Edgefield County ScArchives Biographies.....Harrison, James ca. 1735 - ca. 1800 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/sc/scfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Lois Harison Colwell dsclhc@earthlink.net February 14, 2012, 8:16 pm Source: Unpublished family biography Author: Lois Harrison Colwell Copyright 2012 Author: Lois Harrison Colwell James Harrison of Clouds Creek area, Edgefield Dist., South Carolina ca. 1735 – ca. 1800 We do not know exactly when James was born or where. It is believed that he came from Virginia [this assumption from his great-granddaughter's family biography completed for the Alabama Archives] and then from North Carolina [this assumption comes from his great-grandson, Z. D. Harrison's biography completed for the Georgia Dept. of Archives & History] into South Carolina and that this Harrison family is possibly from Harmon Harrison of Jamestown, Virginia. Once again this is an assumption based on documented lines from Harmon Harrison and family names. No direct link has yet been found. There is much to be learned about this Harrison family that was living in the Clouds Creek area of 96th/Edgefield District in South Carolina. The records of this area at that time are few. South Carolina did not have marriage records until the 20th century. Most marriage information from that era is found in family bibles, church records and assumptions from land records and other documents. Wills can sometimes give the married name of daughters, however James' will did not do this. James' will did give us the name of his wife, Ann and his children and grandchildren. His daughter, Ann “Nancy” Harrison's married name was not mentioned but grandchildren following her name were William and Wiley Rennels (Reynolds). Further investigation proved Ann did marry Thomas Reynolds and their two oldest sons were, William and Wiley. The Will goes on to name, sons William, James and Moses; daughters Mary and Jemimy and granddaughter, Mary F., daughter of son James Harrison. What brought James to South Carolina? Since he came three years before the official outbreak of the Revolutionary War, his move may have been because of the incidents that occurred before the war. He may have moved for the safety of his family, as did many. The move may have also been motivated by a better life in farming of rice which was considered “the crop” at that time in the south. Many of the farms/plantations in South Carolina began as rice farms/plantations. No Bible records, diaries or letters, or any other type of personal written information has, so far, been found on this family. We can only assume within the context of the history of the times. Where was the home of James Harrison located in the Clouds Creek area? We do not know exactly but believe it was close to the town of Ridge Spring. Ridge Spring is named for the spring that is the source of Clouds Creek. The town was quite beautiful in the 1890's and contained the original home of the Watson family who were neighbors of James Harrison. There were several James Harrison families in the Edgefield area during the time our James Harrison was living in the Clouds Creek area. Our James was the only one living in the area of Clouds Creek, so we make that distinction when we speak of him. From James' oldest known son, William's birth year we have made the assumption that James was born about 1735 and that he married Ann about 1755 probably in Virginia. William was born in 1758 [based on Rev. War application]. His place of birth is unknown, it may have been Virginia. Son, James' birth date is also an assumption, perhaps he was born about 1760 making him 18 years in 1778. He may have been older. From the Revolutionary War Indents information we believe James may have died in the War or just after. His name was scratched out on the Indents. Father, James only mentions his son James as the father of his granddaughter, Mary F. in his Will. On the 8th of February 1771 Moses Harrison was born to James and Ann in probably North Carolina. His birth date comes from his son's bible (George W. Harrison), place of birth from his grandson's biographical data at the Georgia Archives. By 1773, James has moved his family to South Carolina. He received a land grant on May 10, 1773: “George the Third by the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, KING, defender of the faith, and so forth, to all to whom THESE PRESENTS shall come, greeting: KNOW YE, THAT WE of our special Grace, certain Knowledge and mere Motion, have given and granted, and by these presents, for us, our heirs and successors, DO GIVE AND GRANT unto JAMES HARRISON, his heirs and assigns, a plantation or tract of land containing one hundred and fifty acres [150 ac] of Ninety Six District on EDISTO CREEK bounding all sides on vacant land.” The next year, 1774 James and Ann's daughter, Ann “Nancy” is born [1850 Edgefield Co., S.C. Census]. We do not know the dates of birth of James' daughters Mary and Jemima. They may have been born between 1774 and 1776 or they may be older. We assume younger because of how they appear in James' will. By 1781 James is serving in the Revolutionary War with Michael Watson's Volunteers. These were men from the Clouds Creek area. The following is an account of James' duty and also for provisions and forage he provided the militia in 1781 and 1782: “480X 25th August 1785, Mr. James Harrison (Clouds Creek) his account of Duty in the Militia as Private since the reduction of Charlestown [1780] also for Provisions & Forage for the Militia use in 1781and 1782, the whole amounting to Sixty six Pounds, Fourteen Shillings, Four Pence.” In July 1779, the state of South Carolina was without funds with which to pay for either services or supplies to the militia. An act was passed providing for payment of proven claims with “Indents” which bore interest until due some years later. A hand-written document [copy in file] was found that authorized Arthur Watson to collect the indents for James Harrison and William Harrison in Charlestown, it is dated September 1785. The name of James Harrison, Jr. was on this list but lined through leaving us to believe he had died. Recordings of the land James owned on Clouds Creek was found in a book “Index to Commissioner of Locations Plat Books A & B 1784-1788,” compiled by R. Wayne Bratcher, page 39. James Harrison, Bk. A, p. 142, 200 ac. on Clouds Creek, recorded 27 Oct 1784 James Harrison, Bk. A, p. 161, 100 ac. on Clouds Creek, recorded 19 Nov 1784 James Harrison, Bk. B, p. 146, 220 ac. On Clouds Creek, recorded 26 Jul 1786 The above land may have been the land left to James' grandsons William and Wiley Reynolds. This part of Clouds Creek is believed to now be in Saluda County, South Carolina. From Edgefield, South Carolina Deed Book 35, page 324 we found a deed showing the sale of James Harrison's property on the Edisto River: “David Richerson to the reverent John Monk, one hundred pounds current state money, 150 acres on South Edisto River which was granted to James Harrison 8 July 1774, from James Harrison to David Richerson 24 March 1787. Wit: John (x) Leek, Jacob (I) Richardson /s/ David (I) Richardson /s/ Susannah (x) Richardson. Proven Aug. 20, 1791 by John Leek; John Thomas Fairchild, JP, Rec. Feb. 1, 1819.” The first United States census in South Carolina was in 1790. That census shows James Harrison as head of household. There are two males over the age of 16, one male under 16 and three females, and one slave. This census has very little information but it does place James in Edgefield, and still alive in 1790. We do not know the exact date of James Harrison's death. He signed his will on the 23rd of July 1799 and his will was recorded the 23rd of March, 1800 in Record Book “A”, page 13, Edgefield County Probate Court. From the recording date we assume he died in the year 1800 but it may have been earlier. A will can be recorded a month after the persons death to years after the death. However, with no known court problems with this will we once again assume it was recorded soon after James' death. A search was done for Ann Harrison on the 1800 Edgefield Co., South Carolina census. She was not found. Of the children of James and Ann Harrison we know that son William left South Carolina and lived in Georgia before moving with his family to Alabama. Since his life in Georgia was in burned counties, not much is known. Moses also moved into Georgia, living in Wilkinson County until his death. His sons moved into Randolph County and westward. One son from Randolph County, Ga. was elected Secretary of State of Georgia (1849-1851) and that family (George W. Harrison) moved back to Milledgeville, the state capital at that time, in Baldwin County, Georgia. James and Ann's daughter, Ann “Nancy”, married Thomas Reynolds and remained in Edgefield until her death. We have never been able to find information on Mary or Jemimy/Jemima. The search for information on our James Harrison from Clouds Creek, South Carolina and his wife Ann continues... Acknowledgment to Bo Smith, now deceased who found James Harrison and the link between Moses and James. Bo kindly shared his research with many in the Harrison family. We miss him. Acknowledgment to my friend, Linda Weldon, for assistance in understanding the William Harrison line and for sharing research and a love of our family history. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/sc/edgefield/bios/harrison9nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/scfiles/ File size: 9.9 Kb