page_title: Harrison family of Virginia
section_title: "The Signer" and two presidents
hierarchical_section_title: Harrison family of Virginia / James River family / "The Signer" and two presidents
caption_attribution_description: English: John Trumbull's painting, Declaration of Independence, depicting the five-man drafting committee of the Declaration of Independence presenting their work to the Congress. The painting can be found on the back of the U.S. $2 bill. The original hangs in the US Capitol rotunda. Español: Cuadro del pintor estadounidense John Trumbull. Se encuentra en la rotonda del capitolio de los Estados Unidos (Washington D.C.) y representa la presentación al Congreso del documento que establecía la Declaración de Independencia de los Estados Unidos. Français&#160;: John Trumbull (US-americain, 1756-1843): Déclaration d'indépendance figurant la Commission des Cinq déposant le texte de la déclaration d'indépendance. De gauche à droite, John Adams, Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, Thomas Jefferson et Benjamin Franklin. فارسی: جان ترامبول در مشهورترین اثر خود با نام اعلان استقلال، پنج مرد را به تصویر کشیده‌است که در حال تحویل پیش‌نویس اعلامیهٔ استقلال ایالات متحده به دومین کنگرهٔ مهاجرنشینان هستند. این تصویر بر پشت اسکناس‌های دو دلاری ایالات متحده به چشم می‌خورد. تابلو اصلی در ساختمان کاپیتول نصب شده‌است.
context_page_description: The Harrison family of Virginia is an American political family whose direct descendants include a Founding Father of the nation, Benjamin Harrison V, and three United States presidents: William Henry Harrison, Benjamin Harrison, and Abraham Lincoln. The Harrisons are among four families to have two presidents in their number with the same surname; the others are the Adams, Roosevelt, and Bush families. The family's lineage also includes state governors, legislators, mayors, and professionals.
  The Virginia Harrison family consists primarily of two branches with origins in northern England. One branch, led by Benjamin Harrison I, journeyed by way of Bermuda to Virginia before 1633 and settled on the James River; they are often referred to as the James River Harrisons. Successive generations of this branch served in the legislature of the Colony of Virginia, including Benjamin V, who was a signatory of the Declaration of Independence and later governor of the Commonwealth.
context_section_description: Benjamin Harrison V (1726–1791) followed his father serving in the House of Burgesses, and then became known in the family as "the Signer" of the Declaration of Independence, from his representation of Virginia in the First and Second Continental Congresses. He was chosen Chairman of the Congress' Committee of the Whole and therefore presided over final deliberations of the Declaration. 
  He was a rather corpulent and boisterous man; Delegate John Adams referred to him variously as the Congress' "Falstaff", and as "obscene", "profane", and "impious", although he allowed that "Harrison's contributions and many pleasantries steadied rough sessions" and also that Harrison "was descended from one of the most ancient, wealthy and respectable Families in the ancient dominion." The genuine and mutual enmity between Adams and Harrison stemmed from Adams’ upbringing in aversion to human pleasures and Harrison's appreciation for storytelling, fine food, and wine. There was also a political distaste between them—Adams was too radical for Harrison and the latter was too conservative for Adams. The two therefore had distinctly opposing congressional alliances—Harrison with John Hancock and Adams with Richard Henry Lee.
  Harrison was a friend and confidant of fellow-Virginian George Washington; in 1775 he joined Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Lynch on a select committee to help the newly appointed General Washington secure much needed enlistments and supplies for the Continental Army.  Harrison also served on the Board of War with Adams, Roger Sherman, James Wilson, and Edward Rutledge, and on the Committee of Secret Correspondence with Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Johnson, John Jay, Robert Morris, and John Dickinson
  Pennsylvania Delegate Benjamin Rush years later recalled the Congress’ atmosphere during a signing of the Declaration on August 2, 1776; he described a scene of “pensive and awful silence” which he said Harrison singularly interrupted, when delegates filed forward to inscribe what they thought was their ensuing death warrant. Rush related that, just before signing the Declaration, Harrison turned to the diminutive Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts and said, "I shall have a great advantage over you, Mr. Gerry, when we are all hung for what we are now doing. From the size and weight of my body I shall die in a few minutes and be with the Angels, but from the lightness of your body you will dance in the air an hour or two before you are dead."
  Harrison's family indeed experienced retaliation from the British, like many others, for his role in the revolution. Benedict Arnold and his forces pillaged many plantations, including Berkeley, with the intent of obliterating all images of the treasonous families. In January 1781, the troops removed every family portrait from Harrison's home and made a bonfire of them. Benjamin V later returned to the House of Burgesses and was elected Governor of Virginia (1781–1784).
  His brother Nathaniel served as sheriff of Prince George County and in the House of Delegates as well as the Senate; he later settled in Amelia County. Nathaniel's son Edmund served as Speaker in the House.
  The "Signer's" son Benjamin Harrison VI (1755–1799) was for a time a successful businessman and also served in the Virginia House of Delegates. His brother was General William Henry Harrison who was also born at Berkeley, and served as a congressional delegate for the Northwest Territory; he was appointed in 1800 as Governor of the Indiana Territory, and served in the War of 1812. In the 1840 presidential election, William Henry defeated incumbent Martin Van Buren, but fell ill and died just one month into his presidency; Vice President John Tyler, a fellow Virginian and neighbor, succeeded him. William Henry was the father of Ohio Congressman John Scott Harrison (1804–1878) who was the father of Benjamin Harrison (1833–1901), a brigadier general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Benjamin also served in the U.S. Senate (1881–1887) and was elected president in 1888 after defeating incumbent Grover Cleveland. Acc
caption: John Trumbull's Declaration of Independence (1819) Benjamin Harrison V is seated at the table far left.
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