HARNSBERGER, Hugh B.

Notes:

Of Windsor Twp. Hiram H. Harnsberger, of the firm of Harnsberger & Ragan, merchants, was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, in 1830, his parents being Jeremiah and Elizabeth Harnsberger, nee Miller, both natives of Virginia. The latter died in 1880 (actually 1884).
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They lived on a farm and brought up their children to habits of industry, endeavoring, as far as was in their power, to give them a good education.
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Hiram, the seventh of a family of nine children, made his start in life by teaching school winters, and working on a farm in the summer seasons.
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In 1866 he started in the mercantile business in Calhoun, Henry County, Missouri. After one year he left and went to Cold Store and in a short time to Leesville, where he remained six years.
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In 1876 he came to Windsor and established his present business. Mr. Ragan has been with him as partner for fifteen years. They were playmates together when boys.
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Mr. Harnsberger married Nannie R. Galbraith in October, 1859. She was the daughter of Hugh Galbraith, of Waverly, Missouri, and was originally from Tennessee. Her mother was formerly Jerusia Smiley, born in Cooper County, Missouri. They have one son, Hugh B., who has been given an excellent education, he having spent three and a half years at the Central College, Fayette, Missouri, and at the LaGrange College for one year. He is now (1883) engaged in the store, and is a thorough and promising business man. Mr. H. is a staunch Democrat. He belongs to the M . E. Church, South, and also is a member of the A. O. U. W. The firm of which he is a member is doing a large business, and necessarily carry a complete stock of goods. No house in the county stands higher for true commercial worth than they.

Hiram married GALBRAITH, Nannie R. Oct 1859. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Jeremiah and his brother Henry were twins. He built the "River Bend" house, southwest of Elkton in 1833. The house was constructed of brick by slaves. The original barn was burned by Federal soldiers during the Civil War. The second was built in 1868 and burned in July 1953. The land the homes of Jeremiah, John, Adam & Henry are built on is the land originally owned by Stephan Harnsberger, their grandfather.
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Jeremiah was a soldier in the War of 1812. He served under Coleman in the 6th Regiment, Virginia Militia (Aug-Dec. 1814) and served as a corporal.
( Roll Box: 92, Roll Extract: 602 ).
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Although Jeremiah was at one point an anti-Jackson man he eventually changed his opinion, and he and Elizabeth would open their home to General Andrew Jackson when he would travel through the area. One story states that after Andrew Jackson arrived at their home late one afternoon, Elizabeth sent one of the servants to enquire if there was anything special the General would like for supper that evening. General Jackson, being a man of simple tastes, replied "Just some cold cornbread and buttermilk".
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1850 census:
District 56-1/2, Rockingham Co., Virginia (page 192)
Jeremiah Harnsberger, M, 56, Farmer, $10,280 Wealth, b. VA
Elizabeth Harnsberger, F, 53, b. VA
Lucretia Harnsberger, F, 20, b. VA
Sarah Harnsberger, F, 27, b. VA
Thomas Harnsberger, M, 24, Sheriff, b. VA
Charles Harnsberger, M, 21, Clerk, b. VA
Hiram Harnsberger, M, 19, Farmer, b. VA
Simeon Harnsberger, M, 17, Student, b. VA
Samuel Harnsberger, M, 12, b. VA
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1850 census for slaves shows Jeremiah as the owner of the following 16 individuals:
65 year old, Male, Black
45 year old, Male, Black
35 year old, Female, Mulatto
17 year old, Female, Black
11 year old, Female, Mulatto
26 year old, Male, Mulatto
21 year old, Male, Black
15 year old, Female, Black
12 year old, Male, Mulatto
10 year old, Male, Black
10 year old, Female, Mulatto
8 year old, Female, Black
7 year old, Female, Mulatto
6 year old, Male, Mulatto
4 year old, Male, Mulatto
2 year old, Female, Mulatto
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The 1860 census finds Jeremiah, as follows:
Jeremiah Harnsberger, 65, M, Farmer, $24,400 R.E. / $18,400 Personal, b. VA
Elizabeth, 63, F, b. VA
Lucretia, 40, F, b. VA
Jacob, 37, M, Farmer, $10,000 Personal, b. VA
Fannie (Jacob's wife), 31, F, b. VA
Samuel, 20, M, Farmer, b. VA
Charles, 32, M, Farmer, $3,200 Personal, b. VA
Catherine (Charles' wife), 22, F, b. VA
Annie, 2, F, b. VA
Jennie (Virginia), 4 mos., F, b. VA
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The 1870 census shows our 75 year old Jerry (Jeremiah) living in Elk Run Township, Rockingham Co., Virginia (Roll 1676 Book 1, Page 114b), as follows;
Harnsberger, Jerry, 75, male, white, farmer, $20,000 real estate, $2,000 personal wealth, b. VA
- , Elizabeth, 73, female, white, keeping house, b. VA
- , Lucretia, 48, female, white, b. VA
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Jeremiah seems to have been very well landed, as his father and grandfather had been before him.
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1880 census:
(Stone Wall, Rockingham, Virginia) Film Number T9-1388, Page Number 315A
Jeremiah HARNSBERGER Self M Male W 85 VA Farmer VA VA
Elizabeth HARNSBERGER Wife M Female W 84 VA Keeping House VA VA
Lucretia J. HARNSBERGER Dau S Female W 59 VA VA VA
John H. BEAR Cousin M Male W 26 VA Farmer VA VA
Lizzie S. BEAR GDau M Female W 26 VA VA VA
Bessie E. BEAR GGDau S Female W 1 VA VA VA
Belle TERREL Other S Female W 14 VA Servant VA VA
William SCOTT Other S Male W 22 VA Laborer VA VA
John L. MORRIS Other S Male W 17 VA Laborer VA VA
Robert FRASIER Other S Male B 16 VA Laborer VA VA
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Jeremiah died at the age of 86 in Rockingham County.

