-- [ From: Mary Gibson * EMC.Ver #2.5.3 ] --
HARRISONS of ROCKINGHAM CO. NC.
I have began to re-think the Harrisons of Rockingham CO. NC. I had
some information sent to me by a descendant of William Harrison
Vermillion that caused me to take another look at an older William
Harrison living in Rockingham County.
that I had previously discounted as father of my William, because I
thought that
his children were all accounted for and I later find this not to be the
case at all.
The paper sent me on the Vermillion heirs puts the older William's land
in the very same neighborhood as my William. Who I know for sure had
land on Town Creek. I may have confused the wolf Island Creek. My sister
Martha and I visited this area a few years back, Town creek is by
Harrisons Crossroads and just down the road from Wolf Island Creek. The
Vermillion Grandchildren received land joining Charity Bakers on wolf
Island Creek. another mistake I may have made is in 1790 census my
William is listed with 2 males over the age of 16 one of these being
himself, and 5 other males. In his will sons are JOHN,WILLIAM, ZACHARIAH
, STARLING (Sterling ) and LANDON. Landon born 1792 would not have been
listed. There are three females. I now believe that there are two
families in this household, as there are two extra males. This could
lower the age of William a little, but not much. He was over 45 in 1810
so he was born before 1760 as he had 5 sons and maybe some daughters by
1792, so he must have married by 1780.
.A William Harrison witnessed deeds for John Kerr in 1753,John Dunn in
1758, and William Watt in 1761. in Rowan Co. some of these mentioned
Anson Co. as Rowan was created from Anson in 1753. On most of these
deeds was Charles Carter either as Witness or surveyor. Since Guilford
was created from Rowan/Orange in 1770 and Rockingham from Guilford in
1785, the area where these deeds that were witnessed by William might be
in what is now Rockingham county. The Two Creeks mentioned were Buffalo
and Crane.
In 1750 the area that is now Rockingham was Anson / Orange
Another interesting Anson County record dated 13 Sept 1750 John GILES
of Johnston Co. , planter, sells land to Henry Walker Anson Co.,
planter . One of the witnesses was WILLIAM HARRISON. My William wrote
his will in 1826 leaving 50 acres of land and three slaves to a friend
THOMAS GILES.
14th April 1757 Rowan Co. WILLIAM HARRISON wit. deed for PETER ARRAND &
wife CATHERINE to BOSTON BOYS & JACOB COOK for land on BUFFALO
CREEK ( I am not sure this is now in ROCKINGHAM CO. ) This was joining
John Brandons land. In other descriptions the Yadkin, Pee Dee , and
Little River are mentioned. BUT it is not that far. A lot of People from
Isle of Wight, Agusta, and other Va Counties were in this area at the
time. Rivers were used for travel.
A few years ago I scribbled these below down so they are incomplete. I
could kick myself for not copying every word as printed.
To WILLIAM HARRISON
Guilford Co. Warrant 17th May 1763 200 acres on Little Troublesome Creek
of Haw River includes his own improvements. Surveyed 10 Nov. 1763.
Surveyed 10 Nov 1763 198 acres on Little Troublesome Creek adj. Jno Boyd
, George Rowland, James Campbell cb 2 copies ( this may mean that the
200 acres above turned out to be 198 after surveying. ) Since in May
1763 it includes his own improvements, he must have been here prior to
that. In this case and if the William above is the same then most of his
children were born in NC. and he may have married in NC.
Rockingham Co. NC Deed Abstracts 1785-1800
C 42 JAMES BRUCE of Green Co. To WILLIAM HARRISON for 30pds 200 acres on
both sides of WOLF ISLAND CREEK adj. WILLIAM TRANUM, being tracts
granted Oct. 4, 1783 to THOMAS BRUCE - dated June 2, 1788 wit. JOHN
HUNTER,JR, JO TERRILL, JOHN SIMONS
C197 GEORGE BRUCE of Caswell Co. for 50pds. to WILLIAM HARRISON 250
acres on both sides of LITTLE WOLF ISLAND CREEK adjacent JOHN GUNTER (
could this be Hunter ) JOHN SIMONS, WILLIAM TRAINUM, being land granted
to THOMAS BRUCE dated March 12, 1792 Wit: RICHD MARR, JAMES McCUBBINS,
JOHN ODELL.
D81 STATE OF NC to WILLIAM HARRISON 50 A on WOLF ISLAND CREEK adj his
own land PATRICK WARDLOW, GUY VERMILLION. dated 6/27/1793
C275 STATE OF NC to GUY VERMILLION 3 acres on LITTLE TROUBLESOME CR &
PINEY CR. adj. 50 VERMILLION acres, WILLIAM HARRISON, JOHN McCARROLL.
