Matthias Ulrich Hirschmann

A Patriot of the American Revolution for VIRGINIA . DAR Ancestor # A214895

Source: Website for Mathias Hershman:

The Harshman family of Frederick Co. Maryland began their roots with, the father Matthaeus Ulrich, his wife Eva and 9 children from Germany. Arriving in Philadelphia on October 16, 1751. Matthaeus Ulrich, wife Eva Frey and children Andreas, Matthaeus, Johann Adam, Johann Caspar, Johann Jakob, Johann Dietrich, Johann Georg, Christianus and Maria Margaretha are the cornerstones of the Harshman ancestry.

It is likely that the family found temporary shelter for the winter or even lived for several years in Lancaster Co. Pennsylvania, which had a large German population at that time. Johann Adam remained and married Anna Maria Pflieger on 8 May 1757 in Lancaster, Pa. 

The other family members as many other German immigrants from that part of Pennsylvania, crossed the Susquehanna River (York Co. Pa.) and found their way down the Monocacy Trail into Frederick Co. Maryland. The first record of Matthaeus was operating Rohr's sawmill along Antietam creek where Route 64 crosses today. The next recording of Matthaeus was the 249 acre land grant called The Resurvey of Stony Arabia located above the Grossnickle church today.

By 1770, Matthias Urlich and several family members, had moved on and settled in Virginia (Mineral Co. WV. today) about 45 miles south of Cumberland MD.) deeding a 249 acre tract of land called A Resurvey of Stony Arabia located today above the Grossnickle Church of the Brethren Frederick Co. Md. on Meeting House Road to Christian in 1801.

Family links:

Spouse:

 Eva Caterina Frey Hirschmann (1720 - 1784)*

Children:

 Ulrich Harshman (____ - 1783)*

 Andrew (Andreus) Harshman (Hershman, Hirschmann) (1736 - 1794)*

 Christian Hershman (1744 - 1816)*

 Christopher (Johann Detrich) Hirshman (Hirschmann) (1748 - 1844)*

 Christopher Hershman (1748 - 1844)*

Inscription: This is the chiseled slate grave stone of Matthaeus Ulrich located in WV. Beaver Run Church of the Brethren. The stone has MTAHM DSP 1801 AGD 125 chiseled on it. MTA Matthaeus HM Hershman DS 1801

Burial: Beaver Run Cemetery Burlington Mineral County West Virginia, USA

Created by: Nelson Daniel Harshman Record added: Jan 08, 2012 Find A Grave Memorial# 83130826

• Matthias Ulrich Hershman (Hirschman) Find A Grave Memorial# 83130826

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"The Harshman Family" (1932): p. 331 refers to a letter from O.F. Harshman stating that the family immigrated to "Jersey"

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"The Harshman Family" (1976): p. xxxi notes a theory that Matthias Ulrich did not immigrate in 1751 but it was instead "The Other Matthias" of Frederick County, MD.

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The Harshman, Hashman, Hershman, Hersman Family; A History and Genealogy Col. C.C. Harshman, Mavourneen (Harshman) Harshman (1976) Col C.C.Harshman, Mrs. Mavourneen Harshman 1976_HARSHMAN @R0005@ 13 JAN 2019 17:44:45 I/xxx

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 14 1932 14 THE HARSHMAN FAMILY

If this story be true, as it probably is, then Andrew was 73 years old when he came to America, and he was 83 when his youngest child, Matthias, was born. Andrew died in 1798.

Matthias Harshman, the brother of Andrew, is said tohave lived to be 125 years old. (See Part Two,page 207.

Andrew Harshman had seven sons and two daughters. We do not know the names of the daughters, but one of them married a Mr. Ott, or Utt. The names of the sons were Christian, William, Peter, Jacob, John, Frederick and Matthias. We do not know the order of their ages, for only three birth dates have been preserved to us, Christian April 22, 1744, Frederick 1757 and Matthias 1761.

Peter is said to have been bitten by a mad dog and had rabies. His suffering was so extreme that he begged his friends to end his life. At last they were prevailed upon to do so and his parents smothered him between two feather beds. Another account says the doctor bled him to death.

I have read in one of Dickens’ novels a reference to a similar thing being done for one who had rabies— smothering him under a feather bed. Of course with Dickens this was only fiction, but it suggests that such things were sometimes done in that day when anesthetics were as yet unknown.

But the thing was so terrible that it made a deep impression on the family and has come down through the generations. Peter may have been but a boy at the time of his death, although a Peter Harshman died in Franklin County in 1792 and left an estate to be settled. This may have been another Peter, but if so I do not know who he was.

Andrew Harshman’s name first appears in the public records of Frederick County, Maryland, June 25, 1763. On that date James Willing, Jr., deeded to him for a

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 215 1932 PART TWO

MATTHIAS ULRICH HERSHMAN

The village of Hersman, Brown County, Illinois, was founded by descendants of Matthias Hershman. One of these descendants, Miss Elizabeth Curry, has preserved, in written form, the traditions of this branch of the family.

According to her account Matthias Hershman 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 was married the 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 that was once the farm of George Hershman.

The Hon. A. M. Hersman, of Spencer, West Virginia, also a descendant of Matthias Hershman, writes me as follows:

"I can not vouch for the correctness of the record which I have. It says that about the year 1770 Matthias Hershman sailed from some port in Germany, landed in one of the ports on the Atlantic Coast and settled in Hampshire County, Virginia, (now Mineral County, W. Va.), on Patterson Creek. I have no record as to his wife's name. They had five children whose names were: John, Christopher, George, Philip and Margaret. Matthias' body now rests in the Beaver Run Cemetery.

"The old men of the place at the time my record was secured, claimed that there was a stone in the cemetery with his initials engraved on it, also the date of his death and birth, which made him 125 years old. Tradition has it that he married the second time at the age of 105 years.

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The Harshman, Hashman, Hershman, Hersman Family; A History and Genealogy Col. C.C. Harshman, Mavourneen (Harshman) Harshman (1976) Col C.C.Harshman, Mrs. Mavourneen Harshman 1976_HARSHMAN @R0005@ 13 JAN 2019 17:44:45 I/xxii 1976

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The Harshman, Hashman, Hershman, Hersman Family; A History and Genealogy Col. C.C. Harshman, Mavourneen (Harshman) Harshman (1976) Col C.C.Harshman, Mrs. Mavourneen Harshman 1976_HARSHMAN @R0005@ 13 JAN 2019 17:44:45 I/xxxi

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The Harshman, Hashman, Hershman, Hersman Family; A History and Genealogy Col. C.C. Harshman, Mavourneen (Harshman) Harshman (1976) Col C.C.Harshman, Mrs. Mavourneen Harshman 1976_HARSHMAN @R0005@ 13 JAN 2019 17:44:45 I/xxxii

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History of Clinton County, Indiana Inter-State Publishing Co. (1886) Chicago, Inter-State Publishing Co. 1886_HISTORY_OF_CLINTON_IN @R0002@ 28 NOV 2015 05:04:19 808 1886 808 HISTORY OF CLINTON COUNTY.

Martha L., wife of Thomas Allen, of Colfax, Indiana, and Isaac, who was born March 25, 1856, and married to Miss Maggie Hnnter in December, 1884. Mr. Nnttle died in 1873, and the mother is now making her home with her son Isaac. She is an earnest member of the Methodist Episcopal church.

ENOS HARSHMAN, farmer, sections 26, 23, 34, 40 and 27, came to this county in 1829, with his parents and six children, whose names are as follows Jonathan, born in November, 1819, died in 1840, and is buried on the farm owned by John Seager; Moses, born March 26, 1821; Enos, born December 22, 1822; Aaron, born in 1829, and died in 1843, and is buried beside Jonathan; Harriet died in 1844, aged fifteen years; Oliver died in 1878, aged fifty-two years. Three were born in this county Polly, wife of Daniel Nichols, and living in Perry Township; Martin Van Buren, living in Kansas, and Henry C., living in Madison Township. The parents were Henry and Molly (Fogle) Harshman. His father was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, December 22, 1797. His parents moved to Greene County, Ohio, where he was reared and married, and died in Madison Township, this county, August 20, 1843, and is buried in John Seager's cemetery. The mother was born in Maryland, February 8, 1800. She was quite young when her parents moved to Greene County, Ohio. She died in this county at the home of Moses Harshman, in May, 1876, and is buried in Jefferson Cemetery. The grandfather of Enos, Peter Harshman, was born in Germany, came to America when a young man and served seven years in the Revolutionary war. He afterward settled in Rockingham County, Virginia, where he was married, and after few years moved to Greene County, Ohio, where he died in the fall of 1827, aged eighty-two years. His Grandmother Harshman was an English woman and lived in Greene County. Enos has always resided in this county, except five weeks in Tennessee during the war. He was married in 1847, to Elizabeth Harshman, daughter of Charles and Catherine (Whitsle) Harshman, who was born in Washington Township, this county, in 1830. Her father was born in Rockingham County, Virginia, died in Washington Township, aged seventy-seven years, and is buried in Jefferson Cemetery. Her mother was born in Preble County, Ohio, died in Washington Township, and is buried beside her husband. Mrs. Harshman died in March, 1848. Mr. Harshman was a second time married August 20, 1848, to Nancy J. Timmons, daughter of Perry S. and Mary (Dukes) Timmons, who

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Names of Foreigners Who Took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province and State of Pennsylvania, 1727-1775, with the foreign arrivals, 1786-1808 William Henry Egle (1892) 1892_NAMES_OF_FOREIGNERS @R0001@ 6 AUG 2016 23:08:14 349 1892 THE OATH OF ALLEGIANCE 349

[LIST OF FOREIGNERS IMPORTED IN THE SHIP DUKE OF WIRTENBERG, CAPT. MONTPELIER, FROM ROTTERDAM. QUALIFIED OCT. 16, 1751]

Daniel Baumann, Conradt Grietzinger, jr.,
Conrad Merkle, Friederick Keppert, Jacob Zech, Johannes Winter. Martin Ebble, David Ansel, Jacob Beyerle, Friederich Wibel. Jacob Stahlman, Joseph Ahnern, Adam Herman, Jacob Jüngling, Jacob Scherrer, Johann Mader, Ulrich Hirschmann, Matheus Hirschman, Johannes Stucke, Jacob Schwartz, Johannes Augenstein, Simon Nagel, Philip Nagel, Michael Deiss, Johannes Mayer, Johannes Mayer, jr., Johannes Bischoff, Bernhardt Merkle, Michael Fritz, Ludwig Feick, Casper Meyer, Peter Printle, Christian Fusch, Joseph Karg, Jacob Karg, Johan Geo. Englert, Conrad Brendingler, Johannes Messner, Jacob Schäffer, Bernhart Frick, Graff Pillab, Jacob Greiner, Georg Christoph Reichle, Johann Andreas Mayer, Johann Georg Mayer, Johan Andreas Mayer, jr., Joliann Adam Merkle, Johann Georg Weisser, Johann Georg Maisch. Christian Grietzinger, Jacob Ludwig Cäppele, Johan Conrad Held, Johannes Brobeck, Johannes Weihenger. Georg Wilhelm Bantlion, Christ. Friederich Bantlion, Hans Georg Schäffer, Hans Georg Dutte, Conrad Eisenhardt, Georg Adam Schlegel, Christophel Schlegel, Caspar Wunder, Johannes Wunderlich, Johann Georg Hoch, Mattheus Sabererick, Joseph Brendlinger, Michael Rosch, Michael Rosch, jr., Jacob Esch. Baltas Folk, Christoph Folk, Conrad Stöhr. Philip Müller, Stephan Katz, Michel Waltz, Martin Brodbeck, Conrad Grietzinger, Johannes Brodbeck. Dieterich Kämmerer, Peter Kämmerer, Christian Kämmerer, Johann F. Brodbeck, Johan Georg Sendel, Hans Georg Winter, Hans Georg Heim, Hans Georg Wehr, Christ. Gottleib Scheiberle, Hans Peter Spath, Joh. Friederich Steindorf, Joh. Michael Zehntbauer, Johannes Schultheiss, Andreas Hirschman,

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A Collection of upwards of Thirty Thousand Names of German, Swiss, Dutch, French and other Immigrants in Pennsylvania From 1727 to 1776 Rupp, Israel Daniel (1927) 1927_30000_NAMES @R0001@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 269 1927 269

Georg Adam Franckenberger,
Georg Michael Kern, Conrad Klingemeyer, Joh. Conrad Leibbrand, Georg Adam Gaab, Hans Jacob Baum, Daniel Baumann, Conradt Grietzinger jr. Conrad Merckle, Friederick Keppert, Jacob Zerch, Johannes Winter, Martin Ebbly,* David Ansel, Jacob Beyerly,* Friederich Wibel, Jacob Stahlman, Joseph Ahner, Adam Herman, Jacob Jtingling, Jacob Scherrer,* Johann Nadem,? Ulrich Hirschmann, Matheus Hirschman,* Johannes Stucky,* Jacob Schwartz, Johannes Augenstein, Simon Nagel, Philip Nagel, Michael Deiss, Johannes Mayer, Johannes Mayer jr., Johannes Bischoff, Bernhardt Merkle, Michael Fritz, Ludwig Fritz, Casper Meyer,* Peter Printly,* Christian Fuchs, Joseph Karg, Jacob Karg, Michael Rosch, Michael Rosch jr., Jacob Esch, Baltas Folck,* Christoph Folck,* Conrad Stohr, Philip Muller, Stephan Katz, Michel Waltz, Martin Brodbeck, Conrad Grietzinger,* Johannes Brodbeck, Dieterich Kammerer, Peter Kammerer, Christian Kammerer, Johann F. Brodbeck,* Johan Georg Sendel, Hans Georg Winter, Hans Georg Heim, Hans Georg Wehr, Christ. Gottlieb Scheiberle, Hans Peter Path,? Joh. Friederich Dorff, Joh. Michael Zehntbauer, Johannes Schultheiss, Andreas Hirschman, Johan Adam Hirschman, Hans Michael Moser, Mattheus Dullnick, Johann Georg Haman, Johan Friederich Stiess, Hans Georg Augenstein, Philip Jacob Werner, Hans Ludwig Roth, Hans Philip Roth, Hans Martin Bischon,? Lorentz Wessener, Hans Adam Meyer, Hans Martin Fisser, Michael Hirnneise, Hans Georg Hirnneise,

23*

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 vii 1932 PREFACE

This book is the history of four Harshman brothers who came to America in the year 1751. There are others of the name in this country but I have attempted nothing further than to tell the story of these four men; and even this is by no means complete.

During the eighteenth and the early part of the nineteenth century public records in the part of the country where these men settled were very meager and poorly kept. Frequently not even deeds to land were recorded. None of these states kept a record of the births and deaths, and some of them had no marriage records until near the close of the nineteenth century. Pennsylvania required no marriage license until 1885.

Of such records as were made many were destroyed during the Revolutionary War or the Civil War. When the British Army burned Washington in 1814 the Virginia records of the Continental Army together with many other ones were destroyed.

In a few cases early church lists of births, baptisms, marriages and deaths have been preserved, which have been helpful, and some old cemeteries have yielded valuable information.

As a consequence of these mutilated and meager records it is very difficult to recover that part of the history which has been lost. Accordingly there are some gaps in the history, especially in the second and third generations, which I have made every effort to fill, but as yet unsuccessfully. However there is always the possibility that new information may be discovered, and there is therefore hope that these gaps may finally be closed.

I have spent thirty years gathering this material. Every county where any of the first three generations are known to have lived has been visited and all avail-

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 viii 1932 viii THE HARSHMAN FAMILY

able records carefully studied. The discoveries have been many, some of them startling in importance, and the amount of history recovered is far beyond what I had hoped for in the beginning of the work.

Nevertheless I am conscious that the story is still incomplete, and will be grateful for additional information and correction of errors.

If you are a member of this family and your name is not in this book be assured it is because I could not secure the data. Be kind enough to send them to me. If you know of others whose names should be here but are not, I would be thankful for knowledge of them.

Two copies of this book will be placed in the Library of Congress, in Washington. I will keep a careful record of such additional data as may be obtained, and when a sufficient amount has been secured to make it worthwhile, such material will be typed and placed in the Library of Congress as a supplementary volume.

Where They Live

The Harshmans are widely scattered, some being found in practically all of the states except, possibly, the New England States and a few of the Southern states. They are most numerous in Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with diminishing numbers in the states farther west, California having more than the other far western states. Annual reunions of the family are held in Washington County, Pennsylvania, Trumbull County, Ohio, Los Angeles, California, and one sometimes in north western Ohio and sometimes in north eastern Indiana. For a time one was maintained in Preble County, Ohio.

The Name

When they came to this country the four brothers spelled their name "Hirschman," but a few years later

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 1 1932 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER

The Four Brothers

It is common knowledge among the Harshmans that our first ancestors in America were four German brothers.

I distinctly remember, when about fifteen years old, hearing my father, one of his brothers, and one of their cousins discussing the matter. According to their account there were four brothers and they spelled the name "Hirschman", which means Deer-man.

As three of the grandsons of Andrew Harshman were still living, and all of them usually attended the annual Harshman Reunion in that county, Trumbull County, Ohio, where the family history was always more or less discussed, I felt that this statement about the four brothers was not a matter of tradition but of knowledge on their part.

For many years, however, I never heard the name of any one of these four brothers except Andrew.

A few years ago I found a book called "Thirty Thousand German Immigrants", by I. Daniel Rupp, giving passenger lists of various ships which brought German immigrants to America in the middle of the eighteenth century.

In one of these lists, that of the ship "Duke of Wirtemberg", Montpelier, Captain, I found the names Ulrich Hirschmann, Mattheus Hirschmann, Andreus Hirschmann and Johan Adam Hirschmann". The Duke of Wirtemberg had sailed from Rotterdam, touching at Cowes, England, and landed in Philadelphia October 16, 1751.

Immediately on reading this in Mr. Rupp’s book I realized that I had found the names of the four brothers. Andrew I already knew was one. The name "Matthias"

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 2 1932 2 THE HARSHMAN FAMILY

was a family name, repeated in every generation. Ulrich as a family name was new to me, and John is common in most families.

As I traced the history of three of these men any shade of doubt that I may have had disappeared. The lives of the other two are so related to that of Andrew, and the same traditions so run in the different families that there can be no question concerning the relationship of the four men.

On this ship, "Duke of Wirtemberg", were 406 passengers. Of these 159 were males over 16 years of age, and 247 were women or children. How many of these 247 were women and how many were children is not known, as only the names of the men are on record.

Ulrich had with him a wife and probably two or three children, as one of his sons, Peter, was six years old. Andrew also was married, had one son, Christian, who was seven years old, and probably other children.

Matthias and his wife, Eve, had one son born on the ocean and named George. It is not known whether this was their first child. Of the family of John Adam, if he had one, or of his later history, nothing is definitely known.

It was a very serious undertaking to migrate to the new country with women and children in the company and with all the inconveniences and hardships of travel in that day.

From four different and distinct sources in the family I have heard the tradition that the Harshmans came from Baden-Baden, and from another that they came from the Black Forest.

Baden-Baden is a city in southwestern Germany not far from the Swiss border, and it is just on the edge of the Black Forest. Mr. Clinton Harshman of Preble County, Ohio, born in 1856, is especially clear on the matter. He says he distinctly remembers his grand-

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 6 1932 6 THE HARSHMAN FAMILY

they were distributed throughout Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.

A body of Dunkards in the period from 1719 to 1729 went to America and settled in Germantown, now a suburb of Philadelphia, where their first church was organized in 1723. The coming of colonists reached its height from 1749 to 1754, within which period 31,896 arrived. In 1751, the year the Harshmans came, there were 3951.

We may therefore, very safely assume that this family from Baden-Baden came not as adventurers, but as industrious, God-fearing men and women who sought religious freedom and an opportunity adequately to provide for their families.

The same day that the passengers on the ship "Duke of Wirtemberg," landed in Philadelphia, these Harshman brothers with all the other men passengers were marched to the court house and signed the following oath of allegiance to King George the Second, of England:

I, A. B., do solemnly and sincerely promise and declare that I will be true and faithful to King George the Second, and do solemnly, sincerely and truly Profess, Testify and Declare, that I do from my heart abhor detest and renounce as impious and heretical that wicked doctrine and position that Princes Excommunicated or deprived by the Pope or any authority of the
See of Rome may be deposed or murthered by their subjects, or any other whatlate, State or Pontentate hath or ought to have any power whatsoever.

And I do declare that no foreign Prince, Person, Pre-Jurisdiction, Superiority, Pre-Eminence, has authority Ecclesiastical or Spiritual within the Realm of Great Britain or the Dominions thereto belonging.

I, A. B., do solemnly, sincerely and truly acknowledge, profess, testify and declare that King George the

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 7 1932 THE FOUR BROTHERS 7

second is rightful King of the Realm of Great Britain and all others his dominions and countries thereto Belonging, and I do solemnly and sincerely declare that I do believe the Person pretending to be Prince of Wales during the life of the late King James, and since his decease pretending to be taking upon himself the Stile and Title of King of England by the name of James the Third, or of Scotland by the name of James the Eighth, or the Stile and Title of King of Great Britain, hath not any right or title whatsoever to the Crown of the Realm of Great Britain, nor any other the Dominions thereunto belonging. And I do renounce and refuse any allegiance or obedience to him, and do solemnly promise that I will be true and faithful, and bear true allegiance to King George the Second, and to him will be faithful against all traitorous conspiracies, and attempts whatsoever which shall be made against his Person, Crown and Dignity, and I will do my best endeavors to disclose and make known to King George the Second and his successors, all Treasons and traitorous conspiricies which I shall know to be made against him or any of them.

And I shall be true and faithful to the succession of the Crown, against him the said James and other persons whatsoever, as the same is and stands settled by an act entitled "An Act declaring the Rights and Liberties of the subject, and settling the succession of the Crown to the late Queen Anne and the heirs of her body being Protestants", and as the same by one other Act Entitled "An Act for the further limitation of the Crown and better securing the Rights and Liberties of the subjects", is and stands settled and entailed after the decease of the said late Queen, and for default of issue to the said late Queen, to the late Princess Sophia Electress and Duchess Dowager at Hanover, the heirs of her body being Protestants, and all these things I do

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 8 1932 8 THE HARSHMAN FAMILY

plainly, and sincerely acknowledge and declare, according to these express words by me spoken, and according to the plain and common sense and understanding of the same words without any equivocation, mental evasion or Secret Reservation whatsoever. And I do make this recognition, Acknowledgment, Renunciation and Promise heartily, willingly and truly.

(From the book "Names of Foreigners who took the Oath of Allegiance to the Province and State of Pennsylvania 1727-1775", by William Henry Eagle)

Besides the four brothers above mentioned three other Hirschmans signed this oath, but not on the same date on which the brothers signed.

Johannes Hirschman signed Oct. 10, 1752. F. G. Hirschman on Oct. 13, 1766 Johannes Hershman on Oct. 31, 1771.

The Harshman brothers apparently tarried for a time in Pennsylvania. There are some grounds for believing that they found a temporary home in Lancaster County, a county that had a large German Population; but this did not bcome their permanent home. At that time many Germans were finding their way down the Monocacy River into Maryland where they had already formed several settlements. This river flows through a beautiful valley right through the middle of Frederick County, and then empties into the Potomac.

Flowing northward through Virginia is the Shenandoah River emptying into the Potomac from the south not far from where the Monocacy empties into it from the north. This Shenandoah Valley with the Allegheny Mountains bordering it on the west and the Blue Ridge range on the east is justly famed for its great beauty. The splendid highway that runs through it north and south is traversed every year by thousands of sight seers.

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have been a soldier in the Revolutionary War and have died in the war or soon after its close.

In the Pennsylvania Archives in the Library of Congress I found the following:

"Adam Hirschman, private in Captain James Kruge's Company of light infantry, of Col. Matthias Slough's Battalion of Lancaster, destined for the camp in the Jerseys Sept. 9, 1776."

"Hirschman, Adam, Lancaster Pa., 1781 in the third class of the 2nd Company, 8th Battalion, Lancaster County."

From H. H. Shenk, Archivist, Harrisburg, Pa. I have learned that "Adam Hirschman or Adam Hershman appears on the tax lists of Lancaster County as early as 1771, and he was taxed as a tavern keeper in Lancaster Borough in 1779."

The first Federal Census, 1790, records a widow Hershman living in Lancaster County.

These things suggest the possibility that this Adam Hirschman may have been our John Adam. The fact that his name does not appear in the 1790 census but that a widow Hershman does appear further suggests that this may have been his widow. Of course this is mere conjecture. Some time we may learn more about the matter, but for the present we can only say that we
do not know whether or not John Adam left any descendants; we have found none.

As for the name in the one case being Adam and in the other John Adam, they might easily be the same person. Matthias was enrolled among the ship's passengers simply as "Matthias", but in signing deeds he always wrote his name "Matthias Ulrich". In one case that came under my notice "Abraham Harshman" was written where it is perfectly plain that it should have been "Andrew Harshman."

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It may also seem strange to some people that one brother’s name should be Ulrich and another’s Matthias Ulrich; but that was not unusual in those German families. Sometimes two, three or more of the sons were given their father’s name for one of their names. There is one case in this book where three sons in the family have the father’s name. This gives us a hint that the father of these four brothers may have borne the name of "Ulrich", since it was the name of two of his sons.

On the ship’s roll the name of Ulrich appears well down the list followed immediately by that of Matthias. Matthias did not write his own name; it was written by the ship’s clerk. About a score of other names come next, then the name of Andrew followed by that of John Adam. On the oath of allegiance their names come in a different order.

I have already indicated that I have no record of the descendants of John Adam. Not knowing which of the remaining three is eldest I have arranged them in alphabetical order, Andrew, Matthias and Ulrich.

In order to give a connected view of the family as a whole I have first given, as far as they are known, the first two generations of all the brothers. After that the history of each brother and his descendants is given in a separate PART:

FIRST GENERATION
1 Andrew Harshman. 2 Matthias Harshman. 3 Ulrich Harshman.

SECOND GENERATION

Children of Andrew 11 Christian Harshman, wife Catherine Grossnickle. Frederick Co. Maryland.

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If this story be true, as it probably is, then Andrew was 73 years old when he came to America, and he was 83 when his youngest child, Matthias, was born. Andrew died in 1798.

Matthias Harshman, the brother of Andrew, is said tohave lived to be 125 years old. (See Part Two,page 207.

Andrew Harshman had seven sons and two daughters. We do not know the names of the daughters, but one of them married a Mr. Ott, or Utt. The names of the sons were Christian, William, Peter, Jacob, John, Frederick and Matthias. We do not know the order of their ages, for only three birth dates have been preserved to us, Christian April 22, 1744, Frederick 1757 and Matthias 1761.

Peter is said to have been bitten by a mad dog and had rabies. His suffering was so extreme that he begged his friends to end his life. At last they were prevailed upon to do so and his parents smothered him between two feather beds. Another account says the doctor bled him to death.

I have read in one of Dickens’ novels a reference to a similar thing being done for one who had rabies— smothering him under a feather bed. Of course with Dickens this was only fiction, but it suggests that such things were sometimes done in that day when anesthetics were as yet unknown.

But the thing was so terrible that it made a deep impression on the family and has come down through the generations. Peter may have been but a boy at the time of his death, although a Peter Harshman died in Franklin County in 1792 and left an estate to be settled. This may have been another Peter, but if so I do not know who he was.

Andrew Harshman’s name first appears in the public records of Frederick County, Maryland, June 25, 1763. On that date James Willing, Jr., deeded to him for a

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 215 1932 PART TWO

MATTHIAS ULRICH HERSHMAN

The village of Hersman, Brown County, Illinois, was founded by descendants of Matthias Hershman. One of these descendants, Miss Elizabeth Curry, has preserved, in written form, the traditions of this branch of the family.

According to her account Matthias Hershman 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 was married the 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 that was once the farm of George Hershman.

The Hon. A. M. Hersman, of Spencer, West Virginia, also a descendant of Matthias Hershman, writes me as follows:

"I can not vouch for the correctness of the record which I have. It says that about the year 1770 Matthias Hershman sailed from some port in Germany, landed in one of the ports on the Atlantic Coast and settled in Hampshire County, Virginia, (now Mineral County, W. Va.), on Patterson Creek. I have no record as to his wife's name. They had five children whose names were: John, Christopher, George, Philip and Margaret. Matthias' body now rests in the Beaver Run Cemetery.

"The old men of the place at the time my record was secured, claimed that there was a stone in the cemetery with his initials engraved on it, also the date of his death and birth, which made him 125 years old. Tradition has it that he married the second time at the age of 105 years.

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 216 1932 216 THE HARSHMAN FAMILY

These traditions are very interesting, and for the most part they are confirmed by the records. They agree as to the age of Matthias. I did not yet know of his burial place when I was in that part of the country, and since learning of it I have not succeeded in getting a copy of the inscriptions on the tombstones.

The story that George Hersman owned the farm where Hampton now stands, is probably a confusion of the names Hampton and Hampshire, as I could find no evidence whatever that any of the family ever lived in the county where Hampton stands.

As stated in another place Matthias Hershman came to this country with his three brothers in 1751. He did not, however settle in Virginia until sometime in the 1770's.

Matthias almost always spelled his name "Hershman", though many of his descendants have dropped out the second "h".

The first mention I have found of him in the records of Frederich County, Md., is of June 12, 1761, when he bought from Adam Naff a tract of land called "Nazarite." In this tract were 100 acres for which he paid 35 pounds. (Deed Book G, p. 265.)

Ten months later, April 9, 1762, he bought a tract contiguous to the first, and called "Tickneck", consisting of 54 acres. For this he paid 20 pounds. (Deed Bood G, p. 466.)

June 16, 1767 he sold these two tracts of land to Christian Hershman for 150 pounds. The same day he entered into an agreement with Christian, in two parts. In the first part Christian agrees to allow Matthias and his wife to continue to live in the house on the farm, to keep two cows and two sheep, and to furnish them annually certain amounts of grain, pork, etc. In the second part Christian agrees to sell the farms back to Matthias for 5 shillings. But if Christian

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 255 1932 CHAPTER ONE

Peter Harshman, son of Ulrich

Peter Harshman was born in Germany in 1745, and was therfore six years old when the family came to America. He owned a farm on Swift Run Gap Road just at the point where the road enters the Blue Ridge Mountains. I visited the spot in 1931. It is a beautiful country, though as one would expect, lying in the foot hills, it is quite rough for farming.

The following interesting document refers to Peter Harshman's farm. It is dated 1794.

"To the Onerable Speaker and members composing the House of Assembly of Virginia: Your petitioners from the County of Rockingham, having but one publick Merchent Road Over the blew Ridge none (known) by the name of Swift Run Gapp, to which Cheaf of their produce is carried to Alexander, Fredeburg, and the Sity of Richmond; your petitioners prayer is that you pass an Act to Empower the Court of Rockingham to Leavy on the tithable persons of sd. County not exseading the sum of........to Repair and ceapin Repair the road Over swift run gapp from Peter Hershmond in sd. County to Daniel Walferd in Orange County; and that the Court of Rockingham shall appoint Commissioners to Agree with some person to seay that the moneys is laid Out to the best Advantage for the said road, and your petitioners shall ever pray............

(From History of Rockingham County by John Wayland. Published by Roebuck-Elkins, Co., Dayton, Virginia.)

Among the 125 signers was "Peter Harshmand."

Washington spent four days in Rockingham County in 1784 and as he left over the Swift Run Gap road he The quote regarding the property of "Peter Harshmand" is incorrectly cited. It appears on p. 94 of Wayland's "Virginia Valley Records."

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 331 1932 MISCELLANEOUS RECORDS

The following letter from the Rev. O. F. Harshman gave me my first start in the early history of the Harshman family. At first I could make nothing out of it but as I accumulated other facts these in the letter became more significant, and, first and last it has been very helpful to me.

Duquesne, Pa.
June 18, 1901.

Rev. C. W. Harshman. Canton, Ohio.

Dear Cousin:

Your letter of inquiry to hand. ******* I spent considerable time looking up the record but it was incomplete and contradictory, and must be received "cum grano salo".

In 1873 at the reunion in Lordstown "Uncle Daniel", of Pittsburg was present and told us that the grandfather of Matthias (that is who was our greatgrandfather) came from Germany and settled in Jersey. He had four sons and two daughters. He gave each son a farm and each daughter 400 pounds sterling. Uncle Daniel said his father was 107 years old and his grandfather 120 years old. I took this memoranda at the time.

Something over a year ago I met Dr. C. C. Hersman of Pittsburg, S. S., and in conversation he told me that his great-grandfather lived to be 120 years old and was married five time, he came from Germany and was past 100, perhaps no when he married the fifth time. Evidently this doctor is related to us and the name has been changed. Those about Pittsburg spell it Hershman. One of them is part owner of the Pittsburg Press. In the early days I think it was

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The Harshman, Hashman, Hershman, Hersman Family; A History and Genealogy Col. C.C. Harshman, Mavourneen (Harshman) Harshman (1976) Col C.C.Harshman, Mrs. Mavourneen Harshman 1976_HARSHMAN @R0005@ 13 JAN 2019 17:44:45 I/xv 1976

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The Harshman, Hashman, Hershman, Hersman Family; A History and Genealogy Col. C.C. Harshman, Mavourneen (Harshman) Harshman (1976) Col C.C.Harshman, Mrs. Mavourneen Harshman 1976_HARSHMAN @R0005@ 13 JAN 2019 17:44:45 I/2 1976

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 215 1932 PART TWO

MATTHIAS ULRICH HERSHMAN

The village of Hersman, Brown County, Illinois, was founded by descendants of Matthias Hershman. One of these descendants, Miss Elizabeth Curry, has preserved, in written form, the traditions of this branch of the family.

According to her account Matthias Hershman 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 was married the 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 that was once the farm of George Hershman.

The Hon. A. M. Hersman, of Spencer, West Virginia, also a descendant of Matthias Hershman, writes me as follows:

"I can not vouch for the correctness of the record which I have. It says that about the year 1770 Matthias Hershman sailed from some port in Germany, landed in one of the ports on the Atlantic Coast and settled in Hampshire County, Virginia, (now Mineral County, W. Va.), on Patterson Creek. I have no record as to his wife's name. They had five children whose names were: John, Christopher, George, Philip and Margaret. Matthias' body now rests in the Beaver Run Cemetery.

"The old men of the place at the time my record was secured, claimed that there was a stone in the cemetery with his initials engraved on it, also the date of his death and birth, which made him 125 years old. Tradition has it that he married the second time at the age of 105 years.

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The Harshman Family, Also Spelled Hershman and Hersman: A History and Genealogy Rev. Charles W. Harshman, S.T.B., Ph.D. (1932) Spanish American Institute Press 1932_THE_HARSHMAN_FAMILY @R0002@ 8 OCT 2015 10:35:42 215 1932 PART TWO

MATTHIAS ULRICH HERSHMAN

The village of Hersman, Brown County, Illinois, was founded by descendants of Matthias Hershman. One of these descendants, Miss Elizabeth Curry, has preserved, in written form, the traditions of this branch of the family.

According to her account Matthias Hershman 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 was married the 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 that was once the farm of George Hershman.

The Hon. A. M. Hersman, of Spencer, West Virginia, also a descendant of Matthias Hershman, writes me as follows:

"I can not vouch for the correctness of the record which I have. It says that about the year 1770 Matthias Hershman sailed from some port in Germany, landed in one of the ports on the Atlantic Coast and settled in Hampshire County, Virginia, (now Mineral County, W. Va.), on Patterson Creek. I have no record as to his wife's name. They had five children whose names were: John, Christopher, George, Philip and Margaret. Matthias' body now rests in the Beaver Run Cemetery.

"The old men of the place at the time my record was secured, claimed that there was a stone in the cemetery with his initials engraved on it, also the date of his death and birth, which made him 125 years old. Tradition has it that he married the second time at the age of 105 years.

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Sex: M

Birth: ABT. 1676 in Adelshofen, Baden Prov., Germany

Death: MAY 1801 in Hampshire Co., VA

Reference Number: 104

Note: Mathias landed in Pennsylvania 16 October 1751 with three brothers, John, Adam, and Andrew. His will was dated 8 Apr 1767 and proven 18 May 180l. He was married around 1791 at 95 years of age and lived to be 125 years of age. His will was dated 8 Apr 1767, proved 18 May 1801. He was buried at Beaver Run Cemetery, Hampshire o., VA

Name: Matthias Ulrich Harshman

Sex: M

Birth: ABT 1710 in Germany

Immigration: From Germany to Philadelphia, PA 16 OCT 1751

Reference Number: Ind2522

Residence: ABT 1770 Headsville, Mineral Co, WV

Death: ? 18 MAY 1801 in Maryland, USA

Name: Mathias Ulrich Harshman

Name: Matthias Ulrich Hershman

Name: Mattheus Hirschmann

Name: Matthaus Uhlrich Hirshmann

Birth: ABT 1676 in Germany

Residence: ABT 1751 Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA

Residence: ABT 1754 Middleton Valley, Frederick, Maryland, USA

Marriage 1 Eve Uln b: BET 1701 AND 1729

Married: in Germany

Children

Casper Hershman

Catherine Hershman
Christopher Hershman
George Hershman
Jacob Hershman
Margaret Hershman
Phillip Hershman
Christianus Hirschmann b: 20 APR 1744 in Gemmingen, Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, Germany