Person:Thomas Harrison (62)

Thomas Harrison was one of the Early Settlers of Augusta County, Virginia

Contents 1 Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA 2 Conflicting Information on Thomas Harrison 3 Records in Augusta County, VA 4 Information on Thomas Harrison		Welcome to Old Augusta Early Settlers Beverley Manor Borden's Grant Register Data Maps Places Library History Index
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Early Land Acquisition in Augusta County, VA

Acquisition of Land from Chalkley's:

• Page 151.--18th February, 1761. Jeremiah (Jerre) Hamson (s/b Harrison) and Catherine ( )to Thomas Harrison, £20, 120 acres by patent, __ _____, 1760, on east draft of Cook's Creek, a branch of Shannandoe River, joining Robert Cravens.

Disposition of Land from Chalkley's:

• Page 752.--19th November, 1764. Thomas Harrison and Sarah to Jeremiah Harrison, £__, 212 acres on Dry Fork of Smith's Creek.

• Page 754.--19th November, 1764. Same (Thomas Harrison and Sarah) to John Harrison, £__, 150 acres on a Sinking Spring Branch of Linvel's Creek; corner Mary Adams.

• Page 756.--22d November, 1764. Thomas ( ) Harrison and Sarah ( ) to David Berry, £100, two tracts, 429 acres on Muddy Creek--A, 22 acres on Muddy Creek; B, 195 acres.

• Page 11.--23d May, 1765. Thomas ( ) Harrison, farmer, to John Sheltman, £50, 61 acres on head spring of Cook's Creek, part of 250 acres patented to Thomas. 1744, 15th March. Teste: Felix Sheltman, Jeremiah Harrison. Delivered: Richard Regan, by written order from John Sheltman, 25th July, 1788. (Note: the omission of Sarah (Cravens), Thomas Harrison's wife proves that she died prior to this transaction).

Conflicting Information on Thomas Harrison

Thomas Harrison appears to have 2-3 marriages and there is conflicting information on which children are placed with which wife. More research is necessary to resolve.

Records in Augusta County, VA

From Chalkley's:

• Page 174.--15th May, 1749. Peter Dyer's appraisement by Robert Cravens, Thomas and Jeremiah Harrison.

• Page 516.--2d May, 1752. Joseph Powel to John Wright, 400 acres on head of Dry Fork of Smith's Creek on Irish Road. Teste: Thomas Harrison and Daniel Harrison.

• Page 208.--5th January, 1763. John Wright's estate; appraised by John Cravens, Thomas Harrison, John Shalpman: Daniel Young's note; David Smith's ditto; Soloman Turpin's ditto; Peter Watkins' note; John Stewart's ditto; Thomas Bryant's ditto; Skidmore Muncy's note; William Shull's ditto; Charles Differ's ditto; Robert William's ditto.

• Page 842.--10th December, 1764. Daniel ( ) Young to Samuel Beard, £12. 260 acres at Snodon's Spring. Teste: Thomas Harrison, Egeniah Virden. Jeremiah Harrison.

• Page 349.--Patent to Thomas Gragg (wife Elizabeth), 1st March, 1773. Teste: Joseph Smith, John Waren, Thomas ( ) Harrison, Henry Ewin.

• Vol. 2 - McMahon vs. Brown--O. S. 307; N. S. 109--Bill, 28th January, 1820, by William McMahon of Rockingham. On 25th November, 1783, Elizabeth McNeal bought from Thomas Harrison a lot in the town of Harrisonburg. She had previously taken under her charge a boy named Brown and declared she intended the lot for him. But she married James Martin, who very soon after became deranged and then disappeared. Elizabeth remained in Harrisonburg until 1798, when she made a will, devising the land to Brown, who sold to orator. Certain persons, viz: Mary, Jane, Andrew Paxton, James Manany and Margaret, his wife, claim as relatives and heirs of Elizabeth. Deed, 13th May, 1819, by James Brown and Nancy Brown of Licking County, Ohio, to William McMahon of Harrisonburg, above lot in Harrisonburg. Gordon McWilliams deposes, he came to Harrisonburg in May, 1797, when he met James Martin, husband of Elizabeth McNeal. Deed, 25th November, 1783, by Thomas Harrison of Rockingham to Elizabeth McNeal, widow of Rockingham, lot No. 2 in Harrisonburg, being part of 1,290 acres granted by inclusive patent to Thomas Harrison, 1st March, 1773. Will of Elizabeth Martin of Rockingham. Beloved friend James Brown. Corner opposite Mr. Thos. Scott's lot, fronting on Irish Street and Elizabeth Street. Husband, James Martin. Dated 7th March, 1798. Recorded July, 1798.

