Benjamin Harrison V was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States and an important figure in American history. He was born in Virginia and was a planter, politician, and lawyer.
Harrison was a delegate to the Continental Congress and signed the Declaration of Independence. He was also a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses and served as the Governor of Virginia from 1781 to 1784.
Harrison came from a prominent family in Virginia. His father, Benjamin Harrison IV, was a wealthy planter and member of the House of Burgesses.
Also Read – Descendants of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence
Harrison himself inherited his father’s wealth and became one of the richest men in Virginia. He used his wealth to support the American Revolution and was a strong advocate for independence from Great Britain.
He shared a room in Philadelphia with George Washington and was a supporter of his becoming Commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. The Harrison family and Washington family knew each within Virginia, but Harrison was attracted to Washington’s stature and character. He remained a loyal supporter throughout the war. This would benefit his family after his passing.
Benjamin Harrison V passed away in 1791 after seeing the country he helped elect the man he once supported for Commander-in-chief as the first President of the United States.
Family Overview
Benjamin Harrison V’s family was an influential Virginian family that had been involved with the settlement of Virginia prior to the settlement of Jamestown.
The Harrisons first arrived in Virginia when Richard Harrison came with an expeditionary force in the early 17th century. While on the expedition the force was attacked by hostile natives and he did not survive. His son, Benjamin Harrison, became one of the first settlers in of the Jamestown colony.
Benjamin Harrison married and had multiple children, including Benjamin Harrison Jr. This would begin one of the influential Harrison lines of Virginia.
Benjamin Harrison Jr. would be an affluent Harrison who had many children. These children would marry and have many others therefore laying a foundation for future Harrison generations. These descendants would play a significant role in the development of the Virginia economy and its government. Many of the descendants would become prominent lawyers and politicians.
Benjamin Harrison V’s father was a wealthy planter which allowed his children to have a good education and many opportunities.
He married the daughter of Robert “King” Carter who was the patriarch of another influential Virginia family.
His children would go on to become successful with one becoming President of the United States. Ironically, his famous son would not be known as a Virginian and would begin a new dynasty in the states of Ohio and Indiana. This was because he was a successful general during the War of 1812.
Family Tree Chart
Parents:
Benjamin Harrison IV (1693 – 1745) – He was the father of Benjamin Harrison V and a son born into an influential family. He continued the legacy of his parents as he grew their wealth. His children would continue his legacy within Virginia as would his grandsons. He passed away before the Revolutionary War and at the time of his passing independence was not even considered. However, within the next two decades, things would change and his children would all be on the side of independence. He unfortunately passed away due to a freak accident in a thunderstorm.
Anne Carter (1702 – 1745) – Despite passing away at a younger age she left a lasting impact on her children. She birthed at least eleven children and many lived into adulthood. She would be the mother of a signer of the Declaration of Independence and the grandmother of the future President of the United States and war hero. However, at the time of her passing the United States of America was not even an idea. She passed away shortly after her husband’s sudden passing.
Spouse:
Elizabeth Bassett (1730 – 1792) – She passed away a year after her husband and was beloved by her family. She and her husband had seven children and they would go on to become influential with one becoming a President of the United States. She lived long enough to see the country she was born in become its own independent country.
Children:
Elizabeth Harrison (1751 – 1791) – She did not have any children but married twice. She passed away in her early 40s.
Carter Bassett Harrison (1752 – 1808) – He married twice and had one child. His son would go on to marry and also have one child, but his line would continue and produce descendants.
Ann Bassett Harrison (1753 – 1831) – She married into another wealthy Virginia family and the couple had 10 children. Her descendants would have the surname Coupland.
Benjamin Harrison VI (1755 – 1799) – He married twice and had multiple children. While he lived a successful life and continued the family name an interesting fact about him is that he was a stand-in for his father for the infamous painting of the signers of the Declaration of Independence. This was due to looking very much like his father who had passed away at the time of its painting.
Lucy Bassett Harrison (1757 – 1809) – She married twice and had three children during her first marriage and one child in her second marriage. Each of her children outlived her.
Sarah Harrison (1770 – 1812) – She also had 10 children with her only husband. The children would produce many offspring under the surname Minge. Unfortunately, she passed away in her early 40s just a year after her youngest was born. Her husband did not remarry.
William Henry Harrison (1773 – 1841) – Despite being the youngest he would become the most well-known of his siblings. He is most known for being the first President to die in office and only serving 1 term. However, his rise to the presidency was due to his popularity during the War of 1812. He and his wife had eleven children and produced many descendants. Due to his military career, he moved from Virginia and settled in Indiana and Ohio where his offspring stayed.
Siblings:
Lucy Harrison (??? – 1745) – Lucy, Hannah, and their father all passed away after being struck by lightning during a fierce thunderstorm. Some accounts give them as being outside, others that the lightning struck the house. Whatever the case may be, three people from one family died on July 12, 1745.
Hannah Harrison (??? – 1745) – She passed away when she was struck by lightning. As with her sister, her birth date is unknown.
Elizabeth Harrison (1723 – 1783) – She married into the Randolph family. The two did not have any children together. She passed away when she was in her 60s.
Henry Harrison (1734 – 1736) – He passed away at a young age.
Carter Harrison Jr. (1736 – 1793) – He was part of the colonial militia when he was young and by the time of the American Revolution he was part of the Virginia legislature. He would become an uncle to Thomas Jefferson when he married his aunt.
Robert Harrison (1738 – 1771) – He and his wife had two children. He most likely supported the early protest of the British acts, but he passed away early.
Charles Harrison (1742 – 1793) – At the beginning of the American Revolutionary War he became lieutenant in a company of artillery from Virginia. When the state expanded its small artillery battalion into a regiment in November 1776, Harrison was appointed commander with the rank of colonel. Initially named Harrison’s Continental Artillery Regiment, the unit was renamed the 1st Continental Artillery Regiment in August 1779. He joined George Washington‘s main army in time to fight at Monmouth. In 1780 he led his gunners at Camden and the following year he commanded Nathanael Greene’s artillery at Hobkirk’s Hill.
Nathaniel Harrison (1742 – 1782) – He and his wife had many children. He was the youngest of the siblings and unfortunately passed away at a young age. He did not see America become a free nation, but his children continued his family’s legacy.