Jeremiah married MILLER, Elizabeth 21 Mar 1816, Rockingham County, Virginia. Elizabeth (daughter of MILLER, Jacob and BEAR, Anna Barbara) was born 25 Apr 1796, Rockingham County, Virginia; died 12 Jan 1884, Elkton, Rockingham County, Virginia. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Adam was a private with Captain William Nalle's (his future father-in-law) company from August a Co. Va. & fought Indians in the battle at Point Pleasant on 10 Oct. 1774.
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He, or his son "Adam", was a Captain of the 58th Regiment Virginia Malitia in the War of 1812. In a book about the war of 1812 by J. W. Wayland, Adam is referred to as Major and Commandant of the 2nd battalion of the regiment.
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Rockingham Co., VA court records:
Adam Hansberger, for 52 bus. corn, Nov. 5, 1780; etc.
Adam Hansberger, for 1 "Waggoner Cover Very Good," 40 shillings, Oct. 8, 1780.

Adam married NALLE, Catherine 9 Apr 1776, Virginia. Catherine (daughter of NALLE, William Captain Or Colonel and YANCEY, Ann Eleanor) was born Abt 1759, Culpeper County, Virginia; died Mar 1822, Rockingham County, Virginia. [Group Sheet]

Notes:

Daughter of Captain William Nalle.

Notes:

Copied from a Family Bible at "Green Meadows", near Elkton Virginia. Date in the Bible 1811

Jacob Miller and Anna Bear his wife were married March 6, 1792.
Daughter Susan was born April 10, 1793 - married George Conrad October 25, 1810.
Daughter Elizabeth was born April 25, 1796 married Jeremiah Harnsberger March 21, 1816
Daughter Katherine was born November 12, 1799 - married April 11, 1822 to Henry Kissling
Thomas Kennerly Miller born August 17, 1808 died April 14, 1885 was married to Amanda J. Harnsberger June 20, 1845.
W. Shanks Miller married February 2, 184(?) to Sarah Ann Gibbons.
Jacob Miller was born July 19, 1769, died August 5, 1861,
Anna his wife was born November 27, 1767, died November 6, 1841.
Anne K Miller was born June 21, 1803, died March 13, 1866.
Amanda J. Harnsberger Miller born April 13, 1813, died July 17, 1889.
Elizabeth B. Miller, born January 14, 1849.
Infant Son born July 15, 1851.
Anne Bear born July 19, 1852, died September 22, 1869.
Charles Stephen Harnsberger Miller born May 21, 1857 died October 22, 1864

NOTE: "Green Meadows" was the home of Adam Mueller ( Miller). first white settler in the Shenandoah Valley. He was born in Germany in 1703, first settled in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and removed to Virginia in 1726.
Shortly afterward he built a log cabin which now is used as the kitchen of the present house. The home, continuously occupied by the Miller family to the present, now consists of nineteen rooms, which have been added from time to time."

Yerba Buena Chapter, Daughters of the American Colonists, San Francisco, California.

Copied by Verna S. Paterson ( Mrs Chester A.) Reno, Nevada

Jacob married BEAR, Anna Barbara 6 Mar 1792, Virginia. Anna (daughter of BEAR, John and MILLER, Elizabeth Catatrina) was born 27 Nov 1767, Virginia; died 6 Nov 1841, Virginia; was buried , Elk Run Cemetery, Elkton, Rockinham County Virginia. [Group Sheet]