
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with all the trimmings, family and fun!
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day with all the trimmings, family and fun!
Today is the day American honor and thank our veterans – every man and woman who has served in the American armed forces.
Many of our servicemen and women return home with physical and emotional injuries that require long-term support.
I’d like to suggest three organizations that accept both one-time and on-going financial (and other types of) donations. Each is a non-profit charity that supports our veterans.
Disabled American Veterans– Ways to Give
Gary Sinise Foundation – supports veterans, first responders & families
Today, be sure to thank veteran friends, family and neighbors for their service.
While searching for possible Harris connection in North Carolina or Madison County, Kentucky to Samuel Robertson, who married Elizabeth Harris c1778, probably in North Carolina, I came across the will of Christopher Harris who died in Madison County in 1794.
After digging around a bit on Christopher, it appears he was in Kentucky very early as he helped defend Boonesborough during the American Revolution. This Harris family hailed from Hanover or Louisa County, Virginia.
Christopher Harris married (1) Mary Dabney, who predeceased him and he married (2) wife not named in will, who survived him.
Will of Christopher Harris, 1794
Madison County, KY Will Book A:54-55
Source: FamilySearch
In the name of God Amen. I Christopher Harris being through the abundant mercy and goodness of God but weak in body yet of perfect understanding and memory do Constitute this my last will & Testament and desire it should be received by all as Such
Imprimis that I will & Desire that my first Children (Viz) Dabney Harris, Sarah Martin, Robert Harriss, MourningJones, Christopher Harris, and Mary Jones should have the following negroes (excepting thirty pounds out of my son Dabneys Legacy which is to be paid by the Executor of this Pat of my will for the use & Benefit of my wife and Other Children) (Viz) Ritter and her Children, Pomp, Moses, Allice, George, Betty, Lucy and Delphy the above Negroes to be Divided agreeable to Cornelius Dabneys Seniors Will and I do appoint Foster Jones and Christopher Harriss as Executors of the above part of this Will and as to the Ballance of my Estate I Direct that first my Debts shall be paid out of what money I have by or is owing to me the house where I live I Direct should be finished which together with the tract of land whereon I live I leave to my Dear & Loving wife dureing her life and at her death to Son Overton Harriss as to the Ballance of my Negroes (David, Cate, Fanny, Stephen, and Eddy together with my Household furniture Stock of every kind and Plantation Utensels I desire that my wife may have the whole Benefit of them during her life or widowhood and if she should Marry the whole to be sold and Equally Divided amongst her & her Children as to my Lands on Muddy Creek I will and Bequeath them as follows, the Drowning Creek Tract of land I will and Bequeath to my son John Harris the (illegible) Spring Tract to my son Benjamin Harris the the tract of which my son Wm has Built to my son William Harris and the Tract clalled the Holly Tract to my son Barnabas Harriss and my lands in Albermarle County together with the stock that is thereon I direct should be sold and that my son James and Samuel Harris shall Receive of the money as much as Col. John Miller & Robert Rodes shall Judge the land to be worth that I willd to my Other sons Viz to be made Equal to them, as to my three Daughters viz Jane Gentry – Margret Harris, and Isabel Harris my will and Desire is that Jean Gentry sould Receive ten pounds and Margret and Isbel Harris to have fifty pounds apeice out of the Ballance of what my Albermale land and the Property arising from that place and if that should not be Sufficient that It shall be made up to them out of any of Personal Estate that my wife and Executors after mentioned shall think best as to my lands on Licking Waters my will is that if they are obtained (t. . .) should be sold and Equally divided amongst my last set of Children and I do appoint my dear & loving wife with John Sappington and John Harris to Execute that part of my will that respects my wife and her Children as witness my hand & seal this twentyeth day of February one thousand seven hundred and ninety-four.
Christopher Harris
Witness Hartly Sappington
Richd Sappington Joseph Wills
At a Court held for Madison County on Tuesday the (10th?) day of March 1794
This will was proved to be the last will & Testament of Chirstpher Harris by the (illegible) Joseph Wills Hartley & Richard Sappington (illegible)
I have seen abstracts of the information in this will, but have not seen images or a full transcription. Christopher Harris had a vrey large family of fifteen surviving children so this may help a Harris researcher.