HARMISON FAMILY
This has been the most frustrating family for me to research.
I had put together what I could from oral history and what records
I have found thus far at Eau Claire, WI. However, new information
has come to light with the recent discovery of a Harmison cousin
in Wisconsin. She has graciously written the following material
up to the separating line. Thank you Hope! Hope's e-mail address
is: Click here
Calvin P. Harmison was the third-child,
second son of Isaac
Harmison and Eunice "Emma" Barrett. He was born July
12, 1844 in Dodge County, Wisconsin. His siblings were: Mary Louise
Harmison, born May 24, 1838; James Abner Harmison, born December
22, 1841 and Sarah Caroline Harmison, born February 10, 1847.
Calvin's parents, Isaac Harmison
and Eunice "Emma" Barrett, were both born to large farming families
in Ohio.
Isaac Harmison was born to Samuel
Harmison and Nancy Arnold on April 17, 1814 in Darke County, OH. His father,
Samuel Harmison,
was born c. 1776 in Berkley, Virginia and died in 1841 in White
County, Indiana. His mother, Nancy Arnold, was born 1778 in Maryland
and died in 1850 in Plymouth, Marshall County, Indiana. About
1811, Samuel and Nancy removed from Maryland to Darke County,
Ohio, where several of their children were born. Later, they moved
again to LaPorte, Indiana, and finally, to White County, Indiana.
After Samuel's death, Nancy moved in with her daughter, Elizabeth "Betsey" Harmison
Thomas in Plymouth, where as noted, she died. The following, are the children
and descendants of Samuel
Harmison and Nancy Arnold as we now know them. Some of the information
is incomplete and is so indicated:
Samuel Harmison and Nancy Arnold Harmison's children were:
Elizabeth "Betsey" Harmison;
born abt. 1807 in Maryland. Elizabeth is believed to be the first-born child
of Samuel and
Nancy. In 1824,
Elizabeth wed Isaac Thomas in Montgomery, Ohio. Elizabeth
and Isaac moved to Plymouth, Marshall, Indiana about 1832. They
had the following children:
Samuel Thomas, born abt. 1829
Nancy Thomas, born abt. 1830
William Thomas, born abt. 1832
Mary Thomas, born abt. 1833
Elias Thomas, born abt. 1835
Eunice Thomas, born abt. 1837
Sarah J. Thomas, born abt. 1841
Levi Thomas, born abt. 1842
Timothy Thomas, born abt. 1845
Henry Thomas, born abt. 1848
Catherine Harmison, reportedly, the second-born child of Samuel
Harmison and Nancy Arnold, born in Maryland. Presently, there
is no other information regarding Catherine.
John Harmison, born August 6, 1810
in Maryland; he died November 12, 1857 in Liberty Township, White, Indiana.
John Harmison wed
Esther Barrett, daughter of Abner Barrett and Mary Pemberton;
and, sibling of Isaac's wife, Eunice "Emma" Barrett.
Esther was born September 25, 1811 in Union Township, Miami County,
Ohio. John and Esther wed September 26, 1828 in Miami, Ohio. John
and Esther had the following children:
Nancy Harmison, died at age 17 years, 1 month, 11 days on
April 10, 1848
Mary Harmison, born February 25, 1831 Sarah Harmison, born
August 7, 1832; died September 3, 1902
Roseana Harmison, born June 10, 1835; died October 20, 1907
Harriet Missouri Harmison, born 1838; died April, 1904
Isaac W. Harmison, born April 22, 1842; died January 11,
1926
Elijah Steven Harmison, born February 5, 1845; died January
5, 1909 Eliza Jane Harmison, born July 10, 1848; died April 13,
1914
Samuel Harmison was born April 6, 1812 in Darke County, Ohio
and died March 6, 1862 in St. Josephs County, Indiana. He wed
Elizabeth Cornell on November 27, 1842. She was born November
27, 1822 in Fayette County, Ohio. Samuel and Elizabeth are buried,
as are several of their children, in St. Josephs County, Indiana.
Samuel and Elizabeth had the following children:
Isaac Wesley Harmison, born Noember 22, 1843; died 1890 Mary
Ellen Harmison, born December 28, 1844
John A. Harmison, born September 24, 1850; died 1863
Nancy Jane Harmison, born January 3, 1853 William A. Harmison,
born January 20, 1855
Sarah A. Harmison, born July 20, 1857
Willy Ann Harmison, born 1854
George R. Harmison, born January 16, 1861; died 1924
Isaac Harmison, born April 17,
1814 in Darke County, Ohio; died May 14, 1898 in probably Wheaton Township,
Chippewa County,
Wisconsin. Isaac wed Eunice "Emma" Barrett, daughter
of Abner Barrett and Mary Pemberton, on September 17, 1837 in
LaPorte, Indiana. Eunice "Emma" was born March 16, 1818
in Miami County, Ohio and died July 7, 1900 in Wheaton Township,
Chippewa County, Wisconsin. Isaac and Eunice "Emma"
and many of their children and descendents are buried at Lake
View Cemetery, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Isaac Harmison was a farmer;
son of a farmer. He purchased his first farm land in LaPorte,
Indiana in 1835; which he assigned to his father, Samuel Harmison,
shortly before his marriage to Eunice "Emma" Barrett
in March, 1837. After he and Eunice "Emma" married,
they removed to Dodge County, Wisconsin where their children were
born. Isaac is listed as among the first settlers of Watertown,
Wisconsin and his daughter, Mary Louise, is listed as the first
white child born in Watertown, Wisconsin.
Isaac and Eunice "Emma", remained in Dodge County
until 1856 when they sold their farm and moved to Eau Claire,
Wisconsin. After the marriage of their youngest daughter, Sarah
Caroline Harmison, they homesteaded a 160 acre farm in Cedar Lake,
Barron County, Wisconsin next door to their daughter, Sarah and
her husband, William Small. After Isaac retired from farming,
the two couples moved to Wheaton Township, Chippewa County, Wisconsin,
which is next door to neighboring Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Isaac
presumably died in Wheaton at the home of his daughter, Sarah
Caroline Harmison and her husband, William Small. There are no
death records for Isaac Harmison; his date of death is etched
on his tombstone atop that of his wife's, Eunice "Emma"
Barrett. Isaac Harmison and Eunice "Emma" Barrett Harmison's
children were:
Mary Louise Harmison. Mary was born May 24, 1838 in Dodge
County, Wisconsin. She first wed Franklin Blashfield. Franklin
was born October 18, 1833 and died December 24, 1866 in Eau Claire,
Wisconsin. Mary and Franklin had one son, Artwill James Blashfield,
born January 15, 1860 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. After Franklin's
death, Mary Louise wed Thomas Crouch. Sarah and Thomas had one
child, Sarah Crouch, born December 22, 1873. Mary Louise Harmison
died July 17, 1901 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She is buried next
to her first husband, Franklin Blashfield, at Lake View Cemetery,
Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
James Abner Harmison. James was
born December 22, 1841 in Dodge County, Wisconsin. He died March 12, 1909
in Eau Claire,
Wisconsin. James wed Frances D. Seeley. Frances was born in 1841
and died July 4, 1895 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. James and Frances
are buried next to Isaac Harmison and Eunice "Emma" Barrett at Lake
View Cemetery, Eau Claire, Wisconsin. James and
Frances had the following children:
Alice Harmison, born April 17, 1862 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Alice wed Jacob H. Kleiner June 13, 1888 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Alice was a teacher at Eau Claire's 9th Ward School. Her husband,
Jacob, was the owner of Jacob Kleiner Meat Company. Alice died
in 1927; she and Jacob are buried at Lake View Cemetery, Eau Claire,
Wisconsin.
Arthur Harmison, born April 11, 1871 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Arthur first wed Eliza; she died October 5, 1894 in Eau Claire,
Wisconsin. Arthur was also married to Mrs. Anna Leonard on May
27, 1896 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Arthur then wed Mary Trainor.
Arthur died June 29, 1929 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. He is buried
next to his wife, Mary Harmison, at Lake View Cemetery, Eau Claire,
Wisconsin.
Harriet "Hattie" Bernice Harmison, was born March
13, 1873 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She died October 30, 1944 in
Duluth, Minnesota. Harriet "Hattie" wed Ezekel Joseph
McCleod on October 24, 1900 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Hattie worked
for Jacob Kleiner Meat Company as a bookkeeper prior to her marriage
to Ezekel.
Frances Ethel Harmison, was born
in 1878. She wed Joel Hopkins on May 9, 1900 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. James
Abner Harmison
was a prominent citizen in early Eau Claire city history. He served
as an alderman; as the first 'police officer' in Eau Claire, and
was also active in real estate ventures. According to news articles
printed about him at the time of his death, James or "Jim" Harmison
was also a well-liked and respected member of his community.
