Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Joseph Harrison of Sussex Co DE & Augusta Co VA

In July 2010 Harald Reksten was working the Sussex Co DE Court Records. He abstracted a set of records and emailed them to me with the following message:

While looking at the court records I came across these entries about Joseph Harrison that I copied from the microfilm. These records are not published so no one would know about them unless they looked at the microfilm. Notice the references to Joseph Harrison as early as 1725. Makes me think the Joseph Harrison that died in the 1740s Augusta was not a grandson of Isaiah. Also this Joseph could have had quite a few children since he is involved in court cases as early as 1725. Makes me think he is at least the oldest son of old Isaiah's 2nd marriage.

The Isaiah Harrison in question is the old Isaiah Sr who was first married to Elizabeth Wright and then secondly to Abigail Smith. Joseph Harrison died in 1748 Augusta Co VA. Other members of the Isaiah clan were part of the estate settlement in 1748, but Joseph has never been conclusively placed within the Isaiah family. Harald and I believe Joseph was another son, by the second wife.

The Harrisons and Pattersons migrated from Sussex Co DE to Augusta Co VA in the late 1730's. Other families who migrated from DE to VA that were associated with them were the Blacks, Cravens, Stewarts, Ponders, Hoods and others. My Robert Patterson had a sister named Elizabeth who married Jeremiah Harrison (son of Isaiah) in DE. Additionally, Robert Patterson's son, Thomas Patterson (my 5-greats-grandpa) married a Margaret Harrison.

I used to think she was a daughter of Joseph, and then I thought she was a daughter of Samuel. Samuel and Joseph Harrison were brothers. Both of these theories have proven to not hold water,  however. As of 2018, I believe she was a grand-daughter of Gideon Harrison (son of Isaiah), who died in Sussex Co., DE in 1729.

FEBRUARY 1724(5) (Microfilm)
108. 2 February 1724(5) Preservd Coggshall vs Samuel Black. Continued Withdrawn.
109. 2 February 1724(5) Christ. Tophan agt Joseph Harrison. T.C. Sherd amoried – unto the Deft – appear the first day of next Term.

MAY 1725 (Microfilm)
115. 4 May 1725 Christopher Topham agt Joseph Harrison. The said Tophaim appeared for himself T.C. Sheriff amoried ¾ unless ye Deft. appear the first day this Term with Drawer in Costs.
116. 4 May 1725 Wm. PettyJohn vs Isaiah Harrison. David French for ye plantiff appeared T.C. Isaiah Harrison appeared by his attorney Francis Allen. Continued.


AUGUST 1725 (Microfilm)
124. August 1725 St. Leger Codd & Mary Codd vs Robt. Shankland. Frank Allen for ye plaintiff appeared T.C. The defendt. In peopria personn. Rule to plead By Two of the Clock this afternoon
124. August 1725 Wm. PettyJohn vs Isaiah Harrison. Atty for ye plantiff appeared T.C. Francis Allen for ye Defendt. appeared. Ruled to plead by the thirteenth of Oct. or next Judgmt.

FEBRUARY 1725(6) (Microfilm)
134. February 1725(6) A List of the Petit Jury wch were in impaneled to try ye … John Jacobs, Nathl. Hall, Thos. Groods, Robt. Shankland, James Fonwich, Andrew Haveled, Thos. Stockley, Luke Watson, Alexr. Moleston, Wm. Russell, John Ponder, Robt. Cornwall.
136. February 1725(6) St. Leger Codd & Mary Codd vs Robt. Shankland. Trespass upon the Case.

AUGUST 1727 (Microfilm)
150. August 1727 Arch. Smith vs Joseph Harrison. T.C. Nom Est.
153. August 1727 William PettyJohn vs Isaiah Harrison. Inquiry. Nola Damper. The – Came into Court & prays a Writt Admoliy Inquired on -- granted.

NOVEMBER 1727 (Microfilm)
158. November 1727 Dom. Rox vs Saml. Black. Assault. -----.
162. November 1727 Arch. Smith vs Joseph Harrison. T.C. --- C.C. --- B.B. Niss --- Afterwards the Deft. appeared giving Bail viz Jos. Harrison in 56 pounds, Samuel Stewart in 56 pounds. Sub: Con--- pt. Imparlance & ula.
163. November 1727 Wm. PettyJohn vs Isaiah Harrison. Inquiry. The Sher. returns Nulla Dampra.

