Thomas HARRIS [Parents] [scrapbook] 1, 2 was christened 3 on 11 Jul 1613 in Northbourne, Kent, England. He died 4 on 7 Jun 1686 in Providence, Rhode Island, British Colonial America. He was buried on 9 Jun 1686 in Providence, Rhode Island, British Colonial America. Thomas married 5 Elizabeth LEATHERLAND 6 on 20 Apr 1632 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, British Colonial America.
Thomas was a member of John Lothrop's dissident group in London prior to immigrating in 1632 in London, London, England. He was a member 7 of Quaker about 1637 in Providence, Providence, Rhode Island, United States.
HARRIS.
Coat of Arms :---Ar. a fess between three Moors heads couped at the shoulders, sa. charged with as many martlets of the field.
Thomas Harris came to New England with his brother, William, and Roger Williams, in the ship Lion (or Lyon), from Bristol, Eng., Dec. 1, 1630, and landed at Salem, Mass. Anne Harris, of Providence, R. I. and Parnill, wife of Thomas Roberts, of Newport, R. I., were their sisters. In July, 1676, William and Thomas Harris asked administration of Town Council of Newport, on estate of Parnill*, widow of Thomas Roberts, they being the only brothers of deceased. According to a written record of Nicholas Harris5, M. D., (who was born in 1749 and whose father Jedediah4 was living while his grandfather, the 2nd Thomas Harris was, and hence, must have heard something of origin of family), his first ancestors in this country, Thomas, and brother William, "came from the town of Deal, in the Island of England." William and Thomas Harris went with Roger Williams from Salem, Mass., to Providence, R. I. (see note), and about Aug.20, 1637, they signed the following compact: "We, whose names are hereunder, desirous to inhabit the town of Providence, do promise to subject ourselves in active or passive obedience to all such orders or agreements as shall be made for public good of the body in an orderly way, by the major assent of the present inhabitants, members of families incorporated together, into a town of fellowship, and such others whom they shall admit unto themselves only in civil things." July 27, 1640, Thomas Harris and thirty-eight others, signed an agreement for a form of government. On Sept. 2, 1650, he was taxed £1. From 1652 to 1663, he was Commissioner; in 1654, Lieutenant; in 1655, Freeman. Bishop's "New England Judged," published in London in 1703, says, "that in July, 1658. After these, came Thomas Harris, from Rhode Island, into your Colony, who, Declaring against your pride and oppression, as he could have liberty to speak in your meeting place at Boston, after the Priest had ended, ‘warning the people of the dreadful, terrible day of the Lord God, which was coming upon that Town and Country, him much unlike to Nineveth, you pulled down and hall'd him by the hair of his head. out of your meeting, and a hand was put on his mouth to keep him from speaking forth, and then had before your Governor and Deputy, with other Magistrates, and committed to prison without warrant or mittimus that he saw, and shut up in a close room, none suffered to come at him, nor to have provisions for his money; and the next day whipped with so cruel stripes, without showing any law that he had broken, tho' he desired it of the jailor, and then shut up again for eleven days more, five of which, he was kept without bread (your jailor not suffering him to have any for his money, and threatened one of the other prisoners very much for bringing him a little water on the day of his sore whipping), and all this because he would not work for the jailor and let him have eight pence in twelve pence of what he should earn," etc., etc.
From 1664 to 1673, Thomas Harris was Deputy to the General Court. 1664 to 1669, member of Town Council. Feb. 19, 1665, he drew lot 7 in division of lands. It fronted on what is now South Main street, Providence, about 122 feet wide and containing nearly five and one-half acres, running back to what is now Hope street. From 1666 to 1675, he was Assistant, and in May, 1667, as surveyor, he laid out the lands, etc. Aug. 14, 1676, he was on a committee that recommended certain conditions, under which Indian captives should be disposed of by the town. They were to be in servitude for a term of years. April 27, 1683, he made the statement, that about 1661, being then a surveyor, he laid out "a three score acre lot for my son Thomas, at Paugachauge Hill, and a 25 acre lot on the south side," etc.
His will was dated June 3, 1686, and proved July 22. Executor, son Thomas; overseers, sons-in-law, Thomas Field and Samuel Whipple.
Sept. 1, 1687, his widow, Elizabeth Harris was taxed 1s. Thomas Harris2, (son of Thomas and Elizabeth Harris), m. Elnathan Tew, and lived in Providence. Feb. 19, 1665, he had lot 49, in a division of lands. 1671, ‘;79, ‘80, ‘81, ‘82, ‘85, 91, 94, 97. 1702, ‘6, ‘7, 8, ‘10, he was Deputy to the General Court. 1684, ‘85, ‘86, member of Town Council. His will was dated June 31, 1708 and proved April 16, 1711. Executors, his wife Elnathan Tew and son Henry .
On some of the grave stones in the old North Burying Ground, in Providence, R. I., are supposed to be the Harris Coat of Arms three martlets on a shield. William Harris, who caused this coat of arms to be put on his daughter's grave stone in 1723, was son of Thomas2, and b. about 1672 was fifteen years old when Thomas¹ died, and must have had the traditions and acquaintance of the first generation. This coat of arms he had on three other stones erected to his children and it was later put on his own stone, and this was probably adapted from the arms given at the head of this sketch, used by the Harris families of Cheshire and Devonshire.Thomas1 Harris m. Elizabeth
Thomas2 Harris m. Elnathan Tew.
Nicholas3 Harris m. Anne Hopkins.
Jedediah4 Harris m. Patience Brown.
Nicholas5 Harris m. Phebe Tibbits.
Nicholas Brown6 Harris m. Martha Carmichael.*prov. Rec. vi., 85.
Note.There is published a volume, Collections of the Rhode Island Historical Society," 1902, devoted entirely to copies of the original letters of the bitter controversy between Roger Williams and William Harris. in which neither had spared invective. Williams calling Harris ‘that prodigy of pride.' who, being an impudent morris dancer in Kent, under the cloak of jests against the bishop, goes into flight to New England, etc." The volume also contains copies of William Harris letters, written in captivity for in returning to England the third time on business, the ship in which be sailed, Unity, was taken, Jan'y 24, 1630, by an Algerine Corsair, and he was sold in Barbary and after more than a year's slavery, was ransomed at a high price.
