Peter Harness (born March 24, 1802 in Virginia, and died March 21, 1873 in Jamestown, Ohio) came to Ohio with his parents, Michael and the former Nancy Spahr, and several brothers. Peter met and married Susannah Shook, who also had been born in Virginia and had come to Ohio with her parents. Peter Harness and Susannah were married in 1824 in Greene County, Ohio. They lived in Greene County and raised 8 children there.

Peter Harness and Susannah Shook

(1) S. Elias Harness, born in 1826, was the oldest of Peter and Susannah Harness' five sons. He married Martha Jane Strong, a native of Greene County. In 1850 the couple moved westward and settled in Atlanta township in Logan County, Illinois, even before Atlanta was a village. In fact, Elias' land became part of the town site.

For many years Elias farmed on an extensive scale, but in his later years he devoted most of his time to supervising his many business interests. He was an extensive landowner in Logan and McClean Counties, Illinois, and also invested largely in Government Bank Stock. (According to the Illinois Public Land Purchase records, in 1854 Elias Harness owned 8,000 acres of land in Logan and McClean Counties.)

Elias was identified with the growth and prosperity of the city of Atlanta, Illinois from its infancy. He served several terms as an Alderman and Mayor. He was also an active member of the local Board of Education for a number of years. He served for years as a director of the Atlanta Fair Association. He was one of the founders of the Atlanta National Bank.

Elias was particularly interested in the furtherance of education and at his death in 1893 he bequeathed $10,000 (quite a bit of money at that time) to Eureka College in Eureka, Illinois. A conservative estimate of his total estate was thought to be about $6O,OOO. Eureka College is a small college (affiliated with the Christian Church-Disciples of Christ). It was chartered by the Illinois legislature in 1855. The college's most famous graduate is Ronald Reagan (Class of 1932), the 40th President of the United States.

Martha Jane Tuttle

At her death some years later, Elias' widow, Martha Jane Tuttle (who had remarried a man named Guy H. Tuttle), bequeathed in her will: "To Marion Harness, son of Gideon Harness, my silver plated water set, presented to my deceased husband, Elias, by the Board of Directors of the Atlanta, Illinois Fair Association."

That silver plated water set occupied a prominent place in the home of Nelle and Roscoe Harness (Roscoe was one of Marion Harness' sons) in Heber Springs, Arkansas for many years. Upon Roscoe's death, it became the property of his youngest daughter, Martha Rose (Barnett), who displayed it for many years in the living room of her home in Jonesboro, Arkansas.

(2) Gideon Harness, was born December 10, 1828 in Greene County, Ohio and died February 23, 1902 in Jamestown, Ohio. He married Eliza Jane Smith in Greene County on April 8, 1853. (Gideon and Eliza had three children: Marion, Rose Hazel and a child who died in infancy).

(3) David Harness, was born in 1829 in New Jasper, Ohio, and died October 10, 1900 in Jamestown, Ohio. He married Mariah Zimmerman and they had 10 children.

(4) Levi H. Harness, was born in 1832 and died in 1915 in Ohio. He married Nancy Borden and they had three children.

(5) Simon Harness was born in 1833 and died in 1917 in Ohio. He married twice... first to Polly Thomas (they had four children), and later to Angeline Mendenhall. (They had two children).

(6) Mary M. Harness was born in 1839 and died in 1885. She married John Morrow.

(7) Abel A. Harness was born in 1841 in Ohio and died in 1888. He married Mary Levisa Herman in Clark, Ohio in 1866. Abel served in the Union army during the Civil war.

Abel Harness

Mary Levisa Herman

Below is a typed version of a handwritten letter written by Sgt. Abel Harness to his father in Ohio, Peter Harness, during the Civil War. It was written at a Union army encampment in Anderson, Alabama, on the Tennessee/Alabama line and is dated August 11, 1861. (Spelling and grammatical errors are left intact.)

Dear father: After a hard march of 25 miles I seat myself to inform you that I am well at present and hope these few lines may find you and the same.

I received your letter dated the 2 and was glad to hear you was in tolerable health. You stated that you had sold my horse. I am glad you sold him. You got more for him than I expected you would get. If you don't want to keep the little mare you can sell her.

