CHARLES CITY COUNTY TO BRUNSWICK COUNTY
The First of Our Line of Harrisons in Virginia
Recorded history of our Harrison family line appears to begin in 1673. I am grateful to Kathrine Epps Bundick, her mother Sue Harrison Epps, and her brother Jerry Epps for the outstanding genealogy research on our Harrison family. Katherine, Sue and Jerry thoroughly researched existing records in the Virginia State archives and counties in Southside Virginia. Kathryn’s book Harrisons 1673 to 1976 is online.
Here is an excerpt from Katherine’s book Harrison 1673 – 1976.
Where did this Harrison family originate? The answer seems to be England, but when and from what part is still a mystery.
The first known ancestor appears to have been Rebecca Harrison who appeared, in 1675, with her son, Gabriell Harrison, in the Court Order Books of Charles City County, Virginia, although Gabriell was first mentioned in 1673. No early Will or Deed Books exist for this period that would give the name of Rebecca’s husband. The names William, Thomas, and Nathaniel seem to be possible candidates.
William Harrison appears often in the Court Order Books of Charles City County, Virginia, and the records of Prince George County (formed from Charles City County) show that Thomas and Rebecca Harrison were Executors of William Harrison, deceased. These might have been children of Rebecca Harrison.
By the time our Harrison ancestors migrated south to Georgia, earlier generations of the family would have moved southwestward from Charles City County, into Prince George County and eventually to settle in what was to become as Brunswick County in1732.
REBECCA HARRISON, first known ancestor of this Harrison line, appeared in Charles City, Virginia, Court in 1675 where she assumed responsibility for a debt made by her son Gabriell Harrison.
“I, Rebecca Harrison, do acquit & discharge Thomas Epes, Jun, from all encumbrances that shall befall unto him concerning sd Rebecca’s sonn Gabriell Harrison, w’ch was recorded unto him at sd Court Holden at Westover upon sd damage of four thousand pounds of tob. & cask, upon w’ch penalty I bind me my heirs & assigns in witness whereof I have hereunto sett my hand this 29th day of Feb’ry 1675”
Signed,
Teste, Christopher Harrison Mary M Malloone
Rebecca RH Harrison
Christopher Harrison and Mary Malloone were probably relatives of Rebecca Harrison as indicated by the wording of the above document, to wit; “my heirs and assigns in witness”. It is unlikely that she had a husband when she appeared in court with her son Gabriell as women rarely took care of such matters in that period of our history. There is no proof as to her husband’s identity, but some historians believe that the Gabriel Harrison who was in Prince George County, Virginia, in 1704, descended from an early William Harrison.
There are numerous references to William Harrison in the records of Charles City County, Virginia before, during, and after the period in which Rebecca Harrison and her son Gabriell lived, but there is no way to definitely connect any of them to Rebecca or Gabriell.
This is also the case in the counties of Isle of Wight, Prince George, and Brunswick and it is difficult to separate them. A man could have lived in as many as three counties during his lifetime and never moved from the house in which he was born. This was due to the moving of boundaries; for example, Prince George was separated from Charles City in 1703, then in 1720 Brunswick was formed from the Counties of Isle of Wight, Surry, and Prince George. Therefore, one man could have patented land in several counties which may lead a researcher to the conclusion that each patent was for a different man. The practice of perpetuating a family name further adds to the confusion, especially if it is one that is commonly used; such as, William, Nathaniel, James, Benjamin, Richard, John, etc.
Sturgeon Creek
Our Harrisons appear to have located on Sturgeon Creek in the area of Warfield and Alberta on a current map.