Dec 20, 1791
One of the daughters of the older William Harrison married a VERMILLION.
Was this GUY? In 1782 in Northampton Co. Va. a Guy Vermillion married a
Sinah Jacobs. Of course this could have been a different Guy Vermillion,
or Sinah Jacobs could have died. I believe that Guy Vermillion was the
son in law of William Harrison. In 1805 JOHN HARRISON deeds GUY
VERMILLION 60 acres on WOLF ISLAND CREEK. In 1823 GUY VERMILLION deeds
JOHN HARRISON 45 1/2 acres on WOLF ISLAND CREEK.
In 1812 a WILLIAM HARRISON buys from JIM ELLINGTON 200 acres on TOWN
CREEK. also in 1812 WILLIAM HARRISON deeds 60 acres on WOLF ISLAND
CREEK to JOHN HARRISON, 1812 WILLIAM HARRISON deeds STERLING HARRISON
50 acres on RUGGED BRANCH OF BUFFALO CREEK. ( IN 1788 ELIJAH HARRISON
purchased 100 acres on BUFFALO CREEK , also 1812 WILLIAM HARRISON deeds
ANNA HARRISON 250 acres ???. I believe that the William Harrison
purchasing land on Town Creek and the William deeding the land to
Sterling Harrison is the younger William father of John, William,
Zachariah, Sterling, & Landon. ( my ancestor ) Is he also son of older
WILLIAM? TOWN CREEK and WOLF ISLAND CREEK ARE IN THE SAME NEIGHBORHOOD.
Both are right by HARRISONS CROSSROADS. IN 1813 STERLING HARRISON buys
131 acres on TOWN CREEK from GEORGE WELLS. and in 1814 LANDON HARRISON
buys 150 acres on TOWN CREEK. in 1818 WILLIAM HARRISON deeds ZACHARIAH
HARRISON 25 acres on STILL HOUSE BRANCH ?. I also believe this to be
younger William. ( my gr gr gr grandfather )
LEAKESVILLE was the dream of JOHN LEAKE who settled north of the DAN
RIVER on MATRIMONY CREEK. by 1773. Leak later added to his landholdings
and by 1795 had selected as the site for a new town a high bluff near
the confluence of the DAN and SMITH RIVERS. LEAKE named the town
Leakesville. Half acre lots were laid off along the towns original
streets.: WATER, PATRICK,HENRY,HAMILTON, WASHINGTON & JAY. THOMAS SEARCY
made the first purchase of a town lot in 1795. In anticipation of
Tobacco trade,
JOHN LEAKE & ROBERT COLEMAN were appointed tobacco inspectors in 1796.
The following year the general assembly chartered the town with LEAK,
SNEAD, COLEMAN, NATHANIEL SEALS, & TERRY HUGHES as first commissioners.
In 1800 the assembly approved the establishment of two taverns in town.
According to ALEXANDER SNEED'S 1810 description, the town was "a
most delightful spot. and the best situated for trade perhaps of any in
the county, as it commands a very extensive back country, the produce of
which ( in consequence of a navigation free of obstructions up and down
the DAN RIVER would inevitably center here." Natural obstructions to
navigation of the Dan River, to which Sneed refered in 1810 were not
removed until a decade later, consequently, the village did not grow
very rapidly. By 1800 JOHN LEAK had lost much of his property through
poor management.
From deed records I believe that LANDON HARRISON was a merchant in
LEAKESVILLE. in 1822 LANDON HARRISON purchased a 22 ft lot # 3 from
DEBARTES DEMPSEY , who also in 1822 sold lot # 40 in Leaksville to
RICHARD HARRISON. in 1825 LANDON HARRISON makes two purchase in
LEAKESVILLE 22 ft on HENRY ST from DEMPSEY and 66 ft from WILLIAM
BARNETTE.
IN 1825 JAMES HARRISON buys 133 acres on PINEY CREEK from JAMES
WILLIAMS. IN 1828 JAMES WILLIAMS buys 110 acres on TROUBLESOME CREEK
from JOHN HARRISON. Could this be JOHN HARRISON'S share of his fathers
land. The older William died in 1824, His land was split up and drawn
by lots . A copy of a deed has been found and sent me by another
researcher names the VERMILLION grandchildren who drew lot # 3 as their
mother was deceased at the time. They are named as :
2 Rebecca Vermillion Abt 1790 -
..... +John Moberly
. 2 Abraham Vermillion Abt 1792 -
..... +Biddy Lambard
. 2 Charity Vermillion Abt 1794 -
..... +Nelson Pirtle
. 2 James Vermillion Abt 1796 -
. 2 Ann Vermillion Abt 1798 -
. 2 Benjamin Vermillion Abt 1800 -
..... +Rebecca Roberson
..... 3 William Harrison Vermillion son of Benjamin.
