© January 2005

Compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

22937 Long Branch Road, Rush, KY 41168

tklaiber@deliverancefarm.com

Thomas Harrison, [Richard, Rowland, John, Thomas, John, William, Thomas³, Adam², Henry De Hede¹] was born 1619, the son of Richard Harrison. He is said to be a native of Kingston-Upon-Hull, Yorkshire, England. He received a Bachelors degree from Sidney College in Cambridge England in 1638.

Thomas removed to the Virginia Colonies, where in May 1640 he qualified as a minister, at Elizabeth River Parish in Sewell Point Church for the Church of England where he preached against the Puritan Doctrine until an Indian massacre in 1644. In 1645 he was called to answer charges of non-conformity before the Virginia Council and when Virginia required ministers to use the Book of Common Prayer in 1647 left the parish.

He then removed to Massachusetts where he married Dorothy Symonds the daughter of Samuel, Deputy Governor of Massachusetts. They had two daughters before he returned to England with his family to minister at St. Dunstans-in-The-East at London. He gave power-of -attorney over his affairs in America to Dorothy’s brothers. In 1655 he moved to Bromborough Hall, Wirrall, Cheshire. During this time the family resided with the Cromwell family while Thomas accompanied Henry Cromwell to Dublin, Ireland. It is thought that Dorothy remained in Bromborough and died between 1655 and 1658/9.

He received his doctorate frm the University of Dublin in 1658. The same year he published Topica Sacra, a devotional book dedicated to Lord Henry Cromwell. In September 1658 he wrote the sermon preached at Christ Church, Dublin for Oliver Cromwell. He then returned to Cheshire County, England. On 28 February 1659 he married Katherine Bradshaw at St. Peter’s in Chester. The couple had three children born in Chester.

In 1672 he appears on a list of non Conformist Clergymen licenses in Chester. He returned yet again to Dublin ministering on Cooke Street. When Thomas Harrison died in 1682 in Dublin he left money to buy "a plate for the Lord’s Table." This author believes that his widow then returned to Bromborough where family members, including her brother resided.

An extended tree of this family is provided in House of Craven. However, the citations for this line are limited. This compiler has included the line with a cautionary note that further research of early records is most assuredly needed.