Descendants of Elizabeth Harris

Elizabeth and Mary Harris, daughters of Isaac Harris, were apparently younger than Benjamin Harris who was born in 1762, and older than Reuben Harris who was born March 22, 1771. We have estimated their birth dates as about 1765 and 1768. Elizabeth was named first when the children were ordered bound out by the church wardens of Meherrin Parish, so she may be the older daughter. She is likely the Elizabeth who married James Walker. The reasons for believing this are: First, when Frances Harris, widow of Wooten Harris, submitted the register of births of her children to the court in order to obtain her widow's pension, some of the names on this register were crossed off. These names appear to be names of her nieces and nephews. Two of these names were Frances Walker, born June 30, 1785, and Labin Walker born August 2, 1787. They are the right ages to be the children of Elizabeth and husband James Walker.

Secondly, the following record mentions a James Walker and Elizabeth as well as a "Laban" Walker. The above "Labin" Walker born in 1787 would be about age 28 at that time. (See Rutherford County, North Carolina Court Minutes July 10, 1815).

"Peggy Kirtland, Ledbetter Bradley, James Walker and Elizabeth and Laban Walker, being under summons to attend court as witnesses on behalf of John Kelly in his suit with Phill Goodbread, admr, being solemnly called, failed to attend, therefore forfeited, agreeable to act of assembly."

Thirdly, in the Greenville County, South Carolina 1790 census there is a James Walker listed who was living near Reuben and Benjamin Harris. Then in 1800 the name, James Walker, Jun., was listed as #263 after #261 Rheuben Harris, #262 Benjamin Harris.

Fourthly, a James Walker and "Labourn" Walker were included in the 1820 census record of Rutherford County, North Carolina. This Labourn Walker was in the "twenty-six to forty-five" age bracket which is the right age to be the Labin Walker who was born in 1787. In the 1790 Greenville County census, James Walker and wife have four children, two boys and two girls. Then in 1800, James Walker, Jun., is over forty-five, his wife is in the "twenty-six to forty-five" age bracket. If Elizabeth was born about 1765 she would be about thirty-five years of age at that time. They have seven children, a son and daughter in the "ten to sixteen" age bracket, and three sons and two daughters who were under age ten years. If the son age ten to sixteen is Labin Walker born 1787, he would be age thirteen in 1800.

In addition, the following was sent to me by Alice Duncan, whose husband is a descendant of Reuben Harris, one of the sons of Isaac Harris of Brunswick County, Virginia. Her letter was dated April 17, 1983:

". . Now to Laban Walker, in the beginning I was interested in the name Walker in White Co, TN, and Buncombe Co, NC, because in the 1850 McDonough Co, IL census enumeration of Joseph Duncan (& wife, Nancy Harris, d/o Reuben) living with the widower, Joseph and his children was Washington Walker, age 14 b Tn. So in my research of White Co, TN, records, I was on the lookout for any Walker.

"LDS film # 507,969 - White Co, TN Tax Records:
(Note: wp must stand for white poll)

Capt W B Co. . . . 1817 Laban Walker 1 wp; Robert Walker, 100 a Lost Cr.
Capt Mitchells Co. . . 1825 John walker 1 wp; Laban Walker, 1 wp 88 a
Capt Turners Co. . . . 1832 Laban Walker
Capt Wells Co. . . . . 1833 Laban Walker
Capt Lances Co. . . . 1834 Laban Walker 100 1/2 a 212 1/2 a

"In 1836 White Countians were divided into districts - Dist 1 thru' 13.

"DeKalb Co was formed from White Co, 1837/38.

"1840 Census DeKalb Co TN p 253: Laban Walker 0000,0001 - 0000,0001 (both Laban and wife age 50-60)

"1850 Census DeKalb Co, TN p 105, #753 printed census: James Kirklen, 33 TN, Elizabeth, 11 TN Geo. W., 9 TN, James, 7 TN, John W., 3 TN, Laiborn Walker, 65 (did not give place of birth), Elizabeth, 69 TN.

"Same census - #754: Zachariah Kirklen, 60 NC, Elizabeth, 57 N/C (d/o Reuben Harris), Wm. J., 19, Wiley C. 17, Isaac W., 13, James G., 24, Manerva, 23, Samuel T., 1."

"At sale of estate of Reuben Harris, McDonough Co, IL - a receipt for Zachariah and Elizabeth Kirkland, signed James P. Kirkland, attorney in fact at Blandinsville. Purchasers at the sale 31 Jul 1845 - Laban Walker)."

(Note: Relationship of James Kirklen age 33 to Zachariah Kirklen has not been established but the fact that "Laiborn" Walker and Elizabeth are living with them suggests that James Kirklen's wife may have been their daughter. He is likely the James P. Kirtland who went to McDonough Co, IL, as attorney in fact for Zachariah Kirtland's wife Elizabeth, and Labin Walker accompanied him.)

Alice Duncan adds, "Until now I have really mulled over why he (James P. Kirkland) would have been interested enough to go to IL at that time - 1845." (Note: James G. Kirkland, age 24, s/o Zachariah and Elizabeth, d/o Reuben], would have been age 19 in 1845 - too young to settle his mother's share of his grandfather's estate).

To go to another part of the book, click on the navigation bar;
OR use your browser's "Back" button to return to the previous page;
OR surf back to the Isaac Harris Family Page.