Elijah Harkrider

1796 - 1875  (78 years)

• Name	Elijah Harkrider
  Birth	23 Dec 1796	VA
  Gender	Male
  Death	13 Oct 1875	Benton county, MO
  	Mary B. Harkrider tombstone in the Presbyterian Burial Ground nowknown as the Sunnyside Cemetery, Johnson County, Missouri. Photoreceived 9 December 2002 in an email attachment from Adrian Andree,apa2@one.net Hamilton, Ohio; and Elijah Harkrider household, 1850census, Wabash County, Noble township, Indiana, p. 427, dwelling 302,family 308, NARA M432, roll 178. Mrs. M. B. Harkrider, Benton County, Missouri, Permanent Record ofDeaths, 1883-1890 Vol. I, No. 141, 4 Feb 1886, FHL 0,945,728 Item 2. Elijah Harkrider & Barbara Drollinger, Preble County, Ohio, MarriageReturn, 28 May 1826, Book A: p. 145, FHL 0,564,963. Elijah Harkrider tombstone in the Presbyterian Burial Ground nowknown as the Sunnyside Cemetery, Johnson County, Missouri. Photoreceived 9 December 2002 as an email attachment from Adrian Andree,apa2@one.net, Hamilton, Ohio; and Elijah Harkrider household, 1850 U.S. census, Wabash County, Indiana, Noble township, p. 427, dwelling302, family 308, NARA M432, roll 178. Morkert v. John Drollinger, et al. Elijah Harkrider household, 1850 U. S. census, Wabash County,Indiana, Noble township, p. 427, dwelling 302, family 308, NARA M432,roll 178; tombstones of Elijah and Mary B. Harkrider in thePresbyterian Burial Ground.. Darke County, Ohio Tax Records 1818-1831, no. 5, p. 41, FHL 0,476,513. Darke County, Ohio Tax Records 1832-1834, Harrison township1832-1834, no page no.s, FHL 0,476,514. Anita Short and Ruth Bowers, Darke County Ohio Deed Records,1817-1834 (1977, n.p.), p. 116. Elijah and Barbary Harkrider to RobertBrown, Sale of Land, Deed Book D-1:415. Darke County, Ohio Tax Records 1835-1838, 1835:p. 44, 1838: p. 46,FHL 0,476,515. Elijah Harkrider household, 1840 U. S. census, Darke County, Ohio,Harrison township, p. 30, NARA M704 roll 390. Short and Bowers, Darke County Ohio Common Pleas Court Records1817-1860 (n. p, n. pub: 1972) Minute Book 6:59. Peter King to Elijah Harkrider, Sale of Land, Wabash County Deed BookH: 354, Recorder's Office, Wabash, Indiana. John Miller & Anna Harkrider, Darke County, Ohio, Marriage Return,16 January 1845, Marriage Record Book B 1839-1852: 70, FHL1,030,772. John Miller household, 1850 U. S. census, Wabash County, Indiana,Noble township, p. 427, dwelling 298, family 304, NARA M432 , roll178. 1850 U. S. census, Wabash County, Indiana, Noble township, p. 427. Ibid. Elijah Harkrider to Peter Kinkle, Sale of Land, Wabash County DeedBook M: 34, Recorder's Office, Wabash, Indiana. Elijah and Mary B. Harkrider to Richard Jones, Sale of Land, WabashCounty Deed Book P: 263, Recorder's Office, Wabash, Indiana. Alfred Beck & Elizabeth Harkrider, Wabash County, Indiana, MarriageRecord, 1 January 1851, Book A: 203, Clerk's Office, Wabash, Indiana. Elijah Harkrider and Mary B. to Christopher C. Hiatt, Quit Claim,Wabash County Deed Book S: 21, Recorder's Office, Wabash, Indiana. The purchase deed for this property has not been found. Topographical Engineers Geil & Jones, Map of the Counties Cass, VanBuren , Berrien Michigan (Philadelphia: Geil, Harley & Siverd, 1860;reprinted Dowagiac, Michigan: Clark Equipment Company, 1983). Elijah Harkrider household, 1860 census, Cass County, Michigan,Howard township, Pokagan post office, p. 124, dwelling 963, family984, NARA M653, roll 541. This researcher's visit there in 2002 reveals little developmenteven now. Elijah Harkrider and wife to Edgar Reading, Sale of Land, Deed Book26: 105. Cass County Registrar's Office, Cassopolis, Michigan. Frederick D. Harkrider to & Mary C. Bohrer, Macon County, Illinois,Marriage Return, 29 Nov 1862, Marriages 1829-1870: p. 76, FHL 0,983,125. Betty Harvey Williams., 1868 Tax Assessment Book, Benton County,Missouri (Warrensburg, Missouri, sp, 1977), p. 30. Elijah Harkrider household, 1870 U. S. census, Benton County,Missouri, White township, Camp Cole post office, p. 309, dwelling 38,family 42, NARA M593, roll 759. Testator Elijah Harkrider, Benton County, Missouri, Deed Book V:135,FHL 0,946,130; and Elijah Harkrider tombstone, Presbyterian BurialGround, now known as the Sunnyside Cemetery, Johnson County, Missouri. William Tucker household, 1880 census, Benton County, Missouri, EastWhite township, ED 182, sheet 14, dwelling 121, family 121, NARA T9,roll 674. John H. Beck and Webster Beck and Mary B. Harkrider, Trust Deed,Benton County, Missouri Deed Book 28:531, FHL 0,946,148. Mary B. Harkrider estate, Benton County, Missouri Probate Court,Book B:116, FHL 0,945,730. Mary B. Harkrider estate, Benton County, Missouri, Inventories,Appraisements, Sale Bills, Book E:153, FHL 0,945,739. Mary B. Harkrider Final Settlement, Benton County, Missouri, ProbateCourt, Book B:315, FHL 0,945,730. John Miller household, 1850 U. S. census, Wabash County, Indiana,Noble township, sheet 427, dwelling 298, family 304, NARA M432 , roll178. Email photograph and text of Anna Allworth tombstone Liberty HillCemetery, Johnson County, Missouri, from Adrian Andree ( apa2@one.net,2592 Stahlhever Road, Hamilton, Ohio 45013-1938) to Kay GermainIngalls 8 November and 12 November 2001. Printouts in files. John Miller & Anna Harkrider, Darke County, Ohio, Marriage Return, 16January 1845, Marriage Record Book B 1839-1852: 70, FHL 1,030,772. John A. Allworth & Anna Miller, Cass County, Michigan, MarriageReturn, 1 February 1861, Marriage Book C: 70, FHL 1,021,045. 1850 U. S. census, Wabash County, Indiana, Noble township, p. 427. Alford Beck household, 1880 U. S. census, Lake County, California,Lakeport, Lakeport township, ED51, sheet 55C, dwelling 330, family332, NARA T9, roll 73. Alfred Beck & Elizabeth Harkrider, Wabash County, Indiana, MarriageRecord, 1 January 1851, Book A: 203, Clerk's Office, Wabash, Indiana. 1850 U. S. census, Wabash County, Indiana, Noble township, p. 427. Frederick Harkrider, Montgomery County, Ohio, Record of Deaths Vol.3:63, no file date, FHL 1,030,827. Frederick D. Harkrider to & Mary C. Bohrer, Macon County, Illinois,Marriage Return, 29 Nov 1862, Marriages 1829-1870: p. 76, FHL 0,983,125. Kay Germain Ingalls 2003
  Person ID	I2837	Drollinger Genealogy
  Last Modified	14 Mar 2016