Information on Thomas Harrison

Thomas HARRISON

ABT 1704 - 1785

OCCUPATION: Founder Of Harrisonburg VA

RESIDENCE: Sussex County, DE; Harrisonburg, Rockingham Co.VA

BIRTH: ABT 1704, Smithtown, Suffolk Co, Long Island, NY

DEATH: 1785, Harrisonburg, Rockingham Co., VA

RESOURCES: See: P249 [S67] [S224]

Father: Isaiah HARRISSON

Mother: Abigail SMITH

Family 1 : Jane DE LA HAYE

+ Abigail HARRISON

Jeremiah HARRISON

Robert HARRISON

+ Thomas HARRISON Jr.

+ John HARRISON

Family 2 : Sarah (DAVIS ?)

MARRIAGE: BEF 1764

+ Davis HARRISON

Family 3 : Sarah CRAVENS ?

MARRIAGE: BEF 1764, Harrisonburg, VA

+ Ezekial HARRISON

+ Reuben HARRISON

Sarah HARRISON

Notes With brothers Daniel, John, Samuel, Jeremiah was the first to patent land in Rockingham Co, VA. Orange Co record Dec 8, 1739. Named the present Harrisonburg town. Settled at the Head spring of the East Fork of Cook's Creek. All his grants made a total of 2,742 acres.

No record of his marr. to Sarah (Cravens?) is found at Staunton, indications are that they were married prior to the estab. of the Augusta Parish, organized in 1738. (Meade's Vol II p. 317). Marriage records of St. Mark's Parish, from which Augusta was formed, have become lost or destroyed. Sarah's name appears, on a deed in 1764, indicating they were marr. prior to this time. She is thought to be the mother of most, if not all of his children.

An act of the General Assembly at Williamsburg, passed in May 1780, and signed by Thomas Jefferson, governor, estab town of Harrisonburg, County Seat, Rockingham Co, Va. Thomas H. having laid off fifty acres of land into lots and streets. Ref: Henings-Statutes at Large of Va Vol 10, p. 295.

He built the first house of limestone and it still stands directly across the street opposite the northside entrance to the new Methodist Church, corner of Main & Bruce.

Qualified Lt. French & Indian War May 15, 1754. Will dated 21 Feb 1776, wife Sarah and all children, even though his will was destroyed in the burning of the original records of Rockingham in the War-Between-The-States, deeds at Harrisonburg have established his children.

PA Gen Mag, Vol I, p. 664: Submitted to Harrison Heritage, Sep 1982, p. 295. Abstracts of Patents, VA Land Office, Richmond, General Index 1623-1774. George III to James GREEN, 200 A. of land lying and being in the county of Augusta on the branch of Muddy Creek near land of John O'Neal and Thomas HARRISON. [S224] [S224]

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~harrisonrep/Harrison/d0060/g0000083.html#I300

1. ↑ Harrison, J. Houston (John Houston). Settlers by the Long Grey Trail: Some Pioneers to Old Augusta County, Virginia, and Their Descendants of the Family of Harrison and Allied Lines. (Dayton, Virginia : J.K. Ruebush Co., 1935)
   Page 61, 224.

   Page 61[Partial Extract of Record in book]
   That both Thomas Harrison and Daniel Harrison had disposed of their homes and removed from Delaware before the fall of 1738, is disclosed by the following deed of sale by Thomas Harrison, disposing of his part of Maiden Plantation.
   Deed of Sale Thomas Harrison to James Hood
   
   THIS INDENTURE MADE the Fourteenth day of October In the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred & Thirty Eight Between Thomas Harrison Late of Sussex County on Delaware yeoman of the One part and James Hood of the County of Sussex yeoman of the other part Whereas there is a certain Tract or parcell of Land lying and Being in the County aforesd about eight Miles from Lewstown Being part of a larger Tract Containing Nine hundred & Seven Acres Commonly Called or known By the name of Maiden Plantation...
   
   Page 224 - This conveyance embraced a tract included in one of Thomas Harrison’s first patents to land at Harrisonburg. Back in the days of Maiden Plantation, in Sussex on the Delaware when Thomas Harrison disposed of his part of the plantation to James Hood, preparatory to his settlement in the Valley, he signed his deed of release by making his mar. (See Chapter VI). Such also is the way he identifies himself in the deeds above, including the last. Later, just before the formation of Rockingham, in probably his final signature on the Augusta records, he again so signed; this time as a witness to a deed—along with Joseph Smith, Henry Ewing, and John Warren, his son-in-law—to land patented to Thomas Gragg (wife Elizabeth), 1st March, 1773. (Deed Book 19, p. 349.)

2.   Thomas Harrison House (Harrisonburg, Virginia), in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.

   Thomas Harrison House is a historic home located at Harrisonburg, Virginia. It was built in 1750, and is a 1 1/2-story, two bay by one bay, coursed limestone vernacular dwelling. It has a gable roof and was built over a spring, which is accessible in the basement. The Thomas Harrison House is the oldest house in Harrisonburg, and its builder is regarded as the town's founder.
   It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973
   The Thomas Harrison House is the oldest house in Harrisonburg, and its builder is regarded as the town’s founder. Thomas Harrison owned over a thousand acres surrounding the house, and on this tract he laid out the original town. He also was instrumental in having Harrisonburg established as the county seat of Rockingham in 1780. Thomas Harrison was the son of Isaiah and Abigail Harrison, descending from a family of English extraction who had settled on Long Island in New York around 1688. The family later moved to Delaware before finally coming to Rockingham County, Virginia around 1738. Thomas Harrison became a major landowner in the county, eventually acquiring 2100 acres. He built the present house about 1750, and it remained in the Harrison family until 1870.
   The Harrison House was the scene of the first courts held in Harrisonburg after it became the county seat. Bishop Asbury, the pioneer leader of the Methodist-Episcopal Church, often visited Harrison and conducted some of the first Methodist services held in the county in the house. In 1794 a Methodist-Episcopal conference was held in the Harrison’s house.
   In addition to its historical associations, the Thomas Harrison House is interesting as an example of mid-eighteenth century rural house which early in its history became part of an urban center. As one of the Valley of Virginia’s oldest examples of stone vernacular construction, the house is a rare architectural survival.

3.   Harrisonburg, Virginia, in Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia.

   Harrisonburg, previously known as "Rocktown", was named for Thomas Harrison, a son of English settlers.[15] In 1737, Harrison settled in the Shenandoah Valley, eventually laying claim to over 12,000 acres (4,900 ha) situated at the intersection of the Spotswood Trail and the main Native American road through the valley.
   In 1779, Harrison deeded 2.5 acres (1.0 ha) of his land to the "public good" for the construction of a courthouse. In 1780, Harrison deeded an additional 50 acres (20 ha). This is the area now known as "Historic Downtown Harrisonburg."

4.   Chalkley, Lyman. Chronicles of the Scotch-Irish settlement in Virginia: Extracted from the Original Court Records of Augusta County, 1745-1800. (Rosslyn, Virginia: The Commonwealth Printing Company, 1912-1913 in Three Volumes)
   Vol. 2, Page 456.

   CHRONICLES OF THE Scotch-Irish Settlement IN VIRGINIA EXTRACTED FROM THE ORIGINAL COURT RECORDS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY 1745-1800
   AUGUSTA PARISH VESTRY BOOK.
   ADMINISTRATORS' BONDS.
   page 456
   ____________
   
   Page 444.--1767-1768: Processioned by Robt. Cravens and Jeremiah Harrison: For Daniel Smith, for Lennard Herren, for Samuel Sample, for Thomas Harrison, for John Harrison, for Wm. Snaddone, for John McClure, for Saml. Briggs, for John McGill, for John Fowler, for Saml. Hemphill, for Jeremiah Harrison, for William Gregg, for Pat. Guin, for Jno. Cravens, for Robt. Cravens, for Daniel Love, for Daniel Harrison, for John Brown, for David Ralston, for John Hinton, for Vaulintine Saveyer, for Francis Hughes, for Alex. Harrison, for James Fowler, for Edward Shanklin, for Jennett McDonald, for Alex. Miller, for Jno. Hardman, for Henry Ewen (Erven), for William Ervin, for Andw. Ervin, for Walter Crow, for Michael Waren, for John Curry.