FEBRUARY 1727(8) (Microfilm)
168. February 1727(8) Dom. Rox vs Samuel Black. Assault. Process awarded Nov. Term Court now at this day the sd Saml. Black came into Ct. and being arraigned --- afsd pleads guilty & puts himself unto ye mercy of ye Cort. Therefore it is considered by the Court that the sd Saml. Black be fined five shillings & that he be Committed untill he pay sd fine & all fees any processed. [Note HR: Dom. Rox was plaintiff against 6 other people the same day also for assault].
169. February 1727(8) Arch: Smith vs Joseph Harrison. T.C.

AUGUST 1728 (Microfilm)
188. August 1728 Grand Jury: …, David Scudder, …, John Harrison, Gideon Harrison, …
192. August 1728 John Price vs Gideon Harrison. Continued to this Term …
196. August 1728 John Stewart vs John Ayle. Debt. …
197. August 1728 Wm. Till Esq. vs Gideon Harrison. …
197. August 1728 Wm. Till Esq. vs Isaiah Harrison. …
199. August 1728 Grand Jury: …, David Scudder, …, John Harrison, Gideon Harrison, …

NOVEMBER 1728 (Microfilm)
201. November 1728 John Price et uon vs Gideon Harrison. Continued …
203 November 1728 John Stewart vs John Gyle. Debt. …
205. November 1728 John Ponder vs Benj. Shaw. C.C. Nom Est. Anoter Writ to Issue.
207. November 1728 Arch: Smith vs John Addams. C.C. The Deft. to appear in pson: Imparl. & rule.

FEBRUARY 1728(9) (Microfilm)
209. February 1728(9) Grand Jury: …, David Scudder, …, John Harrison, Gideon Harrison, …
211: February 1728(9) John Price et uon. vs Gideon Harrison. …
215: February 1728(9) Archibald Smith vs John Addams. Nov. Term The Deft. appeared and the case was continued to this Term 1728. Withdrawn ---
215: February 1728(9) John Ponder vs Benj. Shaw. C.C. Withdrawn.

MAY 1729 (Microfilm)
220. May 1729 Grand Jury: …, Danl. Harrison, …
223. May 1729 John Stewart vs John Gyle. Debt. …
223. May 1729 James Miders vs Edwd. Addams. Attachment. Continued.
228. May 1729 John Addams vs Jno. Price Mariner. Assault. The Sher. returns --- withdrawn of the Pltf. The Deft. to pay Costs.
229. May 1729 Joseph Harrison vs John Langstom. Attachment. Withdrawn of the Plt.
230. May 1729 William Addams vs Robert Cornwall. Case. The Sher. returns C.C. Withdrawn of the Plt.
231. May 1729 Joseph Eldridge vs John Addams vs Robert Cornwall. Case. The Sher. returns C.C. Withdrawn of the Plt.

AUGUST 1729 (Microfilm)
234. 5 August 1729 Grand Jury: …, Danl. Harrison, …
237. 5 August 1729 James Miers vs Edward Addams. Attachment. … & the Sher to pay costs.
242. 5 August 1729 William Till Esqr vs Adm of Gideon Harrison. …
246. 5 August 1729 John Addams vs William Orr. Debt. The Sher. returns C.C. The Deft. appears. Imparl.
246. 5 August 1729 Peter Addams vs Thos. Petty. Case. …
246. 5 August 1729 Peter Addams vs Edw. Garland. …

NOVEMBER 1729 (Microfilm)
248. 4 November 1729 Grand Jury: …, Danl. Harrison, …
254. 4 November 1729 Joseph McCoster vs Joseph Harrison. Continued …
255. 4 November 1729 Peter Addams vs William Orr. Debt. Continued …
255. 4 November 1729 Peter Addams vs Benj. Garland. …
256. 4 November 1729 John Stewart vs John Ayle. …
258. 4 November 1729 William Till Esqr. Vs Gideon Harrison Adms. …

Isaiah Harrison's sons by his first wife were Isaiah Jr, Gideon and John. Gideon died in Sussex Co DE. Isaiah Jr may also have died in DE or NJ. Isaiah's sons by his second wife were Joseph Harrison (we believe), Daniel, Thomas, Jeremiah and Samuel. Isaiah also had daughters Mary (m. Robert Cravens), Elizabeth (never married), Abigail (m. Alexander Herring), and Lydia (m. Samuel Stewart).

