Francis Harris of Mear Plantation, near Savannah
Francis Harris came to the colony of Georgia with his brother, Thomas Harris, who died ca 1737 in the colony (leaving a son, William Thomas Harris who later owned Bethany Plantation at Harris Neck). In 1752, Francis Harris applied before the Board of Trustees for the 500 acres of land which had been formerly laid out for his brother, on the north branch of the Little Ogeechee River, west by lands granted to Captain Noble Jones and Noble Wimberly Jones. This became his Mear Plantation, and was expanded to 1300 acres on which he raised horses, cattle, hogs, sheep and goats. He added another 3,400 acres. It is believed that this locale is in the present-site of the Great Ogeechee Preserve. He was a successful merchant in Savannah, first being a clerk to Mr. Thomas Jones. Then, in 1740, he was made overseer of the trust servants. He was active in politics of the colony.
