BIO:  Simon HARNISH, Mountpleasant Township, Adams County, PA

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis

Copyright 2005.  All rights reserved.
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History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania
Chicago:  Warner, Beers & Co., 1886