Ancestral Trails 2016 » William HARRIS (1556-1616)

Personal data William HARRIS 

• He was born on September 21, 1556 in Woodham Mortimer, Crixe, Essex.Sources 2, 4
• He was baptized on May 4, 1563 in Cold Norton, Essex.Source 5
• Occupations:
• Merchant, Landowner, Member of the Virginia Company.
• in Merchant, Landowner, Member of the Virginia Company.
• (Knighthood) on July 23, 1603 in Whitehall Palace, Westminster, Middlesex: Eve of James I Coronation.
• He died on November 14, 1616 in Woodham Mortimer, Crixe, Essex, he was 60 years old.
• Alternative: He died on November 14, 1616 in Woodham Mortimer, Crixe, Essex, he was 60 years old.Source 4
• He is buried on November 20, 1616 in All Saints, Crixe, Woodham, Essex.
• Probate on November 20, 1616 naar Crixe, Woodham, Essex.
• Will on December 21, 1615 naar Crixe, Woodham, Essex.
• A child of Arthur HARRIS and Dorothy R WALDEGRAVE

Household of William HARRIS

He is married to Alice SMYTHE.

They got married on May 6, 1583 at St Gabriel's, Fenchurch, London, Middlesex, he was 26 years old.Source 6

Child(ren):

1. Christopher HARRIS  1600-????
2. Alice HARRIS  1590-1615 
3. Elizabeth HARRIS  1596-1656
4. Frances HARRIS  1594-1654 
5. Mary HARRIS  1592-1652 
6. John HARRIS  1588-1638 
7. Dora HARRIS  1593-????
8. Arthur HARRIS  1584-???? 
9. William HARRIS  1585-1622 
10. Thomas HARRIS  1586-1617

Notes about William HARRIS

Alice's marriage to William Harris joins my Carter ancestors to my Harris ancestors over 300 years before my grandmother Clara Carter married my grandfather William Harris.

IGI (1994 CDROM) - Baptised 4 May 1563 Cold Norton, Essex
I.G.I. (1994 CDROM) - Married - Saint Gabriel, Fenchurch, London
Visitation of Essex 1612 - of Crixse where he and his ladye is buryed, he
died in Novem. a0 1616, and she in November a0 d'ni 1615
Visitation of Essex 1634 - of Crixsey & Woodham Mortimer in com. Essex Knt.

1563, Alternate birthdate found in "Visitation of Essex 1612"
1598 Was left a bequest of £50 in the will of his mother in law, Dame Alice Smythe.
1603 Sir William Harris was knighted in Whitehall on 23 August 1603.
1603 Acceded to his father's Arms entitlement 23 Jul 1603. Knighted at Whitehall.
1604/05 Knighted by King James 1st at Whitehall or Otelands 23 Jan 1604/5
1615 His will is written 21 Dec 1615 Creeksea Parish, Essex and probated 20 November 1626. Prerogative Court of Canterbury. His son in law, Sir Giles Brown, husband of his daughter Mary, was the executor of William's estate. Reference Number: 55827

The origin of the Harris family is located some 40 to 50 miles north-east of London and on the north bank of the River Crouch. The very old village of Cricksea (or Creeksea) exists today on this peninsula in Essex about 2 miles west of Burnham-on-the -Crouch and about 18 miles inland from the North Sea. Anciently Called "Danes Island", this area was inhabitted largely by Norman families after the conquest. This was the home of John Harris, and his parents, lady Alice and Sir William Harris.

Sir William Harris (1556-1616) was an English knight, land owner, and a notable incorporator in the third Virginia Company of London.

Sir William Harris was knighted on 23 July 1603 at Whitehall on the eve of the coronation of James I. His elevation to the knighthood was the result of military service in Ireland during the Nine Years' War (Ireland) along with his cousin Sir William Harris of Shenfield, Essex.

William Harris was born 21 Sep 1556 in Essex. His parents were Sir Arthur Harris and Dorothy Waldegrave. He made his home at Creeksea Place Manor

William married Alice Smythe on 6 May 1583 in St Gabriel Fenchurch, London, England. Alice was the daughter of Thomas Smythe of Westenhanger, Kent.

The children of Sir William Harris and Lady Alice Harris were:

Sir Arthur Harris b 1584....d 9 Jan 1632
William Harris b 1585....d 1622 in Lincolns Inn, Middlesex.
Thomas Harris b 1586
John Harris b 1588....d by 14 Oct 1638 in Charles City Co., Va.
Alice Harris married Sir Henry Mildmay
Frances Harris married Mr. Roope
Elizabeth Harris
Mary Harris married Gyles Browne

Virginia Company
Sir William Harris, his brother in law, Sir Thomas Smythe and his son, Sir Arthur Harris, each, were Incorporators and Subscribers to the third charter of the Virginia Company of London, and each paid £75 as their subscription. Both Harris and Smythe were very interested in the development of Virginia. They exerted their influence to secure money, men, equipment, supplies, and ships for the colonization efforts.

Lady Alice died 10 November 1615 and Sir William on 14 Nov 1616. Both are buried at All Saints Church in Creeksea. All Saints still displays a depiction of Sir William and his sword, a rapier, which was found in Creeksea Place and given to the church.
SOURCE: Wikipedia - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Harris_(Tudor_person)

WILL/PROBATE
Will of Sir William Herris als Harris Knight, Crixsey, Essex, 1615 -Prerogative Court of Canterbury -Cope No. 119 Probate 1616

In the name of God Amen I Sir William Herris Als Harris of Crixsey in the Countie of Essex knight beine thankes be to God in the makeinge hereof in good and perfect memorie doe revoke all other wills by me formerlie made of contrived bearinge Date before this present Daye beinge the one and Twentie Daye of December in the yeare of our Lord accordinge to the computation of the Church of England one thousand six hundred and ffiveteene In the which I recomend my Spiritt unto the Lord Jesus Christ my only Saviour and Redeemer and my Body to be buried at the Discretion of my Executor provided that it be without pompe of heraldry, or greater Ceremonie cost but onlie with accompnienige of some of my now ffrendes which shall happen to be at hand at the tyme of my death And As for the disposinge of my worldlie estate: ffirst my will and minde is that my Executor hereafter named shall with all my debts due unto me at the tyme of my death and all my money plate household stuffe and Implements whatsoever And with all the Cleere Rentes And profitts comeinge of my Reserved estate of landes woodes and Leases which shall come to my Executor innediatelye after my death: At the feasts of the birth of our Lord, the Annunciation of our Blessed lady, St. Mary the Virgin, the Nativitie of St John Baptiste or the feast of St. Michaell the Archangell or at which of the said feasts shall first happen next after my decease pay these quarterlye portions following to and for the mayntenance of my younger children first to my Sonne William sixteene poundes thirteene shillinges four pence To my Sonne Thomas Sixteene poundes thirteen shillinges four pence To my Sonne John Sixteen poundes thirteene shillinges four pence To my daughter Francis Sixteen poundes thirteene shillges four pence And to my daughter Elizabeth Sixteen poundes thirteene shillges four pence which sayed severall portions I will shall be likewise continued to be from and henceforth payed Quarterlye by mine Executor to everie one of my said younger children at every one of the said feast dayes then next following untill my debtes which I shall owe at the tyme of my death be fullie discharged and payed which I will shall be lessened and paied by my Executor with the over plus and remaynder of my said Debtes dewe to me and my money plate houhold stuffe and implements aforesiad and with the cleere Rentes and profitte of landes woodes and leases aforesiad which shall Quarterly arise at everie of the feaste aforesaid over and above the said quarterly portions formerlie appointed to be payd And further my will and meaninge is that after my said debtes be fullie discharged and payd in manner and forme aforesaid which I hope will be within one yeare after my decease that the said quarterlie portions shall be continued and paied to everie one of my said younger children named and forrmeaforesaid untill everie one of them shall be by mine Executor Satisfied and payed with the over plus and remaynder If the said cleere Rentes and profitts of my reserved estate of landes woodes and leases aforesaid which shall quarterlie arise at everie of the feastes aforesaid over and above the Said quarterlie portions the severall Somes of ffifteene hundred poundes apeece for their ffinal portions in manner and forme followinge viz: The over plus and remainder of the first two quarters which shall arise over and above the said portions next after my debts be payd to my Sonne William towards the Rayseinge of his finall portion of ffifteene hundred poundes and the over plus and remaynder of the two quarters then next following be payd to my Sonne Thomas towards the raiseinge of his finall portion of fiffteene hundred poundes, and the over plus and remaynder of the two quarters tyhen next followinge to be payd Againe to my Sonne William And as the over plus and remaynder of everie two quarters still followinge to be payd to my Twoe Sonnes William and Thomas interchangeably as aforesaid until they and either of them shall be fullie payd their severall ffynall portions of ffiveteen hundred poundes apeece And after my Said two Sonnes William and Thomas have fullie received their said fynall portions:Then I will the over plus and remaynder aforesaid shall be quarterlie payd at the feastes aforesaid to my Sonne John till his fynall portion of ffiveteen hundred pounde be raysed and payd: And after my Sonne John is paied his fynall portion aforesaid then I will the over plus and remaynder aforesaidd shall be quarterlie paied to my daughter ffrancys if she be then married till her finall portion of ffiveteen hundred poundes be raysed and paide: And lastly after my daughter ffrancis is payd her said ffynall portion, or that she be still unmarried whereby her quarterly portion aforesaid be onelye continued unto her: Then I will the over plus and remaynder aforesaid shall be quarterly paid as afforesaid to my daughter Elizabeth if she be then married till the fynall portion of ffiveteen hundred poundes be also raysed and payed provided nevertheless my will and meaning is that so longe as my daughters ffrancis or Elizabeth doe happen to live unmarried there shall be noe ffinall portions raysed nor paide unto them but only to have their quarterlie portions continued so longe as they or either of them live unmarried: But if they or either of them happen to marrye before any of my said Sonnes ffynall portions be raysed or in the tyme that any of my said sonnes fynall portions be in rayseinge: That then the rayseinge and paieinge of my Sonne and sonnes ffynall portions shall Cease and be deferred untill the said ffynall portion or portions of my said daughter of daughters so mareinge be first raysed and payed in manner as is before sett downe for the rayseinge and Payeinge of ffinall portions in this my will: And after my daughter or daughters ffynall portion or portions at mareinge be raysed and payd: Then my Sonnes ffynall portions to proceede againe to be raysed and payd in manner and forrme before mentioned till everie one of my said younger sonnes and daughters be fullie Satisfied and payde the severall Somes of ffiveteen hundred poundes: And further my will and meaninge is that as soon and when as the fffynall portion of ffiveteen hundred poundes to any one of my younger Sonnes or daughters before given is fullie raysed and payd that then his or her quarterlie pension before bequeathed shall be no longer continued but shall cease:And So the severall quarterly portions of everie one of my said younger Sonnes and daughters to cease everie one of them shall have received their severall ffynal portions of ffiveteen hundred poundes at ..... and not before. And ffurthermore yf yt shall happen that any of my said younger Sonnes or daughters doe marry and Die before his her of their ffynall portion or portions be raysed byt payd than my will and meaninge is that everie or anie one of my said younger Sonnes or daughters soe being married shall have power to give and dispose of by will his her or their fynall portion orportions And that the ffynall portion or portions of hym her or them so being maried and dyeing as afore said shall be payd by myne Executor accordinge as the Same is formerlie appointed to be raised by this my will to such person and persons and to such use and uses as any of my said younger Sonnes or daughters so beinge maried shall before their Death give and dispose the Same unto them I doe ordaine and apointe Executor of this my will Sir Arthur Herris my eldest Sonne And desire and nominate my Overseers my Sonne in Law Sir Henry Mildmay knight my Cosen Edward Walgrave of lawfords Esquier And my nephhew Thomas ffanshaw of Barkinge Esquier unto whome I will that my Executor shall bestowe of each of them A peece of plate of foure poundes in valewe in Remembrance of my love:And so in witness of this my will contyneinge two sheetes of paper I have unto either of them put my hand and published the Same for my last will the said one and twentieth Dye of December in the yeare above written. And as for my givfte to the poore and the rewarde of such of my Servante as have taken paynes to aboute me my Executor understande my minde in that behalfe
William Herrys

witness to the signeinge Sealinge and publishinge
honest Jerome Wright Thomas Herris William Peaerson George King
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Timeline William HARRIS

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