Jane Harris

Christening: 23 DEC 1604 Northbourne, Kent, England (1)

Jane was the oldest daughter born to Andrew Harris and Jane Bagley. Other siblings were Parnell, Anne, William and Thomas Harris. Research shows a later connection to London for some of these siblings. William married Susannah Hyde in London. (4) Parnell makes claim to being from parish of Bow in London when enrolled at Sandwich as a passenger for New England on the Hercules.(5)

Migrated to New England prior to 1635.

Jane is found on notes taken by John Lothrop soon after settling in Scituate: "On 21 June 1635, “Jane Harrice” was admitted to Scituate church " (2)

It is almost certain Jane was also listed as a member of Rev. John Lothrop’s church earlier in London in 1632 when he was held in prison for being a dissenter preacher. In these records pertaining to that dissent church she is listed along with Thomas Harris and William Harris. (3)

In volume 1, page 323 of Burage, the prison experiences of Lathrop’s followers during these two years are summarized by him as follows:

• In that time the Lord opened their mouths so to speak at the High Commission & Pauls & in private even the weake Women as their Subtill & malicious Adversarys were not able to resist but were ashamed.

• In the Space the Lord gave them so great faviour in the Eyes of their Keepers that they suffered any friends to come to them and they edifyed & comforted one another on the Lords Days, breaking bread & c.

• By their Holy & Gratious carriage in their Sufferings, he so convinced others that they obtained much more faviour in the Eyes of all Such geneally as feared God then formerly, so that many were very kind & helpful to them, contributing to their Necessities, some weekly sending Meat & c. to them.

• Their Keeper found them so sure in their promises that they had freedom to go home, or about their Trades, or buisness whensoever they desired, & the keepers having set their time, & they having sayd they would then returne, it was enough without the charges of one to attend them.

• In the very time of their restraint the Word was so farr from (being) bound (i.e., kept from the people), & the Saints so farr from being scared from the Ways of God that even then many were in Prison added to the Church, viz.

John Ravenscroft

Widdow Harvey

Mary Atkin

Thomas Wilson

Sara……..

Humphrey Bernard (Barnet)

F. Wiffield

William -------

Thomas Harris

Jane Harris

Widdow White.

Ailce (Alice) Wincop

Elizabeth Wincop.

Rebecca Wincop

No further records are found for Jane in New England. Will for Parnell, William and Thomas make no mention of Jane.

1. Northbourne Parish Records: available at Canterbury Cathedral, Kent, England.

Parish registers (ref U3/74) start 1586 ( have poor legibility)

Bishops’ Transcripts (ref Dcb/ BT1/173) start 1603 (have some gaps)

Archdeacons’ Transcripts (ref Dca/BT/136) start 1563 and have gaps as follows: 1565/6, 1567/8, 1579/80, 1581/2, 1594/5, 1606/7, 1629/30, 1640/41 to 1660/61 inclusive

Some Films of Northbourne, Kent, England are available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City Utah:

# 1752058, item 5
# 2354573 items 8-14
# 1736929, item 1
# 1544553, item 8

2. NEHGR 9:279

3. Burrage, Champlin. The Early English Dissenters. 1550-1641. (Cambridge, England, 1912). 1:323, 2:297

4. Hydes of England: Ancestors of Thomas Olcott of Connecticut, Samuel Hardy of Massachusetts, and Susan Hyde, Wife of William Harris of Rhode Island," by Frederick J. Nicholson, in The Genealogist, Vol. 20 (2006), No. 2, pages 131-83.

5. NEHGR 75:220