Dr. Philip Harsh

Philip Harsh was born in 1797 at Uppenheim on the Rhine in Germany and died 27 July 1870 in Nashville, TN. He married Magdalena Koehler of Pottsville, PA. They had 13 children, 10 of whom lived to adulthood. They were: Eliza, Nathan John, George, Caroline, Killian, Louisa, Harriet, Sarah, Amanda and Clara. Philip was a tent boy or assistant to Napoleon in his Russian campaign.

Philip Harsh sailed to America on the ship Aphrodite when he was 14/15 years old.

Cause of death: July 26, 1870. Thrown From His Buggy. Dr. Harsh was thrown from his buggy in Edgefield yesterday and badly hurt.

July 28, 1870 Death of an Old Citizen. We learn with sincere regret that the venerable Dr. Harsh who was thrown from his buggy last Monday, died yesterday morning at 2:30 o’clock from the injuries received. Doctor Harsh was one of our oldest citizens - being in his seventy-third year at the time of his death. He has practiced medicine in Nashville and vicinity for better than a quarter of a century. He leaves a widow and ten children to mourn the irreparable loss of a kind and affectionate husband and father. The deceased was widely esteemed by his fellow citizens as a just and honest man and a true citizen. His funeral will take place from the family residence in Edgefield at 10 o’clock this morning to which his friends and acquaintances are invited to attend.

Philip was born Philip Harsh Von Oppenheim. He spent his childhood at Uppenheim near the Rhine river in Germany. His father being German, and his mother French, he was familiar with both languages. Sarah Rutherford, daughter of Doctor Philip Harsh wrote: "I have heard my father say that Marshal Ney was his uncle ,and it was through his influence that he went with Napoleon." Some of the older grandchildren remember hearing the same statement. Napoleon called Marshal Ney "the bravest of the brave", and gave him many estates and noble titles. Philip served Napoleon through his uncle. Philip was a tent boy, or assistant to Napoleon.

http://www.tnportraits.org/harsh-dr-phillip.htm

Phillip Harsh was born 1797 in Uppenheim, on the River Rhine, Germany. He immigrated to the USA in 1816 locating in the Mahantango Valley, near Pottsville, PA. He married Magdalena Kehler in 1820 in PA. Family lived in Cincinnati in 1840, then moved to Nashville, TN about 1845. In his 50's, Dr. Harsh took further studies in homeopathic medicine at Melius University in Louisville, KY. He is credited as the first homeopathic doctor in Nashville. Dr. Harsh was killed in a buggy accident 27 Jul 1870. A wheel spoke pierced his heart. He and Magdalena had 11 children.