Benjamin Harrison III (1673 – April 10, 1710) was an American politician in the

Colony of Virginia The Colony of Virginia was a British Empire, British colonial settlement in North America from 1606 to 1776. The first effort to create an English settlement in the area was chartered in 1584 and established in 1585; the resulting Roanoke Colo ...

. He was an early member of the

Harrison family The Harrison family of Virginia has a history in American politics, public service, and religious ministry, beginning in the Colony of Virginia during the 1600s. Family members include a Founding Father of the United States, Benjamin Harrison V, ...

of Virginia, serving as the colony's attorney general, treasurer, and Speaker of the

House of Burgesses The House of Burgesses () was the lower house of the Virginia General Assembly from 1619 to 1776. It existed during the colonial history of the United States in the Colony of Virginia in what was then British America. From 1642 to 1776, the Hou ...

. He was the great-grandfather of President

William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was the ninth president of the United States, serving from March 4 to April 4, 1841, the shortest presidency in U.S. history. He was also the first U.S. president to die in office, causin ...

and the great-great-great-grandfather of President

Benjamin Harrison Benjamin Harrison (August 20, 1833March 13, 1901) was the 23rd president of the United States, serving from 1889 to 1893. He was a member of the Harrison family of Virginia—a grandson of the ninth president, William Henry Harrison, and a ...

Biography

Harrison was born in 1673, the son of Benjamin Harrison II (1645–1712) and Hannah Churchill. His paternal grandfather was Benjamin Harrison I (1594–1648). He purchased a portion of land from the land patent of

Berkeley Hundred Berkeley Plantation, one of the first plantations in America, comprises about on the banks of the James River on State Route 5 in Charles City County, Virginia. Berkeley Plantation was originally called Berkeley Hundred, named after the Berkele ...

where he raised his family with his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Lewis Burwell II. This location was home to the first official Thanksgiving held on December 4, 1619, and where his son Benjamin Harrison IV began to construct the family's

Berkeley Plantation Berkeley Plantation, one of the first plantations in America, comprises about on the banks of the James River on State Route 5 in Charles City County, Virginia. Berkeley Plantation was originally called Berkeley Hundred, named after the Berkele ...

in 1726.Virginia, "A Guide to the old Dominion"
p. 631, Retrieved 14 nov 2009. Harrison became the

attorney general In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general (: attorneys general) or attorney-general (AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have executive responsibility for law enf ...

of the

Virginia Colony The Colony of Virginia was a British colonial settlement in North America from 1606 to 1776. The first effort to create an English settlement in the area was chartered in 1584 and established in 1585; the resulting Roanoke Colony lasted for t ...

in 1697 at age 24, serving until 1702 before moving on to the House of Burgesses between 1703 and 1706, where he was the speaker in 1705. He became Treasurer of the colony in 1705, serving until his death in 1710. Harrison began to compile the history of the colony shortly before he died, leaving it unfinished."New England Families"
p.2089, Retrieved 14 nov 2009.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harrison, Benjamin, III 1673 births 1710 deaths Benjamin, III Speakers of the Virginia House of Burgesses