A Wilson Family Tree
Notes for Robert T. Harrison
"Settlers by the Long Grey Trail: Some Pioneers to Old Augusta County, Virginia, and Their Descendants, of the Family of Harrison and Allied Lines", by J. Houston Harrison (Joseph K. Ruebush Co., Dayton, VA, 1935; reprinted by C. J. Carrier Co., Harrisonburg, VA, 1983), p. 361:
This Robert [Harrison] was born in Rockingham, in August 1783, and died in Christian County, Kentucky, June 17, 1853, aged 69 yrs. 10 mo. He married there, April 11, 1811, Sally Davis, the daughter of James Davis, son of Walter and Martha (Cunningham) Davis, and granddaughter of Robert Cunningham, of Augusta, who with Col. John Willson, served as a first Burgess of the county. She died Dec. 29, 1861. Their children were -- Naomi (m. Wm. H. Forston), Sarah, Martha, Debora (m. Geo. Fortson, bro. of Wm.), Davis, William, and Fayette, (b. Mar. 15. 1815, d. Paduach, Ky., 1897.) The last named married October, 1838, Harriette, the daughter of James Bradshaw, of Christian County, Ky, and had -- James H., Mary Elizabeth, Robert B., William D., Gustavus, Edward, Elbridge B., and Sally; of whom Mary Elizabeth, b. July 1841, m. Aug. 4, 1864, William Boase Trewolla. (From data kindly supplied by Rev. James A. Trewolla, of Braddock, Pa., a grandson of the last named, through his son Charles. B.)
There is a lot of confusion about Robert Harrison and his family. To begin with, Settlers by the Long Grey Trail, on p. 361, starts discussing Robert Harrison who was a son of Zebulon Harrison and Margaret Cravens. It is stated that he inherited land from his grandfather, Capt. Robert Cravens, in 1761 and he was appointed a constable in 1779. It says that his wife’s name was uncertain, but may have been a daughter of William Young, who mentioned “Him who was my son-in-law Robert Harrison” in his 1810 will. Then, at the bottom of p. 361 is the paragraph above, where it starts talking about Robert Harrison who was born in August 1783, died on 17 Jun 1853, and married Sally Davis. This can’t be the same as the Robert Harrison at the top of the page, because that one was born before 1761. There is no transition saying that this Robert Harrison is the son of the other Robert Harrison, but that is apparently implied. One bit of evidence that there were two Robert Harrisons is that an image on the Trewolla Moskop Haas Mansfield Tree web site of an agreement dated 10 Mar 1813 for William C. Davis (Sallie’s brother) to sell 667 acres of land to Robert Harrison Sr. also has a signature of R. Harrison Jr. as a witness.
The basis for the birth and death dates of this Robert Harrison appears to be a bible page stating “Robert Harrison Sen Died June 17th 1853 Aged 69 years 10 months”, an image of which is also on the Trewolla Moskop Haas Mansfield Tree web site. Notes on the site explain that the “Sen” is to distinguish this Robert Harrison from Robert Benjamin Harrison (a grandson), who is listed right below him. However, there is also a death record at “Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1953” on Ancestry.com, which shows the death of Robert Harrison on 16 Jun 1853, age70, parents Zebulon and Margarett Harrison. This is surely the same Robert Harrison even though the date is different by one day and the age says 70 instead of 69. An age of 70 doesn’t fit at all for someone who was a son of Zebulon Harrison and Margaret Cravens. It’s at least theoretically possible for him to be a son of Zebulon (born 1718), but not of Margaret Cravens (born 1724). So, were the parents listed wrong—did they list his grandparents for some reason? Or was the age listed wrong? This seems unlikely given that it basically matches the bible record. The earlier Robert Harrison, born before 1761, would have been at least 92 in 1853. Here it is assumed that the bible record is the most reliable.
It is of interest to note that, according to various family trees (including the Trewolla Moskop Haas Mansfield Tree), Zebulon Harrison was a first cousin of Jane Harrison, who married Daniel Smith (parents of the Smith brothers who married Margaret and Martha Davis).
Most sources just list him as Robert Harrison. The middle initial T is from Diane’s Genealogy web site (http://dgmweb.net/genealogy/FGS/D/DavisJames-DeborahMiller.shtml, downloaded 20 Feb 2007). She has a transcription of a gravestone (I think) that says:
Sallie Harrison
daughter of James Davis and
wife of Robert T. Harrison
December 16, 1790 - December 29, 1861
aged 71 years
WFT 137 # 299:
Robert Harrison was appointed as Constable in 1779
1850 Christian County, KY Census, District 2, Reel #M432-19, page 372A, enumerated August 20, 1850 by John W. Wallace
36-196-205 Harrison, Robert, 65, M, farmer, 16,500, VA
37-196-205 Harrison, Sally, 60, F, KY
38-196-205 Harrison, Sarah C., 23, F, KY
39-196-205 Harrison, Martha A., 17, F, KY
40-196-205 Dyer, Naomi, 70, F, VA
41-196-205 Miller, Elizabeth 53, F, VA
42-196-205 Allen, John, 20, M, laborer, KY
Kentucky Marriage Records Christian County 1797-1825, page 117: Robt Harrison & Sally Davis, April 8, 1811 - Peter Ferguson
Note: Some of the information in these pages is uncertain. Please let me know of errors or omissions using the email link above. ...Mike Wilson
Page generated on 31 October 2023