Location provided by LeonC (# 50705114) on 4/10/2021.
s/o St. George Talbot Harrison (1759–1814) & Frances (nee Martin) Harrison (1758–1826).
An oil on canvas portrait (c. 1825) of Dr. John Talbot Harrison (1784 - 1863) by an unknown artist. Harrison is wearing a black jacket and white collared shirt. He is seated with his right arm slung over the back of his chair. A red cloth curtain, which is in the upper left portion of the painting, hangs in front of a window in the background. The window overlooks water leading to land in the far background. Harrison may have sat in his home on Staten Island for this portrait.
Dr. John Talbot Harrison was born in Rahway, New Jersey and spent his adult life living and working on Staten Island. He served as the Health Officer of the quarantine station on the island. He supervised the quarantining of vessels from abroad, took care of the sick, and made reports. After leaving the quarantine station, Dr. Harrison went into private practice and also became a community leader. His house, located in Elm Park, faced Newark Bay. Harrison served as the surgeon for the 146th Regiment of the Richmond County Infantry during the War of 1812. In 1829, he served a term in the New York State Assembly. He was a member of the State Constitutional Convention, and, in 1840, was a presidential elector in the contest between William Henry Harrison and Martin Van Buren. Harrison Avenue in Port Richmond commemorates the Harrison family.
The son of St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin, John Talbot Harrison, was born on October 2, 1785 in Rahway, NJ. He is one of the most fascinating figures of this interesting and long-lived family.
He received his MD degree in 1804 from Columbia University, andcame to Staten Island around 1805 to work as a doctor and Mate at the Quarantine or Marine Hospital. The Quarantine was a hospital set up to receive immigrants who arrived in New York with any communicable disease. Dr. Harrison served as head of the hospital and Officer of the Port from 1823 to 1829. The people of Staten Island were unhappy with the existence of the Quarantine Hospital and on September 1, 1858, they rioted, removed the patients from the buildings, and set the structures on fire. One can imagine the anguish he felt when this happened.
The Harrison Family
The Harrisons have a long history in America.
Would like to make connections with all the cousins who trace back to this interesting family.
Please contact Maureen at [email protected].
Descendants of Robert Harrison
Generation No. 1
1. ROBERT HARRISON died 1739 in Charlestown, MA. He married (1) ARABELLA TALBOT, daughter of JOHN TALBOT and MARY UNKNOWN. She was born 1701 in Dover, England, and died 1737 in Charlestown, MA. He married (2) ANN WING.
Children of ROBERT HARRISON and ARABELLA TALBOT are:
2. i. JOHN HARRISON.
ii. DAUGHTER HARRISON, b. 15 Mar 1726/27.
3. iii. WILLIAM HARRISON, b. 1729, Charlestown, MA; d. 1790, Rahway, NJ.
iv. ST. GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON, b. 1730, Charlestown, MA.
v. MARGARET HARRISON, b. 1734, Charlestown, MA.
vi. UNNAMED HARRISON, d. 1735, Charlestown, MA.
Child of ROBERT HARRISON and ANN WING is:
i. ANN HARRISON, b. 13 Apr 1738, Charlestown, MA.
The only records found to date for this family are those of Christ Church, Boston, MA. The birth date of William corresponds to that of the William we find in New Jersey. The records of the NY Genealogical Society reveal a William (brother of John) who worked for their maternal uncle, St. George Talbot of Little Barn Island, NYC. Talbot's will mentions a sister, Arabella, married to a Harrison All of this leads the author to postulate that John is indeed an older child of Robert and Arabella, and that their son William is indeed the one we find in NY/NJ after both of their deaths.
Generation No. 2
2. JOHN HARRISON (ROBERT). He married RACHEL UNKNOWN. She died 1767 in New York, NY.
Child of JOHN HARRISON and RACHEL UNKNOWN is:
i. ARABELLA HARRISON, m. JOHN RUTTER, 1762, New York, NY.
3. WILLIAM HARRISON (ROBERT) was born 1729 in Charlestown, MA, and died 1790 in Rahway, NJ. He married (1) MARY FRAZEE, daughter of ISAAC FRAZEE and ELIZABETH MILLS. She was born 1728 in Westfield, NJ, and died 1776 in Rahway, NJ. (See #14 on the Frazee page.) He married (2) ELIZABETH (HADDON?). (She was born 1728, the daughter of Thomas Haddon and Margaret Bloomfield, who married in New Jersey in 1750, per the New Jersey Marriage Records.)
Children of WILLIAM HARRISON and MARY FRAZEE are:
i. ARABELLA HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
ii. RACHEL HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
iii. ROBERT HARRISON, b. 22 Nov 1769, New Jersey; d. New Jersey; m. FANNY CLARK;
b. 10 Oct 1770; d. 29 Oct 1814, Rahway, NJ.
4. iv. ST.GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON, b. 1759, NJ; d. 1814, Rahway, NJ.
5. v. ISAAC HARRISON, b. 1763, New Jersey; d. 1787, Rahway, NJ.
vi. WILLIAM HARRISON, m. CHRISTIAN HADDEN. (It is unclear who William Jr.'s mother is,
as no date has been found for his birth.)
Children of WILLIAM HARRISON and ELIZABETH HADDON are:
6. vii. WILLIAM HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
7. viii. JONAS HARRISON, b. 1777, New Jersey; d. 06 Aug 1836, Patroon, Shelby Cty, TX.
William Harrison and Mary Frazee are buried in the Rahway Public Cemetery in Rahway, NJ (Revolutionary cemetery, formerly that of the Presbyterian Church). They are buried with St. George Talbot Harrison and his wife, Frances Martin; Isaac Harrison; Fanny Clark, wife of Robert Harrison; and Thomas Haddon (d. 1796), son of William Harrison, Jr. and Christian Hadden.
We know from William's will that his son Isaac predeceased him, and that Isaac had a son named Frazee Harrison.
William probably came to New York after the death of both his parents in Massachusetts. He may have lived with his older brother, John, and John's wife, Rachel. He did work, as overseer of his properties, for his maternal uncle, St. George Talbot. William, and his cousin, Arabella Harrison Rutter, were involved in a court battle with the Episcopal Church over the will of St. George.
Gravestones of William Harrison & Mary Frazee Harrison
Generation No. 3
4. ST.GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1759 in NJ, and died 1814 in Rahway, NJ. He married FRANCES MARTIN, daughter of WILLIAM MARTIN and SARAH MOORE. (See #13 (i) on the Martin page.) She was born 1758 in NJ, and died 1826 in Rahway, NJ.
Children of ST.GEORGE HARRISON and FRANCES MARTIN are:
8. i. MARY HARRISON.
9. ii. JOHN TALBOT HARRISON, b. 02 Oct 1785, New Jersey; d. 06 Mar 1863, Staten Island, NY.
St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin Harrison are both buried in the Rahway Public Cemetery in Rahway, NJ.
5. ISAAC HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1763 in New Jersey, and died 1787 in Rahway, NJ. He married UNKNOWN.
Children of ISAAC HARRISON and UNKNOWN are:
i. ELIZABETH HARRISON.
ii. FRAZEE HARRISON.
6. WILLIAM HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born in New Jersey. He married CHRISTIAN HADDON.
Child of WILLIAM HARRISON and CHRISTIAN HADDON is:
i. THOMAS HADDON HARRISON, b. New Jersey; d. 1796, Rahway, NJ.
7. JONAS HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1777 in New Jersey, and died 06 Aug 1836 in Patroon, Shelby Cty, TX. He married (1) BETSY COOK 1811 in Lewiston, NY. She was born 30 Jun 1794, and died 25 Jul 1872 in Gouverneur, NY. He married (2) ELLENDER SHANNON 26 Jun 1820 in Georgia. She died 28 Aug 1877 in Texas.
