I am seriously wondering if there are two Jacob Geigers, and if they have somehow been mixed up in most records. What I have found is quite confusing but it seems to have two men by the same name at the same place at the same time. I am trying to get to the bottom of this but here's what I think I know.
Jacob was born in 1748 and wsas the son of Johan Valentin Geiger III, and Sarah, who may have been a widow Vettatoe, or some such name. He was reportedly born in New Hanover Township, in what is now Montgomery County but at the time was still Philadelphia County. This would have been frontier land at the time.
Somehow, Jacob made his way to Frederick County, Maryland, where we have one of the first documentations that I've been able to locate. There he married Elizabeth Schultz on August 11, 1776, in a Lutheran church or at least by a Lutheran pastor, just a few weeks after our country declared Independence. Jacob had actually been in Frederick County longer than that, because in December of 1775 he was listed as an Associator in the American cause. This was basically a volunteer militia. He also took the oath of allegiance in 1778, which was to the state of Maryland rather than to Great Britain, or, more interestingly, to the American cause. This was required of all office holders, including attorneys, and also all voters, which meant at the time those men who owned real estate.
Jacob and Elizabeth had at least seven children, born from 1776, just three months after the wedding, to 1786. Elizabeth, I think, deserved a break after that. Her body must have been worn out by the time the last one was born.
We don't know what other military service Jacob may have participated in, before or during the Revolutionary War. The area he is believed to have settled in was hard hit by attacks by native Americans, and it is more than possible that Jacob participated in one or more of the marches and battles that protected Americans and "rid the area" of most native Americans. The stories from that time and area are gruesome, but for the purposes of this blog, it is only a possibility that Jacob was involved, not a certainty. It is, however, more than likely that the family moved to the relative safety of a nearby fort or stockade for at least short periods of time during the war years.
I think that Jacob owned land in Frederick County, Maryland called "Discontentment". There were 244 acres there, and it was resurveyed in 1793, soon after Jacob died. It wouldn't have belonged to son Jacob, because the son was only 15 years old at the time. A more thorough study of land records would possibly show that the land was deeded to either heirs or a purchaser.
It has been reported, but I can't document, that Jacob Geiger died at or near Greenbrier, Berkeley County, (West) Virginia in February of 1791 or 1792. If his birth date is correct, he was a young man of 44 at the time, which makes one wonder if an accident or injury of some type was involved. It could also have been simple overwork. We don't know when the family relocated, or why, but the Jacob Geiger who died in Northampton County, Pennsylvania at about the same time does not appear to be one and the same with our Jacob.
One other thing that is confusing on websites I've found is that both Jacob and Elizabeth are said to have died on the same date, February 24, 1791 or 1792. I'd like to find the source of that information, because that could indicate either Indians, or some sudden disease like cholera. Either way, there would be a story there. But once before I thought I'd found a couple who died on the same day, and that information turned out to be faulty. So the question is still an open one: Who died when, and where, and how? Is that too much to ask?
Jacob lived a difficult life in difficult times. I hope his homestead gave him wonderful views, and I hope he died happy, knowing that his children had the skills and fortitude to continue carving out homes in the wilderness.
Much of this post is speculation, with just a few records to support it. If anyone has additional information on this man, I would love to hear more of him, especially if there is documentation. Please contact me.
The line of descent is:
Jacob Geiger-Elizabeth Schultz
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Showing posts with label Kirk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kirk. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
Friday, December 2, 2016
Harshbarger post: Daniel Schultz 1730-1820
This is a frustrating post to write. I know nothing more of this man than the approximate birth and death dates for him. I don't even have a death location.
The only clues I have to Daniel Schultz's life are that he was married to a Catherine Walter and their daughter Elizabeth was born in Frederick County, Maryland in 1757. I do know that Frederick County had a settlement of Germans and because Catherine is sometimes listed as Catherine Walterin, the feminine form of Walter, I suspect that this was a German family. I would love to know when the families immigrated and where they were from. I also know there would be several variant spellings to the Schultz name, including Shultz. That makes searching more challenging!
Other suspicions are that the family farmed, that it was larger than the one child I know of, and that they may have moved on by the time Daniel died, in 1820. His daughter Elizabeth had died earlier in 1791, in Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia) and it is possible that this is where we should be looking for Daniel. After all, there were grandchildren to enjoy and to help raise!
Again, this is more of a place marker post, knowing that his story isn't told yet. I hope others in his family will find this, and someone will contact me with other information, be it a scrap or a document or a place to look for records. One Ancestry tree shows a Revolutionary War symbol, but there is no indication of whether he was a veteran, and if so, what group he was with. I will start looking in the militia for Frederick County, for starters, but that may or may not prove fruitful.
When I know more, I will write more.
The line of descent is:
Daniel Schultz-Catherine Walter
Elizabeth Schultz-Jacob Geiger
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter Jr.
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
The only clues I have to Daniel Schultz's life are that he was married to a Catherine Walter and their daughter Elizabeth was born in Frederick County, Maryland in 1757. I do know that Frederick County had a settlement of Germans and because Catherine is sometimes listed as Catherine Walterin, the feminine form of Walter, I suspect that this was a German family. I would love to know when the families immigrated and where they were from. I also know there would be several variant spellings to the Schultz name, including Shultz. That makes searching more challenging!
Other suspicions are that the family farmed, that it was larger than the one child I know of, and that they may have moved on by the time Daniel died, in 1820. His daughter Elizabeth had died earlier in 1791, in Martinsburg, Virginia (now West Virginia) and it is possible that this is where we should be looking for Daniel. After all, there were grandchildren to enjoy and to help raise!
Again, this is more of a place marker post, knowing that his story isn't told yet. I hope others in his family will find this, and someone will contact me with other information, be it a scrap or a document or a place to look for records. One Ancestry tree shows a Revolutionary War symbol, but there is no indication of whether he was a veteran, and if so, what group he was with. I will start looking in the militia for Frederick County, for starters, but that may or may not prove fruitful.
When I know more, I will write more.
The line of descent is:
Daniel Schultz-Catherine Walter
Elizabeth Schultz-Jacob Geiger
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter Jr.
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Friday, January 16, 2015
Harshbarger line: Johann Valentin Geiger Immigrant 1685-1762
Johann Valentin Geiger was born shortly before December 21, 1685 in Mosbach, Baden-Wuerttemburg, Germany. Actually this would have not been Germany and not Baden-Wuerttemburg. At the time that he was born, this was part of the Electorate of the Palatinate. Regardless, to us he was born in southern Germany. The town itself is ancient, possibly dating from the 9th century, and there are many wonderful pictures of medieval appearing buildings in Mosbach, on the internet. Whether you want to tour Europe in person some day, or just want to learn a little about our ancestors, looking at these pictures could give you some inspiration.
Valentin's parents were Johann Valentin Geiger (Giger and Kyger are alternate spellings) and Maria Barbara Bauer, and he was one of at least four children. We don't know the occupation of his father, but it may be that he was not a farmer. Perhaps he was a merchant or a tradesman of some sort, since this town had a population that would support such activities.
Sometime about 1716 Valentin married Johanna Fredericka Henckel, daughter of Anthony Jacob Henckel, the Lutheran pastor who came to the New World early. A son was born to them and Fredericka was again expecting a child when the family traveled to the New World in September of 1717 (arrival date). The Geigers came with Fredericka's parents, who were already 45-50 years of age. Valentin would have been 42 and Fredericka about 25 when they arrived at Philadelphia.
Several more children were born in quick succession and perhaps sympathy is due to Fredericka. Anthony had been born in the Old World, and possibly Johann Jacob. Valentine was born June 2, 1718, and then Barbara, Christopher, and Mary Margareta. There is about a 16 year gap in children, and then Anna Barbara was born. She is listed as a child of Valentin and Fredericka, but Fredericka would have been 45 years old in 1737, so this would have probably been a very difficult birth. Fredericka died April 2, 1739 in Philadelphia County, in what would become New Hanover, Montgomery County, Pa.
We can guess that Valentin would have been a farmer. This was a frontier area when the family went there, and life would have not been easy. It must have been sparsely populated, because even in 1930, the township had a population of 1,467, and this would have been 200 years after the Geigers arrived. Of course, for a few years, they would have seen the Henckel's frequently, but they were dead by 1730.
