I have received considerable information from Betty Jo Hulse and Helen
Niewendorp which needs to be integrated and condensed.
BETTY JO HUSLE sent me 37 Buncombe County deeds involving Harrisons and their associates. She acquired these some time ago. Though these are abstracts, they are extensive with much detail and essentially all of the deed except for the legal frivolities common to all deeds. Frances and I have spent many a day in the Asheville Courthouse with these dead books, but that was some years ago and our notes or abstracts were sadly deficient and did rot contain much more than the deed book index contains. These rather complete deeds are a great aid to pinpointing the location and subsequent transfers of the same property. Also, some of these deeds we totally missed when we did them. I am hoping that this revitalized information will be of help in placing these Harrisons and relatives in the proper families.
One thing these deeds have done for me has been to place these folks in geographic location and it turns out that virtually all of these deeds are in a limited area of Turkey Creak and its branches, Sandy Mush Creek and the French Broad River (west bank). I am also familiar with the area as it is now since we have driven all through this area on several occasions, though frequently "lost" among all the many roads. This area is not mountainous though surrounded by mountains. It is hilly and easy traveling and essentially a suburb of Asheville. There is little or no farming there today. There are many 5 to 10 acre homesites with an occasional cow or horse. These are people "living out in the country", though not really. There are some old and restored homes and many new ones; a nice place to live.
Turkey Creek is the dividing line between Buncombe and Madison Counties. Sandy Mush is mostly in Madison County. The "forks" of Turkey Creek is a short distance from the French Broad. Sandy Mush runs into Turkey Creek between the forks and the French Broad. One of these deeds says that Nathan HARRISON on Sandy Mush was about 3 miles from where it joins Turkey Creek. In this area Sandy Mush and Turkey Creek are parallel and so essentially hollering distance apart.
The forks of Turkey Creek is the location of James Gudger's Store. Later he moved his quite large enterprise to a highway intersection in the Newfound area, now a citified suburb of Asheville. Also at the Forks was James HAWKINS and family with his property extending downstream (north) including Turkey, Bear and Little Pine. He had about 1000 acres which he gave to his children but his children added more contiguous land to more like 2000 acres. Next door to James GUDGER, at the Forks was Jacob MARTIN on HAWKINS land. Jacob was married to Mary, the daughter at James HAWKINS. At one point HAWKINS and HARRISONS were next door to each other (and intermarried).
On the small 8-1/2" by 11" map of Buncombe sent by Mrs. Hulse, the whole area under discussion can be covered by a quarter. A word about John Davis' Ferry. I think he had two ferries. One crossed the French Broad at Alexander, close to Asheville, now replaced by a bridge and the down stream from Turkey Creek, close to Walnut and a few miles upstream from Hot Springs, Madison County. Here too is a bridge giving access to the Big and Little Pine areas. This bridge is the location of the biggest industry of Hot Springs: Whitewater Rafting. It begins at this bridge and there is a quick trip downstream
by kayak to Hot Springs. As I say, I think there were two Davis Ferries but I am not certain. The latter one I describe was the location of Jesse Harrison and later of his son John F . Harrison, Frances' grandfather, who developed the area and acquired considerable land for his Barytes mines and mills, conveniently along the railroad tracks.
Since the locations are fairly distinct, I am not going to concentrate
there but on the people and dates, no doubt ignoring much of each deed.
I am numbering each deed so I can reference it. Mrs. Hulse has made comments
which I will put in quotation marks.. " ", and I will make comments
by ( ). I have arranged them chronologically.
1. Book 8 p 347. 3-22-1802. Jacob KAELER to Thomas HARRISON, n fork
Turkey, 100a for $80.
adj
to Thomas HARRISON'S own property. Witness:
Nathan HARRISON and Robert HARRISON. (This should be Thomas HARRISON of
the 1800 census. Rev. Thomas HARRISON Jr. would be leaving for Illinois
about this tine and Thomas son of Rev. Nathan was age 2).
2. B 232. 12-10-1803. NC Grant to Joseph HARRISON, Sandy Mush 200a.
on ERWIN'S line.
3.
B 222.
11-27-1804. Thomas HARRISON to Joseph HARRISON, west
side n fork of Turkey, 100 a where Mr. HARRISON now lives for $80. Wit:
Ezekiel JOHN. (This is part of the original JARRETT grant # 374 as is #1
above of 1797. Could be the same land as #1 or the other part mentioned
in #1. At any rate, Thomas still retains part of the property. Recall that
in 1800 the house 14 people. Does this mean that Thomas is giving up the
big house and Joseph is taking it over? Ezekiel John a son in law, presumably)
4. 10 85. 1-14-1805. John HARRISON to Milaton REYNOLDS. W side French
Broad above Davis Ferry where John HARRISON now lives. 100a for $150. Wit:
Daniel JARRETT Sr. and Moses JARRETT. Originally entered 1799 by NC Grant
to John HARRISON.
5. 10 152. 10-22-1805. Jam' MURPHEY to Thomas HARRISON, w fork of Turkey,
125a for $130. Wit A. FERGUSON and Saml VANCE. (so old Thomas still here
and buying land)
6. A 8. 7-2-1806. Joesph HARRISON SR to William HARRISON, Sandy Mush,
200a for $100. Wit: Joshua WILLIAMS. "Joseph HARRISON Sr? This land
the same as Land Grant 1103 to Joseph Harrison 10 Dec 1803" (#2 above.
Who is Joseph Sr as compared to Joseph Jr??? Did he have a son Joseph Jr
who died young? Same other Harrison had a son Joseph we do not know about?)
#7. E 58. 10-31-1806. Thomas HARRISON to Osburn BALL an Bee Branch 50a
for $30. Wit: Ezekiel JOHN and John HARRISON. (Bee Branch is in eastern
Buncombe and one of the first areas settled. This is an exception to my
statement that all of the area involved could be covered by a quarter on
the small map. I would like to know when Thomas acquired this. I expect
it was in Burke County when he got it and most Burke County deeds burned.
Ezekiel JOHN probably son in law and John HARRISON a son. John HARRISON
had his own household with wife and family 1800 Census).