Children of JONAS HARRISON and BETSY COOK are:
i. JONAS HARRISON, d. 26 Mar 1836, Erie, PA.
ii. RACHEL HARRISON, m. MOSES HALL FITTS.
10. iii. JAMES COOK HARRISON, b. 14 Dec 1819, Buffalo, NY; d. 21 Nov 1882, Buffalo, NY.
Children of JONAS HARRISON and ELLENDER SHANNON are:
iv. MARGARET HARRISON, m. WILLIAM THOMAS.
v. JONAS HARRISON.
11. vi. JACOB HARRISON, b. 1825; d. 1870.
vii. JOHN HARRISON.
viii. DEWITT CLINTON HARRISON, b. 05 Dec 1827; d. 06 Mar 1902, Arlington, TX;
m. NANNIE CANNON.
ix. THOMAS JEFFERSON HARRISON, d. 1868.
x. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, b. 27 Sep 1833; m. MARY JANE FINGER, 11 Feb 1858.
xi. ALMIRA HARRISON, m. SAMUEL DANIEL.
xii. JONAS HARRISON.
Jonas was a lawyer and is known for the San Augustine Resolutions, which outlined a declaration of independence of Texas from Mexico.
Generation No. 4
Portrait of Mary Harrison Fitzrandolph
8. MARY HARRISON (ST.GEORGE TALBOT, WILLIAM, ROBERT). She married JOHN BROWN FITZRANDOLPH 22 Jun 1801. He was born 08 Feb 1793 in Blazing Star, NJ, and died 02 Feb 1849 in New York, NY.
Children of MARY HARRISON and JOHN FITZRANDOLPH are:
i. HOWARD FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 20 Sep 1802.
ii. MARIA ANTOINETTE FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 1806.
12. iii. FRANCES HENRIETTA FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 14 Apr 1809, New York, NY; d. 15 Jan 1831.
Portrait of Dr. John Talbot Harrison (1786-1863)
9. JOHN TALBOT HARRISON (ST.GEORGE TALBOT, WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 02 Oct 1785 in New Jersey, and died 06 Mar 1863 in Staten Island, NY. He married (1) LANY VREELAND 04 Dec 1811 in Staten Island, NY, daughter of JACOB VREELAND and JANNETTE CADMUS. (See #50 (vi) on the Vreeland page.) She was born 1795 in New York, and died 22 Apr 1851 in Staten Island, NY. He married (2) JANE J.D. LITTELL 01 Mar 1853 in Staten Island, NY. She was born 1821 in New York, and died 16 Jun 1906 in Orange, NJ.
Children of JOHN HARRISON and LANY VREELAND are:
13. i. CORA HARRISON.
14. ii. EMELINE HARRISON, b. 1813, Staten Island, NY.
15. iii. FRANCES MARIA HARRISON, b. 1813, Staten Island, NY.
iv. ST. GEORGE HARRISON, b. 1817; d. 1823.
16. v. HOWARD FITZRANDOLPH HARRISON, b. 18 Jul 1820, Staten Island, NY;
d. 20 Aug 1882, Staten Island, NY.
vi. MARY R. HARRISON, b. 1821.
vii. ALABAMUS HARRISON, b. 1822, Staten Island, NY; d. 19 Nov 1862, Staten Island, NY;
m. MARY JANE MURRY, 1845, Staten Island, NY.
Alabamus appears in the 1860 census at another address, living with the Higgins family. The head of the household, Calvin Higgins, is listed as a carpenter. On November 19, 1862, at the age of 40, Alabamus was murdered, strangled to death. The sensational story was covered in the New York Times.
viii. HELEN D. HARRISON, d. 1826.
Child of JOHN HARRISON and JANE LITTELL is:
ix. ELIZA THEODOSIA HARRISON, b. 1854, Staten Island, NY; d. 19 Apr 1942, East Orange, NJ.
Eliza Theodosia Harrison and the Staten Island home where she was born.
Eliza Theodosia lived in East Orange from 1896 until her death on April 20, 1942 in East Orange General Hospital. She was a member of the Woman's Club of Orange, a member of the Grace Episcopal Church in Orange, and a member of the New Jersey Historical Society. She is also buried in the Harrison family plot on Staten Island.
Many of the Harrisons are buried in the Moravian Cemetery, a non-sectarian cemetery owned by the United Brethren Church or Moravians. One of the largest cemeteries on Staten Island, it has been in existence since 1763 (the church itself since 1740). The church is in New Dorp, one of the oldest sections of Staten Island. The Vanderbilts are also buried there, and contributed a great deal of money to the church. The cemetery is on high land and there are beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and the ocean.
The son of St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin, John Talbot Harrison, was born on October 2, 1785 in Rahway, NJ. He is one of the most fascinating figures of this interesting and long-lived family.
He received his MD degree in 1804 from Columbia University, andcame to Staten Island around 1805 to work as a doctor and Mate at the Quarantine or Marine Hospital. The Quarantine was a hospital set up to receive immigrants who arrived in New York with any communicable disease. Dr. Harrison served as head of the hospital and Officer of the Port from 1823 to 1829. The people of Staten Island were unhappy with the existence of the Quarantine Hospital and on September 1, 1858, they rioted, removed the patients from the buildings, and set the structures on fire. One can imagine the anguish he felt when this happened.
Dr. Harrison was also (in 1810) one of the founding members of the Richmond County Medical Society.
He served as a surgeon in the War of 1812 in Conner's Richmond County Battalion of the New York Militia and in Sitcher's First Regiment Artillery of the New York Volunteers. In 1817 he served as the surgeon for the 146th Regiment of the State Militia from Richmond County.
John T. went on to serve in the New York State Assembly as the Richmond County member in 1830 and 1831.
In 1835, he served on the first board of directors of the Staten Island Banking Association in a building on Shore Road and Broadway in Port Richmond. His future father-in-law, Judge Richard D. Littell, was President of the bank. The bank had a brief life of two years.
One of the many histories of Staten Island reveals that Dr. Harrison, along with Dr. Ephraim Clark (brother of John's aunt, Fanny Clark Harrison), saw to the care of Aaron Burr when he came to the Island to die in 1836.
John T. was a Presidential Elector in 1840 (the year William Henry Harrison won the Presidency), and was a member of the New York State Constitutional Convention in 1845.
Christmas Day, 1843 marked the beginning of a great scandal in Staten Island history - a double murder in the area known as Graniteville. A woman named Polly Bodine was accused of killing her sister-in-law, Emeline Housman, and her niece, Ann Eliza, and then setting the house on fire. A meeting of locals at Gaylord's Tavern led to the appointment of a committee to investigate the crimes. The committee, which also acted as coroner's jury, consisted of Dr. John T. Harrison, Dr. Ephraim Clark, Judge Richard D. Littell, Judge Cropsey, Daniel Crocheron, a merchant, and a Mr. Grant. Based on the findings of this committee, Polly Bodine was arrested, charged, and tried. The jury was hung; a second jury in Manhattan found her guilty, but the judge ordered a retrial, and a third trial in Newburgh, NY, resulted in a not guilty verdict.
The Harrisons were obviously one of the wealthier and well-respected families on Staten Island. The 1850 census shows John T. and Hellen (Lany) living in a house worth $30,000, with their daughter, Mary, and son, Alabamus. They had two Irish servants, Elinor and Bridget.
After the death of his wife, Lany, on April 22, 1851, he married Jane Johannah Dumont Littell, daughter of Judge Richard D. Littell and Margaret Eliza Dunn, on January 19, 1854. Jane is listed as 39 years of age in the 1860 census; also listed is their daughter, Eliza Theodosia, six years old. John T. Harrison, then 74, is listed as living in a house worth $100,000, with a personal wealth of $1,300.
John T. Harrison died on March 6, 1863 at the age of 79. According to his obituary in the New York Times, he was buried from the Dutch Reformed Church in Port Richmond, Staten Island, and friends arrived from Manhattan for the funeral on board the steamers Pomona and Flora.
s/o St. George Talbot Harrison (1759–1814) & Frances (nee Martin) Harrison (1758–1826).
An oil on canvas portrait (c. 1825) of Dr. John Talbot Harrison (1784 - 1863) by an unknown artist. Harrison is wearing a black jacket and white collared shirt. He is seated with his right arm slung over the back of his chair. A red cloth curtain, which is in the upper left portion of the painting, hangs in front of a window in the background. The window overlooks water leading to land in the far background. Harrison may have sat in his home on Staten Island for this portrait.
Dr. John Talbot Harrison was born in Rahway, New Jersey and spent his adult life living and working on Staten Island. He served as the Health Officer of the quarantine station on the island. He supervised the quarantining of vessels from abroad, took care of the sick, and made reports. After leaving the quarantine station, Dr. Harrison went into private practice and also became a community leader. His house, located in Elm Park, faced Newark Bay. Harrison served as the surgeon for the 146th Regiment of the Richmond County Infantry during the War of 1812. In 1829, he served a term in the New York State Assembly. He was a member of the State Constitutional Convention, and, in 1840, was a presidential elector in the contest between William Henry Harrison and Martin Van Buren. Harrison Avenue in Port Richmond commemorates the Harrison family.
The son of St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin, John Talbot Harrison, was born on October 2, 1785 in Rahway, NJ. He is one of the most fascinating figures of this interesting and long-lived family.
He received his MD degree in 1804 from Columbia University, andcame to Staten Island around 1805 to work as a doctor and Mate at the Quarantine or Marine Hospital. The Quarantine was a hospital set up to receive immigrants who arrived in New York with any communicable disease. Dr. Harrison served as head of the hospital and Officer of the Port from 1823 to 1829. The people of Staten Island were unhappy with the existence of the Quarantine Hospital and on September 1, 1858, they rioted, removed the patients from the buildings, and set the structures on fire. One can imagine the anguish he felt when this happened.
The Harrison Family
The Harrisons have a long history in America.
Would like to make connections with all the cousins who trace back to this interesting family.
Please contact Maureen at [email protected].
Descendants of Robert Harrison
Generation No. 1
1. ROBERT HARRISON died 1739 in Charlestown, MA. He married (1) ARABELLA TALBOT, daughter of JOHN TALBOT and MARY UNKNOWN. She was born 1701 in Dover, England, and died 1737 in Charlestown, MA. He married (2) ANN WING.
Children of ROBERT HARRISON and ARABELLA TALBOT are:
2. i. JOHN HARRISON.
ii. DAUGHTER HARRISON, b. 15 Mar 1726/27.
3. iii. WILLIAM HARRISON, b. 1729, Charlestown, MA; d. 1790, Rahway, NJ.
iv. ST. GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON, b. 1730, Charlestown, MA.
v. MARGARET HARRISON, b. 1734, Charlestown, MA.
vi. UNNAMED HARRISON, d. 1735, Charlestown, MA.
Child of ROBERT HARRISON and ANN WING is:
i. ANN HARRISON, b. 13 Apr 1738, Charlestown, MA.
The only records found to date for this family are those of Christ Church, Boston, MA. The birth date of William corresponds to that of the William we find in New Jersey. The records of the NY Genealogical Society reveal a William (brother of John) who worked for their maternal uncle, St. George Talbot of Little Barn Island, NYC. Talbot's will mentions a sister, Arabella, married to a Harrison All of this leads the author to postulate that John is indeed an older child of Robert and Arabella, and that their son William is indeed the one we find in NY/NJ after both of their deaths.
Generation No. 2
2. JOHN HARRISON (ROBERT). He married RACHEL UNKNOWN. She died 1767 in New York, NY.
Child of JOHN HARRISON and RACHEL UNKNOWN is:
i. ARABELLA HARRISON, m. JOHN RUTTER, 1762, New York, NY.
3. WILLIAM HARRISON (ROBERT) was born 1729 in Charlestown, MA, and died 1790 in Rahway, NJ. He married (1) MARY FRAZEE, daughter of ISAAC FRAZEE and ELIZABETH MILLS. She was born 1728 in Westfield, NJ, and died 1776 in Rahway, NJ. (See #14 on the Frazee page.) He married (2) ELIZABETH (HADDON?). (She was born 1728, the daughter of Thomas Haddon and Margaret Bloomfield, who married in New Jersey in 1750, per the New Jersey Marriage Records.)
Children of WILLIAM HARRISON and MARY FRAZEE are:
i. ARABELLA HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
ii. RACHEL HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
iii. ROBERT HARRISON, b. 22 Nov 1769, New Jersey; d. New Jersey; m. FANNY CLARK;
b. 10 Oct 1770; d. 29 Oct 1814, Rahway, NJ.
4. iv. ST.GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON, b. 1759, NJ; d. 1814, Rahway, NJ.
5. v. ISAAC HARRISON, b. 1763, New Jersey; d. 1787, Rahway, NJ.
vi. WILLIAM HARRISON, m. CHRISTIAN HADDEN. (It is unclear who William Jr.'s mother is,
as no date has been found for his birth.)
Children of WILLIAM HARRISON and ELIZABETH HADDON are:
6. vii. WILLIAM HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
7. viii. JONAS HARRISON, b. 1777, New Jersey; d. 06 Aug 1836, Patroon, Shelby Cty, TX.
William Harrison and Mary Frazee are buried in the Rahway Public Cemetery in Rahway, NJ (Revolutionary cemetery, formerly that of the Presbyterian Church). They are buried with St. George Talbot Harrison and his wife, Frances Martin; Isaac Harrison; Fanny Clark, wife of Robert Harrison; and Thomas Haddon (d. 1796), son of William Harrison, Jr. and Christian Hadden.
We know from William's will that his son Isaac predeceased him, and that Isaac had a son named Frazee Harrison.
William probably came to New York after the death of both his parents in Massachusetts. He may have lived with his older brother, John, and John's wife, Rachel. He did work, as overseer of his properties, for his maternal uncle, St. George Talbot. William, and his cousin, Arabella Harrison Rutter, were involved in a court battle with the Episcopal Church over the will of St. George.
Gravestones of William Harrison & Mary Frazee Harrison
Generation No. 3
4. ST.GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1759 in NJ, and died 1814 in Rahway, NJ. He married FRANCES MARTIN, daughter of WILLIAM MARTIN and SARAH MOORE. (See #13 (i) on the Martin page.) She was born 1758 in NJ, and died 1826 in Rahway, NJ.
Children of ST.GEORGE HARRISON and FRANCES MARTIN are:
8. i. MARY HARRISON.
9. ii. JOHN TALBOT HARRISON, b. 02 Oct 1785, New Jersey; d. 06 Mar 1863, Staten Island, NY.
St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin Harrison are both buried in the Rahway Public Cemetery in Rahway, NJ.
5. ISAAC HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1763 in New Jersey, and died 1787 in Rahway, NJ. He married UNKNOWN.
Children of ISAAC HARRISON and UNKNOWN are:
i. ELIZABETH HARRISON.
ii. FRAZEE HARRISON.
6. WILLIAM HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born in New Jersey. He married CHRISTIAN HADDON.
Child of WILLIAM HARRISON and CHRISTIAN HADDON is:
i. THOMAS HADDON HARRISON, b. New Jersey; d. 1796, Rahway, NJ.
7. JONAS HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1777 in New Jersey, and died 06 Aug 1836 in Patroon, Shelby Cty, TX. He married (1) BETSY COOK 1811 in Lewiston, NY. She was born 30 Jun 1794, and died 25 Jul 1872 in Gouverneur, NY. He married (2) ELLENDER SHANNON 26 Jun 1820 in Georgia. She died 28 Aug 1877 in Texas.
Children of JONAS HARRISON and BETSY COOK are:
i. JONAS HARRISON, d. 26 Mar 1836, Erie, PA.
ii. RACHEL HARRISON, m. MOSES HALL FITTS.
10. iii. JAMES COOK HARRISON, b. 14 Dec 1819, Buffalo, NY; d. 21 Nov 1882, Buffalo, NY.
Children of JONAS HARRISON and ELLENDER SHANNON are:
iv. MARGARET HARRISON, m. WILLIAM THOMAS.
v. JONAS HARRISON.
11. vi. JACOB HARRISON, b. 1825; d. 1870.
vii. JOHN HARRISON.
viii. DEWITT CLINTON HARRISON, b. 05 Dec 1827; d. 06 Mar 1902, Arlington, TX;
m. NANNIE CANNON.
ix. THOMAS JEFFERSON HARRISON, d. 1868.
x. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, b. 27 Sep 1833; m. MARY JANE FINGER, 11 Feb 1858.
xi. ALMIRA HARRISON, m. SAMUEL DANIEL.
xii. JONAS HARRISON.
Jonas was a lawyer and is known for the San Augustine Resolutions, which outlined a declaration of independence of Texas from Mexico.
Generation No. 4
Portrait of Mary Harrison Fitzrandolph
8. MARY HARRISON (ST.GEORGE TALBOT, WILLIAM, ROBERT). She married JOHN BROWN FITZRANDOLPH 22 Jun 1801. He was born 08 Feb 1793 in Blazing Star, NJ, and died 02 Feb 1849 in New York, NY.
Children of MARY HARRISON and JOHN FITZRANDOLPH are:
i. HOWARD FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 20 Sep 1802.
ii. MARIA ANTOINETTE FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 1806.
12. iii. FRANCES HENRIETTA FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 14 Apr 1809, New York, NY; d. 15 Jan 1831.
Portrait of Dr. John Talbot Harrison (1786-1863)
9. JOHN TALBOT HARRISON (ST.GEORGE TALBOT, WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 02 Oct 1785 in New Jersey, and died 06 Mar 1863 in Staten Island, NY. He married (1) LANY VREELAND 04 Dec 1811 in Staten Island, NY, daughter of JACOB VREELAND and JANNETTE CADMUS. (See #50 (vi) on the Vreeland page.) She was born 1795 in New York, and died 22 Apr 1851 in Staten Island, NY. He married (2) JANE J.D. LITTELL 01 Mar 1853 in Staten Island, NY. She was born 1821 in New York, and died 16 Jun 1906 in Orange, NJ.
Children of JOHN HARRISON and LANY VREELAND are:
13. i. CORA HARRISON.
14. ii. EMELINE HARRISON, b. 1813, Staten Island, NY.
15. iii. FRANCES MARIA HARRISON, b. 1813, Staten Island, NY.
iv. ST. GEORGE HARRISON, b. 1817; d. 1823.
16. v. HOWARD FITZRANDOLPH HARRISON, b. 18 Jul 1820, Staten Island, NY;
d. 20 Aug 1882, Staten Island, NY.
vi. MARY R. HARRISON, b. 1821.
vii. ALABAMUS HARRISON, b. 1822, Staten Island, NY; d. 19 Nov 1862, Staten Island, NY;
m. MARY JANE MURRY, 1845, Staten Island, NY.
Alabamus appears in the 1860 census at another address, living with the Higgins family. The head of the household, Calvin Higgins, is listed as a carpenter. On November 19, 1862, at the age of 40, Alabamus was murdered, strangled to death. The sensational story was covered in the New York Times.
viii. HELEN D. HARRISON, d. 1826.
Child of JOHN HARRISON and JANE LITTELL is:
ix. ELIZA THEODOSIA HARRISON, b. 1854, Staten Island, NY; d. 19 Apr 1942, East Orange, NJ.
Eliza Theodosia Harrison and the Staten Island home where she was born.
Eliza Theodosia lived in East Orange from 1896 until her death on April 20, 1942 in East Orange General Hospital. She was a member of the Woman's Club of Orange, a member of the Grace Episcopal Church in Orange, and a member of the New Jersey Historical Society. She is also buried in the Harrison family plot on Staten Island.
Many of the Harrisons are buried in the Moravian Cemetery, a non-sectarian cemetery owned by the United Brethren Church or Moravians. One of the largest cemeteries on Staten Island, it has been in existence since 1763 (the church itself since 1740). The church is in New Dorp, one of the oldest sections of Staten Island. The Vanderbilts are also buried there, and contributed a great deal of money to the church. The cemetery is on high land and there are beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and the ocean.
The son of St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin, John Talbot Harrison, was born on October 2, 1785 in Rahway, NJ. He is one of the most fascinating figures of this interesting and long-lived family.
He received his MD degree in 1804 from Columbia University, andcame to Staten Island around 1805 to work as a doctor and Mate at the Quarantine or Marine Hospital. The Quarantine was a hospital set up to receive immigrants who arrived in New York with any communicable disease. Dr. Harrison served as head of the hospital and Officer of the Port from 1823 to 1829. The people of Staten Island were unhappy with the existence of the Quarantine Hospital and on September 1, 1858, they rioted, removed the patients from the buildings, and set the structures on fire. One can imagine the anguish he felt when this happened.
Dr. Harrison was also (in 1810) one of the founding members of the Richmond County Medical Society.
He served as a surgeon in the War of 1812 in Conner's Richmond County Battalion of the New York Militia and in Sitcher's First Regiment Artillery of the New York Volunteers. In 1817 he served as the surgeon for the 146th Regiment of the State Militia from Richmond County.
John T. went on to serve in the New York State Assembly as the Richmond County member in 1830 and 1831.
In 1835, he served on the first board of directors of the Staten Island Banking Association in a building on Shore Road and Broadway in Port Richmond. His future father-in-law, Judge Richard D. Littell, was President of the bank. The bank had a brief life of two years.
One of the many histories of Staten Island reveals that Dr. Harrison, along with Dr. Ephraim Clark (brother of John's aunt, Fanny Clark Harrison), saw to the care of Aaron Burr when he came to the Island to die in 1836.
John T. was a Presidential Elector in 1840 (the year William Henry Harrison won the Presidency), and was a member of the New York State Constitutional Convention in 1845.
Christmas Day, 1843 marked the beginning of a great scandal in Staten Island history - a double murder in the area known as Graniteville. A woman named Polly Bodine was accused of killing her sister-in-law, Emeline Housman, and her niece, Ann Eliza, and then setting the house on fire. A meeting of locals at Gaylord's Tavern led to the appointment of a committee to investigate the crimes. The committee, which also acted as coroner's jury, consisted of Dr. John T. Harrison, Dr. Ephraim Clark, Judge Richard D. Littell, Judge Cropsey, Daniel Crocheron, a merchant, and a Mr. Grant. Based on the findings of this committee, Polly Bodine was arrested, charged, and tried. The jury was hung; a second jury in Manhattan found her guilty, but the judge ordered a retrial, and a third trial in Newburgh, NY, resulted in a not guilty verdict.
The Harrisons were obviously one of the wealthier and well-respected families on Staten Island. The 1850 census shows John T. and Hellen (Lany) living in a house worth $30,000, with their daughter, Mary, and son, Alabamus. They had two Irish servants, Elinor and Bridget.
After the death of his wife, Lany, on April 22, 1851, he married Jane Johannah Dumont Littell, daughter of Judge Richard D. Littell and Margaret Eliza Dunn, on January 19, 1854. Jane is listed as 39 years of age in the 1860 census; also listed is their daughter, Eliza Theodosia, six years old. John T. Harrison, then 74, is listed as living in a house worth $100,000, with a personal wealth of $1,300.
John T. Harrison died on March 6, 1863 at the age of 79. According to his obituary in the New York Times, he was buried from the Dutch Reformed Church in Port Richmond, Staten Island, and friends arrived from Manhattan for the funeral on board the steamers Pomona and Flora.
Location provided by LeonC (# 50705114) on 4/10/2021.
s/o St. George Talbot Harrison (1759–1814) & Frances (nee Martin) Harrison (1758–1826).
