Individual Details

Robert Harris and his father [or brother] Christopher Harris were both signers of a petition to divide the county of Lincoln [Kentucky, but then Virginia] into three counties, Lincoln, Mercer and Madison. 1786. Granted. Many of the signers of this petition were at Boonesboro, states the compiler. (The year 1786 preceded the formation of Kentucky as a State/Commonwealth in 1792.) (Katherine Phelps Caperton, "A Partial List of Those at Fort Boonesborough,"in THE REGISTER OF THE KENTUCKY STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY, VOL. 23, p. 151

The children as given here do not agree with all the children for whom Robert is listed "father of the bride" or "groom" in the Madison Co marriage records. A Robert Harris is listed there as the father of William Elliot Harris who married Mary Manion in 1803, Lucy Harris who married Wm Wilkerson in 1801, Polly who married Wm Woods in 1801, Nancy who married Wm Stone in 1805, and Rebecca who married Samuel Hayden in 1813. Polly and Nancy seem to be a daughters of Robert Harris & Nancy Grubbs. This Robert is said to have had a daughter Lucy - but she is believed to have married William Jones, son of Mosias Jones - the marriage in Madison Co, 1 Feb 1790; Christopher Harris, bondsman.

Robert Harris is NOT on the 1792 tax list in Madison Co KY; Christopher Harris is.

The Grantee Index for Madison Co shows that Robert bought 32 1/2 acres on Tates Creek from John Woodruff & wife, 3 Oct 1797 and 82 1/4 acres on Tates Creek from William Hancock and wife on 7 Sep 1800.

These all may or may not be the same Robert Harris. Some of the Robert Harrises that appear later would not have been old enough to be the participant.
Madison County, KY court Order Book B, 1791-1801; Jackie Coutour, c. 2000
4 Mar 1794 Andrew Trible requests to turn road from Woods Station to Tates Crk, Boonesborough Rd. Saml Fox, Edwd Turner, Robt Harris, James martin to view
6 Oct 1795 Road Order. Ebenezer Dickey from Irvines Lick to Madison Courthouse, room of Peter Taylor, hand of Robt Rodes
4 Oct 1796 Robert Harris, surveyor of road in room of Ebenezer Dickey
3 Oct 1797 Deed from John & Mary Woodroof to Robert Harris
3 Oct 1797 John Woodroof, John & Hartly Sappington to view new & old roads opposite Robert Harris
6 Nov 1798 Robert Harris, William Irvine, Adam Woods & Gabriel Mullins, view way for a road from Barns's mill to Madison Courthouse
5 Mar 1799 William Broadus, suveyor of road from Irvines lIck to Milford in room of Robert Harris.
1 Oct 1799 Robert Harris appointed Constable
5 Nov 1799 Thos. Butler, Robert Harris, David Crews, James Manion, inventory & appraise estate of James Woodroof
3 Dec 1799 Ordered: follow. bounds be alloted to Robt. Harris & David Thorpe, as Constables in Mad. Co, to wit: Begin. at the mouth of Otter Creek, thence up that creek road to Archiblad Woods, thence with Tates Cr. rd. to the mouth of said creek,& up Kentucky River to beginning.
3 Dec 1799 Joshua McQueen, Thomas & Dennis Burgen, Jaby Tipton, Josiah Phelps, view road to open from William Irvine's to intersect Stones Ferry Road near Robert Harris
3 Mar 1800 Report of road from December 1799. John White objects to road going through his land.

The 1800 "Second Census of Kentucky" which is actually a tax list shows in Madison Co:
Christopher Harris [this Robert's brother who married Nancy Grubbs' sister Elizabeth]
Foster Harris
Henry Harris
Higgason Harris [son of Robert & Nancy Grubbs Harris]
James Harris [probably half-brother of Christopher & Robert]
John Harris [twice but they are different dates and could be the same man]
Robert Harris - two of them, same date, 12 Aug 1800
Samuel Harris [probably half-brother of Christopher & Robert]
Shearwood Harris
William Harris



The 1810 Madison Co Census has two Robert Harris's, both over 45 years of age. One has note in margin: "Tates Crk". This Robert has 2 boys under 10, 1 male age 26-45, and himself, age 45. Females are two girls under 10 and 2 females age 16-26 [one of these Rebecca?]; 1 female 45+, presumably his spouse.
The 2nd Robert Harris is listed as 45+ with a female of the same age and no children at home. In the margin is "w.head" - white haired perhaps? It seems most likely this is this man as all his children could be grown and gone.
This Census has been alphabetized so neighborhoods cannot be determined.

