Last week’s blog talked about the Harrisons arrival to America on one of those small wooden boats, carrying Puritans. (Not Pilgrims, who came on the first ship). That part of the Harrison saga to be continued. Here below is one of the characters in my story.
The name Thomas Harrison has been duplicated throughout the centuries. The first one I know of was Major-General Thomas Harrison (1606 – 13 October 1660), henchman to Oliver Cromwell. He fought in Cromwell’s army to help save the people in England from a corrupt King. In 1649 he signed the death warrant of Charles I and in 1660, shortly after the Restoration, he was found guilty of regicide. Harrison was the first of the Regicides to be executed by being hanged, drawn and quartered on 13 October 1660. Harrison, who had pleaded not guilty, after being hanged for several minutes and then cut open, was reported to have leaned across and hit his executioner—resulting in the swift removal of his head. His entrails were thrown onto a nearby fire.
After the discovery of the Harrison family in Branford, Connecticut, we hoofed, well, flew in 1995, over to England, back to the city the Harrison’s originated, West Kirby. West Kirby is a town on the north-west corner of the coast of the Wirral Peninsula, in the county of Merseyside, England, at the mouth of the River Dee across from the Point of Ayr in Flintshire, Wales, in relative close proximity to Liverpool.
Population: 24506
Area Size (ha): 758
District: Wirral
Easting: 323487 Northing: 386182
Latitude: 53.37 Longitude: -3.15
= West Kirby
We visited town halls to explore ancestry records between West Kirby and London. We climbed up to the top of the Tower of London to experience the doom of Harrison in his small stone space. It was at the Museum of London that we discovered the birthplace of this Harrison. And although he was someone of great importance, and a prig—we discovered he was NOT part of the Harrison’s we were researching. He was born in Oxford. No way could a Harrison born in Oxford be related to the Harrisons from West Kirby, the distance is 185 miles. I breathed a sigh of relief, but was disappointed at the infamous connection the Harrisons could have had. The Harrisons from West Kirby were not related. But, we didn’t despair, there are Harrisons related to the West Kirby folks that are quite interesting–
Seems there have been lots of Thomas Harrisons, and even a couple of Captain Thomas Harrisons. So how do you find out who the latest is in this twenty-first century?
Come back for more next week.
Another great post, Gail! I love genealogy. And I will make it to the Harrison house one day soon!
Interesting. I do know there was a Captain Thomas Harrison that was 6’4″ tall in the 1800’s. Very tall by English standards.
That is tall for those years. Was he a Brit? We had one here too, lived in Branford, Connecticut and related to my Tom.
Fascinating question, Gail. I’m doing some geneology studies for my own family lately and it’s very challenging to find information other than census reports and birth, death, marriage reports if you’re lucky and persistent. I haven’t been able find anything past the immigration information. I might have to go up to Canada and check out some of the small towns there where my ancestors are from in order to figure out where in France they originated. It’s a very addictive and time consuming pursuit. Lucky you for having an opportunity to go to England and do the research! Great story material!
That is tall for those years. Was he a Brit? We had one here too, lived in Branford, Connecticut and related to my Tom.
Good to see you Paula. I hope you had time to enjoy Nashville last week, and that everyone is healthy again. I am still enjoying the research ride with the ancestry tree. I am going to give some more fun information next week.