Harrison Genealogy Repository

Notes

"Robert Jacob Harrison was born at the home of his grandparents; the farm at Bertram, on a cold, winter night, February 9, 1881. His mother, Jennie, was seven months pregnant and helping with the chores in the early evening. She startled a sow with new-born piglets; the sow chased her; as she ran and jumped a high wooden fence; she slipped on the ice and fell, when landing on the "other side". That night, Jennie's mother, Nancy Thorrington Berry was the "mid-wife" at the birth of her first grandchild.

The baby weighed only two pounds and according to Nancy, looked like a 'skinned squirrel'. He was placed on a feather pillow in front of a "wood burning" stove with a roaring fire, to keep him warm. Robert was the only boy to grow to manhood (three brothers died when very young. He had five sisters. (one sister, Maude, died at age 9).

"Rob" graduated from Marion High School and Cedar Rapids Business College, with the Class of 1900. He entered the Tuttle Land and Loan Company in Cedar Rapids and two years later, opened his own Real Estate Agency. He had determined that the life of a farmer, was not for him.

In November 1901, he and Julia Douglass eloped by traveling to Rock Island, Ill. Cedar Rapids, Iowa became their home for about ten years. In January 1910, he took his wife and family to South Dakota where he became the co-owner of the Citizens State Bank in the small town of Lane. He was the cashier for two years; in 1912, he became President of the Bank. In 1915, he purchased the controlling interest in the First National Bank of Mitchell, SD and served for many years as President of that institution.

In 1912 and again in 1914, Robert J. Harrison was elected to the South Dakota State Legislature representing Jerauld County. He served his State and his Country as a true Statesman. His support or opposition to every measure was carefully studied and expressed. He served also as Town Treasurer and was President of the School Board and a member of the Board of Trustees of Dakota Wesleyan University.

With South Dakota entering a depression in 1923, the family returned to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and the Real Estate business. In 1933, Rob purchased the farm with house and barns that were built by his grandfather, Robert Berry in the 1850's. He was pleased to bring this 1,000 acre farm with its happy memories back into the family. Several years were spent modernizing the buildings and bringing electricity and running water to the old homestead. He bought a herd of brown swiss cattle and started a dairy known as "Forest Grove". He continued in the Real Estate Business in Cedar Rapids until shortly before his death in 1943. ^[S583]

Notes

From Steven Beck:

I. Adriaen Vincent immigrated 1634 to New Amsterdam from London on the Mary & John. In 1646, he was listed as a former New Amsterdam company soldier from Aecken, near Ghent in present-day Belgium. He was licensed to sell brandy and strong liquor in 1654; earlier that year, the court had describe Adriaen as an "old burgher and inhabitant" of New Amsterdam. In 1659, he sued for slander after being accused of having another wife with four children in Holland; the defendents had lost a default judgment to Adriaen in the month prior, the court directed them to document their charges, and no further action appears in Dutch records. In 1667, English Gov. Richard Nichols granted land to Adriaen on Prince Street, NYC. Children: Jean/John; Francis m. Anne Guerry; Madaleine m. John Pelletreau.

II. Jean/John Vincent (- May/Dec 1705) married Susanne Newkirk in New York City. She may be his second wife; a 1684 deed, recorded two years later identifies his wife as Ann Vincent. Ann may have died by 1687; another deed related to the first does not list any wife of Jean/John Vincent. Susanne's name first appears with the 1690 baptism of daughter Susanne Vincent. New Amsterdam records lists Jean/John variously as a merchant and a leather dresser. He sold property on Prince Street in 1684 and bought land on the west side of Broadway in 1686 and on Maiden Lane, Queens in April 1705. He worshiped at the NY French Protestant Church; at least his children were all baptized there. Children: Levi; Jean (1682-14 Aug 1690); Susanne (30 May 1690-); Elizabet (27 Dec 1693-); and Marie Anne (6 Dec 1696-).

III. Levi Vincent (10 Apr 1676-26 Nov 1764) was born in New York City and lived there until at least 1705, according to his father's will. He married Hester DeVeaux (8 May 1680-4 Aug 1758), according to some Speer family bible records. Levi and Hester moved to Newark, NJ by 1709, when fourth child, John, was born on the family's Newark farm. Levi first appears in Newark town records in 1733, although both Levi and Hester appear on a 1726 membership list of the Acquackanonk Dutch Reformed Church, the nearest reformed church to Newark. Levi reportedly died on his Newark farm. Children: Esther (5 May 1703-); Susannah (30 Jun 1703-died young); Susannah (2 Oct 1706-died young); John; Susannah (3 Feb 1711-13 Dec 1797); Mary Ann (19 Jul 1713); Rachel (20 Nov 1715-19 Jan 1737); Levi (19 Mar 1718-); and Frederick (2 Feb 1726).

IV. John Vincent (26 Jan 1709-24 Feb 1801) was born in Newark and married 1 Dec 1733 Elizabeth Doremus (13 Jul 1711-11 Feb 1788) in Newark. They joined the Acquackanonk church 20 April 1739 by confession. They baptized their children at the Second River (Belleville) Reformed Dutch Church. However, John's name appears in some Orange, NJ business records 1744-58. John moved his family to Pennsylvania in 1770 or 1772. He played a local, but noteworthy, role in two of the great issues of the period--land conflict between the colonies and the Revolutionary War. John and Elizabeth both died near Milton, PA. Children:

Esther Vincent (22 Jul 1734-) m. Hendrick Joralemon;

Ancestor Cornelius Vincent;

Rachel Vincent (24 Feb 1739-);

Elizabeth Vincent (27 May 1741-c1742);

Elizabeth Vincent (17 Sep 1743);

Jane Vincent (28 Feb 1746-);

Mary Vincent (5 Mar 1748-);

Benjamin Vincent (10 Mar 1751-);

Peter Vincent (18 Jan 1754-) m. Sarah Quimby--he was a professional hunter in the Sussquahanna area; and Annatje (1 Jan 1757-). John's sons-in-law, Timothy Williams and Samuel Gould, later moved to near Cayuga Lake, Cayuga Co, NY.

Other Sources for the VINCENT Family: Records of New Amsterdam Vols I-VII

(1897); 55 Geneal. Mag. of NJ 65-70 (1980).

^[S1111]