Joseph Samuel Harman

GEDCOM Note

[Mariana's files.FTW]

Wetzel County 1883 Federal Pension Records http://www.rootsweb.com/~wvwetzel/military/ No. of Certificate: 56,634
Name of Pensioner: Harmon, Joseph
Post Office Address: New Martinsville
Cause for which Pensioned: w.l. wrist
Monthly Rate: 2.00
Date of Orginal Allowence: Jan 1866

Joseph Harman was enlisted by Capt. Stephens on Octrober 16, 1861 at Camp Tupper, Hannibal, Ohio in to Company A, 77th Regiment of the Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for a period of three years or the lenght of the war. He was wounded by a gun shot wound to the left wrist at the Battle of Pittsburg Landing (Shiloh) on April 6, 1862.
He was treated in hospital on the steamer WarEagle at Pittsburg Landing, Tennesse from April 6, 1862 to April 7, 1862. On the 12 or 13 of April 1862, he was placed in the hospital at Evansville, Indiana for 2 days and then given a furlough. He left the hospital to go home for 30 days. His furlough was extended. Under orders, he reported at Columbus, Ohio on or about July 5, 1862 and immediately went into the hospital in the Columbus area, remaining there for treatments until Aug 8, 1862. He was examined at Camp Chase, Ohio and given an honorable discharge by A.B. Dod, Capt., 15th US Infantry. The degree of disability was 3/4. Joseph stated that for 14 months after he was wounded, he was unable to perform any manual labor.

When Joe Harman was 16 he and a friend owned a raft and they would, in the summer, fish and pole their way north to Wheeling where they'd sell the fish they had caught. On this particular day, they were catching no fish and decided that if they didn't catch anything all day they would go to war. As luck would have it, they caught nothing. So they went to Marietta, Ohio and enlisted (Union Army.) After some training, they were shipped off to Pittsburg Landing (Shiloh), Tenn. They had been there 1-2 ? days when Gen Grant rode in --he said "drunk"--and the next day they were deployed. They knew the Confederates were near because there were dogs around--and soon there were shots. On the first round Joe was shot through the left wrist and his friend said he'd take Joe back to the hospital ship. There was a fence and Joe made it over safely but the friend was shot through the head and fell face down in the mud with both rifles. In Columbus, Ohio where Joe was taken, the doctors informed him that they must remove his arm because he'd developed gangrene if they didn't. He refused the operation saying that he would rather be dead than lose his arm. So he was discharged from the Army and went home. An old German doctor in town said that he could save the arm. Every day the doctor took a new white silk handkerchief and pulled it through the hole until it healed.
(Verbal and handwritten memories from Mary Harman Ficken, daughter of Joseph William Harman and granddaughter of Joseph Samuel Harman.)

from notes by Gerald Schori:
John Neuenschwander, son of Ulrich Neuenschwander, lived at the Easley farm across the river from New Martinsville, West Virginia, at Duffy on the very top of the hill. He met and married Civilla Harman, who lived in New Martinsville. Later, packing her and her square piano, he moved to Elgin, Iowa, where he was a carriage and wagon maker. After Joseph Harman was injured at Shiloh, he went to Iowa to visit his sister Civilla, and met Mary Bauder who was living with her sister, Elizabeth and husband, Ben Schori. After Joseph returned to New Martinsville, he realized that he was smittened by Mary and wrote to his brother-in-law John, asking John to plight his troth on his behalf with Ben Schori regarding the possiblity of marriage to Mary Bauder. Ben Schori discussed this with his wife, Elizabeth, who discussed it with sister Mary, and it was agreed. At this point, Joseph returned to Elgin where he and Mary were married at the home of her brother.
(wedding information source: Fayette Co., Iowa Marriage License; Mariana Zuelsdorf)

It was to Elgin that Joe went to recuperate. Most of my Swiss relatives live in Elgin, Iowa and surrounding towns. It still has a big sign at the town line saying "Little Switzerland." I can remember only one story of how Joe and his brother-in-law took a wagon and went hunting in Nebraska Territory and how they got lost and wandered for days until some friendly Indians told them how to get home. When Joe came back to New Martinsville, he said he'd met the prettiest little Dutch girl he'd ever seen. (Anyone speaking German was called Dutch.) He went back to Iowa (I don't know when) and married her. She was Mary Bauder and her parents came to the U.S. from Switzerland when she was about 9. Joe and Mary came back to New Martinsville and Joe began his life as a blacksmith and wagon maker. In later years, after cars were invented, Joe was invited to become the Ford agent in town, but he declined on the grounds that a car would never be able to climb these hills. Ho-hum. When they unpacked Mary's luggage, they found a surprise gift--a wooden clock--which they had on a high shelf in the kitchen. During the 1913 flood it was forgotten and floated off the shelf. After the water went down it was found in the mud in the kitchen. It was washed out and continued to run. Mother and Dad took it after Grandma died and it was in our kitchen until they moved. I have it now on my living toom wall. It will run if it is level.
(from a letter from Mary Harman Ficken, granddaughter)

Joseph S. Harman-born in Belmont County, Ohio, is a son of Samuel and Mary (Gatts) Harman, now honored residents in Monroe County, that State. In the war between the States, he entered the Federal services, enlisting in Company A., 77th Ohio Infantry, October 16, 1861, and serving until wounded in the battle of Pittsburg Landing, after which he received an honorable discharge, August 8, 1862. In Fayette County, Iowa, November 26, 1872, Joseph S. Harman was united in marriage with Mary Bauder, and he has been a resident of Wetzel County, West Virginia, since 1872. His wife was a daughter of John and Catherine (Goodman) Bauder, and is a native of Switzerland. The children of their wedlock are five: George Alfred, born January 25, 1872; John Franklin September 6, 1875; Samuel Ernest, January 18, 1879; Charles Edward, June 28, 1881; Rosco (sic), September 23, 1883. Joseph S. Harman is one of New Martinsville's best business men, and is here carrying on a manufactory of wagons and buggies. His work is all done from the best material, of which he has always a good stock on hand, and his many customers always return to him for anything they need in his line, and are assured by his past work that the future orders will be satisfactorily filled. His location is on Main Street, New Martinsville, Wetzel County, West Virginia.
(from Hardesty's West Virginia Heritage Encyclopedia, Supplimental Series, Vol. 2, Wetzel County.)