Valentin married Maria Elizabeth Schmidt in or about 1741, and four more Geigers were born to this marriage-Johann Dietrich, John Henry, Benjamin, and Charles. Most of the older children would likely have been out of their parent's home when the second family came along, which could be a good thing. Housing eleven children in one household would have been difficult.
We know little else about the family. They attended the New Hanover Lutheran Church, which was the first German Lutheran Church in America and was organized by Daniel Falckner about 1700. From 1742 to 1761 Henry Melchior Muhlenberg served as the pastor, and I found a document on Ancestry.com from the Historic Pennsylvania and Church records, kept by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. It is written in German, but appears to be a record of some sort of tithes, offerings, or pledges. Muhlenberg's name is at the top, with a number of 1.5 in what I take to be the "shillings" column. Valentin Geiger is three lines down, with 7 shillings and 6 pence attributed to him. (It would be great to find a translation of this handwritten document!)
Valentin died December 1, 1762, and he is believed to be buried in the New Hanover Lutheran Church cemetery, Montgomery County, Pa (It was Philadelphia County until 1784). I have not found a will for him.
I'd like to know more about the man, of course. What was his livelihood in Germany, and in Pennsylvania? Did he own the land he lived on here? Why did he decide to come to the New World? Was it so his wife could keep an eye on her parents, or were there other reasons? And I always wonder about the immigrants-were they glad they came to the New World where they could start over, or did the difficulties and dangers they encountered make them long to go back?
The line of descent is
Johann Valentin Geiger-Johanna Fredericka Henckel
Johann Valentin Geiger-Sarah (widow?) Vetatoe
Jacob Geiger-Elizabeth Shultz
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Their descendants
Friday, August 22, 2014
Harshbarger line: Anthony Jacob Henckel, immigrant and Lutheran pastor
Basically, Germans who came to America in the early 1700's were from one of two sets of religious beliefs. One was the Mennonite/Amish/Brethren group, which was more or less anti-establishment, although that would not have been the way they described themselves. The Harshbargers were part of this group. The other was the established church in much of what would become Germany, which was the Lutheran church. (There were also German Roman Catholics but so far I haven't found any ancestors that belonged to that group.). This is an extreme over-simplification, but it helps to at least have a broad outline to begin connecting dots.
Anthony Jacob Henckel was a Lutheran, but more than that, he came to America relatively late in life to be a missionary and a pastor to the Germans who had preceded him to America, and to those who would come after he did. He had grown up in an educated family, but I don't know whether it was an educated wealthy family or an educated poor family.
He was born to Georg and Anna Eulalia Dentzer Henckel in 1668, and was Christined on December 27, 1668 in the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Merenberg, Hesse-Darmstadt. His father had graduated from the University of Geissen and was a schoolmaster, and a Lutheran. He was one of at least six children, so with a schoolmaster father and a large family, perhaps the family was not wealthy. Nevertheless, somehow the family or someone else paid for Anthony Jacob to also attend the University of Geissen, where he studied theology. He graduated on January 16, 1692, and was ordained into the Lutheran Church on February 28, 1692. About two months later, on April 25, 1692, he married Maria Elizabeth Dentzer, daughter of another Lutheran pastor, Reverend Johann Nicolaus Dentzer and Barbara Catherina Giebel.
Anthony Jacob and Maria Elizabeth had 12 children, born in various locations in Germany. Rev. Henckel served in several different churches and towns in Germany, and having come under increasing pressure from Roman Catholic church authorities, decided it would be best for his family and for the Lutherans who were already here, if he were to move to America. 7 of his children came with him. 4 had died in infancy/childhood, and one may have come to America later. The Henckels would have had their hands full, with children ranging from 4 to 23 when they made the trip to America in 1717. They arrived in 1717, probably in September in Philadelphia, and were no doubt pleased to get their feet on solid ground again.
He purchased land soon after he arrived, in New Hanover township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, about 250 acres. He and his family would have cleared enough of the land to build a cabin and then perhaps (or perhaps not) a home, and then to set out crops to live on, and a barn for the animals. At the same time, Reverend Henckel was tending to a spiritual flock. He founded St Michael's Lutheran Church in Germantown, and the New Hanover Lutheran Church in Montgomery County, and taught or preached in other locations as he was called to do. He encouraged the Lutherans in the Tulpehocken settlement in Berks County to build their first church, which they did in 1727. His signature is on petitions asking for a road through Faulkner Swamp, and on a petition in 1728 asking for protection from the Indians, as his home was on the frontier and the native Americans were threatening.
Reverend Henckel died following a fall from a horse, at Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. There seems to be some question whether he may have had a medical crisis that caused the fall, but regardless, he lived for less than a day. He was able to give an oral will before he died on August 12, 1728. His widow lived for another 15 years and died on January 23, 1743. They are buried at St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Germantown.
I admire this couple greatly for their devotion to their Lord and their family, for their courage and vision in coming to America when they were in their late 40's, and for their ability to adapt to a different way of life here.
The line of descent is:
Anthony Jacob Henckel-Maria Elizabeth Dentzler
Johanna Frederika Henckel-Johann Valentine Geiger
Valentine Geiger-Sarah Vetatoe
Jacob Geiger-Elizabeth Shultz
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Harshbarger children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren
Anthony Jacob Henckel was a Lutheran, but more than that, he came to America relatively late in life to be a missionary and a pastor to the Germans who had preceded him to America, and to those who would come after he did. He had grown up in an educated family, but I don't know whether it was an educated wealthy family or an educated poor family.
He was born to Georg and Anna Eulalia Dentzer Henckel in 1668, and was Christined on December 27, 1668 in the Evangelical Lutheran Church, Merenberg, Hesse-Darmstadt. His father had graduated from the University of Geissen and was a schoolmaster, and a Lutheran. He was one of at least six children, so with a schoolmaster father and a large family, perhaps the family was not wealthy. Nevertheless, somehow the family or someone else paid for Anthony Jacob to also attend the University of Geissen, where he studied theology. He graduated on January 16, 1692, and was ordained into the Lutheran Church on February 28, 1692. About two months later, on April 25, 1692, he married Maria Elizabeth Dentzer, daughter of another Lutheran pastor, Reverend Johann Nicolaus Dentzer and Barbara Catherina Giebel.
Anthony Jacob and Maria Elizabeth had 12 children, born in various locations in Germany. Rev. Henckel served in several different churches and towns in Germany, and having come under increasing pressure from Roman Catholic church authorities, decided it would be best for his family and for the Lutherans who were already here, if he were to move to America. 7 of his children came with him. 4 had died in infancy/childhood, and one may have come to America later. The Henckels would have had their hands full, with children ranging from 4 to 23 when they made the trip to America in 1717. They arrived in 1717, probably in September in Philadelphia, and were no doubt pleased to get their feet on solid ground again.
He purchased land soon after he arrived, in New Hanover township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, about 250 acres. He and his family would have cleared enough of the land to build a cabin and then perhaps (or perhaps not) a home, and then to set out crops to live on, and a barn for the animals. At the same time, Reverend Henckel was tending to a spiritual flock. He founded St Michael's Lutheran Church in Germantown, and the New Hanover Lutheran Church in Montgomery County, and taught or preached in other locations as he was called to do. He encouraged the Lutherans in the Tulpehocken settlement in Berks County to build their first church, which they did in 1727. His signature is on petitions asking for a road through Faulkner Swamp, and on a petition in 1728 asking for protection from the Indians, as his home was on the frontier and the native Americans were threatening.
Reverend Henckel died following a fall from a horse, at Germantown, Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania. There seems to be some question whether he may have had a medical crisis that caused the fall, but regardless, he lived for less than a day. He was able to give an oral will before he died on August 12, 1728. His widow lived for another 15 years and died on January 23, 1743. They are buried at St. Michael's Lutheran Church in Germantown.
I admire this couple greatly for their devotion to their Lord and their family, for their courage and vision in coming to America when they were in their late 40's, and for their ability to adapt to a different way of life here.
