Benjamin Harrison IV

Benjamin Harrison IV (1693 – July 12, 1745) was a colonial American planter and politician associated with the Virginia colony. He was a member of the Virginia House of Burgesses and was part of the Harrison family, a prominent Virginia planter family.

Born in 1693, Harrison was the son of Benjamin Harrison III and Elizabeth Burwell. His paternal lineage includes Benjamin Harrison II (1645–1712) and Benjamin Harrison I (1594–1648), descendants of an family believed to have originated from London and Northampton before immigrating to Virginia. Harrison completed his education at the College of William & Mary, becoming the first in his family to graduate from college. Following his education, he managed and expanded the family estate.

Harrison married Anne Carter circa 1722. She was the daughter of Robert Carter I, a planter and merchant, and was described as "a very agreeable girl" by William Byrd II. This marriage connected the Harrison family with the Carter family, which was influential in Virginia. The couple's marriage produced 11 children, among them Benjamin Harrison V (1726–1791), who later signed the Declaration of Independence and served as governor of Virginia; William Henry Harrison (1773–1841), who became the ninth President of the United States; and Carter Bassett Harrison (c. 1756–1808), who served as a U.S. Congressman.

In 1726, Harrison built a Georgian-style three-story brick mansion on a hill overlooking the James River, known as Berkeley Plantation. Bricks used in construction were fired on the estate. The mansion is considered one of the oldest three-story brick homes in Virginia and is notable as the ancestral home of two U.S. presidents.

Harrison acquired additional land holdings during his lifetime, including a purchase of 200 acres from Richard Bradford III in 1729. He represented Charles City County in the Virginia House of Burgesses from 1736 to 1742.

Harrison's children married into other prominent Virginia families, including the Randolph family. His descendants include multiple political figures, such as Chicago mayors Carter Henry Harrison III (1825–1893) and Carter Harrison IV (1860–1953).

Harrison died in 1745, reportedly struck by lightning, with some accounts indicating that his daughter Hannah was also killed in the incident. His will provided for the division of his estate among his children, with his oldest son Benjamin inheriting the majority of the plantations, including Berkeley. Burial place records vary, with some sources indicating he was interred on the grounds of the old Westover Church, while others state his remains are in his family cemetery.