As Joseph Harrison is not commonly listed as a son of Isaiah, neither is Lydia listed as a daughter. But most people have tried to tie her to Isaiah Jr. Harald and I believe that the Isaiah Harrison who executed Joseph Harrison's 1748 estate was the oldest son of Joseph. In the past, people have assumed this Isaiah was Isaiah Jr. But given the fact that Isaiah Jr seems to have disappeared from the records of DE and NJ in the 1720's, it seems that he must have died before the migration to the Shenandoah like his brother Gideon.

The Isaiah of 1748 Augusta Co VA must have been the son of Joseph then, as none of the other brothers had a son named Isaiah that old. And we know that Isaiah Sr died in the winter of 1737/38 en route from DE to VA. Here is the abstract from the 1748 sale of items from Joseph's estate - the "vendue":

1-208. 1 September 1748, Augusta Co VA Will, Buyers at the sale of the estate of Joseph Harrison 1748, Jeremiah Harrison sold the goods in the home of Lydia and Samuel Stewart. Isaiah Harrison, surety. Buyers: Samuel Stuart, Timothy Convey, Samuel Harrison, Peter Dyer, Samuel Monsey, Thomas Harrison, Cornelius Bryant, Arthur Johnson, William Williams, Joseph Harrison, Abraham Smith, Henry Smith, Tunis Wood [Hood?], Samuel Hull, Edward McGuines, Archibald Buchanan, Robert Patterson, Joseph Bryan, Aaron Oliver, Isaiah Harrison, John O’Neal, Daniel Harrison, Ephraim Love, Solomon Turpin, Jeremiah Harrison and Samuel Wilkey.

From this vendue we can see how intertwined this Joseph Harrison was with the others of the Isaiah clan. In 1748 the Samuel and Lydia Stewart family and several members of the Harrison clan began their migration to Rowan Co NC along the Yadkin River. (See Stewart Timeline for more details)

It is believed that these Harrisons who moved to NC with the Stewarts were some of the Joseph Harrison family, such as his sons Isaiah and Joseph Harrison Jr. Also, Samuel Stewart's oldest son David Stewart married an Abigail Harrison, believed (by me) to be a daughter of this Joseph Harrison.

About fifteen years later, more families from Augusta Co VA would move to the Kings Mountain region of the Carolinas to modern day York Co SC. This would include the Blacks, Pattersons, Ponders, and some of the Cravens and Harrisons as well. It seems that Nathaniel and Thomas Harrison involved in this latter move were most likely sons of a John Harrison, who in turn may have been a son of Gideon Harrison (d. 1729). Plus, Thomas Patterson who moved to the Kings Mtn area was married to Margaret Harrison and they lived next to Nathaniel Harrison, indicating she was most likely a sister of Nathaniel and Thomas Harrison. Furthermore, the Jane Harrison who was married to William Cravens, and also moved to the Kings Mtn area for about nine years or so (1764-1773), would fit in perfectly as another daughter of John (son of Gideon) and therefore a sister of the Kings Mtn Harrisons.

I cannot prove all of these relationships with 100% certainty, but the order of events, proximity of residences, and migration patterns of these various family members work together to paint a picture similar to that just described.

The above Sussex Co DE court records are an important piece of the puzzle in tying Joseph Harrison to this Isaiah clan. Of course, it also helps to know that descendants of the Kings Mtn Harrisons later lived in Buncombe Co NC, and descendants of that group (two different members) have had their DNA tested and match up with the Isaiah Harrison clan, closing the loop so to speak. And they also match the DNA of the Joseph Harrison clan who moved to the Yadkin Valley, thus tying in Joseph to the Isaiah clan, as well.

If you have any information you wish to add please feel free to leave a comment below. Thanks.

WP

Update 8/11/2016 - Another reference to Joseph Harrison found from 1731.

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