Reverend Thomas William Harrison

Thomas William Harrison married three times:

1. Hannah Jones, 1769, in Colony of Virginia
2. Sarah Harrison, 9 Dec 1775 in Colony of Virginia [maiden and married surnames identical]
3. Hannah Dennis, 7 Apr 1779 in Botetourt County, Virginia

• Ref: WikiTrees
• Reference: WikiTree Genealogy - SmartCopy: Aug 24 2016, 18:44:55 UTC

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A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA with the rank of CAPTAIN. DAR Ancestor #: A052288

"Heads of families at the first Census of the United States taken in the years 1790." Records of the State enumerations: 1782 to 1785 for the state of Virginia, Government Printing Office 1908 "A complete set of the schedules for each state, with a summary for the counties, and in many cases towns, was filed in the State Department, but unfortunately they are not now complete, the returns for the states of Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Virginia having been destroyed when the British burned the Capitol at Washington during the War of 1812." Other data has been put together for research.

Library of Virginia: 1790 Virginia Census NOTES The original manuscript schedules for the First and Second United States Census Returns for Virginia, taken in 1790 and 1800, were destroyed when the British Army occupied Washington, D.C., in August 1814. The schedules, which named the heads of households and contained the number of inhabitants in each household, were lost, and only published abstracts containing the number of inhabitants of each county survive. In 1908 the Bureau of the Census published a twelve-volume compilation of names of heads of households from the surviving incomplete records. The confusingly titled Virginia volume, Heads of Families at the First Census of the United States taken in the year 1790: Records of the State Enumerations, 1782-1785: Virginia, is indexed and has been reprinted several times. It was prepared from an incomplete collection of surviving manuscript lists of heads of households that the government of Virginia compiled in 1782, 1783, 1784, and 1785. Those Lists of Inhabitants, which cover only thirty-nine counties and one city, are in the Library of Virginia and have been filmed on Miscellaneous Microfilm Reel number 1263. Copies of the lists for the City of Richmond, the earliest of which was included in the Heads of Families, are now separately filed with the early local government records of the city in the Library of Virginia. To supplement the Heads of Families, Augusta B. Fothergill and John M. Naugle compiled and published Virginia Tax Payers, 1782-87 Other Than Those Published by the United States Census Bureau (Richmond, 1940), which has gone through several reprint editions. Virginia Tax Payers contains lists of taxpaying heads of households for thirty-five counties not covered in Heads of Households. Their principal source for each county is the earliest surviving state personal property tax list. The personal property tax returns, most of which begin in 1782, are also in the Library of Virginia and have been microfilmed. Netti Schreiner-Yantis and Florence Speakman Love subsequently compiled and published The 1787 Census of Virginia: An Accounting of the Name of Every White Male Tithable Over 21 Years, three volumes (Springfield, Va., 1987), which was also issued in a series of individual county volumes. Their principal source was not a census but the 1787 state personal property tax lists. It is the only compilation of eighteenth-century Virginia taxpayers from one uniform source. There are no proper pre-1800 census returns for Virginia. Researchers who use Heads of Families, Virginia Tax Payers, and The 1787 Census of Virginia are advised to consult the Virginia laws to learn what information the lists contain and do not contain. For the 1782, 1783, 1784, and 1785 enumerations, see Hening's Statutes at Large, 11:40-41, 108, 193, 415-417. For the first of the Virginia personal property tax laws, adopted in 1782, see Hening's Statutes at Large, 11:112-129. The 1787 personal property tax law is in Hening's Statutes at Large, 12:243-255.

Note: The middle name of "William" has been noted by several researchers, the author of this Family Tree record, has been unable to locate any documentation of this middle name.

Although there are a few Harrison's included in the 1790 Virginia Census, there are no Hennessee's. The Census is missing all counties in Virginia in which our families are known to have lived, including, but not limited to: Augusta, Bedford, Botetourt, Tazewell, Washington, Wythe, etc.

It was confusing that Kentucky is listed in the 1790 Census as it was part of Virginia at that time and did not become a State until 1792, until further research showed it was already called Kentucky County.

Some family trees on the Internet show parents for Thomas being Thomas Harrison and Anne Waye Peyton, however I believe I have proven this information is not correct. The book Settlers by the Long Grey Trail, originally published in 1935, beginning on page 287, details the two Harrison families that lived and showed up side by side in the history of Virginia. Thomas Harrison who married Anne Waye Peyton is a descendant of Burr Harrison from England. This Thomas Harrison was a Reverend and his family were judges and political. Quite a contrast to our family who were humble Irish farmers.

About 15 years after writing the above statement, my belief that Thomas S Harrison Sr. was not connected to the Thomas Harrison who married Anne Waye Peyton and the Harrison's from The Settlers by the Long Grey Trail was proved by the Harrison DNA Project. Lineage 31-The Harrison of Staffordshire, England and Augusta Co., VA Line - The line of Thomas Harrison came to Tazewell County from Augusta and Botetourt Counties. This family has been connected to the Burr Harrison line (lineage 22), but the DNA does not confirm that relationship. The Wiseman Family and Allied Lines by Eugene Wiseman (1991) discusses this line, and states that Thomas Harrison, progenitor of the Harrison family of Warren Co, TN was born ca. 1740 Botetourt Co. VA, and was the son of John Harrison, Jr. and grandson of John Harrison, Sr. The senior John Harrison was born between 1697 and 1710 and died in Botetourt Co. in 1786. No other tested families match this line. There is a match between the Harrison's of Staffordshire, England, and the Harrison's of Augusta Co., Virginia. This indicates a better than 97% chance of a common ancestor since 1600. This family is halogroup R1b1b2a1b. 25 MAR 2011 - TEMP RESEARCH NOTE: SOME MUSTER ROLLS ARE NOT CORRECT. ORIGINALLY RECEIVED WRONG REVOLOUTIONARY WAR RECORD, HAVE NOW RECEIVED ORIGINAL RECORD AND DATA IS YET TO BE UPDATED!!! -Sandra Harrison

The Harrison Name: The Anglo-Saxon name Harrison comes from the personal name Henry. The personal name Henry arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066, when William the Conqueror won the Battle of Hastings, killing King Harold, the last Saxon King of England. It is of Germanic origin, and arrived with the wave of immigration that followed King William into England from continental Europe. The surname Harrison is derived from a diminutive form of the name, Harry. The name means "the son of Henry." Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Harrison were recorded, including Harrison, Harrison, Harieson and others. First found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. The name Harrison in Ireland is either derived from settlers who arrived from England and Scotland in the early seventeenth century or from a number of native Gaelic Septs. The Sept O'hEarchaidh which was more usually anglicized as Harrihy and the O'hEarchadha Sept, more usually anglicized to Horohoe, both used Harrison as their Anglo equivalent.

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English, Irish and Scottish families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Harrison family emigrate to North America: Harmon Harrison settled in Virginia in 1607; 13 years before the "Mayflower," along with Easter Harrison in 1684; Edward in 1654; Elizabeth in 1650; Francis in 1643.

Thomas S. Harrison, Sr.'s middle initial "S" was documented by his American Revolution War Company Payroll dated 6 Jun 1779.

"History of Tazewell County, Virginia", volume 2, page 412, Annuals of Southwest Virginia by Lee Areston Summers, 1929: Registry of Marriages, Botetourt County, Virginia 1770-1853 indicates Thomas Harrison married Hannah Dennis (1760-1830) on 7 April 1779. Their children include: Joseph, Thomas, James, Eleanor, Audley, Mary, and Alexander. Thomas' children by his first wife: John, Elizabeth, Mary and Hannah. Thomas Harrison died at Tazewell County, Virginia in 1815. Will probated August 1815.

Shortly after Thomas S. Harrison, Sr. and Hannah Dennis married, they moved to an area of Virginia where there had been long standing problems with hostile Indians. The area was considered, at the time, The Southwestern Frontier. In 1790 the area, which lay North of the Clinch Mountains, became Wythe County, Virginia. Thomas S. Harrison, Sr. was apparently considered an inhabitant of that part of Wythe County because he signed a Petition for the formation of Tazewell County, Virginia between 1777 and 1778.

Early records of Tazewell County, Virginia reveal much information about the family of Thomas Samuel Harrison, Sr. He was one of the first County Commissioners. One of his roles as County Commissioner was to assign lots in Jeffersonville, which later became Tazewell County. Thomas S. Harrison, Sr. owned several lots of land in Jeffersonville, as well as land in the surrounding area. Records show that in 1805 Thomas S. Harrison, Sr. and Hannah deeded land to their son, Thomas S. Harrison, Jr. and his wife Rebecca Peery, who he married in 1802. In 1806 they deeded the land to Jonathan Peery, a relation to Rebecca.

Thomas S. Harrison, Sr. and his sons were evidently well known and respected inn the Tazewell County, Virginia area. Thomas S. Harrison, Jr, Edley (Audley) and Samuel Harrison, all served on a Grand Jury in Tazewell County.

On 9/11/1801, Thomas S. Harrison, Sr. was awarded a "ordinary license" allowed to sell rum and brandy.

Two documents found on Thomas S. Harrison, Sr., one of which is regarding his daughter Mary Nancy's death, state "Thomas Harrison, the Weaver". There is a strong possibility Thomas S. Harrison, Sr. was trained in the Weaver trade.

Revolution War Record; Revolution War File # 702422, Original papers, AGO, War Dept. The National Archives.

Several Muster Rolls and Company Pay Roll shows Thomas enlisted on 20 Apr 1777.

Thomas was marked sick on the Aug.-Sept.1777 Company Muster Roll. (The Document doesn't give their location at that time). Did Thomas have Smallpox or only sick for a few days? (On the 11 of Sept. is when the Battle of Brandywine took place.) I THINK THIS IS WRONG, I DON'T SHOW HIM SICK ON THIS MUSTER ROLL.

Company Muster Roll, dated Jan.1777 remarks "promoted" on 1 Jan.1778, however his Company Pay Roll does not indicate an increase in pay. Company Pay Roll dated Feb 1778, shows he made 8 . 3 dollars for the month. Next entry, Company Pay Roll, Thomas is "Sergeant" and paid in Penn Currency.

Company Muster Roll, dated June 1778- 12 July 1778 states the Roll was dated at Camp Paramus New York.

Company Muster Roll, dated July 1778- Aug 1778 Camp White Plains, New York. Remark; "on guard."

Company Muster Roll, dated Aug. 1778- 2 Sept. 1778 states Roll is dated at Camp White Plains, New York. Company Return dated 9 Sept 1778 - states Thomas had 1 year, 7 months and 11 days remaining for his service, Company Muster Roll, dated Sept. 1778- 5 Oct 1778, states Roll is dated North River Robinson's Plains.

Company Muster Roll, dated Dec1778- 14 Jan. 1779, states Roll is dated at Camp Middle Brook and remarks: "on Furlough."

Company Muster Roll of Feb.1779- 4 March 1779, states, Roll called at Camp Middle Brook and remarks, "on Furlough" and the same for March-April 1779. These last entries are important because Thomas married Hannah Dennis 7 April 1779. This tells us Thomas was on "Furlough" when he married for the second time.

Notes: There is 45 Company Musters and Company Pay Rolls listed. There is 8 Company Pay Rolls where Thomas is a Sergent in Capt. Stroker Jones Company, Company of Col. Nathaniel Gists Regiment.( Interesting name Jones, Thomas' first wife was Hannah Jones).

Company Pay Roll dated April 1779, states he's pay is "10 Dolls" per month, but he is now being paid "L 3" in Virginia Currency.

Company Pay Roll dated June 1779, states his middle initial is "S".

Company Pay Roll dated Oct. 1778, Capt. Heaberd Smallwood is referred to as the "late" Capt. Capt. Smallwood has ether been killed or died of disease it appears, perhaps Smallpox as so many were down with it at that time).

The last entry in Thomas' record is dated Nov. 1779. His enlistment would have been over 20 April 1780.

There is no Pension papers for Thomas Harrison. He died before a Pension was available for Revolutionary War Vets.

Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) lists Thomas Harrison as Ancestor number A052288 As of 31 Dec 2010, 18 DAR applications had been submitted and approved, each proving Thomas Harrison is our ancestor and fought in the American Revolution. DAR states Thomas Harrison's service was in Virginia and his rank was Captain and a Soldier under Captain Carmill in the Botetourt County Militia. Service Sources: - Kegley's Virginia Frontier, p 438 -Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War by McAllister, p 228 -Annals of Southwest Virginia by Summers, p 1393 -Seed Bed of the Republic by Stoner, p 128

DAR File # 460666 submitted by Edith Coats White on 7 May 1958 and signed in Washington D.C. THOMAS HARRISON b: ca 1750, Augusta County, Virginia Augusta was crossed out by the DAR and Botetourt is written above, as Augusta County is now Botetourt County. This correction is not made on other DAR applications. Thomas Harrison served as private, corporal and sergeant in Captain Smallwood's Company of the Regiment of Foot, commanded by Colonel William Grayson, July through Sept, 1777. He re-enlisted in January of 1778, and served in Captain Strothers Jones Company of Colonel Nathaniel Gist's Regiment. He fought in the battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and Yorktown. Thomas Harrison married Hannah Dennis (1760-1830) on 7 April, 1779. Their children included: Joseph, Thomas, James, Eleanor, Audley, Mary, and Alexander. Thomas' children by first wife: John, Elizabeth, Mary and Hannah. Thomas Harrison died at Tazewell County, Virginia in 1815 and his will was probated in August 1815. Sources: -A History of Tazewell County, Virginia Vol. 2, p. 412 -Annals of Southwest Virginia, Lee Preston Summers, (1929) p. 1482 and 1483 -Original papers, AGO, War Dept, The National Archives -Previous DAR applications #305176 and #305340

Later DAR sources: -Register of Marriages, Botetourt County, Virginia 1770-1853 -Harrison Heritage, Volume 1 No. 1, p. 113, (Ruth Harrison Jones editor and publisher, 1981)

DAR File # 840385 submitted by Laura Kay Davis Hooper submitted on 30 Sep 2005. THOMAS HARRISON b: ca 1750, Augusta County, Virginia. The said Thomas Harrison who resided during the American Revolutionary at Botetourt County, Virginia assisted in establishing American Independence while acting in the capacity of Soldier, Virginia. DAR added "Capt". Thomas Harrison of the 34th District, Botetourt County, Virginia, is listed as registered for recruitment in the Revolutionary War under an Act to recruit the State's quota of troops. Thomas was engaged at Brandywine, Germantown and Yorktown. DAR added "Also Sol; Capt Carmill; Botetourt Co VA Sources: -Seed Bed of the Republic by Stoner, p 122, 123 & 128 -Annals of Southwest Virginia 1769-1800, Part 2, by Lee Preston Summers, (1929) p. 1483 Note was added by DAR "1393" which may indicate an additional page source. -Tazewell County, Virginia Will Book 1, p 85. as per Wiseman Family & Allied Lines. National #804697. DAR added by Eugene M Wiseman and p 383. DAR added additional sources: -Kegley's Virginia Frontier, p 438 -Virginia Militia in the Revolutionary War by McAllister, p 228

Bickley's History of Tazewell County, Virginia, Volume 2, page 412, states Thomas Harrison was engaged in the Battles of Brandywine, Germantown, and Yorktown.

In the book " Virginians In the Revolution" page- 860, states, Gist's Regiment- Col. Nathaniel Gist; Captains Thomas Bell, Alexander Breckenridge, John Gist, Strother Jones, Samuel Lapsley, Francis Muir. Joseph Smith, and Major Nathaniel Mitchell. This is one of 16 additional Regiments organized in April, 1779

Grayson's Regiment; On the 16 additional Regiments (raised in April 1780). Colonel William Grayson (mentions other officers also) consolidated with Gist's Regiment 22 April 1779. This command, was at one time stricken with smallpox and many died. Also it is noted that an unusually large proportion were marked "deserted." (My note; I think the above date 1780 is a typo- how could they consolidate in 1779 if they were not raised until 1780? I think they were raised in April 1779 just as Gist's Regiment was).

Kegley's Virginia Frontier, Kegley, F.B., The Southwest Virginia Historical Society, Roanoke, Va. 1938. page 437 "In that part of the Forks community that remained in Botetourt County after 1778 there lived about sixty scattered families. In 1783 a list of the heads of these families was made with the number of horses, cattle, slaves and tithables attached. These men constituted Captain Cartmill's company of militia as reported to Col. Wm. McClenachan, Sheriff of Botetourt County. We have already learned where many of them lived in this community and will be interested in watching their movements as they progress towards the west." "In 1770 the overseer of the road from Renick's place to Barclay's Mill was presented for not keeping the road in order. Benjamin Estill and David Smith were overseers from James River to Renick's from 1774 to 1777, succeeded by Wm. Bilbro. The old way across Poteet's Gap at Arnold's to James River at Stephenson's Ford was viewed by John Greenlee, John Gilmore and James McClure. James Mitchell was to keep in order the road established from his house to Anderson's Ferry. In 1780 Michael Ochletree was granted leave to build a water grist mill on Renick's Run upon his own land. In 1783 John Mills, John Cartmill and Michael Ochletree were appointed to view and mark a wagon road from the main road below Purgatory Creek crossing the river at Stephenson's Ford and down the river crossing at John Logan's and from thence to the county line. William Campbell was made overseer." "Captain Cartmill's company was made up of men living on the north side of the James between the river and the Great Road and on Purgatory, that part of the Forks Community that remained in Botetourt County after Rockbridge had been formed." Sixty-one men were listed as heads of households and they included Thomas Harrison, Joseph Dennis who was his wife's father, Elizabeth Jones who was his first wife's mother, Rasmus Jones who could have been another relative. I did not see the last names of any of the men who married Thomas' daughters. Page 138 a list indicates the number of horses, cattle, slaves and tithables each man owned. In seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Virginia, the term tithable referred to a person who paid (or for whom someone else paid) one of the taxes imposed by the General Assembly for the support of civil government in the colony. In colonial Virginia, a poll tax or capitation tax was assessed on free white males, African American slaves, and Native American servants (both male and female), all age sixteen or older. Owners and masters paid the taxes levied on their slaves and servants. In 1783 Thomas owned 6 horses, 9 cattle, no slaves or tithables, Joseph Dennis owned 3 horses, 11 cattle, no slaves or tithables and Elizabeth Jones owned 2 horses and 2 cattle. Elizabeth was one of only two women listed as "heads of families" or "company made up of men".

