Land Ownership
Throughout his lifetime, Harris purchased several lands and made several transactions.
Just prior to his first marriage with Emma, the couple purchased their first land from James A. Quander, the father of Emma, on February 20, 1892.[1] Upon retrieval of the deed of land purchase at the Fairfax Circuit Court’s Historic Archives, it was discussed upon the staff there that it was possible that James defaulted on the land’s mortgage, thus leading him to sell the land to his daughter and soon-to-be husband.
According to the 1894 Land Tax record, his land had a total worth of $120 (worth about $4,294.73 today) with a total tax of $48 ($1,717.89 today). Out of the $48 collected from his property in taxes, $30 were levied by the county and $18 was collected for road tax. Out of the $30 levied by county, $24 of it were levied for free school purposes.[2]
According to the 1897 Personal Property Tax record, the couple owned no pets or livestock on the land, nor did they own any special listed equipment on their property, leading to their entry appearing as empty.[3]
On March 23 of 1899, the couple purchased a second land of 13.62 acres in Woodlawn (which is present-day Fort Belevior) for $55 (about $2,039.57 today).[4] During the period from 1899 to either 1903 or 1908, the Harris family held ownership of these two lands.
In May of either 1903 or 1908, the Harris family sold their first-owned land they purchased in 1892[5], leading them to owning only their remaining land until January 10, 1919 when they sold it to the United States Federal Government for use to become part of what would become present-day Fort Belvoir.[6] No tax records of their second land were found.
In “The Quanders : Since 1684, an Enduring African American Legacy”, it is revealed that he and Emma were residing on a 20-acre farm home in Woodlawn, VA in 1926.[7] However, no other deeds or tax records of any of his properties subsequent to 1919 were found.
In “The Quanders : Since 1684, an Enduring African American Legacy”, it is revealed that he and Emma were residing on a 20-acre farm home in Woodlawn, VA in 1926. However, no other deeds or tax records of any of his properties subsequent to 1919 were found.
[1] Deed from James Quander to Thomas Harris, 1892, Fairfax Deed Book M5 page 46, Fairfax County Historic Records Center, Fairfax, VA
[2] Table of Tracts of Land for the year 1894, Land Tax Book page 55, Fairfax County Historic Records Center, Fairfax, VA.
[3] Personal Property Tax Record, 1897, Persons, Property, and Other Subjects page 53, Fairfax County Historic Records Center, Fairfax, VA.
[4] Deed from F.W. Richardson to Thomas Harris, Fairfax Deed Book C-6 page 357, Fairfax County Historic Records Center, Fairfax, VA.
[5] Deed of Sale, Fairfax Deed Book N6 page 89, Fairfax County Historic Records Center, Fairfax, VA.
[6] Deed from Thomas Harris to the United States Federal Government, Fairfax Deed Book J-8 page 317, Fairfax County Historic Records Center, Fairfax, VA.
[7] Quander,Rohulamin. 2021. The Quanders : Since 1684, an Enduring African American Legacy, 69. La Vergne: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.. Accessed November 13, 2023. ProQuest Ebook Central.