The line of descent is:
Anthony Jacob Henckel-Maria Elizabeth Dentzler
Johanna Frederika Henckel-Johann Valentine Geiger
Valentine Geiger-Sarah Vetatoe
Jacob Geiger-Elizabeth Shultz
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Harshbarger children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren
Friday, July 25, 2014
Harshbarger line: Anthony Geiger 1774-1836
I'm sure there are people with more knowledge than I who should be writing posts about this gentleman. I haven't located as much information as I would like, so this post is more of an introductory post and hopefully other people will be willing to help me fill in the pieces, or I will find more information as I go along on this backwards journey I'm taking.
Anthony Geiger was born sometime in or about 1774 in Frederick County, Maryland. His parents were Jacob Geiger and Elizabeth Shultz, and of course his paternal ancestors (actually, his great grandparents) were from Germany. He had 6 known siblings. He was baptized on October 29, 1776 in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Middletown, Frederick County, Md. This was a church of German speaking people, and was likely in the new edifice that was constructed right about this time. A church history on line refers to it as a sextagonal building, surmounted by a tower which contained a bell once used on a man of war, and also contained a fine organ. Money was scarce at the time so it is recorded that the farmers gave wheat, which was made into flour, and afterward exchanged for lumber and labor used in the construction of the church. I wonder what song was played on the organ for the baptism of Anthony Geiger?
By 1797 Anthony was in Berkeley County, Virginia, which later became West Virginia. There he married Mary Kirk, the daughter of Joseph Kirk and Sarah on September 26, 1797. I have not yet been able to trace them, other than he was supposedly an Irishman. Anthony and Mary had at least 11 children: Elizabeth, Sarah, John, Joseph, Jacob, Margaret, Mary Ann, Ann, Anthony, Thomas, and Daniel. Sometime during the time period from 1797 to 1812 the Geigers moved to Licking County, Ohio.
The first evidence of the move that I've found is from a publication called The Lake Erie Ledger, in the October 2009 issue, on page 8. This tells about Captain Nicholas Shaver's Rifle Company of Licking County, which was called to the defense of the frontier, 2nd Regiment, from August 20 to September 27, 1812. "The frontier" was actually Knox County, Ohio, where they were ordered to defend the settlers of that county from Indian attacks. The detachment built blockhouses in all the settled areas of the frontier county and they patrolled the northern and western borders of Knox County looking for Indian signs. (I don't know why Knox County needed help; perhaps their men were called to duty elsewhere.) Incidentally, George Harter was also on this list.
Anthony is found in the 1820 census in Licking, Licking, Ohio as Anthony Giger. At the time, there were 11 people under the age of 25 in his home, and a total of three people engaged in agriculture, probably Anthony and his two oldest sons. By 1830, the girls had all left home and there were four males, probably sons, still at home. One was aged 10-14, 2 were 15 to 19, and one was 20-29.
Anthony Geiger died near Churubusco, Whitley County, Indiana on December 26, 1836, and is buried in the Eel River Cemetery in Allen County. There are two entries for Anthony Geiger in the General Land Office database, both dated March 15, 1837. I don't know whether these are for this Anthony, and the deeds were recorded after Anthony died, or whether these were deeds for his son Anthony, since I haven't found a will for Anthony. He was approximately 62 when he died, so perhaps he was still a vigorous man hoping to start over, or perhaps he was an old man, just "along for the ride" when many of his family moved to the Whitley and Allen County area. His wife, Elizabeth, had died in 1832 in Jacksontown, Licking County, Ohio.
I need to go back to Licking County records to see what more I can learn about this man and his family. Again, his life was one I can barely comprehend. He spent his life on the "frontier" as it moved westward, and helped both develop and protect his country. He deserves our gratitude for that.
The line of descent is:
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren
Anthony Geiger was born sometime in or about 1774 in Frederick County, Maryland. His parents were Jacob Geiger and Elizabeth Shultz, and of course his paternal ancestors (actually, his great grandparents) were from Germany. He had 6 known siblings. He was baptized on October 29, 1776 in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Middletown, Frederick County, Md. This was a church of German speaking people, and was likely in the new edifice that was constructed right about this time. A church history on line refers to it as a sextagonal building, surmounted by a tower which contained a bell once used on a man of war, and also contained a fine organ. Money was scarce at the time so it is recorded that the farmers gave wheat, which was made into flour, and afterward exchanged for lumber and labor used in the construction of the church. I wonder what song was played on the organ for the baptism of Anthony Geiger?
