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nel, Lower Battalion, Dorchester County, commis-
sioned 1778. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME.
PERSONAL PROPERTY: Harrison inherited from his
uncle, John Caile, a one-sixth share of Caile's orig-
inal capital stock in trade and the increase and
profits on it, 1767. By the time he inherited the
property he was already managing it for his uncle.
Assessed value £1,149.15.0, including 18 slaves
and 132 oz. plate, 1783. LAND AT FIRST ELEC-
TION: 528 acres in Dorchester County (all by pur-
chase). WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: On May 16,
1802, probably in Dorchester County. PERSONAL
PROPERTY: size of estate unknown. LAND: 572
acres in Dorchester County.
HARRISON, THOMAS (?-1782). BORN in
Great Britain, of age by 1742. IMMIGRATED: in
1742 as a free adult. RESIDED: in Baltimore Town.
CHILDREN. Died without progeny. PRIVATE CA-
REER. EDUCATION: literate. SOCIAL STATUS AND
ACTIVITIES: Gent., 1782. OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE:
a merchant; owned the firm named Thomas Har-
rison & Co., Baltimore Town. PUBLIC CAREER.
LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Conventions, Baltimore
County, 4th, 1775, 5th, 1775. LOCAL OFFICES:
commissioner, Baltimore Town, 1745-1782; Com-
mittee of Observation, Baltimore Town, elected
1774. WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. LAND AT
FIRST ELECTION: at least 13,587 acres in
Baltimore, Anne Arundel, and Harford counties,
plus 6 lots in Baltimore Town under development
and leased out (all through personal acquisition).
SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST
ELECTION AND DEATH: sold much of his
Baltimore County land, but continued to concen-
trate on the development of lots in Baltimore
Town. WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED: on October 14,
1782, in Baltimore Town after an illness lasting
about three weeks. PERSONAL PROPERTY: TEV,
£5,216.1.3 current money (including 31 slaves);
FB, estate overpaid £8,910.19.10. LAND: 7,926
acres in Baltimore, Harford, and Anne Arundel
counties, plus 18 acres and 35 lots in Baltimore
Town. His real and personal property was esti-
mated to be worth more than £150,000 current
money. ADDITIONAL COMMENTS: his income at
death from ground rents in Baltimore Town
amounted to £385.0.0 current money per annum.
His principal heirs were his nephew John Har-
rison, of Lincolnshire, England, his niece
Elizabeth Irvine, of County Sligo, Ireland, and his
executors, William West (1739-1791), Daniel Bow-
ley (1745-1807), and Richard Ridgely (1755-
1824). A dispute arose after Harrison's death over
whether or not his estate left to his British heirs
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should be confiscated. Luther Martin (1744-1826),
attorney general, argued for the commissioners of
confiscated British property that Harrison had
intended to devise the bulk of his property to his
executors in trust for his British relatives and
therefore the property should be confiscated.
West, Bowley, and Ridgely denied any such trust
arrangement and claimed the property as their
own. Although the chancellor's decree was in fa-
vor of the commissioners, an Act of Assembly
passed in 1790 removed the matter from the
Chancery Court and negated the state's claim to
Harrison's estate.
HARRISON, WILLIAM (?-1789). BORN: prior
to 1752, in Charles County; probably second son.
NATIVE: fifth generation. RESIDED: in Charles
County; at times in Alexandria, Virginia, where
his brother Robert practiced law. FAMILY BACK-
GROUND. FATHER: Richard Harrison (?-1780), son
of Joseph Harrison (1687-1727). MOTHER: Do-
rothy (1721-1752), daughter of Robert Hanson
(ca. 1680-1748). STEPMOTHER: Elizabeth (?-1781),
widow of William Penn; daughter of George Dent
(1690-1754). UNCLE: Joseph Hanson Harrison (?-
1785). STEPUNCLES: George Dent (?-1785); John
Dent, of George (ca. 1733-1809). AUNT: Mary
Hanson, who married Daniel Jenifer (?-1795).
STEPAUNTS. Elizabeth Hoskins, who married Wal-
ter Hanson (1711/12-1794); Rebecca Dent (1735-
1770), who married Thomas Hanson Marshall
(1731-1801). BROTHERS: Robert Hanson, military
secretary to George Washington and chief judge
of the General Court; Walter Hanson, rector of
Durham Parish, Charles County. STEPBROTHERS:
Jezereal Penn; William Penn. MARRIED first,
Rebecca, daughter of William Dent (1706-1757)
and wife Anne Warren; granddaughter of Thomas
Dent (1685-1725) and wife Ann Bayne. Her broth-
ers were George, who married first, Rose Town-
shend Knox (?-1794), and second, Elizabeth Har-
rison Knox; Warren Dent (?-1794). Her sisters
were Eleanor, who married John Jordan (?-1763);
Judith, who married Jeremiah Chase (?-1755);
Mary, who married Rev. William Dowie; Ann,
who married Samuel Briscoe; and Grace, who
married Robert Harrison. Her niece was Mary
Hanson Briscoe, who married Michael Jenifer
Stoned 747-1 812). MARRIED second, Ann. CHIL-
DREN. SONS: William Dent; probably also Robert
Hanson. DAUGHTERS: Ann Warren; Rebecca; and
Grace. PRIVATE CAREER. EDUCATION: literate.
RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: Protestant. SOCIAL STA-
TUS AND ACTIVITIES: Esq.; Hon. OCCUPATIONAL
PROFILE: probably a planter. PUBLIC CAREER.
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