William HARRIS RESIDENCES: William Harris was living in New Kent county in 1704, landowner in St. Paul's Parish in New Kent in 1707; between 1713 - 1725 he patented over 2000 acres in what was to become Hanover County. His land lay between the North Anna and Little Rivers.

His home was called "Cedar Hill" in Hanover County, Virginia. It was a 1-1/2 story log cabin, covered with clapboard with at least one chimney on one end. An early photograph does not give a view which shows the other end of the house. The house had a doorway in the center of the front elevation and one window on either side of the front door. There was an extension, shed type, off the rear. When King's Dominion, a modern day amusement park, purchased the property, they removed the house, still in good condition at the time of the sale.

William Harris' initials are on his wife's tombstone in the family graveyard, located on the northeast perimeter of the above-mentioned amusement park, outside the park fence.

1. Temperance OVERTON ISSUE:There are at least 4 children of her marriage to William Harris. They will be listed as children 1 - 4.

DEATH: Her death date is taken from her tombstone. There are some researchers who give the year as 1716, while others put it at 1710. The 1710 date came about after Temperance's family restored her headstone, listing the date erroneously.

TOMBSTONE: Unusual for the time and for the isolated nature of their homeplace, William had a stone placed at her grave, which has survived because descendants later placed the stone in a large block of granite to preserve it.

"HERE LYES THE BODY OF TEMPERANCE HARRIS DECEASED THE 19 OF FEBY1716 WH"

GRAVEYARD: This graveyard is on land currently owned by King's Dominion, an amusement theme park, off Virginia Route 688, south of Virginia Route 30. The home "Cedar Hill" was removed by the amusement park.

Directions: I95 north to Doswell-Kings Dominion exit = Route 30. Go East on Route 30, and cross the railroad tracks. Immediately turn to right on the road running parallel to tracks. Take the second left turn to sign Private Property, winding road- to Kings Dominion water tank. The cemetery is just on the north side of the water tank.

From "History and Genealogies", by W.H. Miller, published by Press of Transylvania Co., Lexington KY, 1907:

"Temperance Overton, (the wife of William Harris) came to this country with three brothers and settled in Virginia. She was a daughter of William Overton, and Mary Waters, William Overton was a Colonel under Oliver Cromwell, and commanded one wing of the army at the battle of Dunbar; for some cause he was cast into the Tower of London by Cromwell, and died there."

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