#8. A 509. 12-1-1806. Thomas HARRISON to John PLEMMONS French Broad adj Richard MORROW, 100a for $400. Wit: John PATTERSON and Clem DAVIS. (Rather pricey land. John PATTERSON probably a relative from Augusta Co to York SC to Buncombe. These
PATTERSONS related via the wife of Old Jeremiah HARRISON of Augusta
VA to Greene Co. TN. She was an ADAMS and her mother a PATTERSON. Clement
DAVIS a Baptist preacher from Newberry SC to the east side of French Broad.
He and Reason DAVIS involved in numerous land deals in Buncombe. It appears
that at this point Thomas HARRISON still has part of his original property
on Turkey Creek)
#9. 3 432. 12-2-1807. NC Grant to Nathan HARRISON # 1673. 300a Smith
Branch Sandy Mush. Land entered 1806. "Nathaniel HARRISON b 1790 son
of Joseph, age 16 in 1806. Nathaniel HARRISON son of Thomas b ca 1794 age
12 in 1806, both too young to own land. Who is Nathan Harrison?" (Rev.
Nathan Harrison is my wife's ggg grandfather b c 1779. He had a son Nathan
and so too did Rev. Jeremiah HARRISON, both moving to GA. There was another
Nathan HARRISON who came to Buncombe later of the Watauga Co. NC HARRISONS,
but much later).
#10. 3 430-1. 12-2-1807.
NC
Grant #1677 Nathan HARRISON, 100
a Smith Fork Sandy Mush. Entered 1807.
#11. 7 654. 1-19-1808. Ezekiel JOHN to John HARRISON. Turkey Creek where
Ezekiel JOHN now lives. 50 a for L (not recorded). Recorded in open court
without witnesses 19 March 18O8, (Ezekiel John leaving far TN? Selling
to his br in law?)
#12. D 97. 9-29-1810. Clement DAVIS to Joseph HARRISON. 100 a for L
250, Turkey Creek including the mill and plantation where DAVIS now lives.
Wit: James GUDGER and Nathaniel HARRISON. "Nathaniel HARRISON son
of Joseph b 1790 wasn't 21 years old, but 20 in 1810". (Maybe they
did not pay so much attention to not being 21 to sign as a witness, but
on the other hand, there are some clues that there was an older Nathaniel
HARRISON there also. Joseph's father was Nathaniel but he died before the
move to Buncombe. I have seen a document involving High Sheriff Nathaniel
HARRISON of Buncombe in Yancey County NC Courthouse. I do not recall the
date but early and I did not know if th1s was Nathaniel HARRISON son of
Joseph or not. I have always had a little suspicion that there was another
older Nathaniel in Buncombe. Another possibility is that Rev. Nathan, older,
was really named Nathaniel and used that name sometimes. His will of 1852
in Murray CO. GA, in the will book appears to be Nathaniel, though could
be Nathan strung out a little. I can picture the house of Thomas HARRISON
1800 with several Nathaniels in it and the need to differentiate them,
say when calling them to supper or for disciplinary actions. Nathan, formerly
Nathaniel, may have acquired a nickname which he continued to use the rest
of his life, After all, the name Nathan is not
a
common one in the
LGT Harrisons, but Nathaniel is. I should mention that
Rev.
Nathan's
middle name was Thomas. Is it inconsistent to name one son Thomas (Jr who
went to IL) and another Nathan or Nathaniel Thomas? Nathan named a son
Thomas who was my wife's gg grandfather. It is also said that Nathan was
married to Sarah OGELSBY before he came to Buncombe. I find no OGELSBYS
in Buncombe. He seems to have perhaps lived in GA before Buncombe where
the place is full of OGELSBYS).
13. C 216. 12-31-1810. Joseph HARRISON to David ERWIN n fork Turkey 100 a for $110. Originally JARRETT Grant 1797 to Jacob KELER to Thomas HARRISON to JOSEPH Harrison. Wit: M. Henry. (This is the same as #1 and #3 though does not include all of Thomas HARRISON'S land at this site IS Thomas still around? dead? gone? We have not heard from him for awhile since 1806).
14, D l22. 1-25-1811. Reason DAVIS to Nathaniel HARRISON 100 a for L 50. Turkey Cr. Wit: Clem' DAVIS and John HARRISON. "This could be Joseph's son Nathaniel
(now
age 21). Who was John HARRISON - must have been kin to witness
a deed?"
15. D 127. 1-25-1811 (same date as above). Reason DAVIS to Joseph HARRISON, a side Turkey adjacent to Herman DAVIS. Wit: Clement DAVIS and John HARRISON. "Land adjacent to the land David IRWIN sold Nathaniel HARRISON June 15, 1815." (see # 22 later)
16. D 176-7. 2-26-1811. Matthew CUNNINGHAM to Jeremiah HARRISON s fork
Turkey 100a for $200. Adj Lane's old 1ine, VANCE. Wit: John PRIDE, Isaac
GARMON. Orig grant to James REDDICK 1803. (This should be Rev. Jeremiah
HARRISON though both he and Rev. Nathan named sons Jeremiah)
17. C 292. 4-2-1811 Nathan HARRISON to William KING for $150 for 100
a Smith Branch Sandy Mush. Wit: Thomas FORSTER, Richard WILSON. (William
KING apparently part of the King family which are ancestors of my wife
via WORLEY)
18. C 314 - 5. 4-2-1811 Nathan HARRISON to William KING 300a for $200
Smith Br. Sandy Mush. Same date as above, same witnesses but different
land. (Does this sale of 400acres signify him changing lifestyles? His
huge household is diminished perhaps
by
marriages of children. Is
he about to enter the ministry at this point?)
19. D 260. 10-8-1811. Indenture between William SHARP and John McNitt
ALEXANDER of Mecklenburg to Nathan HARRISON, 100 a for $80. Sandy Mush
3 miles from the mouth of the Creek. Wit: Wm. M. ERWIN for Mr. SHARP, H.
CHAMBERS. (no, Nathan is buying and not selling at this point. H. CHAMBERS,
as I recall, was a Lawyer headquartered in Salisbury. I visited his historic
home).
20. G 243. 1-2-1812. John DAVIS to John HARRISON. W side French Broad
200 a for $400, about 5 poled above the Ferry landing and including the
Ferry landing. Wit: Sam'1 FRISBEE, John LONGMIRE.
21. 21 212. 12-15-1813. John HARRISON to Joseph WILSON, Turkey 50a for
$150. Adj to a former grant to Ezekiel JOHN. Wit: Jeremiah DAVIS and David
ROBERTS. (This should be the same land as #11, Ezekiel JOHN to John HARRISON).
22. 13 434-5. 6-12-1815 David ERVIN to Nathaniel HARRISON, n fork Turkey,
100a for $100. Adj William HARRISON'S line. Originally JARRETT grant 374
in 1797 by JARRETT to KELLER to Thomas HARRISON to Joseph HARRISON to David
ERWIN to Nathaniel HARRISON. Wit: William STARRETT and James GUDGER. (see
#6 for Joseph HARRISON SR to William HARRISON).
23. 11 305. 2-7-1816. John HARRISON to Peter MILLER, W side of French
Broad and Bridge Branch. (Ferry replaced by a bridge?) 150a for $400. Wit:
Peter MILLER, Samuel FRISBEE. (This is not identical to #20 but maybe this
is 150 acres of the 200 acres of #20. Not clear whether this includes the
Ferry landing, if it still is there - but maybe replaced by a bridge which
would not last very long in case of a flood. I assume that this is at Sandy
Bottom near Walnut in Madison Co. and site of John F. HARRISON'S Barytes
mines and mills).
24. ll 380. 3-18-1816. John HARRISON to Zachariah CANDLER. W
bank French Broad including John DAVIS
Sr
ferry landing and apple
orchard. This shares the same starting point 5 poles above the ferry landing
as does #20. This must be the other 50 acres. 50a far $100. Wit: Henry
CARTER and John HARRISON JR. "John HARRISON Jr?" (Who is John
HARRISON JR? I presume the son of John HARRISON, now grown up enough from
his childhood of the 1800 census to a young adult)
#25. 14 155. 1-13-1819. Jeremiah HARRISON to Jesse ROBERTS. South fork
Turkey Creek. 100a for $300. David VANCE' line Orig grant to James REDDICK
1803 entered 1800. Wit: Thomas FORSTER and John ADDINGTON. (This should
be the same land as #16. Rev. Jeremiah was married to an ADDINGTON and
they moved to what was to become Macon County NC where Jeremiah was one
of the founders at Zion Methodist Church, later moving to Hurray County,
GA as did Rev, Nathan. Associated with Cherokee in both locations. In Macon
a neighbor was Rev. Humphrey POSEY, Baptist missionary to the Cherplee.
Granthams too in Macon area at same church and Rev. John GRANTHAM named
a son Posey).
#26. 11 540. 3-10-1819. Nathan HARRISON to Jeremiah DAVIS, 76a for $50.
land originally granted to Ezekiel JOHN, Sandy Mush. Joseph WILSON'S line,
Joseph HENRY'S line. Wit: JAMES GUDGER. (See #11 and #21 Ezekiel JOHN to
John HARRISON to Joseph WILSON or next door to it. How did Nathan HARRISON
get it? Maybe we will come across it)
#27. 15 157. 9-16-1817. NC Grant to Nathaniel HARRISON 100 a joining
James HAWKINS. Turkey Creek.
#28. 13 396 1-8-1825. Malcolm HORTON to Nathan HARRISON a negro man
named Eps for $550, Wit: JONA YOUNG, John McELROY. (Surprising that he,
a Methodist Minister would buy a slave. This could possibly be the son
of Nathan or of Jeremiah instead of Rev. Nathan - on the other hand he
is traveling a lot and soon to go to GA)
#29. 17 251 - 2. 12-12-1832, NC Grant to Jeremiah HARRISON for 6 acres
and 35 poles S fork Turkey Creek adj to Richard DUCKETT, William D. JONES.
Entered 1830. (This should be about the same t1me he is going to Macon
area and by 1835 to GA .. unless this is Jeremiah, son of Nathan)
#30. 33 22-24 12-22-1834 Nathaniel HARRISON to Nathaniel SNELSON 100
a for $100. Turkey Creek adj (HAWKINS?). Wit: Margaret (X) HARRISON and
J. BLACK. (Nathaniel SNELSON was br in law to Nathaniel HARRISON. Margaret
HARRISON mother of Nathaniel and widow of Joseph. J. BLACK probably a relative
from Augusta VA to Mecklenburg to York SC to Buncombe), "Margaret
Hill HARRISON, Joseph's wife".
31. 21 140-1. 9-28-1835. Luke HARRISON to Nathaniel HARRISON my undivided
share in 100 acres Turkey Creek far $20. Wit: William Casada, Margaret
(X) HARRISON. "Casada - Joseph's son in law. Luke, Joseph's son and
Margaret, Joseph's wife". (I am curious, as to undivided share of
what? Was this land of Joseph, long dead? but in possession of Margaret?
and she now giving to children?)
32 Luke HARRISON and Matthew BLACK witnessed a deed between James BLACK
and Robert BLACK 9 Match 1832. Land on Deaver's Creek in Buncombe (near
Haywood County)
33. 21 497. 8-12-1836. James BLACK to Luke HARRISON 87 a part of a large
tract originally granted to Thomas DAVIDSON and Mark MITCHELL, this part
including stills, cabbins, east bank of Deaver's Creek for $120. Wit: John
PRESLEY, J.H. FRISBEE "Luke HARRISON, Joseph HARRISON'S son."
34. 23 203-4. No data. Elizabeth GARRETT to Nathaniel HARRISON for undivided
interest in 100 acres for $20. Turkey Creek. Her interest 1/8th. (same
as #317) "Elizabeth GARRETT was Joseph HARRISONS and Margaret HILL'S
daughter and Nathaniel HARRISON'S (he b 1790) sister". (I am guessing
that this missing date was probably about the same as #31).
