History of Berkeley, (Charles City County) Virginia United States of America

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Biographies:

Benjamin Harrison, signer of the Declaration of Independence, was born at "Berkeley," Charles City county, Va., in 1726; son of Benjamin and Anne (Carter) Harrison; grandson of Benjamin and Elizabeth (Burwell) Harrison and of Robert and Betty (Landon) Carter; great grandson of Benjamin and Hannah Harrison and great grandson of Benjamin and Mary Harrison. His great grandfather, Benjamin (born at Southwick Parish, Va., Sept. 20, 1645; died Jan. 30, 1712-13), was sent to England as commissioner from the colony against Commissary Blair; and was a member of the council of the province from 1699; and his great2 grandfather, Benjamin, was clerk of the council of Virginia and a member of the house of burgesses, 1642. Benjamin (born 1726) was educated at William and Mary college. He was a member of the house of burgesses and in 1764 was on the committee that memorialized the king and parliament, but in 1765 protested against the stamp act resolutions of Patrick Henry, which he declared to be injudicious. He was a member of the committee of correspondence in 1773 and a delegate to the continental congress, 1774-78. He refused the presidency of that body and when John Hancock was elected he is said to have expressed his approval of the choice by actually carrying the Massachusetts patriot to the chair. He was a follower of Edmund Pendleton and advocated "general united opposition." As chairman of "the whole house of congress," June 10, 1776, he introduced the resolution drafted by Richard Henry Lee, declaring the independence of the American colonies, and on July 4, 1776, he reported the Declaration of Independence, of which he was a signer. He was speaker of the Virginia house of delegates, 1778-81; governor of the commonwealth of Virginia, 1782-85; member of the Virginia legislature, 1786-91; member of the convention that ratified the Federal constitution. Nov. 21, 1789, and with Henry Monroe and others opposed its ratification, but supported the action of the convention. He was married to Elizabeth, daughter of Col. William and Elizabeth (Churchill) Bassett. He died at "Berkeley," Charles City county, Va., in April, 1791.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

Carter Bassett Harrison, representative, was born in "Berkeley," on the James river, Va.; second child of Benjamin and Eliza (Bassett), and elder brother of William Henry Harrison, President of the United States. He received a classical education at the College of William and Mary and was a lawyer. He was a member of the Virginia house of delegates, 1784; afterward served in both houses of the Virginia legislature for many years, and was a representative in the 3d, 4th and 5th congresses, 1793-99. He married Miss Allen of Claremont on the James, and had three children: William A., Benjamin C. and Anna Carter. He died in Virginia in 1804.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor