Person Sheet


Name Major *William HARRIS, 9G Grandfather
Birth abt 1644, of St. Paul's Parish, Isle of Kent, Md.
Death 1712
Occupation CLICK NAME FOR NOTES - Atty., Legislator, Factor (represented a company in another country, perhaps England), Planter, and owned a water mill in partnership with Hans Hanson(b.abt. 1647, d. 1704)
Spouses:
1 *Jane WIFE OF MAJ. WM. HARRIS190, 9G Grandmother
Death May 1700, Kent County, Md.190
Burial 4 May 1700, St. Paul's in Chestertown, Md.190
Children: *Margaret (~1644-1712)
James (~1682-1743)
Mary
Tabitha
Notes for Major *William HARRIS
In 1684 Wm. Harris was deposed in the Provincial Court regarding Maj. Thos. Ringgold vs Anne Joce. Wm. gave his age as 40 years, therefore making his year of birth abt. 1644.
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There is a biographical file in the Maryland State Archives on William. See: William Harris (ca. 1644-1712) MSA SC 1138-602 2/11/12/34 Restricted: no. Source: Md. State Archives; Biographical files available from SPECIAL COLLECTIONS; (Legislative History Project Collection); MSA SC 1138
201According to source,Wm. was prob. born in England. He came over by 1674, perhaps as early as 1668 as a free adult. He resided in Kent Co., and moved to Cecil Co. by 1693. His religious affiliation was Protestant. He is perhaps the "Mr. Wm. Harris" involved in a lawsuit in Kent Co. in 1668; He began actively patenting land in the 1680's. He made a trip to Eng. in 1687 (see below).

Legislative Service: Lower House, Kent Co., 1686-1688 (elected to first session to fill vacancy); Associators' Convention, Kent Co. 1689-1692; Grand Committee of Twenty 1690-1692; Lower House, Kent Co. 1692-1693; Cecil Co. 1697/98-1700.

Military Service: Major by 1701; Colonel at the time of his death.
He supported the revolution of 1689(Fendall's?); recommended for appt. to Council in 1691, 1702 & 1707, but he was never actually commissioned.

Land owned at his first election equaled 1,900 acres by 1689. His will was probated on 21 Nov 1712.

382According to the stated source, he came to Kent Co., Md. by Sept. of 1680. On 8 Sep 1680 the records of Kent Co., Md. show that 250 acres was conveyed to Wm. and Joan by Cornelius and his wife,Mary Comegys & Nathaniel and his wife, Ellin. Wm. had the following patents: 15 Apr 1682 ,50 acres called "Maiden's Lot"; 27 Jun 1685, 50 acres called "Millford"; 10 Jun 1682, 400 acres called "Poplar Farm"; 20 Jun 1680, 200 acres called "Poplar Hills"; 14 Sep 1688, 150 acres called "Addition"; 23 Jul 1686, 150 acres called "Father's Gift" and 10 Mar 1696, 425 acres called "Holy Land". He and his wife conveyed "Holy Land" to Nicholas Hurt which was located on the north side of the Chester River at the had of Dunns Creek.

When Wm. lived in Cecil Co., he conveyed the tract called "Father's Gift" to his daughter Margaret, wife of Chas. Hynson and their son, Thos. Hynson.


178 pg. 26. In 22 Mar 1686/7 the court in Kent County, Md. ordered "that Mr. Wm. Harris who is bound for England, to buy and bring for the County of Kent the weights and scales according to Lw for each Towne in said County and the costs and charge shall be allowed him in said County Levy."
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