![]() Twenty-fourth in a series of biographical sketches whose descendants belong to the First Mississippi Company; in honor of the 400th anniversary of the July 30, 1619, meeting of the first representative governmental body in America at the 1617 Church on Jamestown Island Thomas Harris (1586-c. 1649) Henrico County, VA
Thomas Harris, an ancient planter and inhabitant of Virginia listed on the 1624-25 Muster, arrived on the Prosperous in May 1611 with a group brought by Sir Thomas Dale to establish a settlement in Henricus. On 18 Nov 1618, Harris was granted 100 acres as an Ancient Planter at Neck of Land and is listed in the Muster at Charles City as age 38 with his first wife Adria (Hoare), age 23. Thomas Harris and Adria were married in Virginia, as she had come to America in 1621 on the Marmaduke. Thomas acquired another 650 acres of land for the transportation of 13 persons to the colony and another 400 acres by inheritance. Harris also acquired the 700 acres known as Longfield that belonged to his neighbors, Edward and Ann Gurganey, when Ann Gurganey bequeathed the land to Harris in her 1619/20 will; this land was patented in his name in 1637. Harris was elected as a Burgess for Neck of Land in 1624 and for Henrico in 1640, 1647-48. He also served as a Commissioner for the “Upper Parts,” land which included Henrico, and as the Commander of Henrico County. After the death of his wife Adria, he married the widow of William Vincent, Joane, who was five years his senior. The only children of Thomas Harris were by his first wife Adria: Mary and William. Mary married Thomas Ligon, and William inherited Longfield in his father’s will, made about 1649 but now lost. Thomas Ligon (1623/4-1675/76) Henrico County, VA Thomas Ligon, the eldest son of Thomas Ligon (c. 1577-1626) and Elizabeth Pratt (1602-1631) was baptized at Walsgrave-on-Sowe, Warwickshire 11 Jan 1623/4. He immigrated to Virginia in the 1640s and settled at Henrico County. He married Mary Harris, daughter of Captain Thomas Harris, of Henrico County before 1649. Mary stated in a deposition given in 1684 that she was 64 years of age, making her birth year about 1620. The couple had five sons: Thomas, William, Richard, Matthew, and Hugh; and two daughters: Johan (wife of Robert Hancock) and Mary. Thomas, the immigrant, served as a member of the House of Burgesses for Henrico in 1656, was a lieutenant colonel in the militia, and was a surveyor of Henrico County until his death in 1675/76. Lt. Colonel Thomas Ligon left a will (now lost), dated 10 Jan 1675/76 and proved 16 March 1675/76, in Henrico County, Virginia. His widow Mary Harris Ligon gave her brother the “whole profits of the surveyor’s place” by an agreement recorded 1 Nov 1679 until her eldest son should become of age. In Mary Ligon’s will, dated 18 April 1702/3 and proved 1 Feb. 1703/4 in Henrico County, she left sons Richard Ligon and Hugh Ligon 200 acres lying in Curles, Henrico County, being part of the land given to her by her father, Captain Thomas Harris. First Mississippi Company descendant of Thomas Ligon and Thomas Harris: Charles Hill
35 Comments
Steve Riggan
7/18/2019 12:00:40 am
Great article on Thomas Ligon. I am a 10th generation descendant through my mother and a new member of Jamestowne Society.
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Nan Cheshire
5/14/2021 05:05:48 pm
He was my 8th GGF.
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Patricia McGarvey
7/30/2019 10:29:01 pm
Thanks for the article on Thomas Ligon and the Harris family. We are descended from both - Col Thomas Ligon and Mary Harris.
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Carl Harris
2/9/2020 10:11:29 pm
This is my 9th great grandfather, thank you for posting this article, I found it on Familysearch.com attached to my ancestor Thomas Harris (1586-c. 1649)
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Diane Bivins
2/18/2020 08:36:50 am
We are descended from Thomas Harris and Adria Hoare through my mother's mother, Juliette Leigh Harris. We are descendants of their son, William
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Jim Harris
2/18/2020 11:34:42 am
I have a group call Harris Gathering. We have semi regular visits to Curles and other places in Virginia related to the Harris family. It is a closed group on Facebook. If you are interested just email me or request to join. Jim Harris
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Bonnie Mae Harris
9/15/2021 12:32:37 pm
I am descended through Mary and my husband is descended through William. May we join your group?
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Dana emmons
1/14/2022 08:55:59 pm
Hi Thomas Harris and John were my grandfather's I'd love to join your group as I don't have too much info on them
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Betsy Enloe
3/13/2023 05:03:42 pm
Hi, Jim! I got your info from the Jamestowne.org blog....some of the information contained within is at odds with information I have from a book called "Adventurers of Purse and Person"...particularly as it relates to Adria and her parentage.
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Thomas Harris
2/24/2020 07:42:17 pm
I'm researching my family tree but have been able to authenticate parents of Thomas Harris (1829-1911) that lived in Bladen, NC. I found the Harris family of Virginia and thought maybe they made their way to North Carolina.
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Owen Elmore
5/7/2020 03:27:51 pm
Thomas Harris' father was Sir William Harris, knighted by James I for his service in the Irish wars. William was an early investor in the Virginia Company, but never left England himself.
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Tom King
5/12/2020 02:56:56 pm
It has been docuemted since the 1993 Publication of 'The Virginia Genealogist' of the 1616/7 Will of Sir William's son Thomas Harris who died unmarried and without issue, leaving his property to his named siblings, all known and documeted children of Sir William Harris, that this Thomas Harris was not the son of Sir William Harris,This has now been confirmed by yDNA from living direct male Harris descendants of this Capt Thomas Harris whose marker values do nor compare with those of the line of Sir William Harris d1616, 4/1/2020 02:40:51 pm
Thomas Harris and Adria Hoare are my 10th Great Grandparents. I follow Mary Harris and Thomas Ligon, my 9th Great Grandparents all the way down the Ligon line to my 6th Great Grandparents Leonard Seth Ligon and Janet Mayo, then their daughter Sarah W. Ligon and George Stubblefield. Then on the Welch, Coy side to my parents.
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Sandra Layne
1/25/2022 09:43:26 pm
Your descendants are the same as mine, down to Sarah W. Ligon and George Stubblefield. Their daughter, Mary, is my grgrgr grandmother. She married a Dunn which is my maiden name.
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Tom King
5/12/2020 03:03:44 pm
The Aylesbury ancestry for Adria Hoare has revealed that her father Thomas Hoare gave a small sum of money in his 1627 Will to his grand daughter Mary Harris, daughter of his daughter Adria in Virginia, This must be the Mary Harris that married Thomas Ligon. Parents, siblings and grandparents for Adria arenow known,
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Jeff Whitfield
7/17/2020 11:35:07 pm
I'm a descendant of Thomas & Mary. Great article and Thanks! I met our cousin Jim and can't wait to have him show me around the old home places
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Mark Romero
12/19/2020 09:42:32 am
I, too, am a descendant of Thomas Harris through my mother’s side.
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Owen Elmore
12/19/2020 11:26:36 am
Thanks for correcting me on Sir William; no we're not related to him. Thomas was from working class stock.
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1/18/2021 01:11:05 pm
We know Thomas Harris had a daughter Mary, but can you tell me how many children Harris children- their names and birth dates. I would like to add to my tree.
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Sandra Layne
4/4/2022 11:23:29 pm
Yes, Thomas Ligon is the same that saved Dr. john Woodson's family from the attack. Just so happens that Thomas Ligon is my 9th ggrandfather, and Dr. john Woodson is my 10th ggrandfather thru another family line.
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Tom King
1/18/2021 03:16:43 pm
This data I had received from living direct male Harris descendants of Capt Thomas Harris as Lead Researcher of the Family Tree DNA Harris Surname Project.As such the names and other information of his four children by Adria Hoare are Non Disclosable under European Union Non Disclosure Regulations on DNA data to anyone on a website that is prublished in Europe.
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Glenn Gohr
7/28/2021 03:49:11 am
Capt. Thomas Harris was married first to Adria/Audry Hoare and had only two children, Mary Harris md. Thomas Lygon/Ligon, and Maj. William Harris. Capt. Thomas Harris married second to Joane (believed to be the widow of his neighbor, William Vincent). No children by this second marriage.
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Heather
4/4/2022 08:16:21 am
According to :The Ligon family and connections
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Linda K. Harris
2/11/2021 10:18:37 am
My maiden name is Harris and Captain Thomas Harris is a direct thru him and his first wife. The children were William and Mary. Finding about Thomas Harris and where immigrated to Jamestown then to Curles Neck lives my entire life a rocks throw to both. I grew up in Richmond, VA. an hour and a half drive to both. My father was a historian of American history but specifically of the history of Virginia. He was and I am proud to have born here especially with the history made here from many presidents and founders. We have visited Jamestown many times and keep up about any news being found as I write it about. My sister went to William and Mary a degree in Anthropology, Colonly research she has done in Jamestown and Henricus or Henrico, an Indian name.Thomas Harris lived there and my sister touched our family there literally with her small shoves to dig. I don't see that as any more then fate for our family.
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5/30/2021 01:46:05 pm
Mary Ligon married Mathew Agee, a Huguenot who settled on a Manakin tract, We have lots more cousins” genealogies for you, including other Jamestowne cousins, such as Brasseurs and Moseleys, and we meet on Huguenot land, I am researching Jamestowne Huguenots and hope to find all of them.
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Raymond W. Ryan, Jr.
8/5/2021 09:06:28 pm
Harris, Hoare and Ligon are several included in my paternal line.
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Patricia
9/22/2021 02:55:22 pm
I too am a descendant of the Lygon/Ligon family. My mother's side of the family (George Berry married Edith LIgon)! Nice to meet you all!!
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Anne Copeland
1/12/2022 09:39:22 pm
Seth Harris is my many great grandfather and this I can prove. I can prove his father Robert, but I think I am lost after that. Any suggestions?
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Sandra Layne
1/25/2022 09:59:54 pm
I am 10th generation descendant of Capt. Thomas Harris and wife, Adria. I am 9th generation descendant of Col. Thomas Ligon and wife, Mary Harris Ligon. Also, the Dr. John Woodson, who was killed in an Indian massacre with family saved by Col. Thomas Ligon, is my 10th great grandfather.
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JAMES HARRISON
2/9/2022 11:54:20 am
Harris is My 10th GGF and Lygon would be married to my 9th ggaunt
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Heather
4/4/2022 08:14:17 am
According to :The Ligon family and connections
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Sandra Layne
4/4/2022 11:36:10 pm
I had the opportunity to visit and tour the Lygon estate in England. It is fabulous. Lygons still live there. Madresfield has so much history and is still very connected to the royal family. We stayed in Great Malvern a great town very close to Madresfield. There is a Malvern Hills in eastern VA. I also visited and toured the Berkeley Castle about an hour south of Madresfield. Thomas Ligon (Lygon) came to VA with his cousin, William Berkeley. The castle is still lived in by family. Great castle. It is not a cold, damp old castle but a furnished castle. The family has its living quarters. Visit these if you are in England.
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Jeffrey Adkisson
8/12/2022 10:16:10 am
I am interested in finding the truth of Thomas' wife's name, Adria Hoare or Adria Gurganey. Both have been listed and when questioned the answer has not been given for proof. Surely there is a logical explanatin (two marriages?)
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Brett Martin
1/12/2023 12:57:00 pm
See Tom King's post from May, 2020. Thomas Hoare's 1626 will from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire mentions a granddaughter, Mary Harris of Virginia, child of his daughter Adria. This supersedes the conjecture that Thomas Harris must have been son-in-law to the Gurganyes because Mrs. Gurgany left him land when she died. The dates I've seen quoted concerning Thomas Hoare's estate are 31 Jan 1626/27 for the will and 5 Apr 1627 for the probate.
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Fred Liggin
12/3/2022 08:35:09 pm
Thank you for this. I’m a descendant of Thomas (last name spelled differently when his descendants moved to Georgia post civil war).
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