Good news, I found Cecil Andrew Harris's father!!!

Allen Jasper (A.J.) Harris b. 11 Feb. 1837, Copiah Co. MS d.1 Jan 1910 Copiah Co. MS.

Married--4 Jan 1866--Parmelia Frances Ann(Frannie)Kilcrease.

Allen's father was Benjamin Harris b. 1806 in MS d. ?
Allen's mother, Benjamin's 1st wife was Civil Middleton.

The bad news is that the 1840 Census shows Benjamin's father was born in GA. Does anyone know of a connection with these MS Harris's and more in GA?

Appreciatively,
Patricia

During a trip to the Amite Co., MS Courthouse in the last week of 2001, I came across a legal filing, dated 15 Aug 1811, wherein an Elizabeth HARRIS was appointing an attorney, William SUTTON, to dispose of land she had won in Wilkinson Co., GA Land Lottery.

On returning to Atlanta, GA, after the 1st of January 2002, I visited the Georgia State Archive and found wherein an Elizabeth HARRIS, living in Lincoln Co., GA, had won 202.5 acres in Wilkinson Co., GA during the 1807 Land Lottery. Lincoln Co., GA was created in 1796 from the eastern part of Wilkes Co., GA.

Persons Entitled to Draw
Bachelor, 21 years or over, 3 year residence in Georgia, citizen of United States – 1 draw
Married man with wife and/or minor child, 3 year residence in Georgia, citizen of United States – 2 draws
Widow, 3 year residence in Georgia; Spinster, 21 years or older, 3 year residence in Georgia – 1 draw
Minor orphan, father and mother dead, 3 year residence in Georgia – 1 draw
Family of minor orphans, father and mother dead, 3 year residence in Georgia – 2 draws
Minor orphan father dead, mother living, 3 year residence in Georgia – 1 draw
Family of minor orphans, father dead, mother living, 3 year residence in Georgia – 1 draw

The 1820 Pike Co., MS Census lists several HARRIS'. Three listed, Early, Wiley P., and Buckner HARRIS were sons of Gen. Buckner HARRIS and Nancy Matilda EARLY. Buckner HARRIS, s/o Walton HARRIS and Rebecca LANIER, was born in VA but came with his family to the Wilkes County area of GA. After the death of Gen. Buckner HARRIS, his wife moved to Mississippi, evidently, with several of her sons.

It appears that many members of the HARRIS family of Virginia, migrated to the North East area of Georgia in the late 1700s. Most into Wilkes Co., GA which was formed 5 Feb 1777. Wilkes later divided into other counties. The area of the home of Walton HARRIS Sr became a part of Greene county when it was created on February 3, 1786. Walton HARRIS' parents were Nathan HARRIS and Catherine Walton.

An Elizabeth HARRIS married Hiram J. RANDALL on 10 Aug 1812 in Amite Co., MS. I am not sure if this is the same Elizabeth HARRIS that won land lottery in Georgia; however, she is a good candidate for the mother of several HARRIS' who married in Amite Co., MS in the 1810/1825 time period.

My connection is Charity HARRIS who married Leonard CAGLE, 3 Feb 1821 in Amite Co., MS. Leonard died Abt 1829 and Charity (HARRIS) CAGLE is found in the 1830 Copiah Co., MS Census. Also, the Elizabeth HARRIS, who married Hiram J. RANDALL, evidently died prior to 1820, as he married Martha PRINE, 31 Mar 1820 in Amite Co., MS. He, evidently, moved about that time to Copiah Co., MS and is found there in 1830. Likewise, Buckner HARRIS, who was in the 1820 Pike Co., MS Census, is found in the 1830 Copiah Co., MS.

It would appear that the Amite Co., MS HARRIS and the Pike Co., MS HARRIS were probably related, as they seem to have originated in GA prior to migrating to the Amite/Pike Co. MS area, then abt 1820/1830 moved to Copiah Co., MS. Of course there were other HARRIS in Wilkinson, Adams, Marion, Claiborne, and Franklin Co., MS in the early 1800.

In fact, I found a deed from Claborn HARRIS, selling slaves in 1819 in Amite Co., MS. Also, the 1820 Claiborne Co., MS Census lists a Claborn HARRIS. An Uriah McGRAW leaves a Will in Pike Co., MS in the 1820s, appointing a Daniel HARRIS as the Administrator of the Estate. A Daniel HARRIS was listed in the 1820 Wilkinson Co., MS Census.

A Silas HARRIS is listed in the 1810 Franklin Co., MS Census.

It would appear that Benjamin HARRIS, who married Civil MIDDLETON, is probably part of the HARRIS family that made the trip from the Wilkes Co., GA area, to the Amite/Pike County area, then into Copiah County in 1820s. It is also possible that Elizabeth HARRIS, who won the 1807 land lottery in Wilkinson Co., GA, is Benjamin's mother. I am searching for that Elizabeth HARRIS and her husband.

In any case it would appear that most of the Mississippi HARRIS families, especially the HARRIS' that were in Copiah Co., MS in the early to mid 1800s, are from one of the branches of the Northeast Georgia branch of the Virginia HARRIS family. Now, we just have to find the missing link(s).

Mr. Parks,

Thank you so very much for the information. I have found a Benjamin Harris in the Greene Co., GA 1830 census records. He is the correct age. He resided next to Wilmott E. Harris age 50-60. I can't find Wilmott anywhere after that. Next place to look is graveyards. I know I have a lot more information to collect before I can even begin to narrow down the possibilities. Your information has helped me a great deal! I will let you know if I find any connections.

Sincerely,
Patricia

This may be entirely off base; however, it is something that needs to be pursued.

If the Elizabeth HARRIS, who married Hiram J. RANDALL, is in the same Elizabeth HARRIS who won the land lottery in Wilkinson Co., GA in 1807, then Benjamin HARRIS could possibly have been raised by Hiram J. HARRIS.

I don't have the 1820 Census Pike Co., MS or the 1830 Copiah Co., MS Census information, regarding the family of Hiram J. RANDALL, at hand; however, it would be interesting to see his household information for those time intervals. It would also be interesting to know the details of Hiram J. RANDALL's probate file..

Maybe I will go down to the Georgia State Archives tomorrow for further research.

Immediately after the previous posting, I did a search and found the published Probate file for Hiram J. RANDALL at http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/ms/copiah/probate/rndl0....

I find it very interesting that the Estate of Hiram J. Randall was administrated by Benjamin HARRIS; evidently, at the request of Martha Prine, widow of Hiram J. RANDALL.

Also, I find it interesting that Hiram J. RANDALL and Maratha Prine had a son named Wiley P. RANDALL, and that Shubal S. RANDALL also had a son named Wiley P. RANDALL..

Wiley P(ope) seems to have been a common name in the family of Gen. Buckner HARRIS Sr and Nancy Matilda EARLY.

To be continued...

have you checked in to all the Walton's the Harris' were related to? I am trying to draw a connection between Robert Walton, Son of John Walton & Mary Sims of Hanover CO VA. Mary Sims was the daughter of George sims and a daughter of Nathan Harris, I think Elizabeth? Also, there are numerous mentions on legal documents where I have seen Jacob Early, Buckner Harris & Walton Harris with my Waltons. However, I am not sure WHICH set of Waltons they really are!

Another thing, I am trying to find a maiden name of Robert Walton's second wife, Elizabeth. She had two children from her previous marriage to John Burgamy, they were Mary and Nathan. John Burgamy I could not find any Nathans. The usual naming patter is first male after mother's father. Perhaps she was descended for Nathan Harris? Any ideas?
She would have been born around 1760, and married 3 times, third to my Robert and bore at least one child, Robert Walton Jr. They lived in Wilkes and Lincoln Counties, GA.