Daniel Harris (1653-1735)

Daniel Harris was born on 16 Jul 1653 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut, as the second child of Daniel Harris and Mary Weld. He had nine siblings, namely: Mary, Joseph, Thomas, Elizabeth, Sarah, Sarah, William, John, and Hannah. Daniel’s sister, Mary, is also a direct ancestor in another branch of our family tree.

When he was 27, he married Abigail Barnes on 14 Dec 1680 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut.

Daniel Harris and Abigail Barnes had the following children:

1. Abigail Harris was born on 07 Feb 1682/83 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut. She died 13 May 1723 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut at age 40.
2. Patience Harris was born on 15 May 1683 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut. She married Ezekiel Gilbert on 02 Dec 1714 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut. She died on 15 Aug 1777 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut at age 94.
3. Mary Harris was born on 11 Jan 1685/86 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut, USA. She died on 14 Aug 1776 at age 90.
4. Daniel Harris was born on 02 Oct 1688 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut. He married a woman named Abigail.
5. Joseph Harris was born on 01 Mar 1690/91 in Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut.

Daniel Harris became a widower on 22 May 1723 when his wife Abigail Barnes Harris passed away. When he was 73, he married Elizabeth, the widow of Samuel Cook, on 05 Jan 1726/27.

Daniel Harris died on 18 Oct 1735 at Middletown, Middlesex, Connecticut. He was buried there at either the McDonough or Riverside Cemetery. Early records indicate he was buried at McDonough Cemetery, but more current records, including Find-A-Grave, show he was buried at Riverside.

An abstract of estate was recorded in the Hartford, Connecticut Probate Records as follows:

Page 335 Invt. œ1008-04-00. Taken 20 November, 1735, by Abijah Moore, Jonathan Allin and William Rockwell. Will dated 22 March, 1734-5: I, Daniel Harris, being advanced in age to fourscore years, do make this my last will and testament, in manner and form following: I give to my wife Elizabeth my silver spoon, Bible, bellows, and whatsoever goods or household stuff she brought to my house when I marryed her, my best bed with furniture, and £20. I give to the First Church of Christ in Middletown my silver cup (inventoried at £18). I have already given my two sons, Daniel and Joseph, their full portions by deeds of gift. I give to the children of my daughter Abigail Cornell deceased, viz., to Abigail Miller, the wife of Amos Miller, my brass kettle; to Elizabeth Cornell, my silver salt cellar; to Joseph, Daniel and Nathaniel, to each, two acres of my boggy meadow. I give to my son-in-law Ezekiel Gilbert two acres of my boggy meadow. And to my grandson Jonathan Gilbert I give four acres of the western part of my home lot. I give to my son Daniel Harris my cloak, and to my grandson Daniel Harris I give the remainder of my home lot and the buildings thereto belonging. I give to my sons-in-law, Joseph Cornell and William Ward, all my rights of land on the east side of the Great River, divided or undivided, especially my Wongunk swamp. I give to my grandsons, the sons of my daughter Mary Ward, all my husbandry utensils. I give to my wife the use of all my improveable estate so long as she continues my widow, except the silver cup, brass kettle and silver salt cellar before mentioned. I give to my daughters, Mary Ward and Patience Gilbert, all my household stuff and stock that shall remain after my wife’s decease or marriage. I give to my grandsons, Jonathan Gilbert, Daniel Harris and Moses Harris, all my right in the commons or undivided land, to be equally divided. I give my gun to my grandson Joseph Harris. I give my gold ring to my granddaughter Abigail Harris, the daughter of my son Joseph Harris deceased. I ordain my wife Elizabeth to be sole executrix. Witness: Nathaniel Starr, James Ward, William Rockwell. Daniel Harris, ls. Court Record, Page 336–13 November, 1735: Will proven.

Where is he in the tree?

Selected Sources:

[1] Connecticut Marriages, 1640-1939,” database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-89VP-577L?cc=2448940&wc=Q8RL-B2V%3A1589605372 : 12 May 2016), 007615715 > image 26 of 288; Connecticut State Library, Hartford.

Ancestry.com, Hartford, Connecticut Probate Records, 1729-1750 (Provo, UT, USA, Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2000), Ancestry.com, http://www.Ancestry.com.