Andrew Harrison - Garret Harsin - American Revolutionary War Veteran Graves on Waymarking.com

Garret Harsin or Andrew Harrison?
by Ray Harsin (from INDIANA SPIRIT QUEST #563 "The General's Guard")

A story has been circulated among family members as to the actual identity of this man burried in Brandywine Cemetery and whom is the fore-father of most all Harsin's. As a child, I was not told of this story nor ever heard a peep about possibly being related to a President of the United States and a signer of the Declaration of Independence until I began my Harsin research back in 1976. In fact, it was a few years into my research when I was approached by Hazel La Frenier of Washington state with this story. She said her great-grandmother told it to all her family and it was generally known to be true.

Is this man Garret Harsin? There was a man named Garret Harsin and a man named Andrew Harrison. Garret came from a family in New York city and Andrew Harrison was of a family from Virginia. Andrew's father was Benjamin Harrison the Fifith who signed the Declaration of Independence for Virginia and father of William Henry Harrison, the ninth President of the United States, and Great Grandfather of Benjamin Harrison, twenty-third President of the United States. Andrew and William Henry Harrison were brothers. The two men, Garret and Andrew, served in the American Revolution in the same regiments. They faught with George Washington's Guard during the war.

The story continues with undocumented facts from this point, other than a few branches of the family telling the story. Andrew Harrison was caught stealing. The penalty was death by hanging. Andrew came from a prominent family and his life was spared by the commanding officer by hanging Garret Harsin in the place of Andrew Harrison. Andrew was given Garret's name and paper's and was dismissed as Garret Harsin. The report to ranking officers showed that Andrew Harrison was hung. Historical accounts of Andrew Harrison shows his death in the American Revolutionary War. Then this individual had to keep the name of Garret Harsin through his life to continue hiding his true identity for fear of being hung.

In all my contacts with the Harsin family of today, I have only come across two other, distantly related folks from Hazel and who did not know Hazel, that asked if I had heard that story. When I asked them how they knew of it, it was told it was passed down from family members over the years. One thing is certain, some of the family had this story. Many folk, as I, were very unaware of the story.

There are facts about the individual that seem to colaborate the story. One, this individual moved to Kentucky after the war and was living in the same area as the Harrison family. Also, Elizabeth Doughty is from Virginia and her family is a prominent family of England with ties to Royalty as is the Harrison family. I tend to ask the question, if Andrew Harrison was to have married Elizabeth Doughty in front of the same congregation that the real Garret Harsin grew up with, wouldn't the congregation and its Pastor know that there would be an imposter? Garret and Elizabeth Harsin were married after the war and in the Dutch Reformed Church that Garret was raised up in New York.

Beyond the grave lies the truth as this man takes the answers to the grave with him. One sure thing, most all Harsins today are directly related to this man resting in the Brandywine cemetery located just outside Fairland, Indiana in Shelby county

Born: June 15, 1753; New York City
Died: Sept 24, 1838; Shelby Co., Indiana
Buried: Shelby Co, IN
Service: Volunteered Jun 1776, as a private in Capt Charles Dixon's Co., Col John Lasher's NY Regiment. Was in the Battle of Long Island and retreated from New York. At the Battle of Harlem Heights and served 5 months. In the Summer of 1777, volunteered, served 3 months in Capt Moses Cantine's NY Company In Autumn 1777, 3 months in same company About the close of 1777 he entered on board the "Hudson", a public armed vessel, commanded by Capt John Parmer, and served as a sailor for 18 months. The vessel lay at West Point a part of the time as a guard ship and part of the time went up and down the river with provisions for the army. Later he went into a shop as an artificer under Capt John Parcels, Quartermaster Gen Hughes, at Fishkill, New York. Length of service was seven years.
Proof: Pension Claim W 10082
Married: 1784, Elizabeth Doughty, born 1763
Children: They had 8 children.
George: Born 1785 Maria: Born 1801

Location type: Single Grave Date of Birth: June 15, 1753; New York City Date of Death: Died: Sept 24, 1838; Shelby Co., Indiana Cause of death: Died Later Grave Marker Text: Andrew Harrison George Washington's Guard Revolutionary War January 4, 1750 Sept 24, 1838 Garret Harsin Ranks: unknown

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PLEASE NOTE: This category is for American Revolutionary War Veterans only. Veterans of other revolutions are not part of this category.

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