By 1797 Anthony was in Berkeley County, Virginia, which later became West Virginia. There he married Mary Kirk, the daughter of Joseph Kirk and Sarah on September 26, 1797. I have not yet been able to trace them, other than he was supposedly an Irishman. Anthony and Mary had at least 11 children: Elizabeth, Sarah, John, Joseph, Jacob, Margaret, Mary Ann, Ann, Anthony, Thomas, and Daniel. Sometime during the time period from 1797 to 1812 the Geigers moved to Licking County, Ohio.
The first evidence of the move that I've found is from a publication called The Lake Erie Ledger, in the October 2009 issue, on page 8. This tells about Captain Nicholas Shaver's Rifle Company of Licking County, which was called to the defense of the frontier, 2nd Regiment, from August 20 to September 27, 1812. "The frontier" was actually Knox County, Ohio, where they were ordered to defend the settlers of that county from Indian attacks. The detachment built blockhouses in all the settled areas of the frontier county and they patrolled the northern and western borders of Knox County looking for Indian signs. (I don't know why Knox County needed help; perhaps their men were called to duty elsewhere.) Incidentally, George Harter was also on this list.
Anthony is found in the 1820 census in Licking, Licking, Ohio as Anthony Giger. At the time, there were 11 people under the age of 25 in his home, and a total of three people engaged in agriculture, probably Anthony and his two oldest sons. By 1830, the girls had all left home and there were four males, probably sons, still at home. One was aged 10-14, 2 were 15 to 19, and one was 20-29.
Anthony Geiger died near Churubusco, Whitley County, Indiana on December 26, 1836, and is buried in the Eel River Cemetery in Allen County. There are two entries for Anthony Geiger in the General Land Office database, both dated March 15, 1837. I don't know whether these are for this Anthony, and the deeds were recorded after Anthony died, or whether these were deeds for his son Anthony, since I haven't found a will for Anthony. He was approximately 62 when he died, so perhaps he was still a vigorous man hoping to start over, or perhaps he was an old man, just "along for the ride" when many of his family moved to the Whitley and Allen County area. His wife, Elizabeth, had died in 1832 in Jacksontown, Licking County, Ohio.
I need to go back to Licking County records to see what more I can learn about this man and his family. Again, his life was one I can barely comprehend. He spent his life on the "frontier" as it moved westward, and helped both develop and protect his country. He deserves our gratitude for that.
The line of descent is:
Anthony Geiger-Mary Kirk
Elizabeth Geiger-George Harter
John Harter-Mary Bennett
Clara Harter-Emmanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger-Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger-Mary Margaret Beeks
Children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren
Friday, February 7, 2014
Harshbarger line: John Harter and family, one more time
When in doubt, go to the primary sources...
I had a grand time doing just that on Tuesday. As I wrote about the Harter line, I questioned my original data and had "decided" that John's parents were George and Elizabeth, not John and Mary. However, I had only census data and on line information to go on. Tuesday I drove to Columbia City to see what I could find.
I started at the health department, and indeed they had the abstract from the death certificate for John Harter. His parents are given as George Harter and Elizabeth Geiger. John died on August 24, 1902 of heart disease and was buried at Eel River Cemetery. This is our guy!
Next I went to the file management section, in the basement, and looked at an administration packet for George Harter, who died in 1854. Imagine! I was touching papers that were almost 160 years old! I got copies of the estate sale (Elizabeth bought some things, as did John, and other family members, although I haven't fully analyzed it yet) and of the final settlement of the estate. No will was found.
Finally, I went to the recorder's office, and looked at the deed where George and Elizabeth sold land to John in 1851, shortly before his marriage. I also accidentally found a deed dated November 1, 1851, where George and Elizabeth sold land to the trustees of the United Brethren in Christ church (actually, they donated it, because the price was $1), and George Harter was a trustee. Anthony Geiger was also a trustee, but I haven't figured out yet whether this was Elizabeth's father, or her brother. So we now know their religion, at least in Indiana.
