John B. Harris1

b. circa 1837
FatherWilliam Harris
MotherElizabeth Buchanan b. 30 Oct 1817, d. 19 Feb 1846
BirthCircacirca 1837 John B. Harris was born circa 1837.2 
Childhood  John's mother died when he was 9 or 10 years old. John and his 2 younger siblings then made their home with their maternal grandfather, Samuel Buchanan in Washington County, Virginia.3,2 
Cens-18703 Oct 1870  Samuel Buchanan died in 1867. In the fall of 1870 John was enumerated living with Nancy Buchanan [Samuel's daughter; John's aunt]. They each owned land worth $200 and personal property of the same amount.1 
Land-Sell28 Apr 1874  John and his sister Susannah inherited their deceased mother's share of Samuel Buchanan's estate. On April 28, 1874 John sold 11 acres (described as part of the old Samuel Buchanan tract) to Margaret Grinstead, Samuel C. Hutton and Isabella, his wife, and Samuel Hutton's children, for $165. Then in Jan. 1878 John's sister Susannah and her husband John A.P. Hutton [son of Samuel and Isabella] sold an adjacent 12 acres to Margaret Grinstead for $175.4,5 
Cens-188017 Jun 1880  John apparently suffered from epilepsy which in the misunderstanding of the era caused him to be labeled as insane. In 1880 he was confined to the Washington County jail where he had been living for the previous two years.6,7 
Last Edited4 Dec 2013

Citations

  1. [S635] Nancy Buchanan household, 1870 U.S. cens, Washington Co., Virginia, pop. sched., 1st Division, p. 6 (original script), dwelling 41, family 44, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2013. Household includes: Nancy Buchanan, 49, owns land worth $500 and personal property of $200; John B. Harris, 31, owns land worth $500 and personal property of $200; both b. VA.
  2. [S234] Samuel Buchanan household, 1860 U.S. cens, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Western District, p. 94, dwelling 676, family 656, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Feb. 2013. Household includes: Samuel Buchanan, 67, farmer, owns land worth $6,000, pers. prop of $1,000; Jeannett, 49; Nancy, 40; Samuel, 34, farmer, owns pers. prop of $500; Susannah Harris, 23, weaver; John Harris, 23, farmer; Samuel Harris, 19, farmer; all b. VA.
  3. [S367] Samuel Buchanan household, 1850 U.S. Census, Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., 67th District, p. 90 (stamped), dwelling 331, family 331, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Feb. 2013. Household includes: Samuel Buchanan, 67, farmer, owns land worth $1,600; Jennett, 39; Nancy, 29; Samuel, 24, farmer; Samuel Fulkes, 17, farmer; Sarah [Harris?], 13; John [Harris?], 12; Samuel [Harris?], 8; all b. VA.
  4. [S3217] Jack Hockett, Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 31, 1874-1875, abstracting Washington Co., VA Deed Bk 31: 219.
  5. [S3290] Jack Hockett, Washington Co., Virginia Deed Book 33, 1876-1878, abstracting Washington Co., VA Deed Bk 33: 499.
  6. [S156] Bruce Noah household, 1880 U.S. Cens., Washington Co., VA, pop. sched., Abingdon, ED 92, p. 34B, dwelling 226, family 249. Nov. 2013. Bruce Noah, jailor; John B. Harris, 42, prisoner, insane, suffers from epileptic fits; location is county jail.
  7. [S2620] John B. Harris entry, 1880 U.S. Nonpopulation Census, Washington Co., VA, Defective, Dependent and Delinquent Schedule, county jail, p. 34C, line 7, viewed online at Ancestry.com, Nov. 2013. John B. Harris entry, insane, resident of jail 700 days.