Sarah Caroline Harmison was born February 10, 1847 in Oconomowoc,
Wisconsin. She wed William Small on September 25, 1871 in Eau
Claire, Wisconsin. Sarah died October 15, 1933 in Eau Claire,
Wisconsin. William Small was born December 10, 1842 in Granville,
Milwaukee, Wisconsin to parents Daniel Reise Small and Electra
Woodward. William died October 18, 1921 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Sarah and William are buried at Lake View Cemetery, Eau Claire,
Wisconsin, next to William's brother, Benjamin Small, who lived
and farmed with William and Sarah throughout his lifetime. Sarah
and William had the following children:
Eunice "Nellie" Ellen Small; born July 17, 1872.
Eunice "Nellie" first wed Dr. Arthur Gilbert. She then
wed Alva James Snyder on April 27, 1897 in Rice Lake, Wisconsin.
She then wed George Hudson. Eunice "Nellie" Small died
April 20, 1955 in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
Clarence Daniel Small; born May 15, 1874
Louise Elizabeth Small, born March 9, 1877
Mary Emily Small, born October 1, 1879
Isaac Benjamin Small, born March 4, 1882
Ida Small, born March 4, 1882; twin to Isaac, she died in
infancy Blanche Small, born February 8, 1886, she died in childhood
Mary Harmison, reportedly born about 1816 in Ohio; presently,
there's no additional information on Mary.
James Harmison was born February
20, 1820 in Ohio and died June 20, 1886 in Trenton, Cache Utah. He first
wed Elizabeth Ivers
on May 6, 1840 in White County, Indiana. They had one child together,
Isaac Harmison, born February 15, 1841 in White County, Indiana.
He then wed Mrs. Elizabeth "Fanny" Brownell Vaughn,
daughter of Gideon Brownell and Elizabeth Wheeler, on January
22, 1843 in Marshall County, Indiana. He also wed Hannah Brownell,
marriage date, unknown; and, on May 4, 1870, he wed Mary Ann Brownell.
James Harmison and Elizabeth "Fanny" Brownell, reportedly
had the following children; however, this has not been verified:
Polly Eliza Harmison, born November 16, 1862
Sarah Elizabeth Harmison, born May 11, 1846
James Samuel Harmison, born March 8, 1851 John Hyrum Harmison,
born June 3, 1853
Brigham Young Harmison, born June 23, 1854
Fanny Maria Harmison, born January 31, 1856
Nancy Angelina Harmison, born December 12, 1858 Heber C.
Harmison, born June 7, 1860
Joseph Wheeler Harmison, born June 29, 1849
Gideon Silas Harmison, born February 17, 1844
Sarah Harmison, born November 12, 1823 in Ohio. Sarah wed
William Brown, July 1, 1846 in LaPorte, Indiana.
Nancy Harmison, born about 1828 in Ohio. Nancy wed John D.
Thomas, May 28, 1846 in White County, Indiana. Nancy and John
had at least one child, a son, James Harmison, born about 1848.
Calvin Harmison Notes
Calvin and Mary were residing in Oak Grove, Eau Claire County,
Wisconsin in 1870;
On a visit to the Chippewa Valley Museum in Eau Claire I found
an index card for Calvin listing the newspaper articles that mentioned
him. They are as follows:
January 1872 ...building ice house 22x100 at west end of c.
(center?) bridge.
November 1874 ...building another ice house on Half Moon Lake
May 15, 1875 ...established brick yard on Otter Creek on site
of old one which used to be in existance 9-10 years ago. A half
mile of road has been built, house, barn.....
May 26, 1877 Eau Claire News; has burned 1 kiln of brick containing
about 125,000
May 20, 1896 Leader; lives at 120 Bridge Street
May 21, 1899; lives at Rice Lake
1832 Leader; wife an Eagan girl, sister of Mrs. John Kelley
and Mrs. Cuddy
Calvin died sometime around 1911. He most likely died in Eau
Claire although on recent trips to Eau Claire I have been unsuccessful
in locating a death certificate or grave site. Obviously, he lived
in several places though you would expect that his death would
be in County Records. I found a grave site for his daughter Nellie
in a Harmison plot owned by C.P. Harmison, and it was indicated
that the lot was full, which could mean that he is buried there
in an unmarked grave. There is a death certificate for a son of
C.D. Harmison and wife Mary. There were twin sons who died young
and I am sure that this is one of their children. There are also
a few other Harmison's buried there. The records were poorly kept.
