Southampton will of William Harrison 4 Jun 1777 proved 12 Jun 1777 mentions brothers Henry, Benjamin, Nathaniel and Richard, mentions son Henry, mentions sister Sarah McLemore.

Sussex will of Nathaniel Harrison 17 Feb 1782 proved 26 May 1785. Son Miles, wife Dolly sons Hubbard and William Batt. Peterson and brother Richard Harrison executors.

1820. Richard is in Southampton County. He is age 26-44, his presumed wife 16-25 (1795 birth for Dorothy?). They have three daughters age 0-9. I’m really quite sure this is Richard who married Dorothy Revel. Richard has 13 slaves.

In 1830, Dorothy has 1 female <5, so Richard died in 1825-1829 or so, two age 5-9 and two age 10-14. She is 30-39. There are no slaves. So what happened to the slaves is the question?

The only Burwell in Census is in 1820 in Sussex County age 26-44. He has 26 slaves. He’s nowhere to be found in 1830.

Looking at 1810 Census for a male the right age, in Southampton there are two households, James andLewis. James is 26-44 but doe have a male 10-15. Lewis no teenage sons.

In 1810 in Southampton, the possibly households are:

Lucy has a male 10-15,
William has a son 10-15 and another William has a son 16-25.

DNA lines.

http://www.worldfamilies.net/surnames/harrison/pats

Henry Harrison b. abt 1737 VA, d. Apr. 1802 Southampton Co.,VA, md. Sarah Clifton Scott - Susan Bullock [susanhbullock AT gmail.com]
◦ Henry Harrison b. bef 1765 Southampton Co. VA, d. 1824 Northampton Co., NC
▪ Benjamin J. Harrison b. 1796 Southampton Co., VA, d. 1870-80 Halifax or Northampton Co., NC. m. Emmina
▪ John Harrison b. c1820 VA or NC, d. 26 June 1897 Northampton Co., NC m. Mary Shaw
▪ William Henry Harrison b. 1842 m. Mary Elizabeth Carpenter Prince George County, VA.
▪ Millard Francis Harrison b. 21 Apr. 1881 m. Adlee Mae Hockaday 01 Jan. 1905 Halifax County, NC
▪ Millard Claxton Harrison b. 28 Jan. 1911
▪ John Thomas Harrison b. 1849 Halifax Co., NC, d. 6 Oct 1900 Salisbury, Rowan Co., NC, m. Carolina Louise Smith
▪ Claude Ramsey Harrison b. 4 Aug 1887 Salisbury, Rowan Co., NC, d. 19 Jan 1972 High Point, Guilford Co., NC, m. Emma Lee Brewer -H-199