  
  

  Family	Maria Barbara Drollinger,   b. 28 Apr 1806, NC d. 4 Feb 1886, Benton county, MO (Age 79 years)
  Marriage	28 May 1826
  	www.pcdl.lib.oh.us/marriage/details.cfm?ID=9534 Genealogical & Historical Records of Preble County, Ohio Name: Barbara "Drolenger" Year: 1926 Record Type: Marriage Record ID: marap145 Date: 28 May 1826 Whom Married: Barbara "Drolenger" and Elijah Harcrider By Whom: James Deniston - Justice of the Peace
  Children	1. Anna "Annie" Harkrider,   b. 1 Nov 1827, New Madison, Darke, OH d. 4 Mar 1896, Hazel Hill, Johnson, MO (Age 68 years)   2. Elizabeth Harkrider,   b. 1 Nov 1827, New Madison, Darke, OH d. 1880, White City, Camden, MO (Age 52 years)   3. Frederick Drollinger "Fred" Harkrider,   b. 5 May 1840, Darke County, OH d. 5 Feb 1886, German Twp, Montgomery County, OH (Age 45 years)
  Family ID	F916	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	14 Dec 2018

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 23 Dec 1796 - VA Death - 13 Oct 1875 - Benton county, MO  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Documents

  Marriage record

  
  

• Notes

  I found, in the 1830 census, Elijah Harkrider enumerated in Harrison Township, Darke County. The household consisted of four persons: 1 male, 30 to 40 years (Elijah), 2 females, under 5 years (Anna and a sister), and 1 female, 20 to 30 years. This is the first info I've located that starts to give some idea of Elijah's age. The dateranges fit for what you located on Barbara Drollinger and for what I had on Anna Harkrider. This is also the first I've located that indicates another child. These folks are not listed in the 1840 census. I suspect that Anna could have been married by that time. Elijah Harkreider Miller, her first born, was born in 1845. (Adrian Andreeemail) Barbara was no doubt born in Guilford County, North Carolina as thatwas where her parents resided until her father died. According to themores of her time and place, she would have been baptized, but norecord of a baptism has been found. Her brother Elias's deposition inregard to their Uncle William's estate does place her in this family.She married Elijah Harkrider just two weeks after her sister Pollymarried Washington Clark and both were married by Jas. Deniston, aJustice of the Peace. Elijah's name is indicative of his German rootsand like all the German names, seems to have several variations. Amongthem are Harkrader or Harcrider, the latter of which is how it iswritten on the marriage return. Elijah was 10 years Barbara's senior,born in Virginia on 23 December 1796, but nothing is known of his lifebefore his marriage. Barbara and Elijah settled in Butler Township, Darke County where hebegan appearing on the personal property tax lists in 1827 owner of ahorse and two cattle. There was no entry for him in 1828, but from1829 through 1838 he appeared in Harrison Township, taxed only onlivestock until 1835 when he was taxed on 49 acres. His assets variedlittle in those years, being one or two horses and two or threecattle. However, he evidently did own some property because he andBarbara sold nearly 80 acres in 1832. By 1838 he had added another 46acres to his holdings as taxed in 1835. Two little girls joined the household before 1830 and in 1840 thegirls were becoming teenagers and there were 2 young boys in thefamily. Someone else joined the household before 1840, a woman between50 and 60. This was likely Barbara's mother, Barbara Drolllinger, whowould be approximately that age, born between1780 and 1790. She wasmarried in 1800, so presumably she would have been born around 1780.In the next census the elderly woman believed to be Barbara Drollingerwas enumerated as Mary in the household of her youngest daughter, alogical place for her because by then Elijah and Barbara had moved toIndiana. In 1839 Eli Mikesell, 19, Christian Mikesell, 17, and Jerhua [sic]Mikesell, 15, selected Elijah as their guardian and he posted a $100bond with Christian Harter as the security. Harters and Mikesells aresurnames associated with the Drollinger families in many counties, butno other records have been found associated with these three children.The records does not say that Elijah was a guardian ad litem but thatwas probably the case. Courthouse research would probably bring thisto a conclusion. The Harkriders left Darke County for Wabash County, Indiana, perhapslured by the promise of the Wabash and Erie Canal. Its opening in 1825created a boom in the counties it traversed because farmers now had away to get their crops to market. Elias and Annie Drollinger,Barbara's brother and sister-in-law already residing in Wabash County,may have influenced them to move to Wabash County where they purchased160 acres in section 22, Noble Township in 1846. Whatever the reasonfor the move, they probably did not depart Darke County until afterthe 1846 birth of their first grandchild, son of daughter Anna Miller. They were no doubt delighted when the Millers followed them toWabash. And especially happy to have them living just four housesaway. Some time in this period, Barbara went from Barbara to beingMary B. She was enumerated that way on the 1850 census in WabashCounty, and in other documents for the rest of her life. With her in1850 are Elijah and her children Elizabeth and Frederick. Casual visiting between the Harkrider and Drollinger families washampered by the distance and waterways between them - about 15 milesacross the Wabash River, the Wabash and Erie Canal, and the Paw PawRiver - so they may not have gotten together often. They do not seemto interact in any records, such as witnessing documents. The appealof Wabash County may have begun to pall by 1851 because Elijah andBarbara sold off 20 acres. Or, perhaps they just saw a chance for aprofit with the town of Wabash expanding in their direction. NeitherBarbara nor Elijah were literate, but that did not impede their realestate transactions. They had paid $1,350 for their 160 acres andPeter Kinkel was willing to buy just 20 acres for $200 and in thespring of 1854, they sold the remaining acreage to Robert Jones for$3,990. They paid not quite $9 per acre and were able to sell forthree times that - a nice increase in eight years. Taking their profit, gathering their belongings and one daughter'sfamily, the Harkriders moved north to Cass County, Michigan. (Bothdaughters were now married, Elizabeth having married neighbor AlfredBeck in 1851.) Elijah and his wife signed a quit claim deed tocorrect an error in an earlier deed and they signed it in BerrienCounty, Michigan, 17 November 1856. Elijah seemed to have a penchantfor living in areas that were sparsely settled and moving on as morepeople arrived. A large atlas of Cass, Van Buren, and Berrien countiesshows Elijah's 160 acres in section 7 of Howard Township miles fromany population centers but only a short distance from the Becks.Becks' 160 acres straddles sections 8 and 9. By 1860, Anna Miller waswidowed and had moved in with her parents and her sister Elizabeth'sfamily was near by. Soon after that census, Elijah again had itchyfeet, even though Cass County must still have been quite rural. Hesold his Cass County land in 1861, again signing a deed in BerrienCounty, and started the trek west. He probably stopped in Illinoisfor a time because his son Frederick married there in 1862. However,their final stopping place was Benton County, Missouri where in 1869Elijah was delinquent on his taxes. Elijah is listed as delinquentnumber 2509 with a $1,500 real estate valuation, 3 cattle at $30, andpersonal property of $150. He was not taxed as a poll, so he wasprobably exempt because of his age. Being a delinquent tax payer doesnot necessarily mean that the individual cannot pay. He may only belate. By this time Elijah was in his 70's and perhaps was a littleforgetful. That may also explain why there seems to be no deedrecorded. He certainly owned property; he was being taxed on it, the1870 census says it was valued at $4,000, and his will makesprovisions for it. A page by page search of the deeds might uncoverthe anomaly, but a book by book check of the indexes did not. In 1870 Mary B. and Elijah lived alone, next door to the Becks andclose to their son and his family. Elijah died on 13 October 1875 inBenton County, Missouri. His will, dated 8 September 1870 was quitespecific. He gave his children Anna Allworth, Elizabeth Beck , andFrederick D. Harkrider each five dollars. He gave his "beloved wifeMary B. Harkrider" all his property and "all notes and accounts in mypossession…to dispose of them at her own option provided that the landshall not be disposed of for the space of one year after my death." Widowed in 1875, Barbara appears alone on the 1876 Missouri StateCensus. The only information is that she is a female over 45 whocannot read or write. Mary later lived in the household of WilliamTucker. He was a young (25) farmer and Mary was a boarder. Thiscensus says she was born in Missouri, which is understandable,considering someone else probably provided the information. Mary wasgetting up in years and she took steps to see that she would be caredfor. She deeded land to her grandsons in a trust. The stipulation wasthat she would pay her grandsons John H. Beck and Webster Beck $2,500for 18 acres with the understanding that she would live with them andthey would pay her $200 each year "as long as either of them shallpermit her to live with them and shall furnish her comfortable boardand lodging, have her washing done, and provide her proper nursingduring sickness or helplessness" As long as they cared for her, shewould credit them $2.00 per week toward the $200 yearly payment. Thiswas somewhat of an early version of a "reverse mortgage" in today'sparlance. As long as the grandchildren took care of her, the deedwould be void at her death. But, if they did not hold up their part ofthe bargain, then the $2,500 must be paid or the land sold at publicauction. Mary left no will when she died in February, 1886 and W. M. Tompsonwas appointed administrator. The inventory suggests that the Becksfulfilled their part of the bargain because there is no real estate onthe inventory. Mary's meager possessions speak to the simple life ofan old lady: a bedstead with feather bed and straw tick; anotherbedstead with feather bed, straw tick and a bolster and two pillows(perhaps used as a day bed); four pillows and seven pieces of bedding;6 items of clothing; a chamber pot; one small trunk; a larger trunkcontaining 4 quilts, a counterpane, a blanket, three sheets, and fivepair of pillowslips; and a red cow. Few momentos were left fordescendants, but her daughter Annie bought the counterpane and littletrunk, granddaughter Samantha Beck bought the large trunk, and theBeck brothers purchased all the rest. Tompson filed his final settlement 11 February 1889, showing the$751.15 final balance was distributed to the heirs. The onlyrelationship stated is that of Annie Allworth, listed as "daughter ofthe deceased." Annie received $250.39. John H. Beck and Webster Beckeach received $62.59 and Synetha [Samantha]Beck and Jas. Beck eachreceived $62.60. Edde B., Ella, and Earl Harkrider each received$83.46. The Becks were the children of Elizabeth Beck, Mary'sdaughter, and the Harkriders were the children of Fred Harkrider,Mary's son. In 11 years of widowhood Mary may have ruminated over her long life,thinking about the many places she had seen and what she and Elijahhad accomplished together. They seemed always to be solvent, managingtheir financial affairs adroitly. She may have grieved for a boy lostin his childhood as there is no follow on record of another boyenumerated in the household in the 1830 and 1840 censuses. Cemeteryrecords in neither Darke County, Ohio, nor in Wabash County, Indiana,reveal a burial place for a young Harkrider boy. Kay Germain Ingalls 2003