An oil on canvas portrait (c. 1825) of Dr. John Talbot Harrison (1784 - 1863) by an unknown artist. Harrison is wearing a black jacket and white collared shirt. He is seated with his right arm slung over the back of his chair. A red cloth curtain, which is in the upper left portion of the painting, hangs in front of a window in the background. The window overlooks water leading to land in the far background. Harrison may have sat in his home on Staten Island for this portrait.
Dr. John Talbot Harrison was born in Rahway, New Jersey and spent his adult life living and working on Staten Island. He served as the Health Officer of the quarantine station on the island. He supervised the quarantining of vessels from abroad, took care of the sick, and made reports. After leaving the quarantine station, Dr. Harrison went into private practice and also became a community leader. His house, located in Elm Park, faced Newark Bay. Harrison served as the surgeon for the 146th Regiment of the Richmond County Infantry during the War of 1812. In 1829, he served a term in the New York State Assembly. He was a member of the State Constitutional Convention, and, in 1840, was a presidential elector in the contest between William Henry Harrison and Martin Van Buren. Harrison Avenue in Port Richmond commemorates the Harrison family.
The son of St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin, John Talbot Harrison, was born on October 2, 1785 in Rahway, NJ. He is one of the most fascinating figures of this interesting and long-lived family.
He received his MD degree in 1804 from Columbia University, andcame to Staten Island around 1805 to work as a doctor and Mate at the Quarantine or Marine Hospital. The Quarantine was a hospital set up to receive immigrants who arrived in New York with any communicable disease. Dr. Harrison served as head of the hospital and Officer of the Port from 1823 to 1829. The people of Staten Island were unhappy with the existence of the Quarantine Hospital and on September 1, 1858, they rioted, removed the patients from the buildings, and set the structures on fire. One can imagine the anguish he felt when this happened.
The Harrison Family
The Harrisons have a long history in America.
Would like to make connections with all the cousins who trace back to this interesting family.
Please contact Maureen at [email protected].
Descendants of Robert Harrison
Generation No. 1
1. ROBERT HARRISON died 1739 in Charlestown, MA. He married (1) ARABELLA TALBOT, daughter of JOHN TALBOT and MARY UNKNOWN. She was born 1701 in Dover, England, and died 1737 in Charlestown, MA. He married (2) ANN WING.
Children of ROBERT HARRISON and ARABELLA TALBOT are:
2. i. JOHN HARRISON.
ii. DAUGHTER HARRISON, b. 15 Mar 1726/27.
3. iii. WILLIAM HARRISON, b. 1729, Charlestown, MA; d. 1790, Rahway, NJ.
iv. ST. GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON, b. 1730, Charlestown, MA.
v. MARGARET HARRISON, b. 1734, Charlestown, MA.
vi. UNNAMED HARRISON, d. 1735, Charlestown, MA.
Child of ROBERT HARRISON and ANN WING is:
i. ANN HARRISON, b. 13 Apr 1738, Charlestown, MA.
The only records found to date for this family are those of Christ Church, Boston, MA. The birth date of William corresponds to that of the William we find in New Jersey. The records of the NY Genealogical Society reveal a William (brother of John) who worked for their maternal uncle, St. George Talbot of Little Barn Island, NYC. Talbot's will mentions a sister, Arabella, married to a Harrison All of this leads the author to postulate that John is indeed an older child of Robert and Arabella, and that their son William is indeed the one we find in NY/NJ after both of their deaths.
Generation No. 2
2. JOHN HARRISON (ROBERT). He married RACHEL UNKNOWN. She died 1767 in New York, NY.
Child of JOHN HARRISON and RACHEL UNKNOWN is:
i. ARABELLA HARRISON, m. JOHN RUTTER, 1762, New York, NY.
3. WILLIAM HARRISON (ROBERT) was born 1729 in Charlestown, MA, and died 1790 in Rahway, NJ. He married (1) MARY FRAZEE, daughter of ISAAC FRAZEE and ELIZABETH MILLS. She was born 1728 in Westfield, NJ, and died 1776 in Rahway, NJ. (See #14 on the Frazee page.) He married (2) ELIZABETH (HADDON?). (She was born 1728, the daughter of Thomas Haddon and Margaret Bloomfield, who married in New Jersey in 1750, per the New Jersey Marriage Records.)
Children of WILLIAM HARRISON and MARY FRAZEE are:
i. ARABELLA HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
ii. RACHEL HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
iii. ROBERT HARRISON, b. 22 Nov 1769, New Jersey; d. New Jersey; m. FANNY CLARK;
b. 10 Oct 1770; d. 29 Oct 1814, Rahway, NJ.
4. iv. ST.GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON, b. 1759, NJ; d. 1814, Rahway, NJ.
5. v. ISAAC HARRISON, b. 1763, New Jersey; d. 1787, Rahway, NJ.
vi. WILLIAM HARRISON, m. CHRISTIAN HADDEN. (It is unclear who William Jr.'s mother is,
as no date has been found for his birth.)
Children of WILLIAM HARRISON and ELIZABETH HADDON are:
6. vii. WILLIAM HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
7. viii. JONAS HARRISON, b. 1777, New Jersey; d. 06 Aug 1836, Patroon, Shelby Cty, TX.
William Harrison and Mary Frazee are buried in the Rahway Public Cemetery in Rahway, NJ (Revolutionary cemetery, formerly that of the Presbyterian Church). They are buried with St. George Talbot Harrison and his wife, Frances Martin; Isaac Harrison; Fanny Clark, wife of Robert Harrison; and Thomas Haddon (d. 1796), son of William Harrison, Jr. and Christian Hadden.
We know from William's will that his son Isaac predeceased him, and that Isaac had a son named Frazee Harrison.
William probably came to New York after the death of both his parents in Massachusetts. He may have lived with his older brother, John, and John's wife, Rachel. He did work, as overseer of his properties, for his maternal uncle, St. George Talbot. William, and his cousin, Arabella Harrison Rutter, were involved in a court battle with the Episcopal Church over the will of St. George.
Gravestones of William Harrison & Mary Frazee Harrison
Generation No. 3
4. ST.GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1759 in NJ, and died 1814 in Rahway, NJ. He married FRANCES MARTIN, daughter of WILLIAM MARTIN and SARAH MOORE. (See #13 (i) on the Martin page.) She was born 1758 in NJ, and died 1826 in Rahway, NJ.
Children of ST.GEORGE HARRISON and FRANCES MARTIN are:
8. i. MARY HARRISON.
9. ii. JOHN TALBOT HARRISON, b. 02 Oct 1785, New Jersey; d. 06 Mar 1863, Staten Island, NY.
St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin Harrison are both buried in the Rahway Public Cemetery in Rahway, NJ.
5. ISAAC HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1763 in New Jersey, and died 1787 in Rahway, NJ. He married UNKNOWN.
Children of ISAAC HARRISON and UNKNOWN are:
i. ELIZABETH HARRISON.
ii. FRAZEE HARRISON.
6. WILLIAM HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born in New Jersey. He married CHRISTIAN HADDON.
Child of WILLIAM HARRISON and CHRISTIAN HADDON is:
i. THOMAS HADDON HARRISON, b. New Jersey; d. 1796, Rahway, NJ.
7. JONAS HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1777 in New Jersey, and died 06 Aug 1836 in Patroon, Shelby Cty, TX. He married (1) BETSY COOK 1811 in Lewiston, NY. She was born 30 Jun 1794, and died 25 Jul 1872 in Gouverneur, NY. He married (2) ELLENDER SHANNON 26 Jun 1820 in Georgia. She died 28 Aug 1877 in Texas.
Children of JONAS HARRISON and BETSY COOK are:
i. JONAS HARRISON, d. 26 Mar 1836, Erie, PA.
ii. RACHEL HARRISON, m. MOSES HALL FITTS.
