We recently had Y-dna tests run on descendants of Claiborn Harris and Caleb Harris and their DNA was identical on a 37 marker test. Together with that and circumstantial evidence, we and several other researchers are convinced that Caleb and Claiborn were brothers, sons of John and Nellie Atkins Harris.

As close as we can figure, John Harris Jr died about 1841 and soon after, his wife and children moved to McNairy Co., TN. This is similar to the migration of Levin Harris' family after the death of Levin in 1834 when his family moved to Carrol Co., Tennessee.

Levin's family is found in Carroll County TN in the 1840 Census .... William, Clement, Alfred and John are all listed. Elizabeth is found in the 1850 Carrol County Census living with her son Alfred along with two sisters, Elin and Litha.

John Junior's family has been more difficult to reconstruct as he left no will as his brother Levin did so we have had to reconstruct his family from circumstantial evidence and dna.

Their children we speculate are as follows:

1. Nancy Harris married William Smith, Jr. The Smith family and Harris family were close neighbors as you can go back to the 1840 census and find William's mother just a few doors down from John Harris Senior. They were married in Rockingham County on 04 Sep 1814. She was a young bride of 18 years old. They moved to McNairy County and the fact that she named a son Caleb Harris Smith and named a daughter Frances Ellender Smith makes strong evidence that she was a daughter of John and Nellie.

2. Mary Ann "Polly" Harris married Richard Browder in Rockingham County on 19 Jan 1819. They also moved to McNairy County and Richard Browder was the surety in the marriage of Claiborn Harris and Minerva Settle. They named their first born son "John" and also had a daughter named Elenor. Some researchers speculate that she was a daughter of Levin based on a land deed by Richard Browder that mentions Levin's widow and minor children. The land deed makes no mention of Mary Ann in the deed and Richard Browder being a man of means only proves that he had bought the land at a prior date and was selling the property. If she was a daughter of Levin, they would have moved to Carroll County rather than to McNairy. The Polly Harris listed in the Will of Levin married Walter King and both are found in the 1850 Rockingham Co Census. I find it very hard to believe that two sisters were both called "Polly".

3. Elizabeth Harris married John North in Rockingham County on 19 Nov 1824. They never left Rockingham and I speculate that she and her husband bought out the others and lived on the land that John Harris owned as she and John are found living next door to John Harris Jr in the 1840 McNairy County Census.

4. Caleb Harris married Harriett LNU and moved to McNairy County and is found living next door to his sister and mother in the 1850 Census. A descendant of Caleb matched identical DNA with a descendant of Claiborn Harris proving a definite relationship.

5. Claiborn Harris married Minerva Settle in Rockingham County on 10 Feb 1835. He also moved to McNairy County but died there in 1849 as he is found on the Mortality Schedule of McNairy, TN. A descendant of Caleb Harris matched identical DNA with a descendant of Claiborn Harris proving a definite relationship. Since neither Claiborn or Caleb were mentioned in the Will of Levin Harris, this places them with John Harris Jr. Claiborn Harris and William Harris are listed as a sons of John Harris and Nellie Atkins in the book "A Partial History of the Atkins Family" by Edgar S. Vaught, Published November 1954, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

6. Martha Harris married Abram Young in Rockingham on 01 May 1834. She is found living with her mother Elender in the 1850 McNairy Census. She married 2nd James L. Britton and is buried next to him in Mt. Olive Cemetery.

7. William Harris is found in 1850 McNairy Census living with his brother Caleb. William Harris was listed as a son of John Harris and Nellie Atkins in the book "A Partial History of the Atkins Family" by Edgar S. Vaught, Published November 1954, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. No record of William has been found after 1850 but if he did have descendants, it would be nice to locate them someday through the DNA evidence.

8. John Harris was living with Caleb Harris is the 1850 McNairy County Census. He may be the same John W. Harris found in 1880 Boone County Arkansas Census as several of Caleb's children also moved there and the DOB matches. No descendant has been found to compare DNA.

There you have the children of John and Nellie as I have found them through the evidence found to date. Please note that this is purely speculative as no written document has been found to validate the proposed family but it is the best that can be done without such proof.

I am looking for someone who has access to Carroll County Land or Probate records for help with the Harris family.