35. 21 170-1. 9-3-1837. Three parties: Thomas M. H. GARRISON, James M. Smith, and N. HARRISON. GARRISON indebted to SMITH for $253.48. To secure this debt N. Harrison for $1 property of Garrison Camp Branch of Flat Creek of 24a to N. Harrison in trust and Harrison assumes the debt to James M. Smith. Property to be sold by Harrison to pay the debt. Wit: M.W. PATTON, Jesse SMITH. (In other words, this is a deed of trust. I have seen numerous others of a similar nature. N. Harrison is Nathaniel, son of Joseph and County Clerk etc. whose signature on many many documents in his clerk capacity is N. HARRISON, "probably Joseph's son". James M. SMITH is James McConnell SMITH, quite wealthy wheeler-dealer and said to have been the first white man born in Buncombe County. That could be wrong. Elizabeth (Harrison) GRANTHAM, daughter of Thomas HARRISON, claims to have been born in Buncombe in 1776.. was her nether white? Indian? Of course Buncombe did not exist in 1776.)
36. 23 172. 9 -- 20-1838. Zachariah CANDLER to Nathaniel HARRISON for $100 two tracts of land, west side of Broad River (presumably French Broad) corner to John Black and said Harrison's. 50a. The second lot of 100a at Harrison's NE corner and the NW corner of the first lot. (Zachariah CANDLER acquired much land in the area of Sandy Bottom and established a large station on the Buncombe Turnpike at this location with a Stage Coach stop, and housing and feeding for the people and livestock along the turnpike. Jesse Harrison (son of Thomas and grandson of Rev. Nathan, established himself in this area as a Blacksmith in 1850 with his 16 per old bride. Later, Jesse's son John F. HARRISON acquired considerable land by purchase and lease for the development of his Barytes mines and mills, with some of it free the estate of Zachariah CANDLER -- this in the early 1900's. This was the habitat of Jesse Harrison's extended family including TREADWAYS, CODYS and others. The place later became a lumbering center for a time but now pretty well abandoned except for a cemetery which we have never seen -- need a 4 wheel drive vehicle and a lot of courage to get there).
23 153. 12-21-1843. Elizabeth GARRETT, Morning HARRISON and Luke HARRISON of Buncombe and Abel H. HARRISON of Carroll Co. GA sell to Nathaniel HARRISON for ¢6.25 each 50a Turkey Creek original grant to Reason DAVIS 1810 (1818?). Wit: William BROWN and Wm. SNELSON. "Elizabeth GARRETT, Mourning HARRISON & Luke HARRISON ware Joseph's children -- also A.H. (Abel Hill) HARRISON was his son". (and Nathaniel).
24 610. 11-8-1850. William BLACKWELL to Jesse HARRISON for $24, 25 a. on French Broad adj Blackwell's and opposite to Robert's Branch (as it enters French Broad an the opposite side). Wit: L.A. BLACKWELL, H (or A.) M. (X) HARRISON. "Who was Jesse Harrison" (This is the property I refer to in #36. Jesse son of Thomas and Ann Lord. Thomas blind since age 17. Thomas and Ann and some of their children lived with Joe here and his new bride. By 1860 Thomas and Ann were living in Polk County, TN with their son Robert, also a Blacksmith in the area of the copper mines near Ducktown. Thomas and Ann also had a daughter Martha who may have m a ROBERTS but unconfirmed. We do not know when or where blind Thomas and Ann died or what happened to their other children. I am guessing that his blindness since age 17 was gradual following an eye injury, perhaps from blacksmithing. He seemed to function well until his later years. Thomas apparently never owned property, but lived on his father Nathan's land on Turkey Creek which was adjacent to Thomas HAWKINS, son of James HAWKINS. Thomas Harrison's son Jesse married the girl next door, Carolina Althea HAWKINS, daughter of Thomas HAWKINS and his first wife Dorothy WORLEY. In the 1850 census of Buncombe, Jesse on his 25 acres was the only Harrison household in Buncombe.
though his parents and siblings were living with him. It seems that
all the other male Harrisons had left by 1850 to GA or TN.
Betty Jo Hulse enclosed a letter she had received from Thomas Rider, Ph.D. of Des Moines, Iowa about Harrisons. He has some interesting things to say: In Wilkes Co . NC, January 1785 Thomas MILLSAPS m Mary HARRISON, bond by Joseph Harrison, who was probably Mary's father.
In the 1790 census of Iredell Co. p 157 in an alphabetized list are Thomas MILLSAPS, Joseph MILLSAPS (his FATHER) and the names of Joseph, Jeremiah and Nathaniel HARRISON.
In a 1768 Tax list of Rowan County by Gidion WRIGHT, I find Joseph, Jeremiah and William HARRISON. I suspect that the Joseph and Jeremiah HARRISON are the same as in the 1790 census of Iredell.
In "Settlers of the Long Grey Trail" I find the name of Isaiah HARRISON, who moved to Carolina. Indications are that the Jeremiah HARRISON above was his son, and Joseph HARRISON we the son of Jeremiah. I have additional indications of the validity of this assumption, based an the association of these Harrisons with one Samuel STEWART who removed with the Harrisons originally from Delaware to Virginia, and lastly to North Carolina. Samuel STEWART is also listed in the 1768 tax list of Rowan County by Gideon WRIGHT.
I find a marriage in 1762 in Rowan County of a Joseph HARRISON to Ann
BAWLS (could this be BYLES-BILES-BILLS-BEALE?). This may be the marriage
of the Joseph HARRISON in the 1768 Rowan Tax List. Mrs. Hulse comment:
This could be Susanna BAWLES - there was a Susie Bawles Creek down in York
County, SC. She also comments on Dr. Rider's statement, "Indications
are that the Jeremiah HARRISON above was his (Isaiah Jr's) son and Joseph
HARRISON was the son of Jeremiah." She wonders where he got the indications.
She plans to write him again.
There is considerable food for thought in the above. This is all suggestive
of descendants of Isaiah HARRISON Jr and we have touched on the Stewart
connections previously. There is extensive Stewart genealogy of these folks
but
I have never come across it. Could be they know something about
Isaiah HARRISON Jr's descendants, if named Stewart.