10. iii. JAMES COOK HARRISON, b. 14 Dec 1819, Buffalo, NY; d. 21 Nov 1882, Buffalo, NY.
Children of JONAS HARRISON and ELLENDER SHANNON are:
iv. MARGARET HARRISON, m. WILLIAM THOMAS.
v. JONAS HARRISON.
11. vi. JACOB HARRISON, b. 1825; d. 1870.
vii. JOHN HARRISON.
viii. DEWITT CLINTON HARRISON, b. 05 Dec 1827; d. 06 Mar 1902, Arlington, TX;
m. NANNIE CANNON.
ix. THOMAS JEFFERSON HARRISON, d. 1868.
x. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, b. 27 Sep 1833; m. MARY JANE FINGER, 11 Feb 1858.
xi. ALMIRA HARRISON, m. SAMUEL DANIEL.
xii. JONAS HARRISON.
Jonas was a lawyer and is known for the San Augustine Resolutions, which outlined a declaration of independence of Texas from Mexico.
Generation No. 4
Portrait of Mary Harrison Fitzrandolph
8. MARY HARRISON (ST.GEORGE TALBOT, WILLIAM, ROBERT). She married JOHN BROWN FITZRANDOLPH 22 Jun 1801. He was born 08 Feb 1793 in Blazing Star, NJ, and died 02 Feb 1849 in New York, NY.
Children of MARY HARRISON and JOHN FITZRANDOLPH are:
i. HOWARD FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 20 Sep 1802.
ii. MARIA ANTOINETTE FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 1806.
12. iii. FRANCES HENRIETTA FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 14 Apr 1809, New York, NY; d. 15 Jan 1831.
Portrait of Dr. John Talbot Harrison (1786-1863)
9. JOHN TALBOT HARRISON (ST.GEORGE TALBOT, WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 02 Oct 1785 in New Jersey, and died 06 Mar 1863 in Staten Island, NY. He married (1) LANY VREELAND 04 Dec 1811 in Staten Island, NY, daughter of JACOB VREELAND and JANNETTE CADMUS. (See #50 (vi) on the Vreeland page.) She was born 1795 in New York, and died 22 Apr 1851 in Staten Island, NY. He married (2) JANE J.D. LITTELL 01 Mar 1853 in Staten Island, NY. She was born 1821 in New York, and died 16 Jun 1906 in Orange, NJ.
Children of JOHN HARRISON and LANY VREELAND are:
13. i. CORA HARRISON.
14. ii. EMELINE HARRISON, b. 1813, Staten Island, NY.
15. iii. FRANCES MARIA HARRISON, b. 1813, Staten Island, NY.
iv. ST. GEORGE HARRISON, b. 1817; d. 1823.
16. v. HOWARD FITZRANDOLPH HARRISON, b. 18 Jul 1820, Staten Island, NY;
d. 20 Aug 1882, Staten Island, NY.
vi. MARY R. HARRISON, b. 1821.
vii. ALABAMUS HARRISON, b. 1822, Staten Island, NY; d. 19 Nov 1862, Staten Island, NY;
m. MARY JANE MURRY, 1845, Staten Island, NY.
Alabamus appears in the 1860 census at another address, living with the Higgins family. The head of the household, Calvin Higgins, is listed as a carpenter. On November 19, 1862, at the age of 40, Alabamus was murdered, strangled to death. The sensational story was covered in the New York Times.
viii. HELEN D. HARRISON, d. 1826.
Child of JOHN HARRISON and JANE LITTELL is:
ix. ELIZA THEODOSIA HARRISON, b. 1854, Staten Island, NY; d. 19 Apr 1942, East Orange, NJ.
Eliza Theodosia Harrison and the Staten Island home where she was born.
Eliza Theodosia lived in East Orange from 1896 until her death on April 20, 1942 in East Orange General Hospital. She was a member of the Woman's Club of Orange, a member of the Grace Episcopal Church in Orange, and a member of the New Jersey Historical Society. She is also buried in the Harrison family plot on Staten Island.
Many of the Harrisons are buried in the Moravian Cemetery, a non-sectarian cemetery owned by the United Brethren Church or Moravians. One of the largest cemeteries on Staten Island, it has been in existence since 1763 (the church itself since 1740). The church is in New Dorp, one of the oldest sections of Staten Island. The Vanderbilts are also buried there, and contributed a great deal of money to the church. The cemetery is on high land and there are beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and the ocean.
The son of St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin, John Talbot Harrison, was born on October 2, 1785 in Rahway, NJ. He is one of the most fascinating figures of this interesting and long-lived family.
He received his MD degree in 1804 from Columbia University, andcame to Staten Island around 1805 to work as a doctor and Mate at the Quarantine or Marine Hospital. The Quarantine was a hospital set up to receive immigrants who arrived in New York with any communicable disease. Dr. Harrison served as head of the hospital and Officer of the Port from 1823 to 1829. The people of Staten Island were unhappy with the existence of the Quarantine Hospital and on September 1, 1858, they rioted, removed the patients from the buildings, and set the structures on fire. One can imagine the anguish he felt when this happened.
Dr. Harrison was also (in 1810) one of the founding members of the Richmond County Medical Society.
He served as a surgeon in the War of 1812 in Conner's Richmond County Battalion of the New York Militia and in Sitcher's First Regiment Artillery of the New York Volunteers. In 1817 he served as the surgeon for the 146th Regiment of the State Militia from Richmond County.
John T. went on to serve in the New York State Assembly as the Richmond County member in 1830 and 1831.
In 1835, he served on the first board of directors of the Staten Island Banking Association in a building on Shore Road and Broadway in Port Richmond. His future father-in-law, Judge Richard D. Littell, was President of the bank. The bank had a brief life of two years.
One of the many histories of Staten Island reveals that Dr. Harrison, along with Dr. Ephraim Clark (brother of John's aunt, Fanny Clark Harrison), saw to the care of Aaron Burr when he came to the Island to die in 1836.
John T. was a Presidential Elector in 1840 (the year William Henry Harrison won the Presidency), and was a member of the New York State Constitutional Convention in 1845.
Christmas Day, 1843 marked the beginning of a great scandal in Staten Island history - a double murder in the area known as Graniteville. A woman named Polly Bodine was accused of killing her sister-in-law, Emeline Housman, and her niece, Ann Eliza, and then setting the house on fire. A meeting of locals at Gaylord's Tavern led to the appointment of a committee to investigate the crimes. The committee, which also acted as coroner's jury, consisted of Dr. John T. Harrison, Dr. Ephraim Clark, Judge Richard D. Littell, Judge Cropsey, Daniel Crocheron, a merchant, and a Mr. Grant. Based on the findings of this committee, Polly Bodine was arrested, charged, and tried. The jury was hung; a second jury in Manhattan found her guilty, but the judge ordered a retrial, and a third trial in Newburgh, NY, resulted in a not guilty verdict.
The Harrisons were obviously one of the wealthier and well-respected families on Staten Island. The 1850 census shows John T. and Hellen (Lany) living in a house worth $30,000, with their daughter, Mary, and son, Alabamus. They had two Irish servants, Elinor and Bridget.
After the death of his wife, Lany, on April 22, 1851, he married Jane Johannah Dumont Littell, daughter of Judge Richard D. Littell and Margaret Eliza Dunn, on January 19, 1854. Jane is listed as 39 years of age in the 1860 census; also listed is their daughter, Eliza Theodosia, six years old. John T. Harrison, then 74, is listed as living in a house worth $100,000, with a personal wealth of $1,300.
John T. Harrison died on March 6, 1863 at the age of 79. According to his obituary in the New York Times, he was buried from the Dutch Reformed Church in Port Richmond, Staten Island, and friends arrived from Manhattan for the funeral on board the steamers Pomona and Flora.
s/o St. George Talbot Harrison (1759–1814) & Frances (nee Martin) Harrison (1758–1826).