Joseph Harrison b. abt 1720, d. abt Mar 1763 Brunswick Co, Va, m Elizabeth Simmons -Stephanie Harrison [conquestmusic AT comcast.net]
◦ William Harrison b. 20 Oct 1742 Sussex Co., VA, d. Sep 1797 Jones Co., NC, m. Elizabeth Simmons
▪ Joseph Harrison b. abt 1760 VA
▪ Benjamin Harrison b. abt 1765 VA, m. Ann Speight
▪ Simmons Harrison b. 1777 VA, d. 1855, m. Holland Speight
◦ Daniel Harrison b. 5 May 1745 Surry/Sussex Co, VA, d. abt Oct 1809 Greensville Co, VA m. Mary
▪ James Harrison b. c1774 VA
▪ John Harrison b. 5 Jan 1775 Brunswick Co, VA, d. 28 Apr 1859 Rutherford Co, NC, m. Rebecca Delihay
▪ Edward Dillehay Harrison b. 1 Jan 1798 Greensville Co., VA, d. 14 Apr 1830 Rutherford Co., NC, m. Cynthia Martha McCurry
▪ William Dekalb Harrison b. 22 Oct 1799 Greensville Co., VA
▪ Daniel Harrison b. 13 Aug 1802 Greensville Co., VA, d. 10 May 1834
▪ Harding Charles Harrison b. 3 Jan 1804 Greensville Co., VA, d. 20 Oct 1806 Greensville Co., VA
▪ Starling Harrison b. 5 Apr 1806 Greensville Co., VA
▪ Simeon Harrison b. 27 Oct 1807 Greensville Co, VA, d. 27 Oct 1880 Carroll Co, GA m Nancy Jane Jones
▪ John Simeon Harrison b. 1858, d. 1931, m. Martha Griffis
▪ James Wilkie Harrison b. 1862, d. 1944, m. Ophelia Dobson
▪ Fletcher Martin Harrison b. 21 June 1876 Carroll Co., GA, d. 25 June 1960, m. Ida Mae Crumbley -H-121
▪ James Randall Harrison b. 25 Mar 1809 Greenville Co. VA, d. c1879 Alamosa, Conejos, Co., m. Mary "Polly" Land(s)
▪ Joseph William Harrison b. c1840 Rutherford Co., NC, d. aft 1865
▪ Daniel J. Harrison b. c1842 Rutherford Co., NC, d. aft 1900 Antonito, Conejos Co, Co., m. Sarah Campbell
▪ John Dillaha(y) Harrison b. 28 Feb 1850 Union Co., GA, d. 2Sep 1933 Graham Co., AZ, m. Rebecca Elmira Garrett
▪ Solomon Charles Harrison b. c1854 Union Co., GA, d. 1917 Pickens Co., GA m. Margaret Ann Garrett
▪ Samuel Harrison b. c1778 VA, m. Elizabeth Clairborne
▪ Samuel Harrison, Jr. b. abt 1800 VA
▪ Joseph Harrison b. abt 1800 VA
▪ Daniel Harrison b. abt 1805 VA
▪ Richard Harrison b. abt 1780 VA, d. bef 1815
▪ Richard Harmon Harrison b. c1805 VA
◦ Benjamin Harrison b. 16 Jan 1746/7 Surry/Sussex Co., VA, d. c1777 Halifax Co., NC
◦ Simmons Harrison b. 1753 Surry/Sussex Co., VA, d. in Rev. War

The will of Lazarus Revel of Northampton County, NC was written 28 Oct 1807 and recorded March 1808. He mentioned wife anne and three children, all obviously minors. They were Hezekiah, Dolly and Harrison V Revel.

Benjamin Harrison, V (son of Benjamin Harrison, IV) of Berkeley Plantation, Virginia was a signer of the Declaration of Independence. His son William Henry Harrison, born in 1773, was the ninth President of the United States. William Henry“s grandson, Benjamin, born in 1833, was the 23rd President. Descendants of the early Benjamin Harrisons (IV and V) can be found all over Virginia and westward, as well. It is very intriguing to wonder whether Mary G Harrison, wife of Theophilus Lawther, has any connection to this distinguished family. The answer is I simply don“t know, because even though I think I know the name of Mary G“s mother, I have not been able to determine the name of her father. So, for now, the Harrison branch of the Lawther family tree ends with Dorothy Harrison, maiden name unknown.

Here is the frustrating story of the search for the Lawther’s Harrison ancestry. The wife of Theophilus R Lawther was Mary G Harrison, he married her in 1846 in Greensville County, VA and Samuel Ford posted bond. Since she was living in Greensville County (Emporia area) in 1846 at the time of her marriage, I went looking there first to see if I could identify her parents. Unfortunately, the Census, up through 1840, only listed the name of the head of household and then gave a count of people by age groups. Nonetheless, there weren’t a lot of Harrisons in Greensville in 1840. I thought that if I could find a household with an approximately 15 year old daughter in 1840 who was not present in that household (presumably having married) in the 1850 Census (when every household member was named and exact ages given) — that this household would be a good candidate for further investigation. It wouldn’t prove anything but it would narrow the list of possibilities.

