Kristen,
Congratulations. You are joining the fraternity of frustrated
seekers of information about the ancestors of Bazel and Joseph
Harrison. It is very hard to prove Joseph is the son of William H.
Harrison, Jr.
I don't mean to be difficult, but my family has been searching for
over twenty years for proof that Joseph is indeed the son of William
H. Harrison and Worlenda Davis. Old family Bible records are
inconsistent on this point. Some show William as his father, others
indicate Benjamin Harrison and Clara Davis are Joseph's parents. The
most often cited source is A Biographical Sketch of Judge Bazil
Harrison: The First White Settler in Kalamazoo County ... , by James
H. Stone, 1874. This book, however, claims Bazel's father is the son
of Benjamin Harrison, signer of the Declaration of Independence. We
know this is wrong.
Just to muddy the waters even more, Clara Davis, wife of Benjamin
Harrison, is Worlenda Davis's mother.
Here is some additional information about William H. Harrison Jr.
which you may not have.
William H. moved to Fayette Co., PA ca 1785. A William Harrison
appears in the 1790 census of this county. A Joseph Stilwell also
appears in this census. This is consistent with Bazel's marriage to
Martha Stilwell.
William H. Harrison, Jr. was married twice.
M1 _________________ ca 1750
Children:
1. William, m. (1) 19 Mar 1775 to Elizabeth Hall (2) 1778 to Mary David
(Davis?)
2. Josiah, m. 1779 to Elizabeth Davis
3. Kinsey, b. 10 Aug 1758, d. 9 Jul 1834, wounded in Rev. War, m. 9
Mar 1779 to Sarah Saffle
4. Grovier, m. 20 Jul 1786 to Hannah Fuller
5. Samuel, m. 20/21 Feb 1788 to Elizabeth Showne
6. James
7. Zephaniah, m. 29 Oct 1793 to Sarah Biddle
8. Sarah, m. 7 Jan 1783 to Joseph (?Pope/Pipe)
9. Phebe, m. 2 Dec 1784 to Ely Wright
10. Amelia, m. 7 Jan 1783 Frederick Co., MD to Johannes Eck
M2 ca 1765-1770 to Worlenda Davis
Children:
11. Elisha, m. 10 Apr 1796 Prince Georges Co., to Sarah Beale
12. Diana
13. (Judge) Bazel, b. 15 Mar 1771, Frederick Co., MD, d. 30 Aug
1874, Prairie Ronde Twp. Kalamazoo Co., MI, buried 2 Sep 1874,
Harrison Cemetery, Prairie Ronde Twp. m. 17 Mar 1790 to Martha
Stilwell.
14. Shadrack
15. Ephraim
16. Joseph (NOTE: if Joseph is Bazel's brother and not a VERY close
[?cousin], this is where he would be in the family) b. ca 1773,
Maryland, m. ca 1795 to Bersheba Oglesby, d. between 1820 and 1830.
Family tradition says he died while on a land hunting trip.
-------------------------
Source: Records of Loraine Harrison Washburn
-------------------------
-------------------------
Many of the holes after 1800 are filling in nicely, but there are
many questions which still need to be answered. Kristen, let's put
this info out to the listserve for comment and ask a few specific
questions which are begging for answers.
So nice to see others working this line. Take heart, you aren't
alone, but you will probably find some dead ends too.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Some questions we would like to find answers for.
1) Does anyone have a source, other than the Bazel book, to confirm
or dispute William H. Harrison, Jr. as Joseph's father?
2) Does anyone have evidence of the date or place of Joseph's death?
3) Is there a record of Joseph's and Bersheba's marriage?
4) Does anyone know the name of William H. Harrison, Jr's first
wife?
Good hunting,
Norm Washburn
[email protected]