Genealogy
Harvey Connection” Contains Erroneous Information
Around 2001 I purchased a copy of the 1989 book by Mary Lou Dawson titled “Harvey Connection”. I purchased the book because my GGGGG grandmother was Rebecca Harvey (1795-1863) and I thought the book might provide some valuable genealogy insights into her Harvey family relations. As it turned out, the book also contained a substantial amount of information about her husband Joseph Morgan’s (1789-1864) relatives and descendants as well. The book became a standard reference source on my bookshelf.
In July 2011 my wife and I drove to Halifax County North Carolina with the goal of allowing me to further research Rebecca Harvey’s family by visiting the area where she grew up. Part of the trip of course included a visit to the Halifax County library in Halifax, NC. Although we enjoyed a beautiful sunny morning by lunch the sky was growing dark so we headed for the library.
Halifax County North Carolina Library
If you have an interest in the genealogy of a person who passed through this county you will be pleased to know that this library has an absolutely fantastic collection of reference materials that will greatly help your search. The librarians are friendly, knowledgeable, and informative.
One of the important pieces of information I found during my visit in the library was that it was not possible to confirm the military record of Thomas Peyton Harvey who was the patriarch individual in the Harvey Connection on page 9. The Harvey Connection identified him as a Colonel in the North Carolina Militia. Unfortunately, the The Colonial and State Records of North Carolina Reference Volumes I-XXX contained in the library reveals that this was not the case. The only Colonel from North Carolina identified for the Revolutionary War was Thomas Harvey who was from Perquimans county; not Halifax County. Clearly, this was not the same person but in all fairness the references were a bit confusing so its easy to understand how this mistake was made.
Also, the Abstract from the North Carolina Journal Halifax County, NC 1792-1791 Volume 1 by Raymond Parker Fouts shows that Colonel Thomas Harvey from Perquimans County married Miss Rachael Hardy in Edenton, NC. Further, there was no clear evidence found that Thomas Harvey from Halifax, NC served during the Revolutionary War. Also, page 15 of the Harvey Connection lists 5 land transactions related to Thomas Harvey of Halifax County. Further research calls into question the accuracy of this information.
The Harvey Connection states “It is believed by some that Col. Harvey was born and reared in Paris, France.” Indeed, the Index of N.C. Ancestors, NC Genealogical Society 1981 lists Thomas Harvey/Hervey as being born in France.