Marion G. Harness (born June 2, 1860 in Ross township, Greene County, Ohio, died February 26, 1933 in Heber Springs, Arkansas) was the son of Gideon Harness and Eliza Jane Smith. Marion married Martha Day (Mina) Longfellow on December 27, 1882 in Jackson, Missouri near Mina's parents home in Greenwood, MO. Marion and Mina had two children, Roscoe Gideon and Emmet L.

Baby Marion Harness

Marion Harness and his family lived in a rather large house just outside of Jamestown, Ohio in the late 1800's. He was (marginally speaking) a farmer. He inherited some money around the turn of the century, probably from his father, Gideon, who died in 1902. About 1910, Marion and his wife, along with son Emmet Harness, who was mentally impaired, left Ohio for Arkansas where Marion had heard that land was relatively cheap. He apparently thought that he could invest in some land there and make a great deal of money. Roscoe, and his wife Nelle, remained in Ohio.

Marion Harness

After arriving in Arkansas, Marion got interested in the portable saw mill business. About 1914, son Roscoe and his wife, and children also came to the Heber Springs, Arkansas area. Roscoe got involved with his father, Marion, and another man in the saw mill business. When the depression arrived in the late 1920's, the sawmill business, like most everything else, ground to a halt. Marion still had some money (probably from the inheritance) so he didn't do any further work to any great extent.

Marion and his wife, Mina, are buried in the old Heber Springs cemetery just off the old downtown Square in a plot which also contains son Roscoe and his wife Nelle as well as Marion and Mina Harness' other son, Emmet.

Martha Day (Mina) Longfellow

NOTE: Maude Longfellow, a niece of Mina's from Missouri, lived with Marion and Mina Harness in Ohio and later moved with them to Heber Springs, Arkansas. She later married Sam Morton who ran a dry goods store in Heber Springs. They had a daughter, Clara May Morton.