James Harris : Short Biography

James (born 1726) and Eleanor Reynolds (born 1727) were part of the Ballybay congregation of Rev. Thomas Clark, M.D.  Dr. Clark was imprisoned on 23 January 1754 for civil disobedience.  While in prison, he united James Harris and Eleanor Reynolds in marriage. After Dr. Clark, a Scotsman, was released from prison a few months later, over three hundred of his congregation sailed for America.  One of their descendants, Mary Letitia Strong Chambers wrote a family history titled Our Kith and Kin: or a History of the Harris Family, 1754-1898.  One can read more about Dr. Clark and the family's genealogy in her book:   https://archive.org/stream/ourkithkinorhist00byuchal#page/n3/mode/2up

John and Eleanor Harris first lived in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania for a few years and then moved to Mecklenburg County in North Carolina about 1767.  The helped establish Steele Creek Presbyterian Church where they are buried.  Many of their descendants still reside in Mecklenburg and Union Counties.