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The Virginia Genealogist Volume 22, 1978 [John Frederick Dorman] Page 3
THREE WILLIAM HARRISES IN HANOVER COUNTY
By Malcolm Hart Harris
West Point, Virginia
A good many years ago, the finding of three grants made on 24 March 1725 to three patentees named William Harris prompted a study in some detail of the three men, their families and their lands in the counties of Hanover and Louisa. Since then other significant material has been found relating to the three men and their families which will be presented in the following report of the research. It is not often that the identity of three persons of the same name, living within the same area, has led to clear and positive placing.
The first of these three, recorded as Capt. William Harris and William Harris, Gent., was certainly the well known Capt. William Harris of Hanover County who resided in the Forks of the Pamunkey River at his plantation called Cedar Hill. Capt. William Harris was a justice of the peace for many years and a vestryman in both St. Paul's Parish and later in St. Martin's Parish.
The second William Harris was designated as Junior in the patent, to identify him as a son or a younger man.
It seems reasonably certain that he was a son of Capt. William Harris as the records prove.
The third William Harris was without rank or any identifying connection, except his association with George Alves in the records of St. Paul's Parish and patents of adjoining lands in Hanover County. It was known that George Alves had married the mother of William Harris, son of Major William Harris of Henrico County, and they had moved to Hanover County.
The three tracts of land which were granted on 24 March 1725 lay in widely separated areas of the county
of Hanover, which in 1725 included Louisa County. The two tracts granted Capt. William Harris and William Harris Gent. lay along Little River and below the North Anna River. That granted William Harris, Junior, was also on Little River, but about twenty miles to the west. The tract granted the third William Harris lay along Cub Creek which lies wholly within the county of Louisa and is about six miles from the nearest tract on upper Little River.
No family Bible record is known to exist and the will of Capt. William Harris was lost in the fire which destroyed the Hanover County records. The following list of children of Capt. William Harris has been derived
from both court and family records:
(1) Major Robert Harris of Albemarle County
(2) Benjamin Harris of Hanover County
(3) William Harris, Junior, of St. Paul's Parish
(4) John Harris of Hanover County
(5) James Harris of Hanover County
(6) Jemima Harris who married her cousin William Overton.
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Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties
1669 - 1730 (61 years)