Mrs. Hules also enclosed a copy from THE JOIN FAMILY JOURNAL, December
1992 by Ellen John. A few items from the article: ...I have bean intrigued
by the fact that Ezekiel JOHN Sr. had a grandson named Nathan Harrison
JOHN... could Harrison be the maiden name of Nathan's grandmother? .. She
has learned about Nathan HARRISON of Buncombe feeling that Ezekiel JOHN
Sr's wife Lydia was a Harrison. She goes into some of the Buncombe deeds
of Ezekiel JOHN:
5 Aug 1801. Ezekiel JOHN paid 50 pounds to Joseph PHILPOTT for 160 acres
on the waters of Turkey Creek. Deed proved in open court by Robert HARRISON,
one of the witnesses in January Court 1803.
27 Nov 1804. Ezekiel JOHN witnessed a deed in which Thomas HARRISON
sold 100 acres on North Turkey Creek to Joseph HARRISON. Proved in open
court 20 Nov 1809.
19 Jan 1808, Ezekiel JOHN sold to John HARRISON a certain piece of land
on Turkey Creek and part of the tract said Ezekiel JOHN how lives on containing
50a more or less. Amount paid left blank.
12 May 1808 NC grant to Ezekiel JOHN 100 acres on Sandy Mush beginning
at a three forked beech near the head of a hollow in Nathan HARRISON'S
old line and running west. Rec. 1813 D 259.
5 Oct 1809 Ezekiel JOHN sold to John MORROW for 75 pounds a certain
piece of land on Turkey Creek containing 116 acres more or less. Rec. 30
Oct 1810.
15 Dec 1813 John HARRISON sold to Joseph WILSON.. land on Turkey Creek
adjacent to a corner of a tract of land formerly granted to Ezekiel JOHN. Rec. 1838 by N. HARRISON Clerk of Buncombe Co.
18 Mar 1819 Nathan HARRISON sold to Jeremiah DAVIS for $50 a part of
a tract of land originally granted to Ezekiel JOHN on Sandy Mush containing
76 acres more or less.
Some of the above is duplicated in the preceding Buncombe deeds, and
I have been in touch with Ellen John since the above article was written.
It appears to me that Ezekiel JOHN'S land extended from Sandy Mush to Turkey
Creek and that this is an example of how close together the two creeks
were in this area. As I say, a quarter will cover virtually all of the
deeds I have gone into in this small map.
The deeds of Buncombe, above, do not include some other families of
importance such as the GRANTHAMS, ROBERTS, KILPATRICKS and GILBREATH/GALBREATHS.
Yet, we already have considerable information on the GRANTHAMS and GALBREATHS
(Rev. Thomas HARRISON m Margaret GILBREATH and Rev. John GRANTHAM m Elizabeth
HARRISON and both GRANTHAMS and GILBREATHS had property in Buncombe). We
also know about the JOHN family but little about KILPATRICKS and ROBERTS,
both of whom were Buncombe families and married to HARRISONS. These families
(and the BLACKS) are pretty much involved with the Mecklenburg NC area
and GA and York SBC/Rutherford NC movements as were HARRISONS.
The deeds also show some HARRISONS we do not know but must assume that
they were part of the family of early Buncombe: William, Robert and maybe
an extra John Harrison. And then there is the surprising mention of Joseph
HARRISON Sr. which suggests a Jr. as either son of Joseph or nephew.
I would like to point out in Deed #38 there is a question as to H or
A. M. HARRISON as a witness and signed with an X. Rev. Nathan did have
a son A.M., though at the moment I do not recall his full, name. [Dr. Johnson
inserted Alexander Mitchell HARRISON.] This could be a female especially
because signed with an X.
FROM HELEN NIEWENDORP. She has been reviewing old material and thinking - a worthwhile endeavor! She is planning to contact Brent Holcomb, the professional genealogist, to dig into the Thomas HARRISON acreage on Little Saludy (Saluda) River, such as what happened to the grant , etc. (I did not know about that, but I do know a bit about Little Saluda. This is a small and short river which enters into the Saluda from the south side, just across from Newberry County, SC - my ancestral stomping grounds. One of my MASONS drowned there. He was a Rev. War veteran, a Major who lost a leg in the war. He got drunk one day, went swimming and drowned. This should be in either Abbeville or Edgefield County SC now. I do recall in Newberry, close by, a Dr. William HARRISON who died young in 1804 and unmarried. James GORDON and Arthur MCCRACKEN were his execs. I do not know his parents or where he came from but could he related to such a Harrison family on Little Saluda).
She has also employed a researcher in Salt Lake City to seek US Government records an Territory Southwest of the Ohio River, especially records of Silas DINSMOOR, who was an agent for the United States but working in E. TN and who reported to Gov. SEVIER about whites living among the Cherokee, including Thomas HARRISON, Trader and Blacksmith. There should be a license for Thomas HARRISON to trade with the Cherokee. She has also sent for the 2 land grants of Daniel and Thomas HARRISON in TN... She also ran across, p 166, TENNESSEE COUSINS by Worth Ray, "Jonathan MULKEY, another pioneer Minister of Tennessee, acting as
attorney for one Thomas HARRISON, on Sept
8,
1788, transferred
certain land in Sullivan County to Jesse HOLLAND, 400 acres". (I know
a bit about Rev. Jonathan MULKEY. There were several of them, all descended
from Rev. Phillip MULKEY, one of the very early Separatist Baptist Preachers
of VA to NC, to SC to TN and KY. This particular Rev. Jonathan MULKEY was
probably the one who formed a Baptist Church in Greenville, TN. Perhaps
it was another Rev. Jonathan MULKEY who married an Indian who was a daughter
of a famous Cherokee Chief, but also in E. TN. The MULKEYS were more or
less chased out of SC because of their pacifist tendencies and Tory leanings
during the Rev. War. They were very important in spreading the Baptist
Separatist word and Rev. Phillip was brother in law to Rev. Shubal STEARNS,
the founder of the Separatist Baptists).
No thoughts on the Daniel HARRISON Land Grant unless he was brother
and had a son Michael...Could the Thomas Harrison of Little Saludy 1773-1775
have been the one in GA a few years later. Since lots of land in SC and
GA was confiscated during the Rev. War, maybe Thomas HARRISON went back
upstate to York Co. where the Rev. Thomas HARRISON of Belleville, IL was
b 1779. Then into Rutherford NC and there he applied for the land grant.
The dates seem appropriate. From Rutherford back to GA and then to Buncombe
and there to be "our" Thomas HARRISON.
