Elisha Harrison (c1780-1848) Biography

Elisha Harrison (c1780-1848)

Botetourt Co., VA; Madison & Estill Co., KY

Surnames Mentioned: ABRAMS BAKER BOWMAN GABBARD HARRISON ISAACS LAKES SHEPHERD TERRILL TERRY

Repository ID # 8119 - ancestry available in our online database.

For some years several Harrison researchers have mistakenly given out information that my Elisha Harrison of Madison Co and Estill Co, Ky was born in Surrey Co, VA to a John and Mildred Harrison. This is incorrect, and I hope that my information will help correct many peoples pedigrees....Elisha Harrison, son of Jonathan Harrison and Mercy Terry of Botetourt Co, VA, was born in the 1780's in Va or NC, and married Ifa Sookotosh Baker, born 8 Aug 1790 NC, in 1805 in Madison Co, Ky. She was the daughter of John Renta Baker and (Elizabeth?) Terrill. This family is listed on early records of Madison County, Ky. Elisha Harrison died in 1848 Estill Co, Ky and his wife Ifa Baker Harrison died in 1866 in Jackson Co, Ky at the home of her son William Canady Harrison, who is my great-great-grandfather. Elisha and Ifa's children were: John Baker Harrison, Jonathan Harrison, George Harrison, Thomas Harrison, Polly Harrison (wife of Bazel Abrams), Susannah Harrison (wife of Peter Gabbard), Alitha Harrison (wife of John Wesley Gabbard), Nancy Jane Harrison (wife of Greenberry Lakes), Elisha H Harrison, Nathaniel Harrison, William Canady Harrison, and Sally Ann Harrison (wife of Elisha Isaacs).

William Canady Harrison was born 1 Nov 1827 in Estill Co, Ky and married Elizabeth Gentry Gabbard born 23 April 1833 Clay Co, Ky to Edward Gabbard and Sarah Bowman. These were the parents of my great grandmother Eliza Jane Harrison Shepherd, who with her parents left Ky to come to Madison and Crawford Counties, Arkansas after the Civil War. Through old family papers and court records I have established that Elisha Harrison, Sr. (who married Ifa Sookotosh Baker) was the son of Jonathan Harrison and Mercy Terry of Botetourt Co, Virginia.

Hopefully this info will begin correcting the erroneous records (such as entries in Ancestral File) amd will connect with other families...I hope family researchers will contact me... thanks for any connections...David Travillion Bunton, Russellville, AR

Mercy Terry, born 1760's, was the daughter of William and Rachel Terry of Botetourt Co, Virginia. Deed/Court records of the estate of William Terry (died 1803) from May 18, 1808 reveal that Mercy was one of his eight children: "Mercy Terry, wife of Jonathan Harrison, [received] her 1/8 share in her father William's estate." The children of William and Rachel Terry were: William (married Patience); John born 1760 (married Esther Brown); Miles (married Hannah Horton); Susannah (married Thomas Brown); Mercy (married Jonathan Harrison); Jasper (married Ruth. 2 Margaret Snidow); Rachel (married John Martin); Jemima (married Ezekial Boucher). An outline of the family has been previously provided by George A. Terry in his article "The Terrys of Scott County, TN" which appeared in Vol 4 No 3 (Sept 1985) of the Terry Family Historian. At the present time, I have little information on Mercy Terry and Jonathan Harrison, except that they had a son Elisha Harrison, born 1780's, probably Virginia or NC, who removed to Madison County, Kentucky where he married on 28 August 1805 to Ifa "Sookotosh" Baker, born 8 Aug 1790 in NC, the daughter of John "Renta" Baker. Elisha and Ifa Baker Harrison raised their family of twelve in Madison and Estill Counties, Ky. Elisha died in Estill Co. in 1848, and Ifa Baker Harrison died in 1866 at the home of her son William Canady Harrison, the writer's great-great-grandfather. Their children were:

