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20 slaves, 1790; 2 slaves received from his father's
estate, 1792; a moiety of approximately
£745.17.10 being the remainder of his share of his
father's estate, ca. 1796; 26 slaves, 1798; assessed
value $3,795.00, including 36 slaves and 300 oz.
plate, 1824; gave 41 slaves to his daughters by
deeds of gift, 1835. LAND AT FIRST ELECTION:
1,019 acres in Queen Anne's County (at least 919
acres from his father). No land was found listed in
his name in Talbot County in 1783, but he mar-
ried the daughter of a Talbot County legislator,
and it was probably through her dower that he
was elected a delegate from Talbot County. SIG-
NIFICANT CHANGES IN LAND BETWEEN FIRST
ELECTION AND DEATH: sold 422 acres and pur-
chased 345 acres in Queen Anne's County, 1791;
owned 2 lots in Easton, Talbot County, plus a
moiety of 494 acres in Talbot County possessed in
right of his son, 1798; no Talbot County land ap-
peared under his name after 1798; purchased 166
acres in Queen Anne's County, 1804; purchased
236 acres in Queen Anne's County, 1821; bought,
sold, mortgaged, leased, and resurveyed some
1,193 acres and 18 lots in Baltimore County be-
tween 1800 and 1835, but all or most of it was
sold before his death, including at least 165 acres
given in a deed of trust to his daughter. WEALTH
AT DEATH. DIED: will probated on February 9,
1837, in Queen Anne's County. PERSONAL PROP-
ERTY: TEV, $39,098.30 (including 40 slaves proba-
bly the same ones given to his daughters in 1835,
servants, 1,116 oz. plate, and books); FB,
$35,063.72. LAND at least 1,316 acres in Queen
Anne's County, possibly also 191 acres and some
lots in Baltimore County.
HARRIS, JAMES (1682-1743). BORN: in 1682 in
Kent County; only son. NATIVE: second genera-
tion. RESIDED: in Kent County; Cecil County by
1693; Kent County by 1707. FAMILY BACK-
GROUND. FATHER: William Harris (ca. 1644-
1712). MOTHER: Joan. SISTERS. Tabitha, who mar-
ried Marmaduke Tilden (?-1726); (first name un-
known), who married Thomas Brown, stepson of
William Hopkins (?-1702); Mary, who married
Robert Dunn, son of Robert Dunn (ca. 1630-
1676); and Margaret, who married Charles Hynson
(1663-1711). MARRIED first, in 1701 Elizabeth (?-
1716), daughter of Edward Jones (?-1697). MAR-
RIED second, Augustina (?-1775), daughter of
Matthias Vanderheyden (?-1729). Her half brother
was Henry Ward (?-1734). Her sisters were Jane;
Francina; and Ariana (1690-?), who married first
James Frisby (1684-1719), second, Thomas Bord-
ley (ca. 1683-1726), and third, Edmund Jennings
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(?-1756). CHILDREN. SONS: William Harris ( 1 704-
1748), who married Ariana Margaretta, daughter
of James Frisby (1684-1719); Matthias Harris
(1718-1773), who married first, Mary, daughter of
Rev. James Wilkinson, and second, Hester Bailey,
of Delaware. DAUGHTERS: Elizabeth, who married
John Conner; Jane, who married John Carvill;
Mary, who married Hercules Coutts; and Sarah,
who married Stephen Bordley. PRIVATE CAREER.
EDUCATION: literate. RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION: An-
glican. SOCIAL STATUS AND ACTIVITIES: Second
generation burgess; Mr., by 1707; Esq., by 1717.
OCCUPATIONAL PROFILE: planter; surveyor; owned
a mill at the time of his death. PUBLIC CAREER.
LEGISLATIVE SERVICE: Lower House, Kent
County, 1710 (elected to the 3rd session; resigned
to become sheriff before the 4th session), 1715
(Elections and Privileges; Laws), 1716-1718 (Laws
1-3), 1725-1727 (Laws 1-4, 1728-1731 (Laws 1-
5), 1734/35-1737 (speaker 1-5,); Upper House,
1739-1741, 1742 (died before the 2nd session).
OTHER PROVINCIAL OFFICES: justice, Provincial
Court, 1716-1726 (quorum, 1718-1726); surveyor
general, Eastern Shore, 1737-1743; Council, 1739-
1742. LOCAL OFFICES: coroner, Cecil County,
1703; justice, Cecil County, 1706, Kent County,
1707-1708, 1714-1716, 1733-1738/39 (quorum,
1708, 1714-1716, 1733-1738/39); St. Paul's Parish
Vestry, Kent County, 1709-1711, 1715-1716,
1725; sheriff, Kent County, 1711-1713; surveyor,
Talbot County, 1730. MILITARY SERVICE: captain,
by 1709-1716; major, 1716-?; colonel, by 1742.
WEALTH DURING LIFETIME. LAND AT FIRST
ELECTION: heir-at-law to over 1,600 acres by 1713.
WEALTH AT DEATH. DIED will probated on De-
cember 10, 1743. PERSONAL PROPERTY: TEV,
£350.14.5 sterling, £3,125.10.4 current money (in-
cluding 50 slaves and books); FB, £199.17.4 ster-
ling, £91.10.11 current money. LAND: ca. 4,450
acres.
HARRIS, MATTHIAS (1718-1773). BORN: in
1718 in Kent County; probably second son. NA-
TIVE: third generation. RESIDED: in Kent County,
1718-1752; London, England, ca. 1752; Ac-
comack Parish, Virginia, and All Hallow's Parish,
Worcester County, ca. 1753-1759; Lewes (Lewis-
town), Delaware, ca. 1760; Chester Parish, Kent
County, 1767-1769; Christ Church Parish, Kent
Island, Queen Anne's County, 1769-1773. FAMILY
BACKGROUND. FATHER James Harris (1682- 1743),
son of William Harris (ca. 1644-1712), who mar-
ried first, Elizabeth (?-1716), daughter of Edward
Jones (?-1697). MOTHER Augustina, daughter of
Matthias Vanderheyden (?-1729). AUNTS: Ariana
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