Person:Absalom Harvey (2)

Absalom Harvey was born June 13, 1791, in Randolph county, North Carolina, June 13, 1791, where he lived until he was about thirteen years of age. His father then moved to the Territory of Indiana, where he resided about thirty-four years. He lived on a farm and used to buy hogs and drive them to Cincinnati, Ohio, to market, following the business about fifteen years. He served in the War of 1812, under General Harrison. At the close of the war he married Miss Eleanor Julian, October 5, 1813, and settled on a farm in Wayne county, Indiana, where he lived until 1820. then moved to Blue River, Henry county, same State, and lived there twenty years. In the fall of 1842 he moved to Grundy county, Missouri, where he settled on the farm now owned by his son in Edinburg. He was a noted hunter and used to indulge in the sport a great deal, and kept several hounds; he used to take his dogs and go up the country and start up a deer in the woods on the spot which is now Main Street, Edinburg. The deer went through the place snorting, and when the town was started it was originally called "Bucksnort," owing to this snorting as soon as they got into the town, and was so called for a long time, when the people became possessed of the idea that it was not a nice name, and it was changed. They wanted to call it Harveyville, but Mr. Harvey would not have it that way, so an old Scotchman, named McFarland, had the naming of it, and he called it Edinburg after the classical city in Scotland where he came from. Mr. Harvey very frequently went with the Indians on their hunting excursions, as they had to have a white man with them to keep from being molested on those hunting tours. His death occurred September 17, 1872. He was a kind husband and father, beloved by all who knew him. He was grandfather to thirty-four children, and great-grandfather to sixteen children. His wife still survives. She was born in Randolph county, North Carolina, October 9, 1796. She lived with her parents, Isaac and Sarah Julian, until she was married. She has been a pioneer all of her life and helped to settle up two new Territories before coming to this county. Their family consisted of eight children;named, respectively, Jennie, Isaac J., Sarah L. Evans, William C., Elizabeth E., Sophronia J. and a babe not named. She is grandmother to thirty-seven children, great-grandmother to twenty-nine children, and great-great-grandmother to three children. She is a woman of many sterling qualities. Her eldest son came from California to visit her in 1874, and she accompanied him back, as she wanted to see those of her grandchildren she had never seen;she remained about three months. She was reared a Quaker, but not liking that creed, felt as though she ought to join some church, and so united with the Baptist Church, and still remains an active member. From "The History of Grundy County, Missouri, Kansas City, Missouri," page 585, Birdsall & Dean, 1881.

PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP - HENRY COUNTY, INDIANA - formed June, 1822 one of the first 4 townships of Henry Co. was originally - 20 miles long and 8 miles wide. Election for Justice of Peace of said township was to be held at the home of Abraham Harvey on the 6th of July, 1822 and that William Harvey be inspector. At this election, William Harvey and Abijah Cain were chosen Overseers of the Poor; and Abraham Harvey, James Massey and Robert Gordon, Fence Viewers. The place of election was changed in 1826 to Samson Smith's; afterward to Enoch Dent's, then to E. Hickman's, and then to James Harvey. The township derives its name from the low and level meadows which constitute a considerable portion of its land. In 1870 population was 1,622; in 1880 - 1,708. The Harvey neighborhood was among the first settlements in the county. William, Benjamin, James and Absalom Harvey settled in 1819. Absalom Harvey owned land about New Castle and donated to the county 28 acres including that on which the court-house now stands. Benjamin Harvey settled in the Spring of 1819 and the others in the Autumn. The family were originally from No. Carolina, but had moved to Indiana while it was a Territory. They came to this county from Wayne. Other early settlers were John Reed. School house built on land of Nathan Harvey in 1826. First principal of the Mount Summit district was Newton Williams.

From "History of Henry County, Indiana," page 745, Chicago: Inter-state Publishing, 1884.

1. ↑ History of Henry County Indiana- 1884, Chicago: Inter-state Publishing Co.