There are three Madison Co marriages for a Robert Harris:
Robert Harris married Jael Ellison, 21 Apr 1812, Joseph Ellison, father of the bride gave consent and was bondsman. He was likely the son of John Harris who married Maupin, and a nephew of this Robert.
Robert Harris married Polly Taylor, 6 Jul 1814, James Taylor was father of the bride who gave consent and was bondsman. He was a son of Rev. Christopher, and another nephew. These two first cousins virtually the same age and both can be found in Madison Co in the 1850 Census.
A third Robert Harris married Elizabeth Lancaster, 3 Jul 1815; Littleton Lancaster was bondsman, and she gave her own consent. Lancaster databases suggest her husband was a Robert Hayes, rather than Harris. Since he doesn't seem to have a place in the Harris family, perhaps there was an error.

I have found at least two other Robert Harrises, part of this same family, that lived in Madison Co ...but they were born 1786 and1787, and could be neither of the two Roberts above, both over age 45 ....there is the possibility that the Robert Harris on Tates Creek is the name of the younger adult male and there is an older couple living with him. However, that is doubtful because the two younger Roberts were less than age 26 in 1810.

Here are references found online that might help place one of the Roberts - certainly this one lived on Tates Creek....

1816 - May 5: Robert Harris and wife (nee Grubbs) conveyed to
Frances Stone 85 acres, 2 roods, 28 poles on Tates Creek [northwest
Madison Co].
I do not know who added the insert "nee Grubbs" - however, two of Robert's sons married into the Stone family - to William Stone and James Stone, so I would think this is probably Robert Harris who married Nancy Grubbs.

1820 Census. Madison Co KY
Only one Robert Thomas was found. He had two males under 10, 1m 16-26 and 1 male age 26-45; 2 females under 10, 1m age 26-45.
Tyre Harris was in this census: 2m under 10, 1m 10-16, 1m 16-26, 1m over 45; 4f 16-26, 1f over 45. He is a puzzle as well - Robert's uncle Tyree had gone to Caswell Co NC - other Tyree's are younger.


1830 Census. Madison Co. Three Robert Harrises
Western Division
...Robert Harris, 1m 15-20, 1m 80-90, 1f 80-90; 4 slaves
Eastern Division
...(Capt) Robert Harris. 1m -5, 1m 5-10, 1m 40-50. 1f 10-15, 1f 30-40
on the same page with Christopher Harris: 1m 5-10, 1m 10-15, 1m 40-50; 2f under 5, 1f 5-10, 1f 15-20, 1f 40-50
The ages and proximity would suggest perhaps these were sons of Rev. Christopher Harris & Elizabeth Grubbs. Their son Robert married Mary Taylor and lived out his life in Madison Co. An online database said he lived along Drowning Creek - a current map shows this area to be east of Richmond, Tate's creek is northwest of Richmond toward Lexington.
...Robert Harris. 1m -5, 1m 5-10, 1m 10-15, 1m 15-20, 1m 40-50. 1f under 5, 2f 5-10, 1f 10-15, 1f 15-20, 1f 30-40.
On the same page with this Robert was a widow Kiziah Wood, age 40-50, with about nine children. Archibald Woods, age 80-90, possibly living with a child and the child's spouse. Mary Harris, a Harris wodow, age 70-80; perhaps two daughters, age 20-30 living with her and also two young children. It is true that one of Robert & Nancy Grubbs Harris's daughters married a son of Archibald Woods. Woods Station was located on Drowning Creek. Keziah believed to be the widow of a John Woods.

Also this attributed to Robert but I've found no proof:
Robert fought for Virginia in the Revolutionary War.
•Note:
On 8 June 1782, Greenbriar County, 200 acres, part of a State
warrant for 496 acres, on Howard's Creek, (LH branch of
Greenbriar River in Greenbriar County). On 19 May 1784, served
on a Greenbriar County jury.
I assume this is Greenbrier Co, VA which later became part of West Virginia. But is it the same Robert Harris? He did have cousins that are said to have lived there, but not until nearly thirty years later.

Birth	24 Aug 1749	Albemarle County, Virginia
Death	18 Nov 1833	Madison County, Kentucky
Marriage		Nancy Grubbs

Spouse	Nancy Grubbs (1749 - )
Child	Lucy Harris (1770 - )
Child	Higgason Harris (1774 - )
Child	Mary Harris (1780 - )
Child	Tyree Harris (1782 - )
Child	Elizabeth "Betsy" Harris (1782 - )
Child	Nancy Harris (1785 - )
Child	Catherine "Kate" Harris (1787 - )

Father	Christopher Harris (1725 - 1794)
Mother	Mary Dabney (1725 - 1762)
Sibling	Dabney Harris (1745 - )
Sibling	Sarah Harris (1747 - )
Sibling	Mourning Harris (1754 - )
Sibling	Rev. Christopher Harris (1755 - 1841)
Sibling	Mary Harris (1757 - )