Harris Family News

Family history information for descendents of Thomas Harris of Providence, R. I. (circa 1637)

Our early ancestor Thomas Harris arrived on a pilgrim ship eager to start a new life in New England in the mid 1630s. New discoveries of his origins as the son of Andrew and Jane Harris of Northbourne, Kent, England have opened up new exciting areas for research.

Thomas Harris, with his brother William Harris, helped Roger Williams settle Providence, R. I. For generations many descendants have attempted to locate the origins of these brothers. Untold hours have been spent, several false assumptions made. We now have located the parish records giving baptism records of the five children born to Andrew and Jane Harris in Northbourne, Kent County, England.

Northbourne Parish Church where Thomas and his brother William and sisters Jane, Parnel and Ann were baptized in the early 1600s.

Northbourne is located a few miles inland from the old port towns of Sandwich and Deal, Kent, England

Northbourne is a small village, not much larger than 400 years ago when Andrew and Jane lived with their 5 children.
Andrew was a wheelwright.

Northbourne Information

This panel is found at the center of the village next to the bus stop. St. Augustine's church sits atop a small hill above the one main street appropriately called "The Street" in town. Several old homes and farms are nestled along the few streets converging near the church and pub. The Hare and Hounds Pub is the social center of town.

Northbourne occupies an historic site on low hills overlooking the Strait of Dover. St. Augustine's Church was founded in 640 AD. The present structure dates from the 12th century. Inside the church is the tomb of Sir Edwin Sandys (died 1629). Sir Edwin was the treasurer of the Virginia Company and is famous for drawing up the constitution of the American state of Virginia. This established the principle that people should be governed and taxed by their own consent through an elected assembly.

Sir Edwin Sandys lived at Northbourne Court. This great house incorporated the remains of a farm and chapel which were known as Northbourne Abbey. In 1750 the house burned down and was sold off for building materials. However the servants-quarters escaped destruction and were modified in 1895 to create the present Northbourne Court. The house is notable for the garden which has survived virtually unaltered from the Tudor period.

Parish Church and surrounding cemetery.