On 28 Aug 1760, John Harrison of Caroline and Mary his wife sold land in Orange County given him by his father Andrew. Mary's name is repeated three times in the deed, so it is not a copyist's error. John Harrison of Caroline bought land in Spotsylvania Co. VA in 1763, two years after the death of John Harrison of Halifax, and in 1777 John Harrison and Mary his wife sold the same land in Spotsylvania whereon said Harrison lives." (Orange and Spotsylvania Co. deeds).

Meynard states that James Harrison, Sr. probably was his father. James was a planter who lived on Reedy River in St. Margaret's Parish about 18 miles west of Daniel's Mill. A chart in the Va State Library shows James to be the son of William Harrison of Caroline Co and the grandson of Andrew Harrison Sr. of St. Mary's Parish who came to VA before 1684 and is thought to be a brother of Judge James Harrison of Old Rappahannock Co.

Handwriten lineage from a Harrison Farley, great grandson of Harriet (she a great grandau of this John): John Harrison (b. 1712) came to VA from England m. Sarah Daniel. Children: James, Andrew, John (we have no record of his children if married), Col. Richard, Mary, Elizabeth, Anna, Martha, Isham.

John and Sarah must have moved to Goochland shortly after they were married where they lived at the confluence of the James and Rivanna rivers. Upon the division of Goochland in 1748, they found they now lived in Cumberland Co though they hadn't moved. Sarah's aunt and uncle, Samuel and Elizabeth (Williams) Henderson, also lived in Cumberland then and among their other neighbors were Francis Luck, John Chisum, Jr of Caroline and Andrew Harrison, possibly John's uncle.

John Chisum and John Harrison were close friends. In 1754 the Hendersons moved to the Nut Bush community in Granville Co., NC and sometime before 1760 both John Chisum, Jr and Francis Luck moved from Cumberland to Halifax Co, VA (present Pittsylvania). John Harrison and his family also moved to Halifax but the date is uncertain. Harrison is named among 30 of he earliest and most prominent citizens of Halifax who owned land and slaves. Neighbors in Halifax were Pigg, Dillard, Hurt, Collins, and Ecchols families all of whom originated in the Reedy-Polecat Creek area of St. Margaret's parish in Caroline Co.

Upon the death of John, Sarah rented the Halifax plantation to tenants and took her children to live with her parents at Daniel's Mill in Caroline Co. Sometime before June 1761, the Daniel family and Sarah moved to the Nut Bush community in NC to join their Williams, Daniel and Henderson relatives. Sarah's brothers James and John Williams Daniel had gone there from VA in 1760.John Harrison bought 696 acres on Straitstone Creek in Halifax "where I now live" from Francis Luck on 17 Jan. 1761. The land was granted to Luck six months earlier and was in two parcels on both sides of the creek. One tract, adjoining Echols' corner, contained 296 acres "with houses, orchard, garden, woods, water courses, and other appurtenances," and was the plantation on which the Harrison's resided. The other, Harrison's upper survey, consisted of 400 acres adjoining Collins' corner. On the same day that Harrison bought the Straitstone Creek plantation, he made his will - "being sick and weak in body but of perfect mind and memory." He signed his name, and it was witnessed by Joseph Collins, Francis Luck, and Thomas Greenwood. The will was probated on 16 July 1761 at a Halifax court. lie "lent" to his wife Sarah for her lifetime the house "where I now dwell" with 130 adjoining acres, to pass to "my eldest son James" at her death, except household goods which were to be divided among my four daughters, Mary, Anne, Martha, and Elizabeth." Sarah also received the chattels (slaves) and money from any debts owed him. lie left the remainder of the homestead tract (166 acres) to sons John, Jr. and Andrew, and the upper survey (400 acres) to Richard and Isham. He named as executors with his wife "my friend John Chisum and my wife's brother John Williams Daniel."~ 8 James Harrison was 13 years old when his father died. It is believed that Mrs. Sarah (Daniel) Harrison rented the Halifax plantation to tenants and took her children to live with her parents at Daniel's Mill in Caroline County. By March I 761,James and his brother Andrew were enrolled in the famous school of Donald Robertson in upper King and Queen County, Va., not far from Daniel's Mill. They paid tuition "to Christmas," as recorded by the headmaster in his account book.~9 Robertson's Academy was one of the finest in Virginia prior to the Revolution, and among the boys' classmates were Edmund Pendleton and James Madison.

The Will of John Harrison names his children James, Mary, Anne, Martha, Elizabeth, John, Andrew, Richard and Isom. Executors were John William Daniel, John Chism and Sarah Daniel Harrison. Witnesses to the Will were Thomas Greenwood, Joseph Collins and Francis Luck.

Halifax Co., VA Will Book O page 108

Will of John Harrison written 7 Jan 1761

Wife: Sarah Harrison

Sons: "oldest son" James Harrison, John, Andrew, Richard and Isam Harrison

Daughters: Mary, Ann, Martha and Elizabeth Harrison

Executors: John Ches___, friend, John Williams Daniel, "my wife's brother", Sarah Harrison

Witnesses: Joseph Collins, Thomas Greenwood.

Proved 6 July 1761

See Record #7365 for an alternative ancestry of John. ^{[S112] [S14] [S14] [S159] [S89]}