dates are estimated and added by me based on their marriage records. A
power of attorney from NATHANIEL HARRISON of BLOUNT CO TN. and JESSE
HARRISON of GREENE CO. TN. & CHARLES & CHAIRTY BAKER of GREENE CO TN (
Charles Baker married Chairty Harrison ) to YANCEY HOLMAN ( husband of
AMEY HARRISON ) dated 11th day of December 1824, and the JOHN HARRISON
who is administrator of the estate identifies him as a son. But all of
the children of the older WILLIAM HARRISON will not be identified until
the division of the estate is found. So far these papers only identify
Nathaniel,John,Jesse, Amey Holman, Charity Baker, & an unknown daughter
, who I believe was the wife of Guy Vermillion. Is William, Elijah,
James & others also the sons of this William. Nathaniel Harrison was age
70-80 in 1830 census of Blount Co. TN. This means that since the older
William is definitely his father. he was married and had children by
1750-1760. He must have been born ca 1730 That means that there is a
great possibility that he is father of William and possibly also Elijah
and James.
MY KNOWN HARRISON LINE:
Descendants of William Harrison
1 William Harrison Bef 1754 - 1826-1828 ROCKINGHAM CO. NC
..+Nelly Bef 1754 - Aft 1829
.2 John Harrison 1780-1783 -
.2 William Harrison 1781-1784 -
.2 Zachariah Harrison Abt 1785 - Aft 1860
.....+Sally Abt 1790 - Aft 1860
.....3 Sterling Harrison 1816 -
.....3 Charles Harrison 1823 -
.....3 Zachariah Harrison 1832 -
.2 Sterling Harrison 1786-1789 -
.2 Landon Harrison 1792 - 1889
.....+Sarah Ann Burgess 1805 - 1886
.....3 Robert David Harrison 1832 - Unknown
.........+Elizabeth Tennessee Pratt Abt 1833 - Unknown
.........4 William H.Harrison 1857 -
.........4 Robert M. A. Harrison 1859 -
.........4 Martha David Harrison Aft 1860 -
.....3 George Washington Harrison Abt 1833 - 1908
......... +Virginia Ferguson 1842 - Bef 1872
.........4 Robert Harrison 1868 -
..... *2nd Wife of George Washington Harrison:
......... +Mary Whirlinger 1854 - 1931
.........4 William Harrison 1876 -
.........4 Landon Harrison 1878 -
.........4 George Harrison
.........4 Charlie Harrison
.........4 Etta Harrison
.........4 Sally Ann Harrison
.........4 May Harrison
............. +Carroll Daily
.........4 Garfield Harrison
............. +Julia Daily
.........4 Bell Harrison
............. +John Miller
.........4 Rosa Harrison 1893 - 1979
............. +Oscar Earl Smith 1883 - 1960
.....3 Joel Edward Green Harrison 1838 - died 1908 HICKMAN CO TN
.........+Amanda Elizabeth Melvina Fitzellen Register 1840 - 1907
.........4 Edward Landon Harrison 1860 - d.1953 DavidsonCo. TN
............. +Mary Etta Ladd 1866 - d. 1929 Dickson Co. TN.
5. Herman Harrison b. 1887 Dickson Co. Tn. ( my father )
d.1951
.........4 Joel E. Harrison 1862 - Unknown
............. +Tennessee Ann Redding Unknown - Unknown
.........4 Amanda Harrison 1865 - 1951
............. +Noah A. Cochrane 1865 - 1930
.........4 John Wesley "Boy" Harrison 1867 - 1931
............. +Minnie Sullivan Unknown - Unknown
.........4 Victoria Vashtie Harrison 1869 - 1945
............. +Skelt William Ray 1858 - 1925
.........4 Ollie Harrison 1871 - 1952
............. +John A. Gosset Unknown - Unknown
.........4 Dick Harrison Bef 1874 - Unknown
............. +Fannie Hedge Unknown - Unknown
.........4 Enoch Marvin Bishop Harrison 1877 - Unknown
............. +Susie Taylor Unknown - 1905
......... *2nd Wife of Enoch Marvin Bishop Harrison:
............. +Blanch Tidwell Unknown -
.........4 Muncie Bascom Harrison 1880 - 1975
............. +Charlie V. Daughtry 1891 - Aft 1961
......... *2nd Wife of Muncie Bascom Harrison:
............. +Glennie Roper Unknown -
.........4 Unknown Unknown -
.....3 Sarah Ann Harrison Jr. 1845 - Unknown
.........+T. F. Brooks Unknown - Unknown