Calvin married Mary Magdeline Eagan. She was born in County
Cork, Ireland and immigrated between the ages of 18 and 20 (about
1858). She and her family moved to Eau Claire from Ohio which
was the first place the Egan family settled upon their immigration
from Ireland. She came over with her father, John and a rather
large family. Three brothers, James, Michael and John, fought
in the Civil War in Wisconsin regiments. Her sister, Margaret
F. Egan married John Jacob Kelley on August 15, 1871 at St. Patrick's
Catholic Church in Eau Claire. He was a prominent Civil War veteran
and outstanding citizen in Eau Claire. The Kelley's are buried
in the Catholic Cemetery in Eau Claire along with a John Egan.
There was a Josephine Kelley and Vivian remembers an unmarried
Aunt Joe. Josephine Kelley was a milliner and owned her own store.
Mary's other sister, Ellen Josephine Eagan was married to Stephen
Cuddy on June 22, 1880 at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Eau
Claire.
Mary was a petite, robust, plump woman who, on her visits
to Duluth to visit her daughter, wore a straw bonnet with flowers
and carried a tapestry bag. She would come by train and bring
wonderful canned jellies and bread and butter pickles. She had
a sunny disposition though somewhat quiet and reserved. She was
affectionately remembered by her family. Mary died in March of
1920.
This is the boarding house in Eau Claire
that Mary M. Egan Harmison ran.
Calvin and Mary were divorced. Mary apparently could take
care of herself as she ran a boarding house at 506 Grand Avenue
in Eau Claire. Her daughter Nellie was listed as a boarder as
well as Mae until her marriage.
Their children:
Florella (Nellie) Harmison was born January 4, 1865 in Eau
Claire and died September 19, 1943 in Eau Claire. She taught in
the 9th ward in the city of Eau Claire for 78 years and never
married.
Mary Evangeline Harmison who was born October 30, 1871 in
Eau Claire married to William H. Bailey
and died in Duluth, MN March 15, 1915. She was a school teacher
in Eau Claire and eventually kept the books for the store and
logging camps run by her husband.
Carmin Eubert Harmison d: 1877 age 8 months and is buried
at Lakeview Cemetery.
From: Eau Claire Weekly Free Press, dated May 27, 1875:
"Cal. Harmison's store was
broken into last night, and
some trivial
losses were sustained, when the thief became
alarmed doubtless, from the appearance of the teams for ice at
an
adjacent ice house."
From: Eau Claire Leader, dated September 21 1943
Miss N. Harmison Dies at Hospital
Miss Nellie Harmison, 615 Broadway St., died early Sunday
morning at Luther hospital at the age of 83 years. She was born
in Eau Claire and for 55 years taught in public schools here.
Many citizens of this community will recall having gone to school
to her. She is survived by several nieces and nephews and one
grandniece.
Funeral services will be held this afternoon at 2 o'clock
from Lenmark's. The Rev. Maurice Haehlen will offiviate. Interment
will be in Lake View cemetery. Friends may call at Lenmark's this
forenoon.
Eau Claire City Directory search -earliest publ. 1880
1. Calvin P, agt. National Soap
Works, res n w corner 5th & State
1882 Calvin, ice & fish dealer,
507 Bridge, res same
1. Calvin - same as above
2. Mrs Mary, res n w cor 5th & Bridge (no Calvin listed)
1887-8 Calvin P, solicitor Eau Claire Benefit Co, res Ironwood,
Wis.
Mrs. Mary, boarding house, 506 Bridge
Miss Nellie, teacher, bds 401 Michigan
1888-90 Miss Nellie, teacher bds 506 Bridge
1891-2 Mrs Mary, res 615 Broadway
Miss Nellie,tchr, bds 615 Broadway
1. Mary (wid Charles P) res 615 Broadway
Nellie E, tchr, bds, 615 Broadway
2. Mary (wid Calvin P) res 615 Broadway
Nellie E, tchr, bds, " " "
Nellie & Mary remain listed as above into the 1918 issue.
From 1920 & on, only Nellie
continues.
There are other Harmisons listed,
probably connected to James & his son Arthur.
Art. is listed in 1931 as "died June 9th 1929 age 63"
I found James obit. Eau Claire Leader (daily) Mar 3 1909 P8
C4
James A Harmison passed away suddenly yesterday morning of
heart trouble while talking
to his relatives. He had been ailing since Sunday and the end
came unexpectedly. He was
one of the pioneers and had been a resident of Eau Claire since
1856. He is survived by
three daughters - one Mrs J Kleiner of this city, one residing
at Duluth and one at St. Paul -
and a son, Arthur, residing in Eau Claire.
Special thanks to Pat Doll who has been helping
me with Eau Claire research.