Kegley's Virginia Frontier, Kegley, F.B., The Southwest Virginia Historical Society, Roanoke, Va. 1938. page 562 Thomas later settled land in West Botetourt County. "THE MASON'S CREEK AND FORT LEWIS COMMUNITY- The residents on the south side of Roanoke from the dividing ridge between Back Creek and the headwaters of Mud Lick and Raven's Creeks belonged to the Mason's Creek Community and to Captain Lewis's Company. The most important tract of land in that neighborhood taken early was 400 acres at Cave Spring granted to David Stewart, of Beverley Manor. Little was done with this until 1790 when Esom Hannan purchased it from Richard Woods and his wife, Elizabeth Stewart, to whom it had been devised. Later entries were made in this neighborhood by William Brown, William Greenlee, James Neely, Jr., Thomas Harrison, William Love, Philip Love, Samuel Love, Humphrey Smith, Christian Frantz, Jacob Long, Thomas Cook, Jacob Gest and Jacob Short." It also lists a land grant Thomas got in 1792 on page 573, "Thomas Harrison-Grant, 100 acres on Craven's Creek, adjoining James Neely, Jr. Pat. Bk. 26, 521." and Thomas settled in the area without a horse or cattle.

Thomas is buried at Five Oaks Farm, located one mile from Dial Rock, were they lived.

Tazewell County was formed in 1800 from portions of Russell and Wythe counties. The new county was named for Henry Tazewell, United States senator from Virginia from 1794 until his death in 1799. Russell gave an additional parcel to Tazewell in 1807. Logan County, formed in 1824, took its territory from Tazewell. In 1835 a portion of Russell County was added to Tazewell, and in 1836 a single farm was transferred from Tazewell to Giles jurisdiction. The following year, in 1837 Mercer County was created from portions of Tazewell and Giles counties. Buchanan and McDowell counties took additional parts of Tazewell in 1858. After that Tazewell's boundaries reached their current position.

Quote from Eugene Wiseman: Tazewell County, Virginia Will Book 1, page 273 indicates the executors of Thomas Harrison's will were James Harrison and John Crockett and the witnesses were John Crockett, William Peery (Perry) and John Ward. Thomas' entire estate is to go to his wife Hannah. Upon Hannah's death the property is to be divided: To his children by his first wife: John Harrison, Elizabeth Harrison Edea, Mary Ervin and Hannah Asbury's children, fifty dollars each with Hannah Asbury's part to be divided equally among her heirs. The remainder of the estate is to be divided between "my last wife's children", Joseph Harrison, Thomas Harrison, James Harrison, Samuel Harrison, Eleanor Thompson, Audley Harrison, Nancy Gillespie and Alexander Harrison. Also named in the estate settlement were seven slaves: Sam, Dice and a child, Easter, Jude, Pompy and Nelson.

Tazewell County, Virginia Will Book 1, page 85-86 will signed April 10, 1815 and proved in August of 1815.

WILL Will Book #1 Page 84 IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN I Thomas Harrison Sr. of the County of Tazewell and State of Virginia being sick and very weak, though of sound mind and disposing memory and calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that is appointed once for all men to die do make and ordain this my last will and testament in the following that is to say; first I recommend my Sole to God who gave it Worldly Estate that it hath Pleased God help me with I dispose of in the following manner that is to say I give unto my Beloved Wife Hannah all my Estate both real and personal during her natural life and at her decease of my Executors hereinafter named and divided in the following manner: I leave my First Wife's Children Viz; John Harrison, Elizabeth Harrison......now Elizabeth Eda, Mary Ervin, and Hannah Ashbur, Heirs, $50.00 each. That is fifty dollars to be divided equally amongst Hannah Asbury's Heirs being their mother's Heirs part; all the balance of my Estate I allow to be equally divided between my last wife's children, that is: Joseph Harrison, Thomas Harrison, James Harrison, Samuel Harrison, Elenor Thompson, Edley (Audley) Harrison, Nancy --Other Fields INFO: Sr.

• Reference: FamilySearch Genealogy - SmartCopy: Jan 29 2022, 15:39:42 UTC