Thomas Harris, Sr.

1630, December 1- He came with his brother William, and Roger Williams, in ship "Lyon," from Bristol, England, to Boston, MA. He was a close associate of Roger Williams, founder of Rhode Island.

1637, August 20- He and 12 others signed a compact to inhabit Providence, RI and follow all orders and agreements set forth by the Town government.

1640, July 27- He and 38 others signed an agreement for a form of government.

1649, June 19- He and four others examine (question) "Wesuontupe, an Indian of Massapauouge."

1650, September2- Taxed one pound, 6 shillings, and 8 pence.

1651/2, March 7- He is one of 12 signers of the Providence Oath of Allegiance to the "Commonwealth of England as it is now established without a King or House of Lords."

1652-57, 61-63: Commissioner.

Profile last modified 26 Jul 2020 | Created 3 Jul 2011

Thomas Harris (1613 - 1686)

Thomas Harris

Born 11 Jul 1613 in Deal, Kent, England

Son of Andrew Harris and Jane (Bagley) Harris

Brother of William Harris

Husband of Elizabeth (Unknown) Harris — married 1638 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island

Father of Mary (Harris) Whipple, Thomas Harris II and Martha (Harris) Field

Died 7 Jun 1686 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island

Thomas Harris migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1620-1640).

TAKE CARE MERGING THIS PROFILE - it is for the Thomas Harris of Providence. There were several other men by the name of Thomas Harris in New England.

Thomas Harris of Charlestown, the ferryman[1]
Thomas Harris of Barbados who went to Shelter Island, New York. Thomas Harris who died in Roxbury, a servant of John Johnson. Please don't conflate these people.

Note: Research published in the April 2013 NEHGS Register describes finding the British origins of Thomas Harris and his siblings. This biography is updated with that information.[2]

Biography

Thomas Harris was baptized 11 Jul 1613 in Northbourne, Kent, England (3 miles from Deal), son of Andrew Harris and Jane Bagley. His siblings were Jane Harris (Harrice), Parnell Harris who marred Thomas Roberts, Ann Harris, and William Harris.[2]

Marriage and Children

He married, perhaps in England, about 1636, to Elizabeth ______; maiden name unknown. She may, however, have been the widow Harris buried in Rehoboth 8 Mar 1690.[2] Children:[2]

Thomas was born by 1637. He was married in Providence on November 3, 1664 to Elnathan Tew. Elnathan was born at Providence on October 15, 1644, perhaps the daughter of Richard & Mary (Clarke) Tew. Thomas died February 27, 1710/11. Mary was born about 1639. About 1666 she married Samuel Whipple of Providence, son of John and Sarah Whipple. He died March 12, 1710/11. Mary died at Providence on December 14, 1722. Martha was born about 1643. She married by 1670 to Thomas Field who died August 10, 1717. Martha also died in 1717. Migration

Thomas Harris was recorded with a group of "second comers to the settlement of Providence who "was received a purchaser of Providence previous to 20 August 1637.

Involvements, Duties, Work

Thomas signed the 1637 compact of the original inhabitants of Providence. He was a surveyor and performed several civil duties for the early town of Providence, R.I., including: town commissioner (1652 - 1657 and 1661 - 1663), deputy to the general court (1664, 1666-1667, 1670, 1672-1673), member of the Providence Town Council (1664 - 1666 and 1669), and assistant to the governor (1666 - 1669 and 1671 - 1675).[2]

He was granted six acres of land on "Mooshausick River" prior to 1660.

In 1656, Thomas Harris was charged with treason by Roger Williams over Thomas' view of the liberties of individuals in the colony, although the charge was later dropped.[citation needed]

Death and Will

He died in Providence, Rhode Island, 7 Jun 1686.[3][2] His widow was living in August 1688, according to tax records.[2]

Will dated 3 Jun 1686, proved 22 Jul 1686

"To his unnamed wife he gave the 'se of two home lots, orchards, dwelling house, household stuff, etc. for life, and a horse, three cows, tree calves, half the swine and two ives of bees.' Children were son Thomas and daughters Mary Whipple and Martha Field. Sons-in-law Thomas Field and Samuel Whipple to be overseers with Thomas harris, Jr., executor.[2] Disproven Information

MYTH: Thomas Harris left Bristol, England for Massachusetts Bay with his brother William Harris and Roger Williams on the ship "Lyon" (Lion) on December 1, 1630. The Harris brothers are thought to have been born in Wales.

FACT: John Winthrop's journal makes NO mention of the Harrises on the same ship as Roger Williams. The first record of him in New England is 20 Aug 1637.[2] Wife's Last Name Disputed

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=34223291 is saying that he "married Elizabeth Havens 20 Apr 1632 in Providence..She was born between 1605 & 1614 to William Havens, probably in Deak, Kent, England. " She died Sep. 1, 1687 in Providence, Rhode Island, USA

Sources

↑ The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2010), (Originally Published as: New England Historic Genealogical Society. Robert Charles Anderson, The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England 1620-1633, Volumes I-III, 3 vols., 1995). Sketch of the ferryman.link for subscribers ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 Ullmann, Helen Schatvet and L. Randall Harris. The Origins of Thomas1 Harris and William Harris of Providence, Rhode Island. The New England Historical & Genealogical Register (NEHGS, Boston, Mass., 2013) Vol. 167, p. 100-104. subscribers$ ↑ Austin, John O, G A. Moriarty, and Albert T. Klyberg. The Genealogical Dictionary of Rhode Island: Comprising Three Generations of Settlers Who Came Before 1690 (with Many Families Carried to the Fourth Generation). Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Pub. Co, 1982. Page 310. View in FamilySearch (online page 315). See Also

Great Migration 1634-1635, G-H. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume III, G-H, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2003. pp 226, 227. Sketch of Parnell Harris.subscribers$ Great Migration 1634-1635, G-H. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2009.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume III, G-H, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2003. pp. 225, 226. Sketch of Jane Harris.subscribers$ (Be careful, the following sources have errors)

Ham, Mrs. Thomas H. "A Genealogy of the Descendants of Nicholas Harris, MD" 1904. p. 49, 50,53.see at archive.org Davis, Walter Goodwin. "The Ancestry of Bethia Harris" The Southworth Press. Portland, Maine. 1934. p. 6-9,see at hathitrust

"Harris Family News" Thomas Harris Sr.for an interesting private genealogy Acknowledgements

Harris-3053 created through the import of BDM7-7-11.ged on Jul 8, 2011 by Brian McCullough.

1654- Lieutenant.

1655- Freeman.

1656- Juryman.

1656, May- He is elected Town Treasurer.

1658, July 19- He received 15 stripes with a three fold corded whip while in jail at Boston, MA, because he would not work for the jailor and let him have 8 pence of the 12 he earned. He had previosly had 22 blows following an 11 day imprisonment , "five of which he was kept without bread." This was a result of his disageement with a priest at a public meeting in Boston , MA.

1661, December 20- Roger Williams gave a confirmatory deed to his associates of land purchased from the Indian Sachems as a result of his "several treaties in 1634 and 1635." These original lands had been divided into 54 home lots. Thomas Harris is number 19 on this list.

1661, 64, 66-67, 70, 72-73: Deputy.

1664-66, 69: Town Council.

1665, February 19- He drew lot 7 in a division of lands.

1666-69, 71-75: Assistant.

1667, May- He as a surveyor, laid out land, etc.

1679, July 1- Taxed 5 shilling, 7 1/2 pence.

1681/2, March 13- Peter Place asks for a forty foot square lot beside his master, Thomas Harris' land, signed by Thomas Harris, Sr.

1686, June 3- He made his will, which was proved 22 July 1686. Inventory of estate appraised at 45 pounds, 10 shillings. His property included 7 hives of bees.

1687, September 1- Widow Elizabeth Harris taxed at 1 shilling.

Thomas & Elizabeth Harris sailed on the Winthope to Boston, 1630.