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The Harris and Boetler Families of Essex, 1600

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This information was supplied by Vaughn Baker Email address not known

The Harris family of Essex was very involved in the first Virginia settlements. The first Harris was Sir William Harris of Crixes in Woodham, Essex. He married the daughter of the famous "Customer" Thomas Smythe (D1591) who attended Cambridge, was a lifelong friend of William Cecil (Lord Treasurer), and Matthew Parker (Archbishop of Canterbury). He made his fortune in the textile business and in certain monopolies that were granted by the Crown. Thomas Smythe Jr. was the Governor of the East India Company and Treasurer of the London Company of Virginia. Smythe Jr. was a friend of the second Earl of Essex and implicated with him in 1600. He spent a year in jail. It would appear that Sir William Harris took full advantage of his relationship and encouraged his children to try the Virginia adventure.

Alyce Smythe = Sir William Harris of Crixes, Woodham, Essex

  • Sir Arthur Harris MOP, Virginia Company
  • Dorothy Harris (D1626) = Robert Kempe of Gissings
    • Richard Kempe of Va.(Replaced William Claiborne as Sec. of Virginia in 1634 = Elizabeth Wormley (Bc1616) (D/O Henry Wormley & Margaret Conset)
  • Sergeant John Harris (1588-1638), Burgess 1627-1630 at Shirley Hundred. = Dorothy
    • Thomas Harris
    • John Harris (B1624)
    • Dorothy Harris (B1617) =(3) John Baker (1604-1654) [Possibly S/O Thomas Baker & Mary Honnywood, G/S/O John Baker of Brook near Ashford & Joane Eppes]
  • William Harris (1582-1622), Came to Va.on GEORGE in 1621 (Wiseman's Puritans. William Claiborne was also on board*)
  • Thomas Harris (B1584) Came to Va. in 1611. At "Neck of Land" on James River =Adria Osbourne (B1601) =(2) Joane Gurgany
    • Robert Harris = Mary Clairborne Rice (W/O Edward Rice, D/O Cap William Clairborne (1600-1677), Secretary for Life of Va.)
    • Mary Harris = Col Thomas Ligon
    • Thomas Harris Jr
    • Major William Harris (1629-1678)= Lucy = (2) Ann
      • William Harris = Temperance Overton
      • Edward Harris
      • Alice Harris (B1614) ASSURANCE in 1635= Henry Bagwell (B1589) Clerk of Northampton County (W/O Benjamin Stratton)
        • Mary Stratton = Richard Buckland of Bucklands Gut

Notes: I know nothing of Sir William Crixes or his wife Alyce Smythe and would appreciate any additional information.

William Claiborne

William Claiborne became one of the most important men in Virginia. He came on the GEORGE in 1621 and had married into the Butler (Boetler) family of Roxwell, Essex.

  • Captain Nathaniel Butler, Governor of Bermuda (1/2 brother to John Butler)
  • John Butler Jane Elliot of Little Burche, Roxwell, Essex
    • John Butler at Kent Island
    • Sara Butler
    • ___ Butler (female)
    • Elizabeth Butler = William Claiborne (1600-1677) (M1635)
    • Thomas Butler = Joan Mountsteven Butler (W/O Nicholas Mountsteven, haberdasher of St. Martins at Ludgate)

It appears that Hannah Butler who married Col. Edmund Scarborough (married at St. Martins In-The-Field in Middlesex) also came from this family, and that then entire group descended from William Boetler who married Ursula Smythe, sister to above mentioned Alyce Smythe. Any help would be appreciated.