Harris, William, 1610 - 1681

William Harris was the son of Andrew Harris and Jane Bagley of Northbourne, Kent, England.  He arrived in New England in 1631 to live at Salem, Massachusetts.  Harris followed Roger Williams to Narragansett Country and became one of the original proprietors of the Indian grant of Providence.  He later removed to Pawtuxet and served as commissioner (1660-1676), assistant and deputy to the Rhode Island General Court.  Harris tried to extend Pawtuxet's boundaries westward by requesting confirmation deeds from the Narragansett, which caused much controversy with the settlers in Providence and Warwick.  In 1663 Harris represented Pawtuxet landowners in England and returned in 1675 to present his case before the Privy Council.  During King Philip's War, he wrote two reports about the conflict for Charles II's spymaster, Sir Joseph Williamson.  He sailed back to London as the agent for Connecticut Colony's claims in the Narragansett Country.  In 1680, Algerian pirates attacked the ship he was a passenger on, took him captive at Algiers, and sent him into slavery.  Redeemed the following year, Harris died in London shortly thereafter.  ANBO