My paternal great great great grandparents were Philip William Harner and Sarah Fearer or sometimes seen as Sarah Fear. Philip, the son of Philip Harner and Dorothy was born on February 14, 1809 in Monongalia County, (West) Virginia. I have seen Dorothy's, also known as Dolly, maiden name as Waugh. I have never seen any proof of this. Sarah may have been the daughter of John Fearer and Elizabeth Eva Wolf and was born on May 20, 1814 in Maryland. I have seen her parents on Ancestry, but have never seen any proof.
This blog has caused me the identical issues as the one I wrote for my other paternal great great great grandparents, Joseph Davidson Hill and Sarah Louise Houston. The Harner's, Hill's and Houston's, were early settlers, pioneers of Monongalia County (West) Virginia. The Hills and Philip William Harner were prosperous; however, there isn't much written about them in the Monongalia or Morgantown history books. Much of the work on this blog comes from census records, accounts and records shared by numerous cousins over the decades.
Hazel Louise Harner Casteel, a cousin three times over, descends from my Houston, Hill and Harner ancestors. Various family members married from our mutual ancestors. She was a family genealogist and also a member of the DAR. She was instrumental honoring our mutual ancestor, Purnell Houston with a special plaque near his tombstone. CHECK ON THIS.
I have a partial copy of Hazel's Harner notes. She lists Phillip William Harner's birth and mentions that he was born on the old Robert Mayfield Farm three miles from Rock Forge Methodist Church. I have wondered what the tie between the early Harner and Mayfield family was. Philip William's sister Sarah Harner married a Robert Mayfield. All the same Mayfield's?
Before I continue, I do need to mention that Harner is often seen as Horner, so when searching it is necessary to use both surnames. Often it isn't Horner at all, just a misreading of the document.
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| 1840 Pennsylvania Census Georges Township Fayette County |
Phillip Horner
1 male under age 5 Joseph L. Harner
1 male age 15-19 Perhaps a brother to Philip or Sarah or a hired hand
1 male age 30 thru 39 Philip William Harner
2 females under age 5 Matilda Jane Harner and Susanna Harner
1 female age 20 thru 29 Sarah Fearer Harner
2 persons engaged in manufacture or trade
It has been written in several Harner accounts that Philip was a blacksmith by trade. He also may have done dental work.
It is revealed in the 1850 census, that the Philip William Harner Family hopscotched around for a few years after their marriage and then were planted for over a decade in Georges Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania before settling outside the Morgantown area.
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| 1850 (West Virginia) Virginia Census The Eastern District #36 Monongalia County August 15, 1850 |
Philip W. Harner age 40, male, blacksmith, value of real estate owned $3000, born in Virginia.
Sarah Harner age 33, female, born in Maryland.
Joseph Harner age 14, male born in Maryland.
Matilda J. age 12, female, born in Virginia.
Susannah age 11, female, born in Pennsylvania.
George W. age 9, male, born in Pennsylvania.
Sarah age 7, female, born in Pennsylvania. (my paternal great great grandmother)
Mary E. age 5, female, born in Pennsylvania.
Philip F. age 3, male, born in Pennsylvania.
William T. age 4 days, male, born in Virginia.
George Neise ? age 20, male, laborer, born in Virginia. (I wonder if this is George Nuce, nephew to Philip Harner through the marriage of his sister Susan Harner to Michael Nuce)
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| My photograph |
Known as The Old Harner Homestead, history, Philip purchased the property in 1850 and there may have been a smaller house on the land. It is believed that the current house was built in 1852 and Philip farmed the land. On August 14, 1885, Philip and Sarah sold the house and 111 7/8 aces to their son William Taylor Harner. William sold the house and 100 acres to George Sturgiss on July 10, 1902. William built a house next door and several other houses on the acre of land adjacent to the original house.
The Harner Homestead is on the Register of National Historic Places. The original form was submitted in 1983. Some of the significant design details are that it is an example of "I" design and decorated with Classical Revival details. It features and example of a two story front porch.
I was able to get inside my paternal great great great grandparents home in 2007 because it was up for sale. Needless to say I was tingling with excitement to actually walk among the rooms where my ancestors lived. There is a blog on Flipside and a Wikipedia submission that I wrote following the trip. I was amazed by the architectural details inside, especially realizing that they were done by hand tools.
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| American Union Morgantown, (West) Virginia December 3, 1853 page 3 BTW--Rev Asby Pool mentioned is my paternal gggg grandfather |
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| 1860 Virginia Census District 2, Monongalia County Morgantown Post Office August 31, 1860 |
Philip Harner age 56, male, employed as a blacksmith, real estate value $12,000, value of personal estate $800, born in Virginia.
Sarah Harner age 45, female, born in Maryland, cannot read or write.
Susan Harner age 21, female, born in Virginia.
George Harner age 19, male, born in Pennsylvania.
Sarah Harner age 17, female, born in Pennsylvania. (my paternal great great grandmother)
Elizabeth age 14, female, born in Pennsylvania.
Fairchild age 12, female, born in Pennsylvania.
William age 10, male, born in Virginia.
Henry age 7, male, born in Virginia.
Philip is adding additional property. Blacksmithing was a valuable occupation in the 1800's and a well run business would be prosperous. It appears that Philip turned his increasing wealth into land purchases.
The 1860's Wedding Decade
In 1863 twenty-four year old Susan Harner married twenty-seven year old William Henry Fleming in Monongalia County, West Virginia. According to information on Ancestry, William's parents were William Fleming and Nancy Donaldson.
On May 29, 1864 eighteen year old Mary Elizabeth Harner married twenty-seven year old William Fleming Jackson in Morgantown, Monongalia County, West Virginia. William was the son of Josiah Jackson and Verlinda Robey
On October 17, 1864 twenty-three year old George Washington Harner married twenty-one year old Lavina Ruth Hickman in Monongalia County, West Virginia. Lavina was the daughter of Jacob S. Hickman and Catherine Litman.
On May 26, 1866 my paternal great great grandparents, twenty-two year old Sarah Louise Harner married twenty-three year old Sampson Frum Pool in Monongalia County, West Virginia. Sampson's parents were William Lanaham Pool and Ann Frum.
On Christmas Eve 1868 twenty year old Philip Fairchild Harner married twenty-two year old Margaret Olivia Robinson in Monongalia County, West Virginia. Margaret was the daughter of John Davidson Robinson and Elizabeth Hill (my paternal great great grandaunt).
Helping a Friend Financially Does Not Pay Off
On January 18, 1868 Philip W. Harner and William Hagans signed their joint promissory notes as securities to George M. Hagans for the sum of $1,720.25 payable one day after date with interest from the date from said note to William Price. The principal, William Price, had $2000 in an account in a Morgantown bank which could be used for loans. George M. Hagans died in December, 1873 and had not paid the full amount of interest due or the amount borrowed. Philip's generosity to a friend has set my paternal great great great grandfather up for a legal battle down the road.
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| 1870 West Virginia Census Morgan Township, Monongalia County Morgantown Post Office June 22, 1870 |
Eighteen seventy-three brings the security note that Philip signed back on January 18, 1868 for his friend and grocer, George M. Hagans onto the front burner. Hagans had not kept up with the interest payments. When he died in December 1873, the named executors of his estate were James C. McGrew and the other signee of a security note, William Hagans. William Hagans was probably George M. Hagans brother.
On February 27, 1874, William Price, from whom the loan was obtained, brought a joint action of debt against James C. McGrew and William Hagans, executors and Philip W. Harner. A writ was issued and dated.
How did this happen? Philip was a successful businessman with business savvy. As you might guess, he realized how he was dupped and went to court to not have to pay the entire amount due, just his fair portion.
According to Philip's bill of injunction, October, 1874, the day before the February 27, 1874 suit, William Price and Jesse J. Fitch(a good friend of Philip) visited Philip W. Harner to let Philip know a suit was going to be filed next next day. Price told Philip that costs could be saved if he would go to Morgantown and confess judgement. Philip did not suspect anything wrong and did go to town the next day. He stopped at the store owned by the deceased, George M. Hagans, to see the two executors regarding Price's idea of confessing judgement. Neither executors were there; however William Price was standing on the steps and went with Philip to the court house to confess the judgement.
Philip learned that due to the fact that the note was signed over five years ago the statue of limitations barred the judgements and that the other defendants would plead statue of limitations, leaving Philip to bare the sole responsibility because he wrote the confession of judgement. Philip is guilty of being an honest and trustworthy man who was "defrauded and entrapped" by "........the fraudulent representations and conduct of William Price." It appears that Price knew he could not recover the cost of the loan and had no plan to divide it among Philip and the executors.
Philip did not let this go. He filed a bill of injunction against Price and Sheriff McVicker in December 1874. William Price had his own story and denied any knowledge that the note of money owed to him was no longer viable due to a statue of limitation. On September 22, 1876, Philip's suit was dismissed and he now had to pay all court costs.
This did not end. Philip W. Harner on an appeal from and supersedeas to a decree from the Circuit Court of Monongalia County rendered on September 22, 1876 took the case to the Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia.
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| 1880 West Virginia Census Morgan District, Monongalia County June 15, 1880 BTW Census enumerator Waitman Wiley Houston is a cousin |
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| 1885 Map of Harner Properties |
I don't believe I spent anytime at the WVU genealogy floor on campus scrolling through microfilm newspapers looking for Harner articles the last time I was in Morgantown over a decade ago. I do not know if Philip and/or Sarah's obituaries are there. Another reason to go spend a few days there.
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| Phillip W. Harner Born Feb 14, 1809 Died Nov. 15, 1885 |
Death Record from
Harner, Philip W., white
male, no death date, died Morgan District of Paralysis, age 76 years. Son, William J. Harner, informant.
Philip William Harner died on November 15, 1885 age seventy-six from the diagnosis of paralysis. He probably died at his home, Morgan District, Monongalia County, West Virginia.
Philip signed his Last Will and Testament on August 26, 1883. The executors named were sons, Joseph L. Harner and William T. Harner. His wife received the proceeds from the estate. At her death there was a financial amount to his daughters and land divided equally among the children.
The bonds of the executors and signees of the will were filed on January 4, 1886.
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| Sarah Harner Born May 20, 1816 Died Jan 21, 1900 |
Sarah Fearer Harner died on January 21, 1900 at age eighty-three in Monongalia County, West Virginia. To date, I have not found a death record for Sarah.
She did have a Last Will and Testament signed with her mark on May 9, 1895 in Monongalia County, West Virginia. She divided up her personal property among her sons and one daughter, Susan Harner Fleming. Once her debts were paid the remainder of her bonds and money she willed five dollars to each of her married daughters; however, Susan Harner Fleming along with her sons equally divided the residue of what remained after her daughters were paid. This makes me believe that Susan Harner Fleming probably housed and took care of her mother following the death of Philip W. Harner.
Addendum
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I did see a small reference on page 648 of the Samuel T. Wiley book, History of Monongalia County, West Virginia, 1883. In the chapter regarding the Morgan District, the author writes about the early Native American occupation of land near Decker Creek. He uses the current day (1883) location of Philip William Harner's home as the possible location of the destruction of the Decker Creek Colony.
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There is room for more research here and as it becomes available, I will update the blog. My huge file of Harner research was woefully disorganized until I began this blog. My thanks to all distant cousins who added their knowledge and scanned copies of documents.
I have seen what appears to be a tintype of Philip William Harner and Sarah Fearer Harner on Ancestry. I hope to connect with the genealogist who posted it to verify. I love to have a face to connect to a blog.
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