It actually led nowhere, but in picking around among Harrisons in the 1850 Census, I chanced upon Dorothy Harrison age 55 — whom I found living with Samuel Ford, his wife Jane and his family including his 5-year-old son Walter G. This was a huge finding. It was Samuel Ford who posted bond for the marriage of Mary G to Theophilus. Typically, the bride’s father would have posted bond, so the fact that Samuel Ford did so may have been because Mary G’s father had died. And, there must be some connection between Dorothy and Mary G, the clear suspicion being that Dorothy was her mother.

The son, Walter G, was another interesting connection in the Samuel Ford household. We had previously found evidence that the daughter of TR and Mary G named Mary in the Census grew up to be called Fannie and that she married Walter Ford in 1868. It had to be the same Walter Ford, the 5 year-old in 1850.

Having now more leads to pursue, I then found the actual marriage record for Samuel Ford and Martha Jane Harrison in 1844 in Southampton County, Virginia. Southampton is the county just east of Greensville. Martha Jane’s mother, Dorothy, posted bond and two documents requesting permission to marry were witnessed by Mary G Harrison — one was Martha Jane’s petition and the other Dorothy’s giving her approval for her daughter’s marriage.

These all strengthened the belief that Mary G was also Dorothy’s daughter. She behaves very much like Martha Jane’s sister by the fact of her being the witness to both documents. But there is a rub. If both Martha Jane and Mary G are daughters of Dorothy, then Dorothy’s granddaughter Fannie later marries Dorothy’s grandson Walter. [Interestingly, both Fannie and Walter had a middle initial of ”G” — like TR’s wife Mary G — and I believe that it may be that Dorothy’s maiden name began with a ”G” but so far I have never found out what the ”G” stands for, for any of them.]

The fact that Martha Jane was living in Southampton County, neighbor county to Greensville, at the time of her marriage expanded the geographic scope of our research. It now made sense to examine the Southampton Census records for 1840 and 1830 using the same approach of trying to find a man who had (now) two daughters of the right age. What I found surprised me.

In 1830, we find Dorothy Harrison herself, age 30-40, as head of household in Southampton living with 5 younger females: 2 10-15, 2 5-10, and 1 under 5. Martha Jane would have been about 8 and Mary G about 5. In 1840, we again find Dorothy as head of household, now with just two additional females: 1 10-15 and 1 20-30. Martha Jane is about 18 and Mary G 15. Slightly erroneous Census reporting of people by age bracket is not unusual, so this could still conceivably be, in fact, Mary G and Martha Jane despite the age discrepancies. So, apparently the girls’ father died very young and Dorothy was left alone to raise the family.

Further Census research showed that in 1860, Dorothy still lives with the Fords and is 66. By 1870. I believe she has died as she is not living on her own or with any known relatives.

My conclusion is that Mary G is indeed Dorothy’s daughter and Martha Jane’s sister. It would be a simple and obvious conclusion of the facts at hand were it not for the one discordant fact of the marriage between two of Dorothy’s grandchildren. The other possible explanation, I suppose, could be that Mary G and Martha Jane were cousins and Mary G became orphaned at some time and came to live with her aunt, the widow Dorothy. I cannot rule this out, but that would just be an additional burden for Dorothy (why not go live a male relative?) so for now my belief is that the simpler explanation is the better and Dorothy is the mother of both girls. So, I guess it means that Dorothy’s grandson did indeed marry his cousin, Dorothy’s granddaughter.

I then made one more pass at all relevant sources to leave no stone unturned for a possible clue.

I decided to scour marriage records for Greensville and Southampton Counties looking for possible additional daughters of Dorothy, since she reported five in the 1830 Census. Where did they go? Did some die young? And I found a marriage record between Susan M Harrison and William Bowen on 25 Jun 1846 in Greensville County and it is said that Dorothy Harrison, mother, posted bond.

I had clearly found another daughter, but the find raised the question of why there then hadn“t been three young females in the 1840 Census: Susan M, Martha Jane and Mary G. There had been but two. Any of these girls might have been living temporarily elsewhere, of course, but it still was troubling. In tracing Susan M Bowen through Census I found the same pattern of age discrepancies that all the Harrison women seemed to adopt.