You stated that you sent for that wagon. You can pay for the wagon out of my money. I have some on the store Book act. You take that out of the note. You will find the book at Pretor Sutton's. If you sell your Indiana land, let me know how you sold it to and how much (money) you get for it. I have Drawing my (pay) to the first of June. I have about one hundred dollars to send home and there is Danger a sending it home. I will send it when I can get it threw safe.

The town we are camped in Divides the lines between Tennessee and Alabama. Our Brigade is detailed to gard the rail rode between here and Bridgeport, Alabama. Sine last rote we have crossed over the mountains. There is some of the largest hills I Ever saw.

It is all quiet here at this time. The rebel Cavalry made a Dash on our pickets yesterday. But they were repulsed and run to the mountains. There are plenty of rebs in the mountains.

Our arma Core is mooving on to Chatanooga. There is a large force of Brags around there. We expect a fight there.

I have nothing more at present to right you. Can Direct your letters to Murfeesboro to follow the regiment the same as you have. Right oftener than you do.

I love to hear from home. Tell the rest of the Boys to right and vina you must right. You can right well Enough. I can read your hand right. And have someone tell me all about the young folks in town and how many has gone to the army and whether any of them is married or not.

Please write often,
I still remain your son until death,
Sgt. Abel A. Harness

NOTE: The above letter was written during the first year of the Civil War. In February, 1862, Union General Ulysses S. Grant and his forces advanced into Tennessee. Sometime that year, approximately a year after the above letter was written, Sgt. Abel Harness was captured by the Confederate forces. In September, 1862, while the Civil War raged on, Sgt. Abel Harness was granted a parole by the Confederate Army. Here is the text of that parole:

Headquarters Army of Kentucky Lexington, September 2, 1862

I, A.A. Harness, 94th Ohio Vol. Co. K, a prisoner of War, captured by the Confederate Forces under Maj. Gen. E. Kirby Smith, having been this day paroled, do solemnly swear that I will not take up arms against the Confederated States of America until duly exchanged, and that I will not communicate any military information to the enemies of the Confederate States, which I may obtain whilst in their lines. the penalty for violation of this parole is death.

(Official) L.F. McMurry,
Lieut. Col. Provost Marshal

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(8) Levina Harness was born in 1844 and died in 1873. She married William M. Johnson.

The following are descriptions of various legal documents involving Peter Harness. (The originals are in the possession of Charles Harness as of 2002)

1) A 3 month promissory mortgage deed from Peter Harness to John Roberts recorded September 25, 1854 in Greene County, Ohio. On December 27, 1854, John Roberts acknowledged in writing receiving payment with interest in full ($800). The transaction involved 179 acres of land, Part of Military Survey # 1373 in the vicinity of Caesar’s Creek, originally in the name of John Bellfuch (?)

2) A document dated April 8, 1846 received within the account of Peter Harness as administrator of the estate of Phillip Harness. It involved payment to W.G. Baker. Apparently Phillip (Peter’s brother) owed Mr. Baker for some land in Silver Creek township that he had made an agreement to buy on April 18, 1844. Phillip had died before paying off the debt, so Peter paid it.

3) In 1838 Thomas Beason and his wife Rhodilla*, and Alanson Bryan and his wife Easter, signed over a deed for 50 acres of land located along Caesar’s Creek in Greene County to Peter Harness in return for $240. The transaction was received for record May 1st, 1843 and was officially recorded May 18, 1843 in Greene County. The land in question was the real estate of John and Rachel Mendenhall (deceased) and was part of Military Survey # 1188 originally entered in the name of George Bayler.

*Thomas Beason's wife, Rhodilla, was the daughter of John and Rachel Mendenhall.

In a letter dated 1864 (during the Civil War) from Eli and Sarah Shook to Peter and Susanna Harness, addressed to "Dear brother and sister" from Montezuma/Poweshiek County, Iowa: ....mentioned that "the health of the country is good as far as I know", and notes that, "Well, Peter the war excitement is generating many going from Poweshiek."

"We have not heard from our dear son David for some time. The last we heard he was at Arkansas, Little Rock, raising telegraph wires. This week our son, John, volunteered but he is not sworn in yet. If he goes he will be in the 18th regiment where David is."