Finally, I went to the Peabody library and found this obituary for John, dated August 27, 1902, from the Columbia City Post:
"Death of Another Pioneer
John Harter, one of the oldest settlers of Smith township, died Sunday evening after a long spell of sickness. His wife preceeded him to the eternal world several years, and from the time of her death, he made his home with the different grown children that survive their parents. Mr. Harter had by industry and hard work accumulated much of this world's goods, and by his honest dealings had made a host of friends. He was a staunch church member, and a strong believer in democracy.
The deceased was in his seventy-second year, having spent the most of his life in this county. The funeral occurred Tuesday forenoon at the Eel River church, and the remains were laid to rest in the church cemetery."
There are few specific facts in the obituary, but it does give us a sense of the character of the man and the way he lived his life.
I'm glad I found all this information, and you can bet I'll be going back to the Recorder's office. I have a lot of people in the Harshbarger line who may or may not have owned land, and I want to trace them, $1 at a time. (Copies are $1 a page, and I didn't take nearly enough money with me on this trip. I know better now.)
Also I can now continue working on the Harter, Geiger, Miller, Kitterman, Kirk, and other lines as I have time. All those names, and more, are on the on-line trees, so this will really be fun! Happy dance again!
The line of descent is:
George Harter and Elizabeth Geiger
John Harter and Mary Bennett
Clara (Clarissa?) Harter and Emanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger and Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger and Mary Margaret Beeks
I had a grand time doing just that on Tuesday. As I wrote about the Harter line, I questioned my original data and had "decided" that John's parents were George and Elizabeth, not John and Mary. However, I had only census data and on line information to go on. Tuesday I drove to Columbia City to see what I could find.
I started at the health department, and indeed they had the abstract from the death certificate for John Harter. His parents are given as George Harter and Elizabeth Geiger. John died on August 24, 1902 of heart disease and was buried at Eel River Cemetery. This is our guy!
Next I went to the file management section, in the basement, and looked at an administration packet for George Harter, who died in 1854. Imagine! I was touching papers that were almost 160 years old! I got copies of the estate sale (Elizabeth bought some things, as did John, and other family members, although I haven't fully analyzed it yet) and of the final settlement of the estate. No will was found.
Finally, I went to the recorder's office, and looked at the deed where George and Elizabeth sold land to John in 1851, shortly before his marriage. I also accidentally found a deed dated November 1, 1851, where George and Elizabeth sold land to the trustees of the United Brethren in Christ church (actually, they donated it, because the price was $1), and George Harter was a trustee. Anthony Geiger was also a trustee, but I haven't figured out yet whether this was Elizabeth's father, or her brother. So we now know their religion, at least in Indiana.
Finally, I went to the Peabody library and found this obituary for John, dated August 27, 1902, from the Columbia City Post:
"Death of Another Pioneer
John Harter, one of the oldest settlers of Smith township, died Sunday evening after a long spell of sickness. His wife preceeded him to the eternal world several years, and from the time of her death, he made his home with the different grown children that survive their parents. Mr. Harter had by industry and hard work accumulated much of this world's goods, and by his honest dealings had made a host of friends. He was a staunch church member, and a strong believer in democracy.
The deceased was in his seventy-second year, having spent the most of his life in this county. The funeral occurred Tuesday forenoon at the Eel River church, and the remains were laid to rest in the church cemetery."
There are few specific facts in the obituary, but it does give us a sense of the character of the man and the way he lived his life.
I'm glad I found all this information, and you can bet I'll be going back to the Recorder's office. I have a lot of people in the Harshbarger line who may or may not have owned land, and I want to trace them, $1 at a time. (Copies are $1 a page, and I didn't take nearly enough money with me on this trip. I know better now.)
Also I can now continue working on the Harter, Geiger, Miller, Kitterman, Kirk, and other lines as I have time. All those names, and more, are on the on-line trees, so this will really be fun! Happy dance again!
The line of descent is:
George Harter and Elizabeth Geiger
John Harter and Mary Bennett
Clara (Clarissa?) Harter and Emanuel Harshbarger
Grover Harshbarger and Goldie Withers
Cleveland Harshbarger and Mary Margaret Beeks
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