I'm trying to find a baptism record for Thomas Harrison born around 1694 (+- 5 years) and a marriage license for Thomas Harrison and Ann around 1725 (+- 4) years. The big question is where was he born and where did he marry? An initial clue suggests Kent, hence the posting on this forum board. However, it may have been Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire or Northamptonshire! (see clue 2). If I can find the answer to these questions I might be able to uncover who his parents were...
Thomas Harrison was a non-conformist and the only reference to his earlier life we've found dates from 1714 and we know how old he was when he died in 1766. In 1714, Thomas Harrison was living in Kent and an active non-conformist attending meetings at Bessels Green, Kent. As a young man he was assigned to travel with non-conformist elder Robert Norden from Warbleton, Sussex and together they sailed to Virginia, USA where Robert Norden became one of the founding fathers of the baptist church. Robert Norden remained in Virginia, but Thomas Harrison returned to England around 1720 to marry Ann (where did they marry?). They had at least one son, John Harrison born 1625 & died 1784 (Ightham) who is referred to by Thomas Harrison in his will as 'his Kinsman'. In 1745 Thomas Harrison was ordained as Minister at Bessels Green and he died in Ightham in 1766. He lived in Ightham, Kent at Old Stones where he ran a grocery/drapery store and the house and various estates in Kent were left to his son John and his grandsons. We are directly descended from Thomas Harrison's grandson Benjamin Harrison born 1764, son of John Harrison, who moved to Luton in around 1790. The rest of the family stayed in Kent....
The second clue on Thomas Harrison suggests he had a link with Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire or Buckinghamshire. I'm posting a separate message on those forum boards. Thomas Harrison (Born 1694) and his wife Ann had a son John Harrison born 1725 in Kent who married Ann around 1755. (Again I'm looking for John's baptism record and marriage licence). They had 6 children between 1756-1769, including Benjamin Harrison born 1764. The baptism records for their 6 children are all listed in the non-conformist registers for Kent. Benjamin Harrison (b. 1764 Ightham, Kent, d. 1847 Luton, Bedfordshire) married Martha and settled in Luton, Bedfordshire (A long way from Kent!!) where he opened up a successful Drapers shop.
Benjamin and Martha's marriage may have taken place around 1790-1792 in either Kent or Luton, Bedfordshire...(I'm looking for their marriage licence). Martha died in Luton in 1815 after giving birth to at least 12 children, of which only 6 survived past childhood. Their first child Francis Harrison was baptised 27 June 1792 at Buckingham, Buckinghamshire and his birth was registered by the Pottersbury Meeting House Minister in the county of Northamptonshire. The address for Benjamin and Martha Harrison is given as Luton, Bedfordshire where he worked as a draper. After 1795, their other children were baptised at Whites Row Chapel, Spital Fields, London (parents abode states Luton, Beds).
re Clue No 2... The Independent church was established at Potterspury in 1690 by 'MICHAEL HARRISON', who had previously been minister of Caversfield near Bicester (Oxon.), which met in the back premises of Pedder's Farm. In 1691, Harrison purchased the property and settled at Potterspury. When he left in 1709 to become minister at St. Ives (Hunts.), Harrison sold the premises, reserving the pulpit and meeting-house furniture to the congregation, who rented the buildings from the new owner. In Harrison's day the congregation had about 16 members, including some from Stony Stratford, Paulerspury, Hanslope and Towcester, as well as Potterspury and Yardley. Could it be that Michael Harrison is Thomas Harrison's father, or uncle?? There has to be some connection surely and this would explain why Thomas Harrison was already a very active member of the non-conformist community from a young age and why Benjamin Harrison moved back to this area and had his first child Francis Harrison baptised there.
Any help finding further evidence on this non-conformist family would be wonderful! I'd love to think we can trace the line back to the early 1600s.
Jules
