Edmund Harrison

Edmund Harrison (1764–1826) was a Virginia planter, politician, military officer and member of the Harrison family of Virginia. He represented the counties of Prince George and Amelia in the Virginia House of Delegates, and served as that body's Speaker from 1802 until 1803. Early life and education Edmund, the eldest son of Nathaniel Harrison (1741-1782) and Mary Ruffin (1746-1767), was born into the First Families of Virginia. His father and paternal ancestors had served in the Virginia General Assembly. His uncle Benjamin Harrison V, also a planter and politician, signed the Declaration of Independence and served two terms as Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, an office Edmund won in his second term, but only briefly held. His great-grandfather, Robert Carter I had been nicknamed "King Carter" in his lifetime because of his vast landholdings and great political power, and so many of this boy's uncles and cousins also served in the legislature. Edmund Harrison received a private education appropriate to his class. Edmund, just 18 years old at his father's death, offered the following eulogy: Marriage and family On January 14, 1787 Harrison married Polly Murray (b. 1771) who died in 1804 and was survived by five of their nine children. Only one of these, Edmond Jr., (1801-1820) lived to maturity. On November 28, 1806 Harrison married Martha Wayles Skipwith (1786 - 1827), daughter of Henry Skipwith and Anne Wayles; Martha was a niece of Mrs. Thomas Jefferson. By Martha, he had nine children, six of whom lived to adulthood: William Henry Harrison (1810-1881); Nathaniel (1812-1875): Lelia Skipwith (1814-1868); Sally Carter (1816-1886); Donald MacKenzie (1818-1872); Septemia (1820-1870?)