HARRISONS AND ASSOCIATES FROM ANNALS OF SOUTHWEST VA
by Summers
I am hoping that moving west from Augusta County VA, the Harrisons and their associates left some trails that were not covered in SETTLERS BY THE LONG GREY TRAIL, AND THAT THERE may be a clue or two which would suggest earlier history of the Thomas Harrison of the 1800 census in Buncombe County, who perhaps married Eleanor, perhaps was an Indian Trader and a blacksmith and had offspring who married Grantham, John,and so on and whose descendants settled GA, NC, TN, KY, IL and KY that we have learned so much about in recent months.
By associates I mean Woodleys, Cravens, Blacks, Evans, Pattersons, Adams and some closer to my wife's more recent ancestry such as Ogelsbys, Humphries and Lord.
I would like to point out that ANNALS OF SW VA has limitations. It covers much but is rather abbreviated in detail of such records. Furthermore it does not go back to the days of Augusta County, but starts with records of Botetourt Co. and the many counties that it was broken up into. Many of these SW counties were already settled when they were originally in Augusta County or in Orange Co. VA before Augusta and Frederick Counties were carved out from Orange. Another limitation is that Summers wrote an earlier book, HISTORY OF SW VA, which has more records not covered in Annals, but this report covers only ANNALS. Yet ANNALS is itself over 1700 pages! It has a full name index but it is not always accurate and does not include many of the lists in the index.
p 16. This is the Journal of Doctor Thomas Walker 1749 (but the calender changed to 1750 during the time he was gone). He was employed by the Loyal Land Company and was exploring SW VA and further into what is now TN and KY. He was with five other men and left Albemarle County and headed west. On the 20th day of the trip he was at what is now known as Swan Pond Creek, which was named later by Daniel Boone. I do not know its location excep that it was near the Cumberland River and probably empties into it. I think I do know where he started from in Albemarle Co. because I made that trip through a rather low and easy mountain pass last year towards Staunton VA.
p 117. 11 Apr 1771 Botetourt Co. Min. of Court. David Laird on a jury. (I mention this because my wife's gg grandmother was Ann Lord and married Thomas Harrison. We know very little about Lords, but sometimes Lard-Lord= Laird and there are several other spellings even in this book)
p 147. Bot.Ct. 15 Nov 1771. Andrew Harrison on a jury. (I do not trust any Harrison named Andrew as of the Long Grey Trail variety; nor would I trust one named Burr as LGT. Moreover this area had many migrants from areas around the Dan River where there were many of the Andrew Harrison line)
p 149 8 Sept 1772. Jonathan Harrison summoned for jury duty but did not appear Fined 400 pounds of tobacco.
p 198 31 July 1773 Richard Adams Assignee of Israel Christian vs Adam Looney in debt Adams lost. L 65 plus costs. I mention Adams because Adams and Pattersons were frequent associates of Jeremiah Harrison, son of Isaiah Sr of LGT. Jeremiah went west and ended up in Greene Co. TN but had many children in Mecklenburg area NC and many had Adams as a middle name? Looney was a prominent family near the town of Fincastle and probably one of them made the trip to found Nashville with Robertson and Donelson and some Harrisons who settled on Bledsoe's Creek in Sumner Co. TN with Harrisons, Hawkins, Looneys and Lauderdale all from SW VA (as was Bledsoe for whom the creek was named)..more later.
2. Harrison
p 226-227. Bot. Ct. 11 May 1774 Thomas Harrison was on four different juries in one day for four different trials, which must have been handled speedily!
p 251 Bot. Ct. 9 Apr 1776 Ordered that Jane Welsh, daughter of Thomas Welsh be bound to Henry Woodley by the Church Wardens according, to law.
p 271 Bot. Ct. 15 Apr 1778. Ordered that Joseph Carrol purchase a cow and grain for the support of Mary Allsop and her two children, the wife of Thomas Allsop who is in Continent Service ...and L 9 10 shillings for support of Margaret Laird and her children whose husband David Laid is a soldier in said service and L 5 for Mrs. Laird toward purchase of a cow etc. p 270 14 Apr 1779 John Harrison appointed a constable p 273 12 Aug 1778 Andrew Harrison road duty from John Stewart's to Job Howard's
p 285-6 Ct. 13 May 1779 The Commonwealth vs George and John Patterson on suspicion of their being inimical to the liberties of America. George convicted and fined L 50 plus costs. John Patterson not guilty. Ordered that Margaret Patterson wife of Ezekiel PATTERson and William Crawford of Sinking Creek be fined each L 20 for their contempt in not appearing as witnesses against George and John Patterson as suspected persons against the United States of America. (William Crawford was a big wheel of the area; a Justice and later a Colonel)
At this point let me mention that REV John Alderson, pastor of Alderson's Baptist Church also known as Smith's Creek Baptist and Linville Cr. Baptist where numerous Harrisons attended and founded in Augusta Co., left that church and moved to Botetourt Co. where he and his sons founded a rather large and prosperous Baptist movement and formed a number of churches, and are very much in the records of Botetourt Co. p 289 10 June 1779. The fine against Wm. Crawford laid aside.
p 305 William Mann and many others served in Colo. Peachy's Battal ion in the year 1759 in the French and Indian War.(perhaps this is the origin of the name Peachy Harrison among some of the male and female descendants of LGT Harrisons)
p 310 10 Mar 1780 John Harrison and Robert Montgomery are exempted from paying levies in the future on account of their ages and infirmities (who was this aged John Harrison?)
p 317 14 Apr 1780 Doctor Thomas Loyd proved that he engaged in a company of Rangers in July 1755 under the command of Capt. William Preston and continued therein until discharged in 1756, June during which time he was a surgeon in that and other companies as well as among the inhabitants who had been wounded by the enemy without fees or reward, and again in 1757 until 1759 in the frontiers of Augusta Co. under Preston until it was disbanded. He was approved for a bounty of land according to the Proclamation of 1763. Awarded warrant for 200 acres of land (many others made similar applications and many received 2 to 5 thousand acres; yet others only 50 acres. Rank had a lot to do with it. Dr. Loyd was a Sgt.
p 365 14 Nov 1782. Upon the petition of sundry inhabitants, leave is given to Josiah Phipps to build a water grist mill over Looney's Mill Creek where David Laird formerly lived.
p 373 May 8, 1783 Thomas Patterson on jury. p 375 May 9, 1783 suit Samuel Baldwin vs Thomas Patterson. Samuel Baldwin did not show up but Thomas Patterson had to pay 5 shilling and costs anyway. Non suited. p 397 Oct 23, 1784 Grand Jury indicted David Laird for selling liquor without a license.
3. Harrison
FIRST SURVEYS OF LAND BOTETOURT C0.
1774, Apr. 12 Samuel Adams 178a Sinking Creek br of New R.
1774 Mar 11 , John Evans 170 Wolf Cr. br of Greenbrier (I mention Evans because some Evans in Greene Co. TN were heirs to Robert Harrison of Augusta Co. VA)
1782 Dec 4 Thomas Evans 161 acres West fork Little R.
1782 Apr 25 Jonathan Harrison 100 a Boy's Cr. br of Beaver Dam (I do not know location)
1786 Mar 18 " " 24 a Roanoke
1784 Mar 2 James Patterson 170 Indian Cr.
1774 Apr 11 George Patterson 249 Sinking Creek (Sinkin Creek rather near the heart of things in the county, near Fincastle, Craig's Creek, Looney's Creek, headwaters of Holston, Clinch and New Rivers and near James River)
Interestingly, many of the largest land owners of the area have no entries in these deeds. Probably they acquired their land before there was a Botetourt Co. This is the site of the huge Borden real estate empire and John Lewis, the wealthy Irishman with all the sons who were Generals. Borden empire run by Benjamin Borden Sr., dead before Botetourt formed, then Benjamin Borden Jr., then his daughter Martha who m Benjamin Hawkins and later Robert Harvey. Also, the McDowells who were married into that family and ancestors of the General McDowells of Burke Co. NC fame and Buncombe. But no deeds in these Botetourt records involving any of those surnames, though they were very much around during these times. Perhaps these extensive records were kept separate, and many of the lawsuits involving these many deeds are in Augusta County for some reason. In Chalkley he says that those records are too extensive to include many of them in his book. Fincastle Co. records, though the existence of the county was brief, contain much more in the way of records of these important people.
MARRIAGES OF BOTETOURT
Apr 7, 1779 Thomas Harrison m Hannah Dennis
1788, Jan 30. " " m Margaret Billups
1781 George Hancock m Sarah Patterson
1799 Wm. Johnston m Susannah Harrison
1798 Wm Moore m Elizabeth Patterson d of Stephen Patterson
1783 Joseph Tate m Mary Loyd d of Thomas Loyd
1792 Flan Ward m Elizabeth Dennis d of Joseph and Mary Dennis
1792 Joseph Dennis m Anna Bibee d of John and Elizabeth Bibee
1781 John Wright m Eliza Black d of Joseph Black
In regards to the Dennises and Billups I looked them up in LONG GREY TRAIL: p 217-218. The author discusses Early Maryland Harrisons, not of the line of LGT Harrisons but had some connections with Delahayes as did LGT Harrisons. (summarized): Thomas Harrison b England 1695 had 6 sons: John, Benjamin, Thomas Jr, Samuel, Daniel and James; all in the American Revolution. All sons came to Maryland after death of their parents. John became Captain, Thomas Jr. a Colonel. Capt. John m Miss Malone in Maryland and settled Botetourt Co. VA. Capt. John had sons: Thomas, Samuel, John, Benjamin, Daniel and James. Col Thomas Harrison brother of John of Botetourt never married, but he made lots of money and invested it in Valley of VA lands. When Col. Thomas died he left those lands to his nephew Thomas son of John. This Thomas married Margaret Billups. of VA and removed with his parents (JOHN and Miss Malone) to S. Carolina. After their deaths he returned to VA and settled in Montgomery County. By wife MARGARET BILLUPS he had 10 children of which 8 survived: Edward, John, Thomas, Samuel, James, Elizabeth, Sarah and Polly. He married 2nd Nancy Crawley oft VA and had Nancy, Margaret and William D. Married 3rd Jane Childress of VA and had Cynthia, Andrew L. Eliza J. and Benjamin R. In 1819 he moved to MO (!!!) and settled on the Boonslick Road in Callaway Co. where he died in his 75th year July 3, 1840 (so born c 1765 and m Margaret Billups 1788 at age of 23. so it is not likely that the Thomas Harrison who m Hannah Dennis in 1779 would have been the same Thomas Harrison because he would have been only 14 at the time-though I suppose not impossible if his age is off a bit..his uncle got married in his old age?..but then he, the rich Col. Thomas would have had an heir other than his nephew Thomas, if she lived???) Thomas and Margaret (Billups) 's eldest son Edward died in VA. John, the second son was born in Botetourt Co, VA Oct 7, 1791. (This further suggests the Billups marriage his first
4. Harrison
LGT p 206. This is a bit of history of July 1757 and of Indian troubles with the Shawnees in the vicinity of Buchanan on the headwaters of the James. (My impression is that the James is already a good sized river at Buchanan and that is not exactly the headwaters. Buchanqn on the main highway and very close to Fincastle and Roanoke - in the heart of Botetourt development in the very early days) "Robert Renick and Thomas Moon at the "Fork of James River" were killed, and Mrs. Renick and seven children, and a Mrs. Denis were taken prisoners-the item goes on to mention that Renicks were related to Daniel Harrison and were on a plantation formerly owned by John Harrison. This was John Harrison Jr. the one who was killed by his slave and without issue. (John Jr. also had a piece of property on Looney's Creek of the James and sold it to James Lauderdale Sr. and James had somewhat of a problem getting proper title and sued John Jr. and got it. This place is or was known as one of the showplaces of Fincastle; long called the Lauderdale home, but later called the Johnston Home when acquired by a Judge Johnston. Lauderdales connected to my wife's Hawkins/Borden line.) The very interesting story continues and the fate of many of the Rennicks is told but not of Mrs. Denis).
p 248 LGT. This is in reference to the family of Thomas Harrison of Harrisonburg, VA in which his sons Robert and Reuben gave land to the Methodists for a church there in 1789 One of the Methodist trustees was Joseph Denny (Dennis in index).
p 482 LGT. This is later descendants Clan of Thomas Harrison. This is Margaret Harrison who was the daughter of Jesse Harrison who was son of Ezekiel who was son of Thomas ...so though no dates it would be rather late. (177111) Margaret Harrison m Edward H. Dennis -"see further record". The further record is on p 561 shows that I did not report the previous sentence accurately. It was not Margaret Harrison. It was Emily Harrison d of Jesse Harrison who m Rev. Andrew Monroe and they had a daughter Margaret who m Edward Dennis. Margaret and Edward Dennis were of Howard Co. M0. Her mother Emily Monroe and her father were married in Sangamon Co. IL. Later moved to Audrain Co. MO ... but I suppose Ruth Bowers knows all about this!
So ...it appears that there were at least two Thomas Harrisons and one was from a Maryland line and married Billups and another from LGT line and m Denis??? And John Harrison: there were at least two of them. One, Capt. John was father of Thomas m Billups. The other John was John Jr of the LGT and all of these either in, or had property in Botetourt Co! I would also like to mention at this point that the Harrisons and Hawkins of Buncombe County were connected , at least in my wife's family. Her gg grandfather was Thomas Harrison, son of Rev. Nathan Thomas Harrison. Thomas Harrison lived next door to another gr gr grandfather Thomas Hawkins. Thomas Harrison's son Jesse married the girl next door: Caroline Hawkins, dau of Thomas. The Hawkins family came from Botetourt Co. VA. Thomas Hawkins was the grandson of Benjamin Hawkins and Martha Borden - she the 16 year old heiress of all of the Borden empire, including all of its many debts and lawsuits. The Hawkins and Harrisons of Botetourt no doubt knew-each other rather well. On p 2 I tell about Thomas Harrison being on four juries in one day in 1774. Were there two Thomas Harrisons that day in court? Thomas Harrison who m Billups would have been only age 9 in 1774, so not him on the jury, and maybe Thomas who m Dennis also too young at that time.
BACK TO ANNALS OF SW VA p 529 List of Ministers Botetourt Co. 1787-1844: George Adams. Chester Ballard. John Alderson. Religion not specified. p 531 a deed identifies Patterson Creek as a branch of Craig's Creek..near Fincastle.
p 545 Botetourt Deeds. May 1771, 11th day. John Burross & Ester his wife to John Harrison 160 acres Muddy Lick Creek br. of Roanoke. I question whether this location of property belongs to the previous deed of the executors of James Patton. Confused columns, which is common in this book.
p 575 Bot. Deed Nov 1, 1783. Wm. Larde a witness on a deed Bryson of Bedford Co. to John Kinsey
