General Notes

Name Prefix:<NPFX> Col.
Note:
John was a member of the Cumberland County Committee of Safety
1775-76 Col John Harris PSVA Revolution Comm. of Safety for Cumberland County Virginia One of the builders of the James River and Kanawa Canel which made it possible for tobacco shipments and other shipments to get around the Falls on the James River at Richmond and on downriver to be shipped. The other men involved in the building were George Washington, yes the president, David Ross, Wm Cabell and Edward Randolph.

Col John Harris was born in Goochland County, Virginia in 1732 married 17 August 1754 in Cumberland County, Virginia (mg record) to Anne Obedience Turpin b 1734 daughter of Thomas Turpin and Mary Jefferson. Thomas Turpin was the son of Thomas Turpin and Obedience Branch . Mary Jefferson was daughter of Thomas Jefferson and Mary Field. Col. John had 8 children according to the Turpin daybook which is now in a California museum and has been published in the Virginia Mag. Col. John built a large brick mansion which I have a picture of which I got from the Museum in Richmond and which has since been destroyed. Obedience Turpin Harris died before her husband. Col John his will was proved November of 1800 in Powhatan co Virginia see will Book 1 their children were A. b c 1755 Thomas Harris who supposedly died young B. Lucy Harris b 1757 Cumberland County, Virginia married Obadiah Smith Revol. b 1749 in Virginia son of Obadiah Smith and Mary Burks of Albemarle County, Virginia Lucy Harris Smith outlived her husband Obadiah who left a will in Rowan County N. C. i n 1810 had children as follows: a. John Harris Smith married his first cousin Harriet Crittenden of Kentucky son of her sister Judith see later b . Mary Smith known as Polly married William Watts I do not have exact dates c. Matilda Smith b ? Maryland? Henry Randolph d. Lavinia Smith b? married ? d. Peterfield Smith married 18 Dec. 1807 in Va. to Mary Jefferson Turpin d of Wm Turpin and Sarah Harris d of Wm Harris and Sarah Ward cousin e. Jourdan Smith served in war of 1812 married ? f. daughter Smith Note: John Harris Smith and Harriett Crittenden had Rev. Obadiah Smith who married Mary Jane Wallace - Peterfield Smith and Mary Jefferson Turpin had Louisa Matilda Smith married John Holloway. Lucy's brother John Harris below MY LINE in 1815 bought land in Chesterfield County, Virginia from the distributees of his brother in law Lt Obadiah Smith. Obadiah Smith 1790 Rowan County, North Carolina census 2 +16 3 males - 16 and 6 females.

C. Lt John Harris Revol b 12 October 1758 Cumberland County, Virginia MY LINE he was the son of Col John Harris and Anne Obedience Turpin. His father deeded him land in Powhatan County, Virginia in 1785 and it is thought that he married about that time. I do not have his first wifes name or place of mg. according to later census he had a boy and a girl born shortly after 1785 living with him I believe the boy was named John but untraced. and I do not know the name of the girl or if either survived to adulthood. I do know that John sold out his Powhatan co land to a relative Thomas Harris which deed also covered household furniture etc. Lt. John married 2nd 24 May 1794 in Chesterfield County, Virginia to Rebecca Britton daughter of Anderson Brittton and Ann Mills Rebecca was much younger than John and in the 2 0 years that they were married had 12 children as follows (taken from pension application which copied the family bible) l. Xenophen Harris 11 March 1795 - dead by 1810 never married 2. HIRAM HARRIS MY LINE b 15 Sept 1796 died between 1st of May and June 3 1867 who married l. 30 May 1822 in St. Johns church Richmond Virginia to Margaret Christian of charles city County, Virginia daughter of Henry Benskin Christian and his wife Elizabeth Christian . THIS MY LINE SEE LATER they had 2 children Mgt christian Harris died in 1825 He married 2. Margaret Wilson and had a daughter Eleanor Harris Mgt Wilson died and he married 3. Elizabeth