Looking over the names on these NC land grants in TN
there are
lots of familiar names and they surely were not for R/W service.. Too bad
the 1800 census of Buncombe was alphabetized. It seems evident that there
was more than one family of DAVISES in Buncombe. Which ones were next to
John HARRISON? Also, since alphabetized the fact that Thomas and John HARRISON
are listed next to each other means nothing, (Aha! that is one of the benefits
of all the deeds sent to me by Betty Jo Hulse!).
TENNESSEE COUSINS lists Baxter DAVIS as one of the earliest settlers
of Greasy Cove, which is now area of Erwin, TN. That name is not in the
land grants but Nathaniel and Nathan DAVIS are in several places. These
names seem to fit better with the Newberry SC Davises (an example of that
is Reason and Clement DAVIS from Newberry to Buncombe Co. with all their
children). Baxter DAVIS does not seem to fit into the ones connected to
John HARRISON except one Baxter DAVIS who was early to Knox Co. KY where
John HARRISON went maybe 10 years later.
She refers to Michael HarRison in my Harrison Notes of May 1995 regarding Michael in the Court Minutes of Buncombe from the RIDGE RUNNERS. "Michael HARRISON vs Merry WEBB" ... OLD BUNCOMBE COUNTY, p 196 had an article on Col Thomas DILLARD who m Martha WEBB d/o Meredith and Elizabeth WEBB of Henry Co. VA. Col DILLARD moved to Washington Co. TN, now Unio Co., in 1782 and had 400 a in the Webb Settlement on Nolichucky. Possible that Merry WEBB in the suit of Michael HARRISON was of the same family and that Michael was a son of Daniel HARRISON and Meridith WEBB.. She is working on WEBBS of Marion CO. IN.. Merry WEBB is male and short for Meridith. There was a will of Elizabeth WEBB 1827 Washington Co. TN, perhaps widow of Meridith/Merry. They were perhaps parents of Rachel WEBB who m Joseph SHERRILL. A Merry WEBB was involved in many lawsuits, including a divorce of Merry WEBB and Polly WEBB of Indian Creek (Washington Co. TN, I assume). (I am pretty familiar with SHERILLS sine I am related through my MASONS of SC.
I do not know about Joseph SHERRILL but I suspect descended from Samuel SHERRILL who lived next door to Gov. John SEVIER before he was Governor. As his second wife, Gov. SEVIER m Samuel SHERRILL'S daughter and she thus became the first "first lady" of Tennessee. My contact with SHERRILLS comes from the SHERRILS of Sherrill Ford on the Catawba River near Charlotte, NC.)
John HARRISON was not on the 1810 census of Buncombe, yet we know he
was there before and after 1810. Was he temporarily in Claiborn Co. TN..
anal did Thomas HARRISON of the 1800 census go there after Buncombe? (GOOD
QUESTIONS).
Helen did some census work:
1820 Alabama
Baldwin Co - T. DAVIS
Conecuh Co.- Matthew and Sheredon DAVIS and Wm. OGELSBY
Dallas Co. - Lots of DAVISES. Also CARRALLS. Includes John DAVIS, Paschall HARRISON, OGELSBYS, POSEY and ROSE (Helen has Rose ancestry)
Franklin Co.- numerous DAVISES, including JOHN.
Limestone Co- numerous DAVISES, Joseph HARRISON, John C. HARRISON, Jesse HARRISON, Gideon HARRISON, John HARRISON, CARELLS, HOODS and POSEYS.
St. Clair Co - William HARRISON, Eligah HARRISON, John and David LORD, a bunch of HOODS
Shelby Co.- (This is where Betty Jo Hulse has done so much work on HARRISONS
and CARROLLS from Buncombe)- DAVISES, CROWSONS, Denis CARRELL, Benjamin
HARRISON, Nathaniel HARRISON and Thomas HARRISON. (to be more specific
Thomas HARRISON 1 male over 20, 1 male under 20, 1 female over 20, 3 slaves.
Benjamin HARRISON, 1 male over 20 living alone 2 door from Nathaniel HARRISON.
Nathaniel had 1 male over 20, 2 males under 20, 1 female over 20 and 1
female under 20 and 5 slaves. He was next door to Denis CARRELL, his father
in law.)
From THE OVER MOUNTAIN MEN. "The Valentine Sevier Massacre." DOUBLEHEAD had left with a party of braves for a hunting trip in the Cumberland Country. He stopped in Nashville and smoked the pipe with General ROBERTSON, telling of his trip to see President Washington. He continued down the Cumberland to Clarksville where he stopped at the home of Col. Valentine SEVIER, where Charles SNYDER, Sevier's son in law repaired several of the warrior's guns. A few miles further on, DOUBLEHEAD met a Creek band bent on a raiding trip in the area. They joined forces, after much discussion and argument and returned to the SEVIER home. Any Sevier was a marked person by Cherokee Indians, who remembered the many battles Colonel Valentine SEVIER had participated in with "Chucky Jack", John SEVIER. Doublehead saw an easy opportunity to get a Sevier.
Col Valentine SEVIER II (brother of Gov. John SEVIER) and wife Naomi were parents of 14 children and they had moved to this area shortly after the fall of the State of Franklin in 1789. They had moved to Clarksville in 1791. His son in law THOMAS GRANTHAM, was killed in 1791 at a nearby pond while deer hunting. Twins Robert and William 17 years old were ambushed near the mouth of Blooming Grove Creek Jan 15, 1792. Valentine III was killed the next near the same spot. In 1794 James SEVIER and his br in law John KING and a negro man were harvesting corn and Charles SNIDER husband of Betsy SEVIER was working in the blacksmith shop. Joseph SEVIER, a young son was helping... I will not go into the details but most of the Sevier family was slaughtered... I wonder who Thomas GRANTHAM was?
FROM GAIL SHLANTA. I had been curious about Bishop William McKendree and his connections, if any, with Rev. Thomas Harrison of St. Clair Co . IL and Minneapolis, MN, and Rev. John Grantham. Rev. HARRISON named a son William MCKENDREE and his children attended McKendree College in IL. I had run across young Rev. MCKENDREE in Culpepper County, VA for a brief time with Bishop ASBURY. She has sent information:
McKendree apparently started traveling the circuit with ASBURY about 1790 and his first alignments on his own were in VA and at some point he traveled
in NC and probably SC and GA. and perhaps in TN. He was presiding elder in the KY District for eight years c 1800-1810. He was largely responsible for establishment and development of the Western Conference in KY, IL and MO. She feels confident that Rev. Thomas and his wife were "converted" to Methodism after they had arrived in IL; probably about 1805-1807. From family notes she believes that the family knew MCKENDREE and probably met Asbury on several occasions.
Many children in assorted Harrison connections seem to have been named
for MCKENDREE - with middle names spelled variously MCKINDREE and other
variations.
She sent me copies from various sources about MCKENDREE and ASBURY - history. This is vary fascinating but I will not attempt to cover it all, but let me summarize a bit.
A well traveled circuit rider stopped for lodging at a tavern and the owner said, "Stranger, I perceive that you are a clergyman. Please let me know whether you are a Presbyterian or a Methodist." .."Why do you ask?".. "Because I wish to please my guests, and I have observed that a Presbyterian Minister is very particular about his food and his bed and a Methodist about the care and feeding of his horse".. "Very well, "replieD the minister, "I am a Presbyterian, but my horse is a Methodist."
What was the worst thing that could happen to a Circuit Rider? According to Bishop ASBURY, it was falling in love. Until that happened his men fought on as true soldiers for Christ - going 16, eighteen hours a day, year in and year out and gladly did so for a ridiculous salary. But once a Kentucky belle caught his eye that was all over. He wrote, "Marriage is honorable in all - but to me it is a ceremony awful as death. Well it maybe so, when I calculate we have lost the traveling labors of about 200 of the best men in America, or the world, by marriage and consequent location." Once he said "I believe the devil and the women will get all my preachers!". What he meant by "location" was a home site for a preacher with a wife and family and no longer spending his whole life traveling, but settling down. Bishop Asbury never married. (Of course Rev. Thomas HARRISON as wall as Rev. Nathan, Rev. Jeremiah HARRISON and the Rev. GRANTHAMS were all married before their ministry, as was Rev. Samuel R. HARRISON of Mecklenburg NC and KY and the numerous Rev, Harrisons of Green Co. TN)
In 1800 William MCKENDREE crossed the Ohio in a canoe and formed two classes, one at Charleston IN and at New Chapple.
At the Western Conference in October 1802 Benjamin LAKIN and Ralph LOTSPEICH were appointed to Salt River and Shelby in KY. (Lotspeiches were Methodist leaders and intermarried with the HARRISONS of Harrison Methodist Church in Greene Co. TN, and an ancestor of many of those Harrisons. They were German. I understand that bishop Asbury traveled with a German speaking minister for the purpose of preaching to Germans. I wonder if it was Lotspeich?)
Methodist Clergymen were expected to study. MCKENDREE appears to have set a course of lessons for the circuit preachers in his district, combining them at each quarter. He could speak for most backwoods preachers in his account of the eight years of district work between his combing west and his election as Bishop.
In later years ASBURY was forced by advancing age to turn over more and more of the work of presiding to Bishop MCKENDREE.
MCKENDREE wrote in regards to the large Camp Meetings shared with Baptists and Presbyterians thAT Baptist were a strange people. When therE WAs work among them it was of THE Lord, when it is with the Methodists and Presbyterians, it is of the devil. They unchurch all others, consider them unbaptized heathens and refuse communion with them..
(One of the frontier Methodism's ornaments was William MCKENDREE,
Virginia
born, he had served through the Revolutionary War and then farmed in the Shenandoah Valley. He was converted in 1787. Asbury invited him to accompany him on his tour... by 1800 MCKENDREE was headed for the Kentucky District.. In 1804 he presided over a Western Conference which included nearly 12,000 members and 46 preachers.
The General Conference of 1820 net in Eutaw Street Church in Baltimore. Bishops William MCKENDREE, Eroch GEORGE, and Robert R. ROBERTS were all there and in effect so was Bishop Asbury, his body lying beneath the pulpit and his ideas filling the house. McKendree, aged, said he was too ill to preside, but he gave the opening address.
An etching of Bethel Meeting House, a small log structure, in Edwardsville,
IL of the first Methodist Church in Illinois, built 1805. {Edwardsville
is the county seat of Madison Co. IL; the same county where I was reared
in Alton, IL. This is close to Belleville, IL and no doubt Rev Thomas HARRISON
preached there often.
CHRISTINA SHARPE of Minneapolis, MN came to Austin and San Antonio, TX. We were never able to get together but in our attempts we had a number of phone conversations. She too is a descendant of Rev. Thomas HARRISON as is Gay Shlanta, descended through Rev. Thomas' daughter Dovey. She is an experienced researcher, though young. She has a great deal of our information on the Buncombe Harrisons and is planning to pursue our quest for ancestry. This summer she will be spending some time in northern GA and is planning to use that as a base to explore Buncombe and Mecklenburg and GA for our Harrison ancestry.
She is also a part of a group of Harrison researchers via computer, Internet, E Mail and all that sort of modern research. She also told me, if I have it right, that Becky Bonner, a part of that group, has a very extensive Harrison library accessible by computer for those researchers. I have no method to hook into that without getting a computer and hook ups and all that stuff, but I am solidly primitive in those methods and I plan to leave that all up to the younger folk!
I must admit that they may accomplish what we have not.
SHIRLEY MARTIN. She and her husband Jack, a retired Air Force General,
live in San Antonio, though they travel a great deal. After many months
of conversations we finally got together. Our conversations were all about
the many SC and VA lines I share with her, but somehow it turns out that
she is also a Harrison! We quickly found her ancestry in the book, THE
VENTUREERS. Unfortunately, that is not our line. She has bean a long time
and very competent researcher and has accomplished a great deal and has
published considerable material. Now her husband, since retirement, has
became fascinated with all this and is an avid researcher.
FROM EVALYN BASKIN. She is a long t1me correspondent on Harrisons and she too is descended from Rev. Nathan HARRISON and has done much work on his descendants. Now it turns out that she also has DAVIS ancestry and she has sent me considerable material on DAVISES. Her husband is a descendent of Rev. John CRAIG, the famous first settled Presbyterian minister of Virginia. Rev. Craig was at Tinkling Springs Church and Augusta Old Stone Church and he baptized many of the Long Grey Trail Harrisons.