  1. John Baker Harrison born 10 April 1807 Madison County, Ky; married first Sarah Brockman 29 July 1832 Madison Co, Ky dau of Shelton and Ellender Baker Brockman married second Catharine A. Rogers 25 Mar 1858 Jackson Co, Ky died 20 Feb 1888 Sand Gap, Jackson Co, Ky
  2. Jonathan Harrison born 10 March 1808 Madison Co, Ky married Mary Ann Lakes 28 March 1837 Estill Co, Ky
  3. George Harrison born ca 1809 Madison Co, Ky married Rachel Isaacs 3 March 1831 Clay Co, Ky dau of James and Nancy Isaacs
  4. Susannah Harrison born 22 March 1811 Ky married Peter E Gabbard 22 Oct 1831Clay Co, Ky son of Henry Gabbard
  5. Thomas Harrison born 23 May 1813 Madison Co, Ky married Lucinda Lakes 15 Sept 1836 Estill Co, Ky dau of Carter Lakes and Eady Skinner
  6. Polly Harrison born pre-1820 married Bazel Lee Abrams on 27 Nov 1832 Madison Co, Ky
  7. Alitha Harrison born 1816 Ky married John Westley Gabbard 21 Dec 1841 Madison Co, Ky son of Edward Gabbard and Sarah Bowman
  8. Nancy Jane Harrison born 1822 Estill Co, Ky married Greenbury Lakes 31 Jan 1839 Estill Co, Ky died 15 April 1858 Madison Co, Ky
  9. Elisha H. Harrison born 1 Dec 1823 Estill Co, Ky married Delilah Lakes 29 April 1849 Estill Co, Ky dau of Carter Lakes & Eady Skinner died 19 April 1895 Madison Co, Ky
  10. Nathaniel M. Harrison born 1825 Estill Co, Ky married Sally Ann Gabbard 22 Feb 1845 Madison Co, Ky dau of Edward Gabbard & Sarah Bowman
  11. William Canady Harrison born 1 Nov 1827 Estill Co, Ky married Elizabeth Gentry Gabbard 11 Dec 1849 Madison Co, Ky dau of Edward Gabbard & Sarah Bowman died 29 Dec 1892 Bidville, Crawford Co, Arkansas
  12. Sally Ann Harrison born 1833 married Elisha Isaacs 4 Nov 1852 Estill Co, Ky son of Godfrey Isaacs & Elizabeth Howard

It is important to have record of Mercy Terry's grandchildren (children of Elisha Harrison) to understand Terry family connections given in an old letter kept within the Harrison family. In 1930 a daughter of John Baker Harrison (listed above, born 1807) named Rosanna "Rose" Harrison Carpenter, wrote of the family to her cousin, Mrs. John L. (Nora Burdette) Gay of Berea, Ky, a granddaughter of Elisha H. Harrison (listed above, born 1823).

Rose Harrison Carpenter, born 1864, writes: ....."Yes, my father and your grandpa were brothers, their father's name was Elisha [Harrison]. They first settled as they called it in those days North Carolina, came from North Carolina to Tennessee, from Tennessee to Kentucky. Their grandfather was Jonathan [Harrison], their great-grandfather was Elias [Harrison], their father was buried in Jackson County, Kentucky, not far from McKee....their grandmother Harrison was a Terry. I have heard father speak of a second cousin, Joseph Terry, he lived somewhere in Madison County--he named one of his sons for him. Their grandmother Baker was a Terrill, I don't know how the name was spelled, it may have been Phirrill.... Rose Harrison Carpenter

The 1850 Madison Co, Ky Census enumerates the family of the above mentioned Joseph Terry, who married Minerva Stephenson in Madison County, Ky on 11 Oct 1852. This same Joseph Terry is identified as the son of Nancy Thomas and Josiah Terry, who separated in 1814 and were divorced in 1828 Wayne Co, Ky. The Madison County, Ky Court Order Book E, page 122 records an indenture made to bind out Joseph and his brother William Terry, the children of Nancy Terry, to William Bently to learn the tanning business. In his article "The Terrys of Scott Co, Tn," George A. Terry has identified Joseph Terry's father Josiah as the son of John Terry (born 1760 married Esther Brown). This John Terry is the brother of Mercy Terry Harrison. Aside from information concerning the Terry family, research by Ran Raider of Dayton, Ohio, has concluded that the other grandmother referred to by Rose Carpenter was most likely Elizabeth Terrill, wife of John Renta Baker, and niece of the Long Hunter, Obadiah Terrill. The Rose Harrison Carpenter letter together with court records and extant family records confirm that Elisha Harrison of Madison Co & Estill Co, Ky and Josiah Terry of Anderson County, Tn--Wayne Co, Ky--Scott Co, Tn, were first cousins, grandchildren of William and Rachel Terry of Botetourt Co, Virginia.


Sources

Portions of this article will appear in the May-June 1999 Issue of the Terry Family Historian published by Mike Terry. Visit their website.

Submitted by David Travillion Bunton 613 South Commerce Ave, Russellville, AR 72801


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Last Updated: 21 May 1999
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