An oil on canvas portrait (c. 1825) of Dr. John Talbot Harrison (1784 - 1863) by an unknown artist. Harrison is wearing a black jacket and white collared shirt. He is seated with his right arm slung over the back of his chair. A red cloth curtain, which is in the upper left portion of the painting, hangs in front of a window in the background. The window overlooks water leading to land in the far background. Harrison may have sat in his home on Staten Island for this portrait.
Dr. John Talbot Harrison was born in Rahway, New Jersey and spent his adult life living and working on Staten Island. He served as the Health Officer of the quarantine station on the island. He supervised the quarantining of vessels from abroad, took care of the sick, and made reports. After leaving the quarantine station, Dr. Harrison went into private practice and also became a community leader. His house, located in Elm Park, faced Newark Bay. Harrison served as the surgeon for the 146th Regiment of the Richmond County Infantry during the War of 1812. In 1829, he served a term in the New York State Assembly. He was a member of the State Constitutional Convention, and, in 1840, was a presidential elector in the contest between William Henry Harrison and Martin Van Buren. Harrison Avenue in Port Richmond commemorates the Harrison family.
The son of St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin, John Talbot Harrison, was born on October 2, 1785 in Rahway, NJ. He is one of the most fascinating figures of this interesting and long-lived family.
He received his MD degree in 1804 from Columbia University, andcame to Staten Island around 1805 to work as a doctor and Mate at the Quarantine or Marine Hospital. The Quarantine was a hospital set up to receive immigrants who arrived in New York with any communicable disease. Dr. Harrison served as head of the hospital and Officer of the Port from 1823 to 1829. The people of Staten Island were unhappy with the existence of the Quarantine Hospital and on September 1, 1858, they rioted, removed the patients from the buildings, and set the structures on fire. One can imagine the anguish he felt when this happened.
The Harrison Family
The Harrisons have a long history in America.
Would like to make connections with all the cousins who trace back to this interesting family.
Please contact Maureen at [email protected].
Descendants of Robert Harrison
Generation No. 1
1. ROBERT HARRISON died 1739 in Charlestown, MA. He married (1) ARABELLA TALBOT, daughter of JOHN TALBOT and MARY UNKNOWN. She was born 1701 in Dover, England, and died 1737 in Charlestown, MA. He married (2) ANN WING.
Children of ROBERT HARRISON and ARABELLA TALBOT are:
2. i. JOHN HARRISON.
ii. DAUGHTER HARRISON, b. 15 Mar 1726/27.
3. iii. WILLIAM HARRISON, b. 1729, Charlestown, MA; d. 1790, Rahway, NJ.
iv. ST. GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON, b. 1730, Charlestown, MA.
v. MARGARET HARRISON, b. 1734, Charlestown, MA.
vi. UNNAMED HARRISON, d. 1735, Charlestown, MA.
Child of ROBERT HARRISON and ANN WING is:
i. ANN HARRISON, b. 13 Apr 1738, Charlestown, MA.
The only records found to date for this family are those of Christ Church, Boston, MA. The birth date of William corresponds to that of the William we find in New Jersey. The records of the NY Genealogical Society reveal a William (brother of John) who worked for their maternal uncle, St. George Talbot of Little Barn Island, NYC. Talbot's will mentions a sister, Arabella, married to a Harrison All of this leads the author to postulate that John is indeed an older child of Robert and Arabella, and that their son William is indeed the one we find in NY/NJ after both of their deaths.
Generation No. 2
2. JOHN HARRISON (ROBERT). He married RACHEL UNKNOWN. She died 1767 in New York, NY.
Child of JOHN HARRISON and RACHEL UNKNOWN is:
i. ARABELLA HARRISON, m. JOHN RUTTER, 1762, New York, NY.
3. WILLIAM HARRISON (ROBERT) was born 1729 in Charlestown, MA, and died 1790 in Rahway, NJ. He married (1) MARY FRAZEE, daughter of ISAAC FRAZEE and ELIZABETH MILLS. She was born 1728 in Westfield, NJ, and died 1776 in Rahway, NJ. (See #14 on the Frazee page.) He married (2) ELIZABETH (HADDON?). (She was born 1728, the daughter of Thomas Haddon and Margaret Bloomfield, who married in New Jersey in 1750, per the New Jersey Marriage Records.)
Children of WILLIAM HARRISON and MARY FRAZEE are:
i. ARABELLA HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
ii. RACHEL HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
iii. ROBERT HARRISON, b. 22 Nov 1769, New Jersey; d. New Jersey; m. FANNY CLARK;
b. 10 Oct 1770; d. 29 Oct 1814, Rahway, NJ.
4. iv. ST.GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON, b. 1759, NJ; d. 1814, Rahway, NJ.
5. v. ISAAC HARRISON, b. 1763, New Jersey; d. 1787, Rahway, NJ.
vi. WILLIAM HARRISON, m. CHRISTIAN HADDEN. (It is unclear who William Jr.'s mother is,
as no date has been found for his birth.)
Children of WILLIAM HARRISON and ELIZABETH HADDON are:
6. vii. WILLIAM HARRISON, b. New Jersey.
7. viii. JONAS HARRISON, b. 1777, New Jersey; d. 06 Aug 1836, Patroon, Shelby Cty, TX.
William Harrison and Mary Frazee are buried in the Rahway Public Cemetery in Rahway, NJ (Revolutionary cemetery, formerly that of the Presbyterian Church). They are buried with St. George Talbot Harrison and his wife, Frances Martin; Isaac Harrison; Fanny Clark, wife of Robert Harrison; and Thomas Haddon (d. 1796), son of William Harrison, Jr. and Christian Hadden.
We know from William's will that his son Isaac predeceased him, and that Isaac had a son named Frazee Harrison.
William probably came to New York after the death of both his parents in Massachusetts. He may have lived with his older brother, John, and John's wife, Rachel. He did work, as overseer of his properties, for his maternal uncle, St. George Talbot. William, and his cousin, Arabella Harrison Rutter, were involved in a court battle with the Episcopal Church over the will of St. George.
Gravestones of William Harrison & Mary Frazee Harrison
Generation No. 3
4. ST.GEORGE TALBOT HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1759 in NJ, and died 1814 in Rahway, NJ. He married FRANCES MARTIN, daughter of WILLIAM MARTIN and SARAH MOORE. (See #13 (i) on the Martin page.) She was born 1758 in NJ, and died 1826 in Rahway, NJ.
Children of ST.GEORGE HARRISON and FRANCES MARTIN are:
8. i. MARY HARRISON.
9. ii. JOHN TALBOT HARRISON, b. 02 Oct 1785, New Jersey; d. 06 Mar 1863, Staten Island, NY.
St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin Harrison are both buried in the Rahway Public Cemetery in Rahway, NJ.
5. ISAAC HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1763 in New Jersey, and died 1787 in Rahway, NJ. He married UNKNOWN.
Children of ISAAC HARRISON and UNKNOWN are:
i. ELIZABETH HARRISON.
ii. FRAZEE HARRISON.
6. WILLIAM HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born in New Jersey. He married CHRISTIAN HADDON.
Child of WILLIAM HARRISON and CHRISTIAN HADDON is:
i. THOMAS HADDON HARRISON, b. New Jersey; d. 1796, Rahway, NJ.
7. JONAS HARRISON (WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 1777 in New Jersey, and died 06 Aug 1836 in Patroon, Shelby Cty, TX. He married (1) BETSY COOK 1811 in Lewiston, NY. She was born 30 Jun 1794, and died 25 Jul 1872 in Gouverneur, NY. He married (2) ELLENDER SHANNON 26 Jun 1820 in Georgia. She died 28 Aug 1877 in Texas.
Children of JONAS HARRISON and BETSY COOK are:
i. JONAS HARRISON, d. 26 Mar 1836, Erie, PA.
ii. RACHEL HARRISON, m. MOSES HALL FITTS.
10. iii. JAMES COOK HARRISON, b. 14 Dec 1819, Buffalo, NY; d. 21 Nov 1882, Buffalo, NY.
Children of JONAS HARRISON and ELLENDER SHANNON are:
iv. MARGARET HARRISON, m. WILLIAM THOMAS.
v. JONAS HARRISON.
11. vi. JACOB HARRISON, b. 1825; d. 1870.
vii. JOHN HARRISON.
viii. DEWITT CLINTON HARRISON, b. 05 Dec 1827; d. 06 Mar 1902, Arlington, TX;
m. NANNIE CANNON.
ix. THOMAS JEFFERSON HARRISON, d. 1868.
x. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, b. 27 Sep 1833; m. MARY JANE FINGER, 11 Feb 1858.
xi. ALMIRA HARRISON, m. SAMUEL DANIEL.
xii. JONAS HARRISON.
Jonas was a lawyer and is known for the San Augustine Resolutions, which outlined a declaration of independence of Texas from Mexico.
Generation No. 4
Portrait of Mary Harrison Fitzrandolph
8. MARY HARRISON (ST.GEORGE TALBOT, WILLIAM, ROBERT). She married JOHN BROWN FITZRANDOLPH 22 Jun 1801. He was born 08 Feb 1793 in Blazing Star, NJ, and died 02 Feb 1849 in New York, NY.
Children of MARY HARRISON and JOHN FITZRANDOLPH are:
i. HOWARD FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 20 Sep 1802.
ii. MARIA ANTOINETTE FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 1806.
12. iii. FRANCES HENRIETTA FITZ RANDOLPH, b. 14 Apr 1809, New York, NY; d. 15 Jan 1831.
Portrait of Dr. John Talbot Harrison (1786-1863)
9. JOHN TALBOT HARRISON (ST.GEORGE TALBOT, WILLIAM, ROBERT) was born 02 Oct 1785 in New Jersey, and died 06 Mar 1863 in Staten Island, NY. He married (1) LANY VREELAND 04 Dec 1811 in Staten Island, NY, daughter of JACOB VREELAND and JANNETTE CADMUS. (See #50 (vi) on the Vreeland page.) She was born 1795 in New York, and died 22 Apr 1851 in Staten Island, NY. He married (2) JANE J.D. LITTELL 01 Mar 1853 in Staten Island, NY. She was born 1821 in New York, and died 16 Jun 1906 in Orange, NJ.
Children of JOHN HARRISON and LANY VREELAND are:
13. i. CORA HARRISON.
14. ii. EMELINE HARRISON, b. 1813, Staten Island, NY.
15. iii. FRANCES MARIA HARRISON, b. 1813, Staten Island, NY.
iv. ST. GEORGE HARRISON, b. 1817; d. 1823.
16. v. HOWARD FITZRANDOLPH HARRISON, b. 18 Jul 1820, Staten Island, NY;
d. 20 Aug 1882, Staten Island, NY.
vi. MARY R. HARRISON, b. 1821.
vii. ALABAMUS HARRISON, b. 1822, Staten Island, NY; d. 19 Nov 1862, Staten Island, NY;
m. MARY JANE MURRY, 1845, Staten Island, NY.
Alabamus appears in the 1860 census at another address, living with the Higgins family. The head of the household, Calvin Higgins, is listed as a carpenter. On November 19, 1862, at the age of 40, Alabamus was murdered, strangled to death. The sensational story was covered in the New York Times.
viii. HELEN D. HARRISON, d. 1826.
Child of JOHN HARRISON and JANE LITTELL is:
ix. ELIZA THEODOSIA HARRISON, b. 1854, Staten Island, NY; d. 19 Apr 1942, East Orange, NJ.
Eliza Theodosia Harrison and the Staten Island home where she was born.
Eliza Theodosia lived in East Orange from 1896 until her death on April 20, 1942 in East Orange General Hospital. She was a member of the Woman's Club of Orange, a member of the Grace Episcopal Church in Orange, and a member of the New Jersey Historical Society. She is also buried in the Harrison family plot on Staten Island.
Many of the Harrisons are buried in the Moravian Cemetery, a non-sectarian cemetery owned by the United Brethren Church or Moravians. One of the largest cemeteries on Staten Island, it has been in existence since 1763 (the church itself since 1740). The church is in New Dorp, one of the oldest sections of Staten Island. The Vanderbilts are also buried there, and contributed a great deal of money to the church. The cemetery is on high land and there are beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and the ocean.
The son of St. George Talbot Harrison and Frances Martin, John Talbot Harrison, was born on October 2, 1785 in Rahway, NJ. He is one of the most fascinating figures of this interesting and long-lived family.
He received his MD degree in 1804 from Columbia University, andcame to Staten Island around 1805 to work as a doctor and Mate at the Quarantine or Marine Hospital. The Quarantine was a hospital set up to receive immigrants who arrived in New York with any communicable disease. Dr. Harrison served as head of the hospital and Officer of the Port from 1823 to 1829. The people of Staten Island were unhappy with the existence of the Quarantine Hospital and on September 1, 1858, they rioted, removed the patients from the buildings, and set the structures on fire. One can imagine the anguish he felt when this happened.
Dr. Harrison was also (in 1810) one of the founding members of the Richmond County Medical Society.
He served as a surgeon in the War of 1812 in Conner's Richmond County Battalion of the New York Militia and in Sitcher's First Regiment Artillery of the New York Volunteers. In 1817 he served as the surgeon for the 146th Regiment of the State Militia from Richmond County.
John T. went on to serve in the New York State Assembly as the Richmond County member in 1830 and 1831.
In 1835, he served on the first board of directors of the Staten Island Banking Association in a building on Shore Road and Broadway in Port Richmond. His future father-in-law, Judge Richard D. Littell, was President of the bank. The bank had a brief life of two years.
One of the many histories of Staten Island reveals that Dr. Harrison, along with Dr. Ephraim Clark (brother of John's aunt, Fanny Clark Harrison), saw to the care of Aaron Burr when he came to the Island to die in 1836.
John T. was a Presidential Elector in 1840 (the year William Henry Harrison won the Presidency), and was a member of the New York State Constitutional Convention in 1845.
Christmas Day, 1843 marked the beginning of a great scandal in Staten Island history - a double murder in the area known as Graniteville. A woman named Polly Bodine was accused of killing her sister-in-law, Emeline Housman, and her niece, Ann Eliza, and then setting the house on fire. A meeting of locals at Gaylord's Tavern led to the appointment of a committee to investigate the crimes. The committee, which also acted as coroner's jury, consisted of Dr. John T. Harrison, Dr. Ephraim Clark, Judge Richard D. Littell, Judge Cropsey, Daniel Crocheron, a merchant, and a Mr. Grant. Based on the findings of this committee, Polly Bodine was arrested, charged, and tried. The jury was hung; a second jury in Manhattan found her guilty, but the judge ordered a retrial, and a third trial in Newburgh, NY, resulted in a not guilty verdict.
The Harrisons were obviously one of the wealthier and well-respected families on Staten Island. The 1850 census shows John T. and Hellen (Lany) living in a house worth $30,000, with their daughter, Mary, and son, Alabamus. They had two Irish servants, Elinor and Bridget.
After the death of his wife, Lany, on April 22, 1851, he married Jane Johannah Dumont Littell, daughter of Judge Richard D. Littell and Margaret Eliza Dunn, on January 19, 1854. Jane is listed as 39 years of age in the 1860 census; also listed is their daughter, Eliza Theodosia, six years old. John T. Harrison, then 74, is listed as living in a house worth $100,000, with a personal wealth of $1,300.
John T. Harrison died on March 6, 1863 at the age of 79. According to his obituary in the New York Times, he was buried from the Dutch Reformed Church in Port Richmond, Staten Island, and friends arrived from Manhattan for the funeral on board the steamers Pomona and Flora.
Family Members
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