This gets quite complicated because this is not just DAVISES, but other lines as well. One of these lines is MASON traced back to Lt. Francis MASON of very early VA, which interests me since I too have MASON ancestry and both her MASONS and my MASONS have connections to SHERILLS, so perhaps a clue here as to mutual MASON ancestry. This Mason ancestry is a whole book !
She also has an interesting second Harrison connection. Her
ancestor John MASON of Surry Co. VA married Elizabeth HARRISON:
John MASON b Surry Co. VA 1680, d Sussex Co, VA 1755 m ELIZABETH HARRISON.
They had at least 7 children who m CHAPPELLS, TOMLINSON, SHANDS(?), WINFIELD
AND PETWAY.
Though that is all the information on Elizabeth HARRISON, we might very well suspect that being so early and of Surry County VA that this is on of the famous James River Harrisons descended from one of the Benjamin HARRISONS - the Harrison line that so any Harrison researchers try to connect to. Moreover, this descent from Francis MASON is highly suspect of being of the famous line of VA MASONS, that I would like to connect to (but cannot connect).
In addition to her own Davis line she sent information on apparent other lines with which she does not connect. But let me give you her Davises:
Evalyn Louise DAVIS m James Sidney BASKIN (Evalyn is my correspondent), d/o
Warmuth Luckette DAVIS 1899-1970 m Mary Lou HARRISON 1902-1971. He s/o
Henry Gregory DAVIS 1871-1946 m Martha Louise HIBBETT 1875-1953. He s/o
Isaac (Tot) Luckette DAVIS 1843-1878 m Mary Jane GREGORY 1848-1932 He s/o
Luckette DAVIS Jr. 1800-1859 m Eliza A. MARBLE. He s/o
Luckette DAVIS Sr. 1779-1845 m Gersha MOSEBY. He s/o
A.M. DAVIS d 1795 m Nancy
Much of the above family lived in Smyrna, TN and there are many siblings with each generation I am not listing. There are photographs of many of those who lived in the late 1800's. This was a very prominent family with considerable property, many slaves, and excellent records.
Luckett DAVIS Sr bought land in Rutherford Co. TN in 1805, on Stewart's Creek. .. Henry Hartwell MARABLE was a Methodist preacher for 50 years in Rutherford
Luckett DAVIS Jr had a son Henry HARRISON DAVIS.
There was, in Smyrna TN, a confederate hero, Sam DAVIS about whom a
book was written. No known connection with Sam DAVIS but they lived close
to the Luckett Davises and Luckett DAVIS Jr sold a piece of land to Sam
Davis' father, Charles r.. DAVIS.
Mrs. Baskin also has a paper an unrelated Davises, the ancestry of Jefferson DAVIS. I have given variations of this before but let us see where this takes us:
Evan DAVIS m c 1716 Mary ____. They were immigrants from Wales. He died prior to 1747 and she Dec 1758. Ch: Benjamin, William, Samuel, Hannah, Joseph and Evan.
Evan Jr. m Mary Emory WILLIAMS. 1 child:
Samuel EMORY m Jane COOK. They had 10 children Joseph Emory, Benjamin,
SAMUEL, Anna, Eliza, Isaac Williams, Lucinda FaRRAr, Amanda, Matilda, Mary Ellen and JEFFERSON FINIS DAVIS b 6-3-1807/8 d 12-6-1889.
Jefferson DAVIS m 1835 Sarah Knox TAYLOR and 2nd Varina Banks HOWELL
They had 6 children: Samuel Emory, Margaret Howell, Jefferson Jr., Joseph
Evan, William Howell, Varina Anne
I think this differs somewhat from my other versions.
Mrs, Baskin is also descended from someone I keep running into in Mecklenburg
Co. NC: John SHARP. He was b 1752 or 3 in Mecklenburg NC. He married there
Martha Young and they moved to Smyrna, Rutherford Co, TN where they died
and are buried. He is thought to have been Irish.
FROM SHIRLEY WAGSTAFF. She iS the one descended from Thomas HARRIS/HARRISON discussed in the last Harrison Notes. She is into THE VENTURERS because of her BAYLIS connections as these Harrisons also had, and she is into the Burr Harrison line, searching for ancestry of Thomas HARRIS/HARRISON. She says that a number of other researchers have suggested she was of the Burr/Cuthbert line, once she
hired a professional of Columbia SC to search. The professional concluded
that she was "descended through a President or from a dirt poor farmer
and at the moment there are no indications either way".
FROM KAY HARRISON TABER of San Jose, CA. Her 91 year old grandfather asked her to search for their HARRISON ancestry. The family had come from Bartholomew Co. IN to Mitchell Co. KS in 1878 where they were founders of a small Quaker town, Glen Elder. Ancestry has been traced back to Vincent D. HARRISON, a farmer from TN who came to Bartholomew Co. IN between 1820 and 1830. He was b 1808 and married to Nancy . There were other early HARRISONS in the county: Carter, Henry, Lewis, Thomas, William, and Abraham but relationship is unknown. Vincent and Nancy had: Thomas, Sarah , Jane, Carter, Francis Marion, Walter, Vincent, John R., Elizabeth and Nancy. First wife Nancy died and he remarried Rebecca WAKEFIELD and by her he had Scott, Robert and Matilda.
Vincent died July 25, 1851 and Rebecca remarried John H. THOMPSON.
Does any of this suggest. a clue as to lineage? The names Carter and Henry come to mind as a fairly common name of the James River Harrisons, with the Carter coming from King CARTER/HARRISON marriage and descendants named Henry and Carter Henry and Henry Carter and Carter. As I recall, this branch of the family had considerable financial difficulty after the Revolution and part of the family moved to TN. But, I cannot make a connects. Also, I found the names Henry and Carter Henry in THE VENTURERS. However this arose from a Carter/Harrison marriage in Mississippi rather late and after the Civil Mar. Does anyone have thoughts on this Indiana line from Tennessee? Could even be LTG I suppose, but suggestive of Quaker Harrisons.
