Harshbarger line: Bits and pieces from the Emanuel Harshbarger family

Here are some bits and pieces from the life of the Emanuel Harshbarger family, as found on Newspapers.com

From the Commercial Mail, Columbia City, Indiana Jan. 11, 1958, in a column that was looking back 50 years:

"The Emanuel Harshbarger family reported they thought they were the county's bread-eating champions.  They baked 738 loaves of bread during 1907, also ate 483 cookies and 106 pies." 

I don't have death dates noted for all of the eight children in this family, but I think some were already gone by then.  Grover Harshbarger was just ready to turn 17, and I suspect he ate like a growing boy. In the 1910 census, just Grover and his brother Logan were listed as living at home.  Daughter Bertha, then 13, was listed in the 1900 census.  So the family that ate all this food wasn't large, unless perhaps Clara sold some of the excess to neighbors or a grocery store. 

Then from the Commercial Mail, May 27,1961, also looking back 50 years:

"Ambrose Keister, Troy township, had a barn raising when a 30x50 foot barn with an L was raised by Emanuel Harshbarger and his special equipment."  I'd love to know how that was done, and what the special equipment was!

And finally, from The Fort wayne Sentinel, of January 13, 1920

"Fire Does Slight Damage.  (Special to the News.) Columbia City, Ind. Jan. 12.--

Fire was discovered in the Emanuel Harshbarger home, two miles north of town, at 9 o.clock yesterday morning, but little damage was done.  it was communicated from a defective chimney in the space between the door and ceiling and it was necessary to chop several holes in the upstairs floor to get at the smouldering blaze.  The family washing was being done and plenty of water was standing in vessels with which to fight the fire, which was finally extinguished by members of the family.  The loss was small and was covered by insurance." 

The common thread I'm seeing here was that this was a hard-working family.  These are the kind of people who made America. 

The line of descent:

Emanuel Harshbarger-Clara Harter
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants