Granted by the Holy Roman Emperor,
Rudolph II on September 5, 1606
The primary source for this material is from:
“Harshman • Hashman • Hershman • Hersman
Family – A History and Genealogy”
Which include two volumes of books as published
in 1939 by the Reverend Charles W. Harshman,
S.T.B., Ph.D. and then revised in 1976 by Colonel
Clarence C. Harshman (retired) and Mavourneen
Harshman with editorial assistance from Jim and
Sandra Rogers.
Other data was collected from the websites of
Harshman Cemetery in Riverside, Ohio and
Woodland Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio.
Every effort has been made to achieve accuracy.
However, there are some conflicting data (even
within the two books) and as a result, there may
be some confusion. For example, dates, spelling
of names, number of children, etc.
Richard B. Meyers
June 2010
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THE NAME
The surname the Four Immigrant Brothers bore when they came to America was
"Hirschmann.” This is the spelling of their name in the several documents
recording their arrival in Philadelphia and is the spelling still used by the family
in Germany. The German word "Hirsch" means stag and "mann" means man,
so the name translates literally as "Stag-man." The origin of the name is lost in
the dim, distant part, but it probably arose from some connection with the care
and protection of the private herds maintained for hunting by some ruler. A
rearing stag is the main feature of nearly all of the coats-of-arms granted by
various rulers to different branches of the Hirschmann family in Germany.
While occasionally used to refer to all deer in general, the word "Hirsch" more
properly refers to the stag, the male deer with antlers, other German words
such as "Reh," "Hinde," etc., being commonly used to refer to does or to deer
in general.
The surname Hirschmann, which in German is pronounced like "Hearshmahn"
would be pronounced in English, was soon Americanized to Hershman or
Harshman by Andreas, Mattheus Ulrich and Ulrich and the given names
Andreas and Mattheus to their equivalents, Andrew and Matthias. Ulrich is
spelled the same in German and in English-but is pronounced somewhat
differently. Johann Adam may have retained the Hirschmann form until death,
but in the 1790 census the name of his widow was shown as Hershman. (And
then, Andrew's name was listed as Hersman and that of Matthias Ulrich as
Hiersman.) It must be kept in mind that very few of the German immigrants of
that day could read or write or even sign their own names in German. (Matthias
Ulrich was an exception to this last, as he could at least sign his name in
German.) Also, the areas to which they came had been settled much earlier by
English immigrants so that nearly all the lawyers and official clerks were of
English descent, and they entered the names of the German settlers in the
records and documents as they sounded to them.
During the process of Americanization many different forms of the surname appeared in official documents and records. The deeds used in 1798 to divide
Andrew's lands among his sons spelled the name "Hershman.” In the will of
Matthias Ulrich his name is spelled "Matthias Olerick Horshman" although the
name of his son, Philip, is spelled “Hirshman.” Early records of Ulrich spell his
name “Hushman” and “Harshman” and that of his son Peter as "Harshmand."
Among the other forms found in old documents are Hashman, Hearsman,
Hearschmann, Herschman, Harsman, etc., - even Horseman and Horsman.
Frequently two different spellings are found in the same document.
THE COAT OF ARMS
The Coat of Arms, called Wappen in German is that of the Schomdorf branch of the
Hirschmann family. Several other Wappens were granted to other branches of the family
at various times, but as our Four Brother immigrant ancestors apparently belonged to
the Schomdorf branch, their Wappen seems most appropriate. It was granted September
5, 1606, by Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor, German King and King of Hungary and
Bohemia, who was then at Prag. The document making the grant, called Wappenbrief or
Diploma, names Ludwig Hirschmann and his brother Michael, who were then Magistrate
and Bürgermeister (Mayor), respectively, of the city of Schomdorf. Their cousin, Hanns
Michael Hirschmann, Clerk of the city of Schomdorf, also signed the application, but his
name appears to have been crossed out before Rudolf signed the Wappenbrief. This
grant was a "renewal and improvement" of a Wappen previously granted to one of their
ancestors. The application states that the original Wappenbrief had been lost by one
Hanns Hirschmann, described as "the eldest of the family" while he had been serving as
"princely chancellor of the Margraviate of Baden at Durlach."
Translation of the Wappenbrief:
Imperial Act. Nobilitatis. For Ludwig, the Doctor of Law, and Michael, the Hirschmanns.
Dated at Prag, 5 September 1606.
So have We to the aforesaid Hirschmann brothers their hereditary Wappen and Clainot,
not only confirmed and ratified but also in the following manner embellished and
improved, and have graciously granted and allowed them, the lawful heirs of their
bodies, and such heirs' heirs, male and female persons, to carry and to use it.
Namely, a shield, diagonally divided from the lower left to the upper right comer into two
equal parts, the lower red or ruby and the upper white or silver color; upon this, on a
triple mounded green base, the middle one somewhat higher than the outer two, appears
upright, ready to leap, the figure of a stag with his antlers, in the colors of the shield,
counterchanged, so that the stag is white in the red, and red or ruby color in the upper,
white part of the shield. On the shield a crowned, free, open noble tourney helmet,
adorned on both sides with red and white mantlings, above which appears over it
upright the figure of a man, without feet, with black pointed beard and hair, in a long,
fitted, belted coat, with attached buttons and turn-back around the hand and neck, which
coat follows the colors of the shield, but counterchanged, so that it is red or ruby on the
left and white or silver color on the right side, in each hand he holds upright a stag's
antler with four points turned outward, that in the left hand being white, in the right hand
red or ruby color, on his head also of the shield's colors counterchanged a pointed hat
with a tuft of black heron feathers stuck in its turned up brim.
Thus have we valued their faithful, obedient and voluntary service to the Holy Empire
and to our illustrious House of Austria against the common hereditary enemy of all
Christendom, the Turks, and that henceforth to be rendered.
(sgd) Rudolff von Stahlendoff
Ad mandatum G. Hertell
THE HIRSCHMANN’S IN GERMANY
The Hirschmann’s of Germany are a very old family, first known as a noble
Bavarian family, located in the Palatinate. Shortly after 1250 some
Hirschmann’s who had been living in the nearby town of Hagenau in Lower
Alsace (Unter Elsasz) migrated to the newly founded town of Schomdorf, in
Wuerttemberg, about 20 miles due east of Stuttgart. About 1380 a member of
this family was Chancellor of the Margraviate of Baden.
This Schorndorf branch of the Hirschmann family traces its ancestry back to
a governor of the fortress of that city, Georg Hirschmann, who lived from
1430 to 1493. Related families live at Esslingen-on-the-Neckar, a few miles to
the southwest of Schorndorf, and in Stuttgart. Another family at Benningen, a
few miles north of Stuttgart, is doubtless related to the Schomdorf family, but
the exact connection has not been traced. The Wuerttemberg Hirschmann
families all became Protestants at the time of the Reformation, in the first half
of the sixteenth century, and all Protestants of the name in Germany now are
believed to be related to this Schorndorf Hirschmann family.
The family seems for many centuries to have been one of character and
influence. They were mayors of cities, magistrates, counselors, advocates,
professors and men of letters, and some filled diplomatic posts. Among the
latter was Michael Hirschmann, son of the great Michael, at one time Mayor of
Schorndorf and at another time ducal ambassador of Wuerttemberg to the
Netherlands.
MIGRATION
Our four immigrant ancestors came to America during a flood period of
immigration from the Palatinate and southwestern Germany. That is one
of the most beautiful and now one of the most prosperous and desirable
areas of Europe. One must wonder why they would wish to leave it. But
conditions there were far different in 1751, at the time of the Hirschmann
migration. The Thirty Years War had left Germany prostrate, her
commerce destroyed, her industries ruined, and the whole country laid
waste. Entire towns had been wiped out and more than half the
population had perished. Other wars had followed and although a
hundred years had passed, conditions had not improved much. Taxes
were exorbitant and the common people were scarcely able to make a
bare living. Hope of improving their condition as to these material things
drove many to emigration.
MIGRATION (continued)
An additional reason for emigration was the hope of escape from religious
intolerance and persecution which these Protestant people suffered. Even
before the revocation of the Edict of Nantes, and much more after it,
persecution of the Protestants was incessant and extreme. In the year 1681
William Penn had made a journey through this part of Germany and, seeing
the hardships and persecution of the people, had printed and circulated
there a pamphlet describing the advantages of Pennsylvania as a place of
residence and inviting these distressed people to become colonists there.
This pamphlet was now bearing fruit and a steady stream of colonists was
coming to Philadelphia whence they were distributed throughout
Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia. The stream reached its peak from 1749
to 1754, during which period 31,896 immigrants arrived.
The usual route for emigrants at that time from this area was to float by boat
down Rhein to Rotterdam, then go by sailing ship from Rotterdam to
Philadelphia. They traveled by wagon from their home towns to one of the
port towns on the river, many of which on the east side of the river were in
the Margraviate of Baden. Our ancestors doubtless followed that route, and
that they went to Baden and embarked there for Rotterdam may be the
origin of the family tradition that the Four Brothers came from Baden-Baden.
No records can be found of any Hirschmann’s living in Baden-Baden (the
capital city of Baden) during the pertinent period. Some Hirschmann’s have
been found in other places in Baden in that general period, but none who
can be match with our ancestors, and it is believed it more likely that they
came from Wuerttemberg to some place in Baden to embark for Rotterdam.
However that may be, it is known that the Four Brothers crossed the
ocean on the sailing ship Duke of Wirtemberg, Montpelier, Master, that
after leaving Rotterdam the ship touched at Cowes, in England, and
that it arrived in Philadelphia on October 16, 1751. The ship carried 406
passengers and the names of the 159 men sixteen years of age or more
were recorded on List 176-C. The other 247 passengers were women and
children, how many of each not stated. Pennsylvania was at that time a
British Colony and King George the Second, who then occupied the British
Throne, had a "Pretender" to his throne to cope with. Probably for this
reason, steps had been taken to register upon arrival all immigrants who
were not already subjects of King George and to make sure that they all
took the Oath of Allegiance to him as King. This is a fortunate circumstance
for us, as discovery of this record of the arrival of the Four Brothers is one
of the cornerstones of our present knowledge of our ancestors.
MIGRATION (continued)
It is almost impossible for us today to comprehend what a very serious
and arduous undertaking it then was to migrate from Europe to America,
with women and children in the company and with all the inconveniences
and hardships of travel in that day. It is about 350 miles from Baden down
the Rhein to its mouth at Rotterdam and our ancestors probably took a
small boat down the river for this first part of their journey. From
descriptions of other similar journeys of that day, we can assume this trip
would require about ten days to two weeks. The ocean voyage in that day
was, even at best, one of extreme discomfort and suffering. Each person
carried his baggage and provisions with him. The voyage was normally
from four to ten weeks, but in extreme cases as long as three or four
months. There was always much sickness and sometimes many deaths. It
was altogether an experience much to be dreaded and only men and
women of courage would attempt it. It also meant lasting separation from
old homes and friends, for few even hoped ever to visit their homeland
again. It is, therefore, safe to assume that our ancestral group came, not
as adventurers, but as industrious, God-fearing men and women who
sought religious freedom and an opportunity to provide adequately for
their families.
It is believed that Matthias Ulrich had with him a wife and five sons ranging
in age up to seven years. Still another son was born to his wife during the
ocean voyage. Ulrich had a wife and two sons, aged about six and eight.
Each or both of them may also have had one or more small daughters
along, but no details are available on this point. As far as is known,
neither Andrew nor Johann Adam had with him either wife or child.
X
X
MATTHIAS ULRICH HERSHMAN ? -1801 (reportedly 125 years old)
The immigrant Matthias Ulrich Hershman was born in Germany, but when or where is not
known. He landed at Philadelphia on October 16, 1751, with three of his brothers. On
the arrival lists his name is spelled Mattheus Hirschmann. The group appears to have
gone soon to the vicinity of Lancaster, Pa., and apparently while there Matthias became
a member of the Church of the Brethren, then called the German Baptists, also called the
Dunkards. His brother John Adam remained in Lancaster, married there in 1757 and had
a family there. The other three pushed on southwestward, whether together or not is
uncertain. But at least Matthias and his brother Andrew settled in the Middletown Valley
of Maryland. Matthias apparently settled on what is now the Elroy Leatherman farm just
above the present site of the Grossnickle Church of the Brethren. He was one of the
founders of the Grossnickle congregation and for many years it held its meetings in
summer in the large barn Matthias built in 1763. But about 1770 Matthias moved on
westward into what was then Hampshire County, Virginia, but is now Mineral County,
West Virginia, where he settled near Headsville on Patterson Creek, just above the
mouth of Beaver Run. There he died, early in 1801. The June 13, 1801, issue of The
Philadelphia Repository and Weekly Register carried this obituary:
On the 18th ult. on Patterson's Creek, Hampshire County (Vir.), Matthias A. Hersmon, a
native of Germany, aged by the most accurate accounts 125 years. He lived upon a
low diet and drank but little ardent spirits; had three wives in Germany and one in this
country.
The "History of the Brethren in Maryland" by Dr. J. Maurice Henry, published 1936 by the
Brethren Publishing House, Elgin, ILL. on pp 232-234, in a biography of the noted
Dunkard preacher Christian Harshman II states:
His grandfather, Matthias U. Harshman, moved from Pennsylvania the year (1754) the
French and Indian War started. He settled near his old friend, Peter Grossnickle, on a tract
of land known as "The Resurvey of Stony Arabia," containing 249 acres. He built one of
the largest barns in the Upper Middletown Valley, which was used as a place of worship
for about 80 years in the summertime. The original barn and foundation are still standing
with some minor changes.
Matthias Ulrich usually spelled his surname Hershman. His middle name was often
recorded as Olerick or Alerick. Christian I, son of Matthias, used the Hershman spelling
but all of his children and their descendants adopted the Harshman form. Many of
Matthias' other descendants kept the Hershman form, and some of them dropped the
second' 'h", making the name Hersman. The town of Hersman, in Brown County, Illinois,
was founded by some of these. One of them, Miss Elizabeth Curry, preserved the
traditions of this family in writing. According to her account, Matthias and his wife came
to America at an early date and settled in Virginia; they were Dunkards; their son George
was born on the ocean as they were coming to this country; Matthias married a second
time when he was 95 and lived with his second wife 30 years; he was blind during the
last several years of his life; the city of Hampton, Va., stands on land once the farm of
George Hershman.
CHRISTIAN HARSHMAN I (1744-1816)
Christian Harshman I spelled his name Hershman. All of his children and later
descendants used the Harshman name.
None of the Maryland Harshmans had a war record and none owned slaves,
both being contrary to their religious beliefs. But Christian I did become a
prosperous farmer, owning several hundred acres of land. One farm of 249
acres known as "Resurvey of Part of Stony Arabia," located on Meeting House
Road above the present Grossnickle Church and on which his father, Matthias
Ulrich is believed to have lived from about 1755 to about 1770, was deeded to
Christian in 1801 by his mother-in-law, Susanna Grossnickle, for a
consideration of 200 pounds. Christian owned this farm until his death, but it
was not his "dwelling plantation." He lived on a 222 acre tract about 9 miles to
the southwest known as "Biegley's Displeasure." This lay in Frederick County
on the southern side of Marker Road just west of its junction with Quebec
School Road . This is about 114 miles air line east of Locust Valley; 3 ½ air line
miles west-southwest from the center of Middletown and 10 ½ miles west from
the center of Frederick. Of its 222 acres, 161¼ consisted of the tracts
"Nazarite" and "Tick-Neck," which Christian obtained from his father, Matthias
Ulrich, the remainder being parts of "The Breeches" and "Pleasant Meadow,"
which Christian I bought in 1782 and 1791 from Abraham Lemaster and John
Jacob Young, respectively. In 1782 Christian also bought a tract called
“Tuckott.”
On October 8, 1769, Christian I married Catherine Grossnickle, born June 15,
1752, daughter of a neighboring farmer, John Grossnickle, and his wife
Susanna. Christian and Catherine reared a family of four sons and five
daughters. (One other daughter died at 24 and three other children died in
infancy or childhood.) They must themselves have been strong in character,
for their children and grandchildren became prominent and forceful leaders in
the business, industrial and social life of their communities.
Only one of the sons, Christian II, remained in his native county. John, Philip
and Jonathan went to try their fortunes in what was then the wilderness of
southwestern Ohio at about the time Ohio became a state. Three of their
sisters, Anna Maria, Esther and Christena, either went with them or followed at
a later date; Christena went in 1826. Two of the sons, Philip and Christian II,
were Dunkard preachers, the latter becoming especially prominent in that
calling.
Christian Harshman I died October 26, 1816. His wife died June 28, 1831, after
surviving him nearly fifteen years. Christian's will, dated August 28, 1816 and
probated November 18 of the same year, is shown later in this documentation.
JONATHAN HARSHMAN (1781-1850)
Jonathan Harshman, fourth son and seventh child of Christian Harshman I
and Catharine Grossnickle, was born in Frederick County, Maryland on
December 21, 1781. It is supposed that Christian's three sons, John,
Philip, and Jonathan, all left Maryland about the same time in 1803
(Christian Harshman II being the only son to remain in Maryland). John and
Philip settled that year in Beaver Valley of Greene County, Ohio, but
Jonathan went to Kentucky and located for about a year near Lexington.
He then returned to Maryland, taking with him some horses he had
purchased in the Blue Grass area and hoping to realize a profit when the
animals were sold in the East. The results of this venture are unknown.
Jonathan returned to Kentucky, but he had no taste for slavery (due in part,
no doubt, to his Dunkard religious beliefs) and saw no chance for the
abolishment of it, so in mid-l805 he moved northward to Ohio, stopping
briefly with his two brothers in Greene County. In August of 1805 he
purchased 40 acres of land in Mad River Township of Montgomery
County and began the erection of a cabin. In the late fall it was completed
and he hung the door and put in one four-light window himself. On
February 18, 1808 in Dayton, Ohio he married Susannah Rench, born in
Washington County, Maryland November 10 or 11, 1786. According to
death date and age stated on tombstone, her date of birth would be Nov.
10, 1786. Susannah was the daughter of John and Elizabeth Rench, and
with her older brother, John, was brought by her parents to the Ohio area
about the time that Jonathan arrived.
Having tried his hand at farming for three years, Jonathan, after his
marriage decided against such an occupation for himself. He set up a
copper still and commenced making whiskey at the rate of one barrel a
day. He soon increased this capacity to over 50 barrels per week, and
continued to expand his business until 1814, when he bought the flour and
sawmill business of Rench and Staley. He soon increased the flour mill to
400 barrels per week, and moved his family to the location of the mills,
which location later became known as Harshmanville. With his
brother-in-law, John Rench, he opened a store, which in 1825 they moved
to the comer of Third and Main Streets in Dayton under the name of
Harshman & Rench. Four years later, they obtained a warehouse at the
head of the canal which ran between Dayton and Cincinnati, and in 1830
started the operation of cargo boats down the canal. It was about this time
JONATHAN HARSHMAN (continued)
that Jonathan’s daughter Catharine's husband, Valentine Winters was
taken into the firm, and soon the merchandising business expanded to
extend from Dayton to New Orleans. The company name was changed
to Harshman, Rench & Co. In 1840 Jonathan withdrew from the firm. In
1845 he formed the Dayton Bank; on May 1 of that year he was elected
president, a position he held until his death on March 31, 1850.
Susannah had passed away on December 5, 1839.
Jonathan Harshman was a man of keenest judgment and prodigious
industry. His honesty and good faith were a byword in Dayton and
surrounding community where he possessed unfailing confidence of all
of his associates and friends. During his business career he
accumulated the largest fortune of any citizen of Montgomery County in
his day. As with men of outstanding ability, he was not only alert to the
welfare of his family, but that of his community by taking a very active
part, or served as the leader for any action to advance the growth and
progress of Dayton, his own home community, or to contribute to the
welfare of people in general. He was a Federalist and a prominent
Whig. He represented Montgomery County in the 24th General
Assembly of Ohio. When the National Road from Cumberland, Maryland
to St. Louis, Missouri was authorized by Congress, Jonathan, with
other influential residents of the City of Dayton, sought to have the
road laid out to run through Dayton. The citizens of Springfield, Ohio,
drew attention to the fact that in so doing, the road would not run in a
straight line, and eventually the Daytonians' request was refused.
Nothing daunted, however, Jonathan and his associates determined if
they could not have the National Road through their city, they would
have access to it. Consequently, the Dayton & Springfield Turnpike
Company was formed (Jonathan served as President), and they built
the access road to intersect the National Road.
Jonathan Harshman and his wife, Susannah, are buried in the
Harshmanville Cemetery. Harshmanville was east of and just outside
the city limits of Dayton in Mad River Twp., Montgomery County. In
1930 its name was changed to Riverside.
GEORGE WARNER HARSHMAN, Sr. (1822-1898)
George Warner Harshman, Sr., fourth son and seventh child of Jonathan Harshman
and Susannah Rench, was born at Harshmanville, Ohio on February 22, 1822. He
attended the local public schools and took some classes in a nearby private school,
but primarily was self-educated in that, at an early age, he engaged in business with
his father. He later succeeded his father in the grain milling and distilling businesses
(the latter, he changed into an oil mill), and operated both until a short time before his
death in 1898.
On September 5, 1848 he married Ann Virginia Rohrer of Germantown, Ohio. She
was born December 7, 1829. Shortly after his marriage, George Warner Harshman, Sr.
became interested in the acquisition of farms and farmlands. At one time, he held
title to 56 farms, and was one of the largest landowners in the State of Ohio, also
possessing large holdings in Indiana and many other states throughout the country.
In 1865 he built his home in Harshmanville, which in 1969 was still standing
and occupied by one of his granddaughters (Susan H. Brownell) and greatgranddaughters (Mary Jane Meyers), though the surrounding land has yielded to the
"progress" of industry, housing developments, and highways. About 1922-23 the
name of the locality was changed from "Harshmanville" to "Riverside." In 1968, the
Harshman public school building was razed to be replaced by an apartment project.
Part of Wright-Patterson Air Force Base is situated on land once held in the
Harshman estate.
George Warner Harshman, Sr. was a highly respected, conscientious, and industrious
man, who attained a considerable fortune. He did not care to make fraternal nor club
affiliations. Following the death of his wife, Ann Virginia, on September 6, 1877, he
continued to lead a rather quiet life, and when not attending to his business interests,
devoted his time to his family. He is generally credited with being the wealthiest man
of his time in Montgomery County (as was his father, Jonathan, before him). Besides
his milling businesses and land holdings, he was an active trader of negotiable
stocks and bonds, and during his lifetime made and disposed of many fortunes.
At one time, he held $80,000 worth of South Carolina and Missouri State Bonds,
which, in the course of time, became practically valueless. So, he decided to paper
the walls of his kitchen with these "souvenirs" of his investment. One of his sons
prevailed upon him to make additional efforts to redeem the bonds, and eventually a
small percentage of the original investment was realized.
At 6:30 a.m. on March 9, 1898 George Warner Harshman, Sr. died. He is buried with
his wife at the Harshmanville Cemetery. In his Will of July 21, 1886 and Codicil of
January 10, 1898, he named his three sons as executors of his vast estate and
stipulated that all properties be converted to cash. Final disposal was made at
auction on October 7 and 8, 1919, it being one of the largest sales in the history of
the county.
GEORGE WARNER HARSHMAN, Jr. (1859-1922)
George Warner Harshman, Jr. was born in Harshmanville and resided
there all of his life except for a period of about six years immediately
following his marriage during which he operated a ranch and cattle
business in New Mexico.
He returned to Harshmanville in late 1894 and took charge of his father's
farming interests and soon became a heavy land owner throughout
Montgomery County.
He married Eliza Jane (Jennie) Cosler in 1861.
While he was widely known in Dayton and surrounding cities, perhaps
he was better known to the many rural residents who looked to him for
his leadership in every movement of the times for the betterment of
conditions for the farmers. Besides his farming interests and land
holdings he was President of the Harshmanville Improvement Company
for many years prior to his death.
GRAVESITES at HARSHMAN CEMETERY
Susannah Harshman
1786 - 1839
Jonathan Harshman
1781 - 1850
Anna Maria Cost
Sister of Jonathan
1773 - 1846
Mary Harshman
Daughter of
Jonathan
1816 - 1834
Ann Virginia
Rohrer
1829 – 1879
Wife of
GW HARSHMAN Sr.
GW Harshman Sr.
1822 - 1898
Florence and
Amelia Harshman
Infant daughters of
GW Harshman Sr.
John Rench Harshman
son of Jonathan Harshman
1818 - 1819
Alice Harshman Miller
daughter of GW Harshman Sr.
1849 - 1908
Sam Rohrer Harshman
son of GW Harshman Sr.
1851 - 1910
Irene Harshman
wife of Sam R. Harshman
1855 - 1898
GRAVESITES at WOODLAND CEMETERY
Established 1841
George W. Harshman Jr. Family Plot
(Susan, Georgiana, Samuel and Alice were children of Jennie and George Harshman, Jr.)
Alice Harshman Howell Family Plot
John Roselle Brownell Family Plot
Son and Daughter
of
John and Harriet
Brownell
Daughters
of
John Brownell, Jr
and
Susan Harshman
WILL OF MATTHIAS ULRICH HERSHMAN
In the name of God amen I Matthias Olerick Horshman of the County of
Hampshire and State of Virginia, Being in my Perfect mind and Sound
disposing Memory Thanks be to Almighty God for it And Calling to
mind the uncertainty of this transitory life and that all Flesh must Once
die, do make this my last will and Testament in manner and form
Following, that is to Say, First and Principally I recommend my Soul
into the hands of Almighty God who Gave it hoping through his Great
mercy to receive a Joy full resurrection at the Last day, And my Body I
commit to the Earth to be decently Buried in a Christian like manner at
the discretion of my Executrix hereafter mentioned. And as Touching
Such worldly Estate as it hath Pleased God to bless me with I Give and
dispose of in the Following manner, Viz:
Item it is my will and desire that all my Just debts and Funeral
Expenses be first Paid & as Soon as it Can Conveniently be after my
decease - Item I Give and bequeath to my Loving Son Christian
Horshman One Shilling Sterling and No more - Item I Give and
bequeath to my Loving Son Casper Horshman One Shilling Sterling
and no more - Item I Give and bequeath to my Loving Son Jacob
Horshman One Shilling Sterling and no more - Item I Give and
bequeath to my Loving Son Philip Hirshman One Shilling Sterling and
no more - Item I Give and bequeath to my Loving Son Christopher
Horshman One Shilling Sterling and No more - Item I Give and
bequeath to my Loving Son George Horshman One Shilling Sterling
and No more - Item I Give and bequeath all the Rest and Remainder of
my Estate Be the Same of what nature or kind Soever to my Dearly
beloved Wife Eve, to her and to her disposal, to her & to her heirs for
ever - And Lastly I do hereby Appoint my Said Wife to be my Executrix
of this my last will and Testament, Revoking, making Void and finally
disannulling all other Will or Wills heretofore by me made, Declaring &
Openly Acknowledging this & no other to be my Last will and
Testament. In Witness Whereof I do hereunto Set my hand & Affix my
Seal this 8th day of April 1797.
(The will is signed by his mark, Matthias Olerick Horshman
witnesses: Jorg Marth, Abrm Johnson, Arjalon Price, Samuel Landis.)
WILL OF CHRISTIAN HARSHMAN I
In the name of God Amen. I Christian Hershman of Frederick County in the
State of Maryland, being sick and weak in body, but of a sound and disposing
mind memory and understanding, considering the certainty of death, and the
uncertainty of the time thereof, and being desirous to settle my worldly
affairs thereby be the better prepared to leave this World, when it shall please
God to call me hence, do therefore make and publish this last Will and
Testament in manner and form as followeth Viz: First and principally I commit
my soul into the hands of the Almighty God and my body to the Earth to be
decently buried at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter named, and my
debts and funeral expenses are paid, I give bequeath and devise as follows:
Imprimiz. I give and bequeath unto my beloved wife Catherine Hershman all
and singular such parts or parcels of my personal Estate of what nature or
description the same may be, which she my said wife may choose to retain,
and keep for her use and behoof as and for her dower of my personal Estate,
And all such property as she may choose to keep for her own use I order and
direct the same shall not be appraised; But the residue of my personal Estate
It is my will that the same shall be legally appraised and sold at public sale by
my executors at any time most convenient within one year after my decease,
and the proceeds thereof to be paid unto my daughters who have not yet
received anything or as much as my sons in advance of their Legacy of my
Estate. Item I also give and devise all my present dwelling plantation unto my
wife Catherine for & during her natural lifetime with full power unto her to
rent out or occupy and enjoy the same at her discretion, with all the profits,
privileges and advantages thereof as and for her dower of my real Estate;
And after my wife's decease I order and direct that all my dwelling plantation
or Real Estate not otherwise disposed, be sold by my executors in one year
after her decease or as soon as conveniently may be at public Sale to the
best advantage. Item It is my will and I do order and direct that my Executors
shall sell at public sale within one year after my decease a certain tract of
Mountain Land called Ebenezer containing by Patent one hundred and twenty
acres, my Executors still having it at their option if they should consider it
advantageous to retain a convenient lot thereof for the use of my dwelling
plantation and defer the sale there-of until my said dwelling plantation will be
sold as before directed. Item. I Give and devise unto my son Christian
Hershman a certain tract or parcel of land situate in the aforesaid County &
State and called "The Resurvey on part of Stoney Arabia" containing by
Patent bearing date and twenty fifth day of January 1805 Two hundred and
forty nine acres. Provided my son Christian Hershman pay the sum of three
WILL OF CHRISTIAN HARSHMAN I (continued)
thousand nine hundred and eighty four Dollars current money for the
same, & to be discharged in four equal and annual payments after my
decease my son Christian charging himself with that amount in the
Registers office payable as above said and to be charged as assets in his
hands, and after the payment of the said sum of three thousand nine
hundred and eighty four dollars current money The said tract of Land and
premises called "The Resurvey on part of Stoney Arabia" to be the right,
title and Estate of my son Christian his heirs and assigns in Fee Simple.
Item. I give and bequeath unto my son John Hershman and to his heirs
and assigns the sum of one hundred and thirty four dollars over and
above or exclusive of an equal share with the rest of my children. Item. It
is my will and I do give and bequeath the residue of my Estate both Real
and personal to all my Children Viz: John, Ann Maria, Esther, Phillip,
Christian, Jonathan, Susanna, Catherine, and Christian to each of them
their heirs or assigns share and share alike when a final settlement
thereof shall be made. Item, and whereas my son Philip received of me in
money and property to the amount of two hundred and ninety four dollars
on advancement of his Legacy and to be charged with the same when a
distribution of my Estate shall be made. Item my son John received of me
to the amount of three hundred and forty six dollars and fifty cents in
advancement of his Legacy chargeable as above said. Item my son
Jonathan received of me to the amount of three Hundred and fourteen
dollars and fifty cents in advancement of his Legacy chargeable as above.
Item my daughter Susanna received of me to the amount of one hundred
and sixteen dollars sixtysix cents in advancement of her Legacy
chargeable as, above. Item my daughters Ann Marie & Esther each of
them having received of me to the amount of seventy dollars in
advancement of their respective Legacies and with that amount to be
severally charged when a distribution of my estate shall be made. And
lastly I do hereby constitute and appoint my sons Christian and Jonathan
Hershman and my son in law George Warner to be the Executors of this
my last Will and Testament revoking and annulling all former Wills. . . etc."
(The will is signed with the name Christian Hershman in German script.
The witnesses are John Young, John Massenbaugh and Joseph Thomas.)
Article published in Dayton Daily Journal March 10, 1898
The Harshman homestead at 5174 Harshmanville Rd.
Original portion was built in 1865 by George Harshman, Sr.
Article published in Dayton Journal Herald March 9, 1961
as told by Georgiana Harshman
X
Location of Harshman
home built in 1865
Air Force Museum
How many of you remember these items from the Harshman Homestead?
(now in the possession of and used daily by Richard B. Meyers)
Secretary
Desk
Breakfast Room Cabinet
Mary made peanut brittle every
Christmas on the marble top
Library Table
Where the Christmas
tree was placed
and more………………
Breakfast Room Table
Remember the corn-on-the-cob
contests with Aunt George here?
(now used as my work bench)
The finial that
sat at the bottom
of the front stairway
In Harshmanville.
(It is a good
place for my caps)
From the Harshman
distillery, this has always
been one of my
favorites. For many
years. I savored just
a tiny amount of the
original whiskey. This
was a gift from Mamo!
(Susan Harshman Brownell)
Now a lamp in my office!
Front Parlor Mantle and Vase
(The mantle has been painted –
It used to be a light green)
Now in my bedroom
John Roselle
Brownell
(d 3-27-1901)
Age 61
Copy of Original
Induction
And
Discharge Papers
“Ohio 22nd”
Union Army
1862-1864
Sam
Jonathan Catherine Betty & Craigo John
Susan
Harshman Harshman Harshman Bollman
Brownell Heald
Mary
Meyers
?
Susan
Brownell
Craig
Bollman
Aunt
Lottie
Georgiana
Harshman
A family gathering for Christmas at the old homestead
circa early 1940’s
HARSHMAN
Susan Harshman
Brownell
Circa 1955
Circa 1931
Sam and Georgiana Harshman
John R. Brownell, Jr.
Mary Jane Brownell
Circa 1915
MEYERS
Mary Jane Brownell
Meyers
1944
1931
Bennett Edward
Meyers
Richard
Bennett
Meyers
1938
2008
BROWNELL
The Brownell girls in 1979
Ginny & Leado
Betsy & Mike
Peggy & Dick
All girls! In addition to
the 5 Brownell daughters:
Susan
Brownell
Georgiana Bertha
Harshman Barringer
Circa 1953
Joyce and John Brownell, Jr.
Gene and Buttons
John R. Brownell, Jr.
Jacklyn, Betsy, Ginny
1992
ROSS
Susan Brownell Ross and Dr. Henry Ross - 1987
Susan Brownell Ross
Beverly Ross
2001
BOLLMAN
Craig and Betty Brownell Bollman - 1996
The Bollman Family
Circa 1948
1997
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (1895-1992)
Circa 1977
I came into this World in a hurry on a Friday morning, May 24, 1895. It was about
ten o'clock with no one to help mother and me but Aunt Sophia. Aunt Sophia was
not my real aunt but I never heard anyone call her anything else, and I never knew
her last name. She said that I was born with a veil, a membrane covering my face,
and it was supposed to be good luck. Dr. Nellis finally arrived; he was a Canadian
and had settled on E. Third Street. He told mother that it was Queen Victoria's
birthday and that she should call me Victoria. Mother evidently didn't think so, for I
never got the name. When I grew older I thought Vicky Harshman would have
sounded cute.
My very first memory was a white-haired man sitting to the left of my father at the
dinner table and on my father's right I was sitting in a high chair beside my mother.
I remember this white-haired man going out our front door and I hiding behind
mother's apron. It must have been my Grandfather George W. Harshman, so they
said that I was afraid of him. My sister Alice, said it was Thanksgiving day 1897,
because that was the last time he was in our house. It must have been quite a blow
to him for he is the one who named me, after himself and my Grandmother Ann
Virginia Rohrer Harshman. I was told he wrote it on a sidewalk and I should never
be nicknamed, and I never knew until I went for a birth certificate in 1924, that my
name was George Ann Harshman, instead of Georgiana, as I now spell it. I was
happy to learn about it as I always wanted a middle initial.
It was also a disappointment to my father who already had three girls and wanted a
boy. But I guess God knew best for I remained an old maid and cared for my parents
until they died. I was born in one of the two oldest houses in the village, where my
father was also born on August 19, 1859.
The Village was started by my Great Grandfather Jonathan Harshman, who came
here from Frederick, Maryland. He was the sixth child of Christian and Catherine
Harshman, born December 21, 1781. Christian's father was Andrew Harshman who
lived in Germany to the extreme age of 120 years and had at successive intervals
five wives, Christian being descended from the third wife, Christian was born in
Germany April 22, 1744. He settled in Maryland and later married Catherine, the
daughter of a neighboring family. Their children were John, Ann Maria (who married
a Cost and is buried in the Harshman Cemetery), Esther, Philip, Christian, Jonathan,
Susannah, Catherine, Christian.
Jonathan and Philip came to Ohio in 1806. Philip settled in Greene County and
Jonathan in Montgomery. Philip remained a farmer while Jonathan became
involved in numerous business ventures. They say he traded his gold watch for a
whiskey still and started in the business. He met Susannah Rench on Third Street
where the public library now stands. She also was from Maryland and they were
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
were married February 18, 1808. He accumulated a large fortune and when he died
in 1850, left two hundred thousand to each of his eight children. That seems to be
an awful lot of money for those days, so I am not certain of its truth.
I have often wished that I had a picture of his house in the village. They told me that
the door on the old office was the door to his house. I have often wished I also
could remember more about my Grandfather George senior. They say when he died
in 1898, he had four hundred thousand in his checking account. Yet when my father
returned home from New Mexico, broke, and with a wife and three children, he made
him farm for him with a salary of fifty-dollars a month and out of that father paid
seventeen dollars to a John Biblet to help him farm. Mother always said she just
had one rocking chair in the house.
My father had gone west when he was eighteen; he came back when he was 27 and
his father told him to get himself a wife. He inquired of his cousins if a Jennie
CosIer was still single having remembered her in his early years. Jennie was now
about 25 and still single. He looked her up and they were married and on their way
to New Mexico in three weeks. They tell me that they cooked seven turkeys for the
wedding feast. Father bought a ranch along with his sister, Alice Harshman Miller.
It was 160 acres near Springer, New Mexico, and they built an adobe house of four
rooms. My Aunt Alice Miller and her family lived with my father until he married. My
Uncle Harry Miller was a conductor on the Santa Fe Railroad; in fact the railroad ran
very near the ranch. My three sisters, Alice who later married Robert Howell, Sue
who married John Brownell and Irene, who married Robert Ohmer, were born on the
ranch. My brother Sam and myself, were born in Ohio. Father always said he had
two sets of children, the Greasers and the Buckeyes.
In the summer of 1891, there was a terrible draught and father lost all his cattle and
had to come back to Ohio. It must have made grandfather mad for he hated failures.
After grandfather's death, they wanted father and mother to buy the old homestead,
but mother didn't like the high ceilings, so they stayed where they were, and
remodeled the old home.
It was in 1901 and we rented a house from the Clark's while the remodeling was
being done. I remember the year for I started in school that year and immediately
fell in love with a rosy cheeked and blue eyed boy. I believe I was more in love then
than I ever have been since. I often wonder how all of us lived in the house. There
were four bedrooms, father, mother and my brother in one, Sue and Irene in another.
Alice and I roomed together and our maid Esther Beard and Lizzie Duberstein in
another. We had no bathroom either.
It was while we were living there that two of our ponies were killed on the railroad
track. We had left them in our farm at the old house. Often when picnickers would
drive out to the woods, we would let them put their horses in the barn. They left the
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
barn door open and the ponies got out on the railroad track which ran back of the
barn. One was killed instantly and the other walked back to the barn. Father bought
us another black pony (he always bought black ponies) but he had to get rid of it fast
because it was a kicker. When the big house was finished and we moved back, he
bought two more black ponies called Jennie and Lynne. We also had two horses; Kit
and Maude. Kit was a pacer and Maude a trotter; they were both race horses. Once
in a while we would hitch them up together and they would look so funny, one pacing
and one trotting.
It was a beautiful village in those days. My Great Grandfather Jonathan Harshman
had built a canal. It started at Mad River about a mile north of the village and ended
in the village. On the canal were five water wheels, they ran a whiskey distillery, a
saw mill, a linseed oil mill, a malt house and a grist mill. Whenever they wanted to
clean the canal they would close the head gates, where the canal joined the Mad
River. Then the villagers would have a lot of fish and even eels to eat. When my
great grandfather died in 1850, his son George W. Harshman, Sr., bought the village
and canal from the heirs. Two of his brothers demanded payment in gold. It was
scarce in those days but his brother-in-law Valentine Winters, who as a banker
acquired it for him from Cincinnati. The two brothers went to New York and played
the stock market, losing their money on the famous Black Friday.
During the Civil War, the government put a tax on whiskey so my Grandfather George
Harshman, Sr. turned the distillery into a flour mill. In the winter time I remember
them cutting the ice on the part of the canal across from our house and storing it in
the ice house in saw-dust from the saw mill. (We had no refrigeration in those days.)
When my Grandfather George Harshman, Sr., died in l898, his heirs divided up his
property except the village and eleven hundred acres of land surrounding the village.
They incorporated and formed the Harshman Improvement Co. They put a dynamo in
the grist mill across from our house and which ran by waterpower and furnished my
Aunt Mrs. Miller, my Uncle Sam Harshman and ourselves with 220 voltage. Later they
turned the grist mill into a shoe manufacturing company.
It also was run by electricity from the dynamo. Jim Spohn ran the dynamo. His
brothers Charlie and Bill Spohn were the carpenters for the village houses and the
farm buildings. Harvey Clingman drove the team of oxen. The shoe manufacturer
didn't last many years although they made good shoes, it was just mismanagement.
In August 1908 my Aunt Alice Miller died, it was a big loss to me for I adored her. We
would go fishing and dandelion hunting and every Christmas she would have the
village children to her house for a Christmas treat. Also that April, my father had his
first stroke. He was unconscious for two weeks. Finally a doctor from Chicago
came. I don't know what he did, but my father rallied and he was confused for weeks
afterward. He was only 48 years old and I was thirteen.
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
In 1910 my sister Sue married John Brownell They were a very handsome couple
and started marriage down on his farm in Greene county. About that time I was
transferred from Howe and Marow private school to Steele High School. I hated
the private school which was on the corner of First Street and the boulevard. I left
the traction car at Third and Jefferson Streets and had to walk eight blocks to the
school. And I didn't learn a thing.
On February 7, 1911 Mary Jane Brownell was born, the first grandchild. And it was
about this time father decided that I was too old for ponies and bought me a riding
horse. He was a beautiful bay with five gaits and his name was Major. I used to
get up at five in the morning and ride him over the countryside. Father always said
he would never buy an automobile unless it had a self-starter, so in 1912 we
bought our first car, a Cadillac touring car.
On February 26, 1913 my sister Alice married Robert Howell. It was a small simple
wedding in our home. In March of that year came the big flood. It didn't reach the
village or our home but the water was in the fields below us. We had two covered
bridges, one near the village and one about a mile from the village over Mad River.
The flood took the one over Mad River. I remember we were so worried about
Dayton for all communications were nil. So we drove to Springfield to find out
about Dayton. After the water went down, and we were allowed in Dayton, we
hurried to take food to my aunt Jo Kiefaber who lived on East First Street. I was in
my junior year in High School but I never went back. Since my oldest sister Alice
had married, father needed me to help with his business. Early in 1914 my father
had his second stroke, which affected his speech and it was hard to understand
him after that.
Going back to the traction line, it was built around 1900 by my Uncle John
Harshman from Springfield, Ohio and a Mr. Applegate from Cincinnati. It was
called the D.S. &U. (Dayton, Springfield and Urbana). It was a paying concern until
they expanded it to Columbus. Then they lost their shirt and went into bankruptcy.
But the automobile came in too soon and the traction car was short lived.
In the summer of 1914, Sue and John Brownell, their children, Mary Jane and John,
Jr. and a maid along with me and Irene and Bob Ohmer went to Cedar Point on
Lake Erie. It was while we were there that some royalty was killed in Serbia and
the First World War was started. And we also learned that my sister Alice Howell
had lost her first child, a daughter, in child birth.
During the war years we had two automobiles, an Oldsmobile touring car and a
Haynes sedan. Why, I don't know, for garage help was hard to get. I had to change
tires and change oil. I was on motor squad duty with a special uniform. One day
we were supposed to drive French officers around Dayton. I had the top down on
the Oldsmobile and all the Allied Nations Flags in rotation across the front of the
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
radiator of the car. I really looked classy. Mr. DeMeese ordered me to take some of
the officers to the old Miami hotel on the corner of Second and Ludlow streets. An
old officer with a bum leg sat in front with me and he had to have a rest. But while
he was resting I had a good time with a good looking young officer. After the old
man had his rest he wanted me to drive him around Dayton. The most
embarrassing time of my life was when he asked me to see the Wright Brothers
bicycle shop. I knew it was out on West Third street but didn't know just where. So
I told him that it had burned down.
In 1916, a Mexican outlaw by the name of Poncho Via was giving us a lot of trouble
on the Mexican border so in July 1916, the government ordered the Ohio National
Guard to mobilize at Camp Willis in Columbus. Bob Ohmer, my brother-in-law being
in the National Guard had to report for duty. And my sister Irene and her nine
months old son George came home to live with us. From Camp Willis the boys were
sent to El Paso, Texas. Irene and I went down to spend the holidays with them. In
April 1917, we declared war on Germany and the boys were sent from El Paso to
Fort Sheridan in Montgomery, Alabama, and from there to France.
Also in 1916-1917 the railroad changed its course due to the 1913 flood. Instead of
going back of our house, the new road would go back of my grandfather's house. It
destroyed the most picturesque part of the village. It destroyed the canal, the
sawmill, the linseed oil mill and the malt house. We no longer had our little post
office with three mails a day.
I do not know the exact date that we got our electricity from the Dayton Power &
Light but after the canal was destroyed, so was our water power. I do know we got
our first electric refrigerator in 1927. Before we got our electric water heater, we had
to heat our water from a pipe going through our old cook stove in the kitchen. We
had to keep that old cook stove going summer and winter. I often wonder how five
women and two men had enough hot water for baths. Guess it was just a weekly
occurrence in those days.
November 1918, the war was over and Dayton and the country went wild in
celebration. I drove mother and father in the Haynes to Dayton see the sights. That
Haynes was a crazy car. Every once in a while something in the ignition would stick
and I had to get out and rock the car to release it.
In 1919, the Harshman Improvement Company decided to dissolve. Aunt Jo
Kiefaber wanted her money out of it in order to put her son Warner into business.
As I said before the company owned all the houses in the village, plus eleven
hundred acres of land. So in October 1919, they had an auction sale in front of the
old red barn. Father was too ill to attend the sale but mother did. She bought most
of the land and was starting to bid on the village houses when I stopped her. Money
was scarce at that time and I didn't know where I was going to get the money for the
land, let alone the houses. And cash was demanded.
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
Anyway I was glad the village people had a chance to buy their own houses that they
had paid rent on for so many years. My grandfather's house was put up for sale but
it didn't get a bid. Later Mr. Norman Weiffenbach bought it from Uncle Harry Miller
and his children. In those days we had our checking account in the Winters Bank
and our safety box in the Dayton Savings & Trust. I went to Winters to borrow money
but made the mistake of going to Russell Tompert instead of Valentine Winters. He
wanted to know about our securities and I was on my way to the safety deposit box
when I ran into Uncle Harry Kiefaber. He told me that I could have all the money I
wanted but would have to let them have our checking account. Years later when the
Dayton Saving & Trust Co. went under, I was glad that I had a little money in the
savings department of the Winters.
In the summer of 1922, my father suffered his third stroke and died on August 18th, a
day before his birthday. He would have been 63. Mother didn't want to stay home for
Christmas that year so we spent it in St. Petersburg, Florida. During that year the
government decided to abandon McCook Field and establish another field east of
Dayton. We sold them 170 acres on which the buildings of Wright Field now stand.
While we were in Florida, my brother wired us that the deal had gone through and
that he had deposited the money. From that time on we were hounded by real estate
men wanting us to buy Florida land. When mother bought so much land at the sale
we children let her have our stock in the Harshman Improvement Co. to help pay for
it, so when she sold the 170 acres, she gave us back our money. I guess it was a
mistake, for Sam, my brother built a ball park stadium and lost all of his money.
When father died I could no longer touch his money. Mother didn't want him buried
in the Harshman Cemetery and I had to buy a lot in Woodland. On a trip through the
cemetery one day she admired a certain lot. I didn't know what I was going to do, but
Uncle Harry Kiefaber told me to date the check the day before father died and they
would accept it. I remember I had to sell some of my personal stock to pay the
minister and nurse. Years before father had deeded our farms to us, but the
government said that he did it in contemplation of death and we had to pay
inheritance tax anyway.
In 1924, Bob Ohmer wanted to again see the battlefields of France so in February of
that year, he, my sister Irene, their son George and myself set sail for Europe. We
went over on a small English ship, and landed at Antwerp, Belgium. On the ship were
a German boy and a Hollander who had been working for the Dutch Shell Oil Co. in
Mexico. They were going home on a furlough. Being so soon after the war, the
German couldn't remain in Belgium. But the Hollander did. His name was Fred
Essers and he spoke five languages.
After a few days we left for Paris and Fred Essers followed us there. It made it very
nice for me, his only fault was that he got sleepy when he had too much to drink. We
spent an entire month in Paris at a very nice hotel called Lutete. It was in the Latin
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
Quarter near the Bon Marche, a big department store. It was across the Seine River
and we used to walk downtown. My biggest moment was when I took a taxi all alone
downtown to the American Express office. Bob Elder (of the old store Elder &
Johnson’s) was there along with Jay Ohmer, Bob's cousin.
While I was in Paris my sister Sue Brownell came home with her four children. And
although there were five bedrooms, besides the maid's room. I did not have a place
to sleep. My mother and Mary Jane were in my room. Susan and Betty in mother's
room and John, Jr. and my sister in one of the spare bedrooms. My brother Sam was
sleeping in one room and dressing in another. I never worked so hard in my life but
by evening Mary Jane was moved into Sam's sleeping room and he was made to
sleep and dress in one room. And mother and I shared my room.
Early in 1925, Sue and her children returned to the Brownell Farm. And on March
17th, (which was my mother's birthday and also her wedding anniversary) my brother
Sam married Katherine Warner and mother and I were alone in the big house.
In 1927, my mother decided she would like to go to New Mexico and see the old
ranch. So we made reservations at a hotel in Springer, New Mexico. It is a good
thing we did for the railroad had changed its course since mother was there and we
arrived at 8:00 P.M. in the dark. The hotel owner's husband met us and you could see
his disappointment when he saw we were women instead of men. There were a lot of
geologists there at the time. The ranch was about ten miles from Springer, near a
small town called Colmar. So I had to find someone to drive us out. The hotel man
would not help us a bit. So I started out to get information from the filling stations. I
had great luck for the first one I came to the man had lived near our ranch. So he
drove us out. The adobe house was all boarded up but he got us in, so mother could
see the rooms where three of her children were born and where she spent her first
years of married life. Then we went on to California to visit some cousins and came
home by the way of New Orleans.
In 1929, came the stock market crash, and the depression was started. We didn't
have any stock but we had farms and grain prices were dipping and taxes were high.
In 1932, they reached their lowest level and I sold corn for 26 cents a bushel and
wheat at 45 cents a bushel. That year I barely made my taxes. About that time my
sister Sue again came home with two of her children and remained home with
mother and me. That was one Christmas that I enjoyed during the depression. We
were all so broke that we were only allowed to spend a dollar on a gift. Someone
gave me a magnifying mirror which I still use to this day. It is a Christmas I shall
always remember with joy.
In 1934, mother wanted to go to Florida so I took her there for her 75th birthday. We
started out in February in my little old Chevy and ended up in Windermere, Florida,
near Orlando. Mother had some cousins there and they found a cottage for us. It
was a small hotel with five bedrooms. Since we had so much room I invited my Aunt
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
Mamie and her son George over to spend some time with us. They both arrived from
St. Petersburg Florida with colds, so my mother took a cold too. I finally had to call
on a doctor and he was more alarmed with her high blood pressure and diabetic
condition than he was with her cold, so I started for home, taking a cousin Minnie with
us. We made Valdosta, Georgia, the first night. It was the night Hauptman was
executed for the Lindberg kidnapping and the news boys were making so much noise
that mother couldn’t sleep. Right then she decided she couldn't make the trip home
by car. I would have to send her home by train.
So at daybreak I had to walk down to the station to see if I could get them a
reservation on the train. It was about the first of April and trains were crowded going
north. But I got one, a single birth for two people. I put them on the train at noon and
tipped the porter to take care of them. Mother said the porter was so nice to them and
she never knew why. The Dayton doctor said she didn't have diabetes, but he was
wrong and had she doctored for it she might have lived longer. We used to kid her
about reading about Hitler but she said we were going to see one of the worst wars
and she was right.
Early in 1938 she had a slight stroke so I went to our lawyer, Harry Munger for a power
of attorney. I knew she would have another stroke so I wanted to be prepared. On
December 8th of that year she had a severe stroke; paralyzed her entire right side and
she was unable to talk after that. The doctors thought she might be in a diabetic
coma so sent her to the hospital. But it was a stroke. I had to learn how to weigh her
food and give her insulin. The nurse I hired was supposed to know how to give
insulin. She lived in and was paid $15.00 per week, quite a change from the prices
now days. But I found out she was mean to mother and had to let her go. When I
hired a new nurse I found out that she had been giving mother too much insulin
which made mother nervous. Mother died July 14, 1939 from pneumonia which was a
blessing.
In August of that year my cousins, the Kramer’s, from Richmond, Indiana asked me to
go with them on a motor trip through the West. We visited the Badlands in South
Dakota, Rushmore Memorial and down the Columbia River to Portland, Oregon. Then
down the coast to San Francisco. I shall never forget my first taste of Alaskan crab in
Gold Beach, Oregon. Then down to Los Angeles where we rented an apartment for a
few weeks. We came home through New Mexico and visited again the old ranch. My
cousin Alice Miller was also born there and wanted to see the place. The adobe house
was still standing, but the windows were out.
About this time World War II was on, my sister Sue had bought the old home from
mother's estate and we were living there alone. With four vacant bedrooms we
started to rent rooms to officers at Wright Field. In fact, two of my nieces met their
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
future husbands there. I can't remember anything of special interest in those days
except I served six years on the Woman's Club Board. First on the Tea Room
Committee and then as Treasurer. It was also about the time that my niece Susan
Brownell Heald fell in love and married one of the officers in our house. He was
Henry G. Ross from California. Their first child was named Beverly and when she
was almost two her little brother was born. Their father was out in the Pacific on
some atomic bomb mission so I had to play papa and walk the floor.
In 1953, Trace Allen, Sue Crawford, my cousin Jo Crowl and I went to Europe. Can't
remember the ship we went over on but we came home on the New Amsterdam. We
arrived in London just after the coronation of Elizabeth II, and all the decorations
were still up. We stayed at the Dorchester. Before we left, Sue and I took out an
international driver’s license. We rented a car and drove all through southern
England. But Sue did the driving and I kept her on the left side of the road, which
wasn't easy. After England we visited Paris, Italy, Switzerland, Belgium and Holland.
I purchased quite a few watches for friends back home. I really intended to be
honest and declare them, but Sue Crawford told me after I had purchased them, that
with that many watches I would be declared a dealer. So on the way home I hid
them in a belt around my waist. I wore one and declared two. I was so frightened
that I even threw their box containers in the ocean. On the way home there was a
terrific storm and we were half a day late in arriving in New York.
In the autumn of 1954 my sister-in-law Kathryn Warner Harshman died. She had
been ill for about fifteen years. I went down to keep house for my brother and was
there for two years. It was while I was down there that I discovered I had cancer.
But luckily it was in the vagina and easily removed. The surgeon told me that had I
waited another two weeks he could not have done a thing for me.
In October 1956, my brother again married and I rented an apartment at 25 Spirea
Drive. I was sixty-one and the first time I had a home of my own. I had so much fun
buying the furniture and entertaining my friends. From the gifts my friends gave
me, they made me feel like a bride. It was in the early 1956 the government wanted
to make some tests on my farm, and in July of that year they starting to rent 90
acres of my land. But they could only put so much in building expenses on rented
land so in June 1958, they purchased the 90 acres. They paid me five hundred
dollars an acre. The stock market was in a mess at the time and I did not know what
to do with the money. I did buy some American Tel & Tel. In August Fred Stroop told
me that the farm next to mine was for sale. It was the Kendig Farm and Mr. Kendig
always wanted to buy my farm. So I purchased the land of 164 acres for about
$325.00 per acre. After that I turned the management over to the Stroop Agriculture
Company.
During the first year in my apartment I did some volunteer work. Every Saturday
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
afternoon I was receptionist on the third floor of the Miami Valley Hospital and also
became a member of the Board of the Widow's Home where I served as Treasurer.
In the autumn of 1964, a Mr. Bowman wanted an option on my farm for five thousand
a year. That was just like gravy to me, so when Dr. McPherson called me about a
tour the following summer to the Holy Land, I readily accepted providing my friend
Sue Crawford would go along. At first Sue didn't care for the airplane flying, but I
said that if she would fly over I would return home by ship with her. We flew via
Athens, Greece to Cairo, Egypt. From there to Istanbul, Turkey, then on to Beirut,
Lebanon and from there to Jerusalem. You could go from Jordan into Israel but not
from Israel into Jordan. So we crossed into Israel through the Mendlebaum Gate
where we chartered a bus to drive us through Israel. I shall never forget the
moonlight night on the shores of the Sea of Galilee.
After touring Israel we flew from Tel Aviv to Athens, Greece. At that place Dr.
McPherson and his group left us to return home. Sue and I took a cruise of the
Greek Islands and then went to Vienna, Venice and ended up in Naples, Italy, where
we took the S.S. Escaliber for home.
In 1965, Sue and I again joined Dr. McPherson on a trip to the Norwegian Countries
and Europe.
In 1966, we again joined him for a trip to Russia. We flew from New York to
Denmark, from there to Finland and then to Leningrad. On account of a storm we
were late in arriving in Leningrad and it was almost midnight when we arrived. The
airport was so dismal and we had to declare anything in gold that we possessed. It
was another long wait when we arrived at our hotel. It was a new hotel called
Russia but by our standards very poorly built. We were told to take stoppers with
us and it is a good thing we did, as there wasn't a stopper in the bathroom. We were
also told to take silk hose, gum and ballpoint pencils as gratuity, for they were not
allowed to accept money as tips. When I saw our tiny guide, I knew she could never
wear my hose. She and I became quite friendly and corresponded until recently.
Leningrad was a beautiful city with big wide streets. The Winter Palace, called
Hermitage and the Summer Palace on the Baltic called Peterhaf were perfectly
beautiful. I have some very good pictures of both. From there we flew to Moscow.
It is a more of an industrial city with much traffic on the streets. Our first sight out
of our hotel window was a crowd of people lined up to get into a store. We stayed
at the Hotel Metropol, which was within walking distance to Red Square. Sue and I
walked over there several times alone. Of course we saw old Lenin in his tomb.
People can see him from 10 in the morning until 2 in the afternoon. I swear they
keep him frozen because it was so cold in there. We also saw Stalin’s grave which
was without a marker.
In 1968 I again joined the Dr. McPherson’s group for a tour of the Pacific. We flew
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
from San Francisco to Hawaii where we spent several days and then flew to Japan
where we spent two weeks touring the island. From Japan we flew to Hong Kong
where we spent a week. Just long enough for me to have some clothes made. They
do beautiful work but lack in their fittings. We then flew over Vietnam to Thailand.
Bangkok is a beautiful city. From there we went to Singapore, Malaya and stayed at
the famous Raffles Hotel. From Singapore we flew to Australia, where we had to
disembark to go through customs. From there we flew to Brisbane, and from there we
visited Sydney, Canberra and Melbourne.
From Melbourne we flew to Christ Church, New Zealand. Christ Church is our air
base for our planes flying to the Antarctic. From there we flew to McCook, which was
covered with snow after a 36 hour snow storm. Both of the New Zealand Islands
were perfectly beautiful. From Auckland, New Zealand we flew to the Fiji Islands and
from there to Tahiti and home.
In 1969 Sue Crawford and I again joined the McPherson group for a trip to the
Norwegian countries and the North Cape. We took a ship from Bergen, Norway up
along the coast and above the Arctic Circle. On our way home we visited Edinburgh,
Scotland and London.
In 1970 my dearest friend and traveling companion died, she was Sue Crawford and
she died the day before her 76th birthday.
In 1971 I joined the McPherson group for a trip through Africa, this time my traveling
companion was a grand niece, Betsy Brownell. She was 21 and I was 76. Luckily
there was a young boy and his grandmother in the group. She was glad to see Betsy
and I was glad to see Edwin. For the rest of the group were near my age. Our plane
landed in Entebbo, Uganda. We stayed at a beautiful hotel in Kampala, and then went
on a tour to see Murchieson Falls, and the source of the Nile. The Nile was filled with
crocodiles and hippos. From Kampala we flew to Nairobi Kenya. From there we went
on a Safari to Tanzania and the Serengeti Plains. We saw many beautiful animals, we
even saw a white giraffe, and we spent several nights in the famous Tree Top Inn.
After going back to Nairobi we flew to Johannesburg, South Africa and saw Kruger’s
home in Pretoria. From there we went to Rhodesia where we visited the Victorian
Falls. From Salisbury we flew home by way of Portugal.
I am now in my eighties and my traveling days are over, but the memories linger on. I
feel very fortunate that I was able to live in the greatest era in history, for I saw the
country develop from the horse and buggy days to the jet age and men walking on
the moon. Going back to the horse and buggy days, we never bought an egg,
chicken, butter, milk, bacon or ham, for we raised them all. We butchered our own
hogs and smoked the hams and bacon in the smoke house at the end of the grape
arbor. And sold surplus milk for five cents a quart.
Life has so changed, my old home no longer exists, and while we have so many
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
modern things to make life easier, I am glad I have the memories of life when it was
more peaceful.
EPITAPH
In the 1970’s or early 1980’s Aunt George gave me (Richard B. Meyers) a handwritten
document of her memories. It is now 2004 and I was embarrassed by my Aunt Betty
Bollman who, during a phone conversation, was trying to recall something that Aunt
George had written about the village of Harshmanville. That triggered the thought
of an uncompleted action item. Perpetuating her memories on the computer
became a high priority activity.
For many years, I had the joy of many family gatherings at the old homestead in
Harshmanville. As these memories are being computerized, it is only a few days
before Christmas and my heart is always warmed as both Thanksgiving and
Christmas were real treats! My dear Grandmother Susan Brownell Harshman and
Great Aunt Georgiana Harshman hosted these memorable events. These times are
to be cherished forever.
For three wonderful years, I was privileged to live with them and the result was three
of the happiest years of my life. In many ways, it was most unfair but they gave
unconditional caring and love while demonstrating understanding and patience.
With the background of these experiences, I am adding some of my own memories.
Other thoughts and clips of this era:
- Along with many of my cousins, we couldn’t wait for the “choo-choo” train to go
by. On rare occasions, you could set the clock!
- At the holiday festivities, we “youngsters” couldn’t wait until we were old enough
to graduate to the “big” table when eating.
- Sunday nights were reserved for all of the “big” radio shows like Jack Benny,
Fibber McGee and Molly, etc. That was a nice way to start the week.
- And then, I can remember getting our first television set from Uncle Johnny in the
early 1950’s. They had some great shows in those days.
- We did not have air conditioning in that era but we sure got by. I wonder how!
It is easy to remember Mamo going to the basement and shoveling coal into the
furnace on cold winter days and night. She was an amazing woman.
- Mamo also did all of the laundry by hand and cleaned that entire house.
- Aunt George referred to an Aunt Sophia who really wasn’t an aunt. I’m surprised
MEMORIES of GEORGIANA HARSHMAN (continued)
that she did not mention Aunt Lottie who also was not our aunt but we called her
aunt and always brought her to the holiday gatherings. She was family and we
enjoyed her presence well into her 90’s before she left us.
- In 1934, Aunt George took her mother to Florida and ended up in Windermere which
is only a “stones throw” from my home here in Orlando. Seventy years later and our
paths nearly cross once again! In those days, Orlando must have been nothing more
than a cow pasture.
Aunt George’s memories are filled with travel experiences. Although she had
traveled somewhat throughout her life, she did not start on extensive international
travel until she was nearly 70! Having traveled myself to many of her destinations
(and more), and now at age 72, I’m unable to comprehend myself doing all that she
did and under more adverse conditions! Perhaps my four million frequent flyer
airline miles has something to do with that!
After each trip, Aunt George returned home with a voluminous number of 35mm
slides that documented her travels. She became quite an expert photographer and
ended with a library second to none.
Below is a partial copy of Aunt George’s handwritten memoirs: