| Notes |
- Isaiah lived in the community called Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York from 1687 to 1702. Lived in Smithtown, Long Island, New York from 1702 to 1721. Lived in Sussex Co, DE from 1721 to 1736. Isaiah Harrison first appears in the New World in a deed dated 2 January 1687 granted by the town of Oyster Bay, Long Island. The deed gives him one whole right of commonage in the town on the condition that he reside there seven full years. Should he move away before then, this right would be forfeited. Should he die before the seven years were finished, his wife and heirs would receive the right immediately. The cause for this deed is simple: the town needed a blacksmith to create and repair the iron implements so necessary for an agricultural community. In addition, Oyster Bay in those days was a point of ship building for vessels in the coastwise trade among the colonies. The townsmen had tried to entice such a craftsman to live there before this, but with varied success. Apparently Isaiah was a skilled blacksmith, for he prospered under this charge. That he was also an educated man is proven by his signatures on various deeds - not many could sign their own name in that day.
About 1688 he married Elizabeth Wright, a daughter of Gideon Wright and his wife Elizabeth Townsend. But she was dead by 1698, leaving five small motherless children. On 16 January 1688 Isaiah purchased from John Wright and his wife Mary 100 acres lying and being near Suckscall's wigwam, part of the last general purchase from the Indians of Mattenacocke dated 9 January 1685. This was purchased for 60 pounds current money of New York. Suckscall was an Indian chief; his wigwam was located at what is now known as Brookville (Wolver Hollow), Long Island, a few miles southwest of the town spot of Oyster Bay. No doubt Isaiah Harrison was the first white man to live on this land. By 1690 he was a freeholder of the town and over the next few years received 81 more acres of town land. About 1700 he married secondly Abigail (whose surname might have been Smith) at Oyster Bay. But on 20 April 1702 he sold all his lands in Oyster Bay. The price was 400 pounds current lawful money of New York. His second wife, Abigail, made her mark on the deed. That same day he bought he bought 500 acres in Smithtown, Long Island, for the same 400 pounds. Here he prospered as a husbandman and in 1708 added 200 more acres to his estate. After having resided fourteen years at Oyster Bay and nineteen years at Smithtown, on 12 June 1721 he and Abigail sold most of their lands. In another deed, dated 28 April 1722, they sold the last 200 acres for 200 pounds of current New York money. At this time they were of Sussex County, Delaware and he was termed a blacksmith. Previously, on 2 June 1721 they had bought lands in the Broadkill hundred of Sussex County, Pennsylvania (later Delaware). This was about eight miles from the Town of Lewes. Then on 10 October 1732 he sold to his three sons (Thomas Harrison, Daniel Harrison, and Jeremiah Harrison) 250 acres each for the princely sum of 5 shillings each. This was part of his 907 acres Maiden Plantation. His second wife is not mentioned in these deeds, so presumably she had died by then. Later, on 7 May 1736 he disposed of the remaining 150 acres of Maiden Plantation. Then the family moved together to Virginia. Perhaps it was in the Spring of 1737 that they took ship from Lewes and journeyed by water to the old town of Bellhaven, on the Potomac, later called Alexandria. About a week was required to make the long voyage around Cape Charles. Then their route lay through Thornton's Gap of the Blue Ridge. There were sixteen in the party that crossed the ridge, brothers and half brothers, with their families, and among them they brought over the mountain the first wheeled vehicle, a cart, that is said to have appeared in the Shenandoah Valley. At first they camped for a while along the South Fork of the Shenandoah River near where the "White House" in Page County now stands. From this base they explored the surrounding country. Here the "Pater Familias" Isaiah Harrison died and was buried. He did not live to see his children settled in their new homes. Since the climate had proved malarious the remaining party either went around the Massanutten mountain or crossed over it into that section of the Valley now known as Rockingham County. Here the party divided up and camped at the various springs where they finally settled. John settled at the Big Spring, now called Lacey Spring. Thomas settled at the head spring of Cook's Creek, the present site of Harrisonburg. Daniel settled a short distance from Thomas where Dayton now is. Samuel located on the head waters of Linville's Creek, a few miles north of Daniel.
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Children by his first wife - all born in Oyster Bay:
Isaiah born 27 September 1689
John born 25 September 1691, died May 1771; married about 1720 Phebe -- (1686 - 6 December 1793).
Gideon born 25 June 1694, died 1729
Mary born 25 May 1696, died 1781; married about 1721 Robert Cravens (1696 - May 1762)
Elizabeth born 30 March 1698
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Children by his second wife - all born in Smithtown except maybe the first:
Daniel (1701 - 10 July 1770) married first Margaret Cravens, second Sarah Stephenson
Thomas (1704 - 1785) married first Jane de la Haye, second Sarah (Cravens?)
Jeremiah (1707 - 1777) married Catherine
Abigail (1710 - 1780) married Alexander Herring They had a daughter, Bathsheba Herring who married Capt. Abraham Lincoln (1744 - 1785). These were grandparents of the President of the same name.
Samuel (1712 - 1790) married Mary
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English Origins of the Family:
The Reference 1 volume presents a great deal of information on English and Irish bearers of the name who could be progenitors of Isaiah Harrison. However, there is no direct evidence as to any such connection. Daniel Harrison affixed a seal to his will which has been attributed to Harrison of London, descended from Durham. This is described as: azure, an eagle displayed or, ducally gorged argent. This is similar to the arms used by Major General Thomas Harrison, one of the judges of King Charles I, who was executed upon the accession of King Charles II in 1660. So it is not likely that he would have been Isaiah's father. A second Harrison seal was used by Daniel's son Robert on his will: azure
three demi lions erased or. This was registered in 1612 by Thomas Harrison of Eaton, York. Some of this family also settled in Durham.
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Davis Uriah I | Born 1707
1666 - 1738 (71 years)