William Harris, of Albemarle County

Probably not the husband of Hannah Maupin

William Harris, born March 15, 1752, son of Major Robert Harris, of Albemarle County & Mourning Harris.

Wives seen: 1) Miss Michie 2) Miss Thompson 3) Hannah Jameson (disputed third marriage)

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Harris-1940
Harris-1940 created 5 May 2011 | Last modified 12 Oct 2024

U.S. Southern Colonies Project logo
William Harris was a Virginia colonist.

William Harris was born in 1752 in Louisa County, Virginia. He was the son of Robert Overton Harris and Mourning (Glenn) Harris. His life was that of a pioneer frontiersman in the Appalachian areas of Virginia, Kentucky and possibly North Carolina. Records were not well kept in those places and times and little documentation exists to "prove" even the basic facts of his life: birth, marriages, children, death. As a result, genealogical controversies exist and most data is Uncertain and subject to change.

Unsourced family genealogies claim that William Harris married three times. He is also said to have died in 1776 in Albemarle County, Virginia; in 1788 in Virginia, in February 1792 on his way from Virginia to Kentucky and finally in 1834 in western North Carolina. At least 2 of his reputed 3 wives made statements about his death and assumed widowhood; at least one remarried; whereas William may have simply "disappeared" when it was convenient and let himself be declared dead only to later re-appear with a new family in another state/district. Or, alternately, there has been conflation and confusion among 2 or 3 different men all named "William Harris". The names William and Harris were not uncommon in colonial Virginia. Untangling the conflicting stories is not easy and there is no guarantee that this is the 100% accurate version.

(1) This version is considered "the most probable": A William Harris is said to have married Ann Mitchell in 1772 in Albemarle County, Virginia. Later Ann Harris signed a petition setting forth that her husband, "William Harris, departed this life Feb, 1792 on his way to Kentucky, having made his last will and testament in writing, and since his death she hath removed herself and her family to Mercer County (from Madison County) KY, and will is recorded there, Sat., Nov. 17, 1792. Married 1772, Ann Mitchell [Harris].[1] No children were reported from this marriage in the petition cited.

GEDCOM Note

VIRGINIA MILITIA IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR, PART II
Virginia's Share in the Military Movements of the Revolution page 103

AILSTOCK, ABSALOM.--Rockbridge, -- --, 1832? Born in Louisa about 1763. Freeborn mulatto. Marched from Louisa about Dec. 1, 1780, it being rumored that the British were about to land on the coast, and was out four weeks. Regimental officers were Col. Fontaine and Maj. Winston. Discharged at Hanover C. H. About April 1, 1781, joined the Second Regiment under Capt. William Harris, the superior officers being Col. Richardson and Maj. Armistead. The British burned the tobacco warehouses in Manchester, the ruins of which applicant distinctly saw from Richmond side. Brigade stationed a while at Malvern Hills. The enemy were in the habit of coming this far up the James in boats, each with a gun at either end, their purpose being plunder. Two such boats and seventeen prisoners were taken by the regiment. Discharged in Spottsylvania in June. Called out next month under Capt. Benjamin Harrison and joined Nelson's brigade (called at Yorktown the Louisa Brigade), at Williamsburg, Col. Richardson being a field officer, but Maj. Martin taking the place of Maj. Armistead. After Washington arrived, the brigade marched on to Yorktown. During the siege, applicant was employed digging intrenchments for batteries and making sand baskets. After the French began the battle on Sunday morning, his regiment was put into the poplar redoubt for the purpose of charging into a gun battery. [p.103]

References

1. Page 51 - 52 of Harris Genealogy. Keith printing Company, 1914 - 107 pages. Bible record. William Harris, born March 15, 1752. Miss Michie, Miss Thompson. Hannah Jameson.
2. WikiTree contributors, "William Harris (1752-abt.1792)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Harris-1940 : accessed 30 November 2024). cites
   1. information from GenServ: fora6db, Forinash, Rena V., 26611 Balerna Dr., Saugus, CA 91350. Cited on: Twelve Generations of Ancestors on RootsWeb - William Harris
   2. "Virginia, County Marriage Records, 1771-1989", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6DZV-NKYB : Sat Oct 21 15:11:19 UTC 2023), Entry for William Harris and Hannah Jameson, 13 October 1791.
   3. Cardwell and Lane Ancestry on RootsWeb - Hannah Jameson
   4. Cardwell and Lane Ancestry on RootsWeb - Michelle "Michie" Thompson
   5. James Harris Family Bible transcript http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/albemarle/bibles/harris01.txt
   6. See also:: Family Tree files submitted by Ancestry members.; Repository: #R1 http://trees.ancestry.com/pt/AMTCitationRedir.aspx?tid=24287503&pid... - Repository: http://www.Ancestry.com
   7. In his Guion application, Elizabeth Harris Tilley's grandson mentions that she had a brother, Bill Harris
3. Samuel Moody Grubbs, a descendant of the Boone Family, Page 533. < AncestrySharing >3 (2) Major William Harris m. Mourning Glenn, 10 children ... 5 (4) William Harris, d. 1776; m. Hannah Jameson.