Harrison Genealogy Repository

Notes

John Bennett Boddie, Historical Southern Families Vol IX, Genealogic Pub. Co., Baltimore, 1965.

p224

NOTES ON THE YORK RIVER HARRISONS

The York River Harrison family was founded by Robert Harrison, b. 1603, in London, and who settled in York Co., in the early 1600's, about the same time that Benjamin Harrison, founder of the James River Harrison family appeared in Surry Co., and Jamestown. The will of Robert Harrison was proved in York Co. Court, 4/10/1667. The early generations of the York River family seem to have intermarried with the Braxton family of King William, and with the Minge and Collier families in the Weyanoke area, in the eastern part of James City and Charles City Counties, where these families were large land holders.

There seems to have been a Robert in each succeeding generation of the York River Harrisons. Robert Harrison of Charles City Co., m. Elizabeth Collier and had two sons: Collier Harrison and Braxton Harrison.

Collier Harrison of "Kittewan", m. Christiana Shields, widow of David Minge, from whom came "Kittewan," long a Minge holding. Issue: one dau., Elizabeth Collier Harrison. He m. (2) Bersheba Bryant. Issue: Braxton Harrison and Robert Carter Harrison. In his will, (proven Charles City Co., 7/20/1808), Braxton Harrison, d.s.p., bequeathed his place, "Farmer's Rest," several miles east of "Kittewan," to his namesake nephew, Braxton Harrison, II.

In his will, (proven Charles City Co., 2/15/1810), Collier Harrison of "Kittewan" bequeathed slaves, etc., to his daughter, Elizabeth, recognized his son, Braxton, as having inherited "Farmer's Rest," and bequeathed "Kittewan" to his son, Robert. He named among the executors, and guardian of his children, "my friend Mr. Benj. Harrison of Berkeley." This was Benjamin Harrison, VI, father of Benjamin Carter Harrison, who married Elizabeth Collier Harrison about the time of the will of Collier Harrison. So far as is known, this was the first intermarriage between the James River and the York River Harrisons.

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