Carter Henry Harrison I

Rep. Carter Henry Harrison (August, 22, 1736 – October 8, 1793), also known as Carter Henry Harrison of Clifton, was born at Berkeley Plantation in Charles City County, the seat of the Harrison family from when it was purchased by Carter's grandfather, Benjamin Harrison, III, in 1693 until 1842. Carter was a member of the Virginia House of Delegates[1] for eight sessions. On April 22, 1776 at the courthouse in Cumberland County, Virginia, "the first explicit instructions in favor of independence adopted by a public meeting in any of the colonies" were drafted and submitted by Harrison,[1] in which he ended his remarks by saying, "bid the king a goodnight forever." These papers became known as the Cumberland Resolutions. Carter was attending William & Mary College during the session of 1753-54 & was admitted to Middle Temple in London for training in the law, January 1, 1754. There haven't been any other records found stating whether Carter attended either of these institutions more than said years, however, that is entirely possible. In 1755, Carter was commissioned a captain of Co. C, in the Virginia Militia, Gen. Washington's regiment & later served on the Committee of Safety for Cumberland County, from, 1774-76.

Harrison was the son of Benjamin Harrison IV and grandson of Robert Carter I.[1][2] Carter Henry Harrison married Susannah Randolph on November 9, 1760, in Goochland County, in the Saint James Northam Parish. She was the daughter of Isham Randolph and granddaughter of William Randolph. This union produced seven children, namely: Anne Randolph (Harrison) Drew, Elizabeth (Harrison) Bradley, Robert Carter, Peyton, both of whom removed to Kentucky, Randolph, Susannah and Carter Henry Harrison who died at twenty four years old in 1800. His descendants include two mayors of Chicago: Carter Henry Harrison III, who was assassinated in 1893, and his son Carter Henry Harrison IV.[1][2] Both father and son were elected five times as mayor. His home, Clifton, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.[3] In October of 1793, Carter was laid to rest in the Harrison family burial ground of Clifton Plantation where numerous of his descendants would follow in the ensuing years.

There is no known portrait of Carter as the traitor Benedict Arnold had a huge bonfire on the lawn of Berkeley Plantation of numerous furniture items and family paintings. Arnold said he would attack the Harrisons for generations with this act. It is likely the paintings were of Carter, his generation, his parents, grandparents and so on.

Carter H. Harrison's years in elected office:

Virginia House of Delegates: May of 1782

Virginia House of Delegates: Representing Cumberland County from October 21, 1782 - December 28, 1782.

Virginia House of Delegates: Representing Cumberland County from May 5, 1783 - June 28, 1783

Virginia House of Delegates: Representing Cumberland County from October 20, 1783 - December 22, 1783

Virginia House of Delegates: Representing Cumberland County from May 3, 1784 - June 30, 1784

Virginia House of Delegates: Representing Cumberland County from October 18, 1784 - January 7, 1785

Virginia House of Delegates: Representing Cumberland County from October 17, 1785 - January 21, 1786

Virginia House of Delegates: Representing Cumberland County from October 16, 1786 - January 11, 1787

- The General Assembly of Virginia July 30, 1619-January 11, 1978: a Bicentennial Register of Members by, Cynthia Miller Leonard (This book is a great piece of work)

Ancestry

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Tyler, Lyon Gardiner, ed. (1915). "Fathers of the Revolution". Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography. II. New York: Lewis Historical Publishing Company. pp. 11–12.
  2. 1 2 Abbot, Willis John (1895). "The Harrison Family". Carter Henry Harrison: A Memoir. New York: Dodd, Mead & Company. pp. 1–23.
  3. ↑ National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.


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