Gov. Benjamin Harrison, signer of the "Declaration of Independence"

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A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA. DAR Ancestor # A052098

'Benjamin Harrison, V (April 5, 1726 – April 24, 1791) was an American planter and revolutionary leader from Charles City County, Virginia. He was a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1777 and signed the Declaration of Independence.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Harrison_V

He was educated at the College of William and Mary and was, perhaps, the first figure in the Harrison family to gain national attention. Harrison was a representative for Surry County, Virginia (1756 - 1758) and Charles City County (1766 - 1776) to the House of Burgesses. He was a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1777 and signed the Declaration of Independence. Harrison also served frequently as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole in the Continental Congress, and presided over important debates on the independence resolution offered by fellow Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee, as well as over the wording of the Declaration itself. He was also Governor of Virginia from 1781 to 1784. He then again ran for the state legislature but was defeated by John Tyler, Sr., father of future president, John Tyler. He was elected from a neighboring district, however, and served until his death. In 1788, Harrison was a member of the Virginia Convention, which ratified the Federal Constitution, though he, along with Patrick Henry and other men of prominence, opposed it — largely because of the absence of a bill of rights.

He was son of Benjamin Harrison, IV and Anne Carter, and grandson of Robert Carter, I. Benjamin Harrison, V, was married to his second cousin, Elizabeth Bassett. Their son, William Henry Harrison, and great-grandson, Benjamin Harrison, would both become President of the United States. Benjamin and Elizabeth had seven children together:

• Elizabeth Harrison, b. 1751 m1. William Brickman m2. Unknown Edmundson
• Anna Harrison, b. 1753 m. David O. Coupland
• Benjamin Harrison, VI, b. 1755 m1. Anna Mercer m2. Elizabeth Page m3. Susanna Randolph
• Lucy Harrison, b. 1755 m1. Peyton Randolph m2. Anthony Singleton
• Carter Bassett Harrison, b. 1756 m. Mary Howell Allen
• Sarah Harrison, b. about 1767 m1. John Minge m2. James Ball
• William Henry Harrison, Sr, b. 1773 m. Anna Tuthill Symmes

Harrison lived all his life at Berkeley Plantation, the Harrison family home in Virginia, and his children were born there.

Harrison County, West Virginia was formed in 1784 and named in Governor Harrison's honor.

Reportedly no contemporary portrait of Benjamin Harrison "The Signer" survives; the figure labeled as "Benjamin Harrison" in John Trumbull's, Declaration of Independence, is actually based on his son, Benjamin Harrison, VI, who is said to have resembled his father.

Find A Grave Memorial# 2784

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Harrison_V

Benjamin Harrison V (April 5, 1726 – April 24, 1791) was an American planter and revolutionary leader from Charles City County, Virginia. He earned his higher education at the College of William and Mary, and he was perhaps the first figure in the Harrison family to gain national attention. Harrison was a representative for Surry County, Virginia, (1756–1758) and Charles City County (1766–1776) to the House of Burgesses. He was a Virginia delegate to the Continental Congress from 1774 to 1777 and, during the Second Continental Congress, was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

John Adams in his diary recalled Harrison as having said that he was so eager to participate in the Continental Congress "he would have come on foot." Adams also commented that "Harrison's contributions and many pleasantries steadied rough sessions." Harrison served frequently as Chairman of the Committee of the Whole in the Continental Congress, presided over the final debates on an independence resolution offered by Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee, and presided as well as over the final debates and amendments to the Declaration itself.

On June 28, 1776, Jefferson's draft including initial alterations of a Declaration of Independence was reported to Congress by the Committee of Five charged with the initial drafting; Congress then "laid it on the table". The Congress resolved on July 1 that the Declaration be considered by the Committee of the Whole. Having further amended the Declaration on July 2 and 3, the Committee adopted the Declaration in final form on Thursday, July 4; Harrison duly reported this to the Congress, and delivered to Congress a final reading of the Declaration. The Declaration was then unanimously agreed upon and Congress resolved to have the Declaration engrossed and signed by those present, which signing took place on August 2, 1776.