So, it was all interesting, but in the end just another Harrison woman lying about her age and another dead-end. My best guess would be that her age, when earliest given (1860, age 35, implies born 1825) is closest to the truth.

Finally, the last stone I decided to not leave unturned was to look at the actual marriage bond records for Greensville County instead of the indexes I had previously examined. I found the marriage bond for Theophilus and Mary G posted by Theophilus and Samuel Ford. And I found the bond for William Bowen and Susan M posted by William Bowen and Samuel Ford — but in the case of the Bowen bond, there was also a letter — just like the one written for daughter Martha by Dorothy giving her permission for the marriage.

The troubling question is why Dorothy didn’t write such a letter on behalf of Mary G. Did it just get lost? Or, is there some other significance? I don’t think any of the daughters were minors at the time of their marriage. So I really don’t know why there was no letter on behalf of Mary G. The lack of a letter and the presence of only two daughters in 1840 may suggest that Mary G is not Dorothy’s daughter but Dorothy is still the only connection we have to find earlier Harrisons and there must still be some familial relationship between Dorothy and her daughters and Mary G.

But, after all of this research, I still hadn’t a clue as to the name of Dorothy’s husband and Mary G’s presumed father.

–I have checked every extant probate and orphan’s court record for Southampton and Greensville County to find a clue. This search, by the way, was focused on finding an heir named Mary or Mary G, and was not dependent on having a widow named Dorothy. It could have led to the identification of Mary G’s father whether or not her mother was Dorothy. So far, it has led nowhere.

–I have checked and compared Census listings for Southampton and Greensville County with annual Real Property Tax lists and with annual Personal Property Tax lists trying to identify a male Harrison alive in the early 1820’s (when he fathered at least three daughters) who can be found in one year and not subsequent years (i.e. he has died or moved away). It has led nowhere.

–I have checked every source I can find of lists of marriages (not necessarily complete lists, though) in various Virginia counties in the early 1800’s. Unfortunately, there is no marriage between a male Harrison and a woman named Dorothy in any Virginia county in the timeframe of interest.

–In the 1880 Census, Martha J Ford when asked where her mother was born answered NC. This contradicts the answer given in 1860 by Dorothy herself who claimed VA as her place of birth and the answer of Mary G in 1880 who says her mother was born in VA as well as the answer of Susan M. There can be many explanations though for these apparently contradictory facts, so I have not ruled anything out as of now. But thinking that may be a clue I then searched a list of marriages of Northampton County, NC (which borders both Greensville and Southampton). And there I found that Dorothy Revel married Richard Harrison 29 Sep 1813 and that Dorothy Pritchard married Benjamin Harrison on 8 Jul 1817. There is simply no proof at all that either is the Dorothy of interest, but it does provide two more leads to pursue. As Dorothy is about 55 in 1850, she was born about 1795. So, she would have been 18 in 1813 if that was her and 22 in 1817. Her oldest daughters in 1830 are 10-15, so neither of these marriages is ruled out.

–We have gone cemetery hopping in the counties of interest and consulted lists you can find in their local libraries enumerating tombstones. We cannot find Dorothy’s grave anywhere. More curiously, we cannot even find the gravestones of Martha Jane and Samuel Ford who had some prominence in the Emporia area. Someone placed the stones for Theophilus and Mary G in Petersburg in a four stone set for Father and Mother (Walter and Fannie Lawther Ford) and Grandfather and Grandmother (TR and Mary). So, this person’s other Grandparents were Samuel and Martha Jane. Where are their stones?

Recently I found one more tantalizing lead that we haven’t yet been able to pursue. An index of Virginia newspaper obituaries has recently been made available online and there is this entry: ”Petersburg Index, 3 Dec 1868, Mrs. D P Harrison died.” The ”D”, of course, may or may not stand for Dorothy — it could also stand for her husband’s name, but the timeframe is about when I think Dorothy may have died. And did ”P” stand for Pritchard? We will need to consult the actual microfilm of the newspaper to read what it may say and will do that on our next research trip to Petersburg or Richmond.

I am convinced that some day we will have a breakthrough find on this family. The search goes on.