Jonathan Harshman (originally spelled Herschman), son of Christian and Catharine Harshman, was born in Frederick County, Maryland, December 21, 1781, and moved to Kentucky, but, not caring to settle permanently in a slave State, in 1805 he came to Montgomery County, Ohio, and purchased forty acres of land in what is now Mad River Township. Here he built a cabin, late in the fall hanging the door and putting in one four-light window. On February 18, 1808, he brought home his bride, Susanna Rench, born in Maryland, November 11, 1786. After his marriage Mr. Harshman set up a copper still and commenced making whisky, at which he continued until 1814, when he took the business of Rench & Staley, and moved his family to that location, now known as Harshmanville, and owned by his son, George Harshman. He also opened a store with John Rench as partner, which was afterwards moved to Dayton. Mr. Harshman was a Federalist, and a prominent Whig. He represented this county in the Twenty-fourth General Assembly of Ohio, and on May 1, 1845, was elected president of the Dayton Bank, which position he held until his death, March 31, 1850. His wife died December 5, 1839. They had eight children—Elizabeth (Mrs. Israel Huston); Catharine (Mrs. Valentine Winters); Jonathan, who married Abigail Hiveling; Mary (Mrs. George Gorman); Joseph, who married Caroline Protzman, a daughter of Colonel Protzman, who lived on the Beardshear Road; George, who married Ann Virginia Rohrer; Susanna (Mrs. Daniel Beckel), and Reuben D., who married Mary Protzman, of near Alexandersville.
