Harrison family

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Harrison family is a prominent political family in U.S. history. They came to Virginia in 1630 when Benjamin Harrison the first left England for the Americas.

His son, Benjamin Harrison Jr., begat Benjamin Harrison III, who begat Colonel Benjamin Harrison IV in 1693. His son would be Benjamin Harrison V a signer of the Declaration of Independence. For the next two centuries the Harrisons would play some role in American political history. Most famously they produced two Presidents; William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison.

The family has a longer recorded heritage in politics, however. Their earliest notable ancestor is the thirteenth century Baron Robert II de Holland, also an ancestor to James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, George Washington, Ulysses S. Grant, and Winston Churchill.

By marriage they are related to the Lee family, the Washington family, and Randolph family.

[edit] Family tree

James Blair (Virginia) {1656-1743} President of William and Mary College married daugther of Benjamin Harrison Jr {II}
Philip Ludwell {1672-1726} married daugther of Benjamin Harrison II. {Son of Philip Ludwell Governor of {North} Colony of Carolina}
Peyton Randolph (1721-1775), Delegate to the Continental Congress from Virginia 1774-1775. Brother-in-law of Benjamin Harrison.
Benjamin Harrison V (1726-1791), Delegate to the Continental Congress from Virginia 1774, member of the Virginia Legislature 1776, Governor of Virginia 1782-1784. Brother-in-law of Peyton Randolph.
John Cleves Symmes (1742-1814), Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court 1777-1787, Delegate to the Continental Congress from New Jersey 1785-1786, Justice of the Northwest Territory Supreme Court 1788-1802. Father-in-law of William Henry Harrison.
- Carter Bassett Harrison (1752-1808), member of the Virginia Legislature, U.S. Representative from Virginia 1793-1799. Son of Benjamin Harrison V.
- Edmund Jennings Randolph (1753-1813), delegate to the Virginia Constitutional Convention 1776, Attorney General of Virginia 1776-1782, Delegate to the Continental Congress from Virginia 1779-1782, Governor of Virginia 1786-1788, Virginia House Delegate 1788, Attorney General of the United States 1789-1794, U.S. Secretary of State 1794-1795. Nephew of Peyton Randolph.
- Beverley Randolph (1754-1797), Governor of Virginia 1788-1791. Nephew of Benjamin Harrison V.
- Burwell Bassett (1764-1841), Virginia House Delegate 1787-1789 1819-1821, Virginia State Senator 1794-1805, U.S. Representative from Virginia 1805-1813 1815-1819 1821-1829. First cousin of William Henry Harrison.
- William Henry Harrison (1773-1841), Secretary of the Northwest Territory 1798-1799, U.S. Congressional Delegate from the Northwest Territory 1799-1800, Governor of Indiana Territory 1801-1812, U.S. Representative from Ohio 1816-1819, Ohio State Senator 1819-1821, candidate for Governor of Ohio 1820, U.S. Senator from Ohio 1825-1828, U.S. Minister to Gran Colombia 1828-1829, candidate for President of the United States 1836, President of the United States 1841. Son of Benjamin Harrison V.
  - John Scott Harrison (1804-1878), U.S. Representative from Ohio 1853-1857. Son of William Henry Harrison.
  - Carter Harrison, Sr. (1825-1893), U.S. Representative from Illinois 1875-1879, Mayor of Chicago, Illinois 1879-1887 1893; candidate for Governor of Illinois 1884. Grandnephew of Benjamin Harrison V.
    - Alvin Saunders (1817-1899), delegate to the Iowa Constitutional Convention 1846, Iowa State Senator 1854-1856 1858-1860, delegate to the Republican National Convention 1860 1868, Governor of Nebraska Territory 1861-1867, U.S. Senator from Nebraska 1877-1883. Grandfather of William H. Harrison.
    - Benjamin Harrison (1833-1901), candidate for Governor of Indiana 1876, U.S. Senator from Indiana 1881-1887, President of the United States 1889-1893. Son of John Scott Harrison.
      - Carter Harrison, Jr. (1860-1953), Mayor of Chicago, Illinois 1897-1905 1911-1915; delegate to the Democratic National Convention 1916 1920 1932 1936. Son of Carter Harrison, Sr..
        
        William H. Harrison (1896-1990), Indiana State Representative 1927-1929, Wyoming State Representative 1845-1850, U.S. Representative from Wyoming 1951-1955 1961-1965 1967-1969, candidate for U.S. Senate from Wyoming 1954. Grandson of Alvin Saunders and Benjamin Harrison.