Harrison was also a member of the Committee of Secret Correspondence for the Congress.

Harrison served as the fifth Governor of Virginia from 1781 to 1784. He then again ran for the state legislature, but he was defeated by John Tyler, Sr., the father of the future president John Tyler. Harrison was elected from a neighboring district, however, and he served (including as speaker of the House when it adopted the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom) until his death.

In 1788, Harrison was a member of the Virginia convention which ratified the Federal Constitution, though he, along with Patrick Henry and other men of prominence, opposed it—largely because of the absence of a bill of rights.

Contents

[hide] 1 Family

2 See also

3 References

4 External links

[edit] Family

See also: Harrison family of Virginia

Harrison was a son of Benjamin Harrison IV and Anne Carter, and a grandson of Robert Carter I, who was an ancestor of Robert E. Lee. Harrison's cousin was the plantation owner Robert Carter III. Benjamin Harrison V, was married to his second cousin, Elizabeth Bassett. Their son William Henry Harrison and great-grandson Benjamin Harrison would both become the President of the United States—ironically, John Tyler, son of the man who had once defeated him for office, would serve as his son's Vice President. Harrison's grandson was the Congressman John Scott Harrison. His great-great-great-grandson was the Congressman William H. Harrison of Wyoming (1896–1990). Besides William Henry, their youngest child, Mr. and Mrs. Harrison had six other children; Elizabeth, Anna, Benjamin VI, Lucy, Carter, and Sarah. Harrison's brother-in-law was the Speaker of the House of Burgesses, Peyton Randolph, who was the first cousin once removed of Thomas Jefferson. Harrison's brother-in-law, Burwell Bassett, was married to the sister of Martha Washington. His nephew Edmund (son of brother Nathaniel) was married to Martha Skipwith, Jefferson's sister-in-law.

Harrison lived all his life at Berkeley Plantation, the Harrison family home in Virginia, and his children were born there.

Trumbull's Declaration of Independence Benjamin Harrison "The Signer" - Seated Fifth from left Harrison County, West Virginia was formed in 1784 and named in Governor Harrison's honor. Reportedly no contemporary portrait of Benjamin Harrison "The Signer" survives; the figure labeled as "Benjamin Harrison" in John Trumbull's Declaration of Independence is actually based on his son Benjamin Harrison.

[edit] See also

Biography portal

[edit] References

Diary and Autobiography of John Adams, Ed. Lyman H. Butterfied (4 vols, Cambridge, Mass., 1961)

Journals of the Continental Congress,1774–1789, Vol. 5 ( Library of Congress, 1904–1937)

Commonwealth of Va. Independence Bicentennial Commission. Smith, Howard W., "Benjamin Harrison and the American Revolution", 1978

Hooker, Mary G., "All Our Yesterdays", 1998

 "Harrison, Benjamin (patriot)". New International Encyclopedia. 1905.

[edit] External links

Benjamin Harrison V at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Biography by Rev. Charles A. Goodrich, 1856

Benjamin Harrison V at Find a Grave

Texts on Wikisource: "Harrison, Benjamin". Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography. 1892.

"Harrison, Benjamin (statesman)". Encyclopedia Americana. 1920.

"Harrison, Benjamin (patriot)". Collier's New Encyclopedia. 1921.

Archival Records A Guide to the Executive Papers of Governor Thomas Nelson, Jr., 1781 June 12-November 22 at The Library of Virginia

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Signer of the Declaration of Independence

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Find a Grave

Birth: Apr. 5, 1726

Death: Apr. 24, 1791

Signer of the Declaration of Independence from Virginia. He was the father of 9th US President William Henry Harrison (1773 – 1841) and the Great-Grandfather of 23rd US President Benjamin Harrison (1833 – 1901). Born in Charles City County, Virginia, he attended the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, but left the college before graduating, returning home to manage his family estate after his father was killed by lightning. Soon after his return home, he married Elizabeth Bassett, with whom he would have seven children. At age 23, he was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses, where he served for the next twenty-five years. Elected to the First Continental Congress in 1774, he shared a house in Philadelphia with fellow Virginian George Washington. Harrison would serve in the First and Second Continental Congresses, from 1774 to 1777. A large man at 6 feet 4 inches and 240 pounds, Harrison once picked up the much smaller John Hancock and set him on the President’s chair, quipping “We will show Mother Britain how little we care for her by making a Massachusetts man our president.” As Chairman of the Committee for the Whole, he presided over the debates that resulted in the Declaration of Independence. Harrison was 50 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence. While in Congress, he helped establish the three major governmental departments of War, the Navy, and the State Department. Leaving Congress in the fall of 1777, he returned to Virginia, where he served as Governor from 1781 to 1784. Near the end of the war, he had to flee to the interior of Virginia to avoid being captured by the British Army. Leaving behind politics, he returned to his family’s estate and died there in 1791 at the age of 64. (bio by: Kit and Morgan Benson)

Family links:

Parents:

• Benjamin Harrison (1694 - 1745)
• Anne Carter Harrison (1704 - 1745)

Spouse:

• Elizabeth Bassett Harrison (1730 - 1792)

Children:

• Benjamin Harrison VI (1755 - 1799)*
• Carter Basset Harrison (1756 - 1808)*
• Sarah Harrison Minge (1770 - 1812)*
• William Henry Harrison (1773 - 1841)*

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Burial: Berkeley Plantation Charles City Charles City County Virginia, USA

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Benjamin Harrison V was an American planter and merchant, a revolutionary leader and a Founding Father of the United States.

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Governor of Virginia!

Signor of Declaration of Independence!!

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Benjamin Harrison V was born on April 5, 1726, at Berkeley Plantation, the family estate in Charles City County, Virginia, which is beautifully situated on the banks of the James River overlooking Petersburg and Richmond. He was the eldest son of ten children born to Benjamin Harrison IV and Anne Carter Harrison, one of the most prominent planter families in the South; he was the fifth in a line of politicians bearing the same name.

Benjamin's father, Benjamin Harrison IV, was a member of the House of Burgesses from 1736 to 1744, and was Sheriff of Charles City. Harrison IV built Berkeley mansion in 1726 with brick fired on the plantation. His initials and those of his wife Ann appear in a datestone over a side door. It was built

Benjamin's mother, Anne Carter Harrison, was the daughter of Robert "King" Carter, whose family, like the Harrisons, was a force in Virginia and national politics. He served for many years as treasurer of the Colony and member of the King's Council, and was a wealthy and influential member of the Virginia aristocracy and owned over 300,000 acres and a thousand slaves.

Benjamin V was a student in the College of William and Mary when his father and two sisters were killed by lightning during a thunderstorm at Berkeley on July 12, 1745. At age 19, he returned home and took over the management of Berkeley's 1,000 acre operations, including ship building and horse breeding. Although he was considered young to be entrusted with such duties, he displayed good judgment in his responsibilities. In time, Harrison's landholdings grew to include eight plantations and other properties.

In 1748, Benjamin Harrison V married Elizabeth Bassett, his second cousin, and settled at Berkeley Plantation. They would have seven children. Their son, William Henry Harrison, would become the ninth president of the United States in 1840; their grandson, Benjamin Harrison, would be elected as the twenty-third president of the United States in 1888.

Benjamin Harrison's public service began in the Virginia House of Burgesses in 1749, where he continuously held a seat until 1775, sometimes as Speaker. During this time, his power and influence caught the attention of the royal governor, who tried unsuccessfully to recruit him for a seat on the executive council, but Harrison identified more with the peoples' rights.

He was chosen in 1773 as one of the Committee of Correspondence that united the colonies against Britain. Between 1773 and 1776, he shared in the tasks of the Revolutionary Conventions and the Provincial Congresses.

In 1774, the Virginia patriot was elected as a delegate to the First Continental Congress and was there on opening day, September 5, 1774. He shared a house in Philadelphia with his Virginia cousins, George Washington and Peyton Randolph. Harrison was highly regarded in Congress, where he continued to serve until 1778.

Although usually silent on the floor, Harrison made valuable contributions on the foreign affairs, marine, military, and financial committees. He was one of a party of representatives who met with General Washington in 1775 to plan the future of the American Army. He was also present during the deliberations on the settlement of commercial restrictions against Britain, the state of the colonies, the regulation of trade, and during the debates concerning independence.

On June 7, 1776, Harrison was chosen to introduce fellow Virginian, Richard Henry Lee, who presented a resolution calling for independence from England. Harrison was selected to read Thomas Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence to the assembled delegates on July 1, and served as Chairman of the Whole during the debate over independence on July 2. Benjamin Harrison was 50 years old when he signed the Declaration of Independence.

American historical document Benjamin Harrison Signature On the Declaration of Independence

Benjamin Harrison was a very large man, standing six feet four inches tall and weighing 240 pounds. He once picked up the much smaller John Hancock and set him on the Congress President's chair and said, "We will show Mother Britain how little we care for her by making a Massachusetts man our president."

Harrison was witty and jovial, with a wry, often black sense of humor that delighted his fellow congressmen. When there was discussion about the possibility of being hanged by the British for signing the Declaration of Independence, Harrison was reported to have said to Elbridge Gerry, a very thin man, "I shall have all the advantage over you. It will be all over in a minute for me, but you will be kicking in the air half an hour after I am gone."

While in Congress, Harrison helped establish the three major governmental departments of War, the Navy, and the State Department. He also chaired the deliberations concerning the proposed Articles of Confederation, and solicited financial and other assistance from other countries as a member of the Secret Correspondence Committee.

In 1778, Harrison returned home and entered the lower house of the Virginia Legislature, where he presided as speaker in the years 1778-81. He also served as a lieutenant in the county militia.

Berkeley Plantation, located between Richmond and Williamsburg, has left its own mark on history. Berkeley served as General George McClellan's headquarters in his failed attempt to take Richmond for the Union during the Civil War.

In late 1780, American traitor and British General Benedict Arnold, at the head of a British invasion force, landed on the shores of the James River and began ravaging the homes nearby. Berkeley was plundered by soldiers, and Arnold ordered the ancestral portraits of the Harrisons thrown into a bonfire. Harrison had to flee to the interior of Virginia to avoid being captured by the British Army.

http://www.womenhistoryblog.com/2010/01/elizabeth-bassett-harrison....

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benjamin_Harrison_V

Benjamin Harrison V (April 5, 1726 – April 24, 1791) was an American planter, merchant, and legislator in colonial Virginia. He was a Founding Father of the United States and also served as Virginia's governor (1781–1784).

Benjamin V was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia. Two of his descendants became United States Presidents —son William Henry Harrison and great-grandson Benjamin Harrison.

Harrison was born April 5, 1726 in Charles City County, Virginia; he was the oldest of ten children of Benjamin Harrison IV and Anne Carter; Anne was a daughter of Robert Carter I.

By 1749, Harrison married Elizabeth Bassett of New Kent County, with whom he had eight children during their 40-year marriage.[12] One son was Benjamin Harrison VI (1755–1799), a successful businessman who served in the Virginia House of Delegates. [13] Another was Carter Bassett Harrison who served in the Virginia House of Delegates and the U. S. House of Representatives.[14] A third son was General William Henry Harrison, a congressional delegate for the Northwest Territory, who also was Governor of the Indiana Territory. In the 1840 presidential election, William Henry defeated incumbent Martin Van Buren, but fell ill and died just one month into his presidency. Vice President John Tyler, a fellow Virginian and Berkeley neighbor, succeeded him.[15] William Henry's grandson, Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901), was a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Benjamin also served in the U.S. Senate (1881–1887) and was elected president in 1888 after defeating incumbent Grover Cleveland.[16]
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Gov. Benjamin Harrison, signer of the "Declaration of Independence" is our 6th cousin 9 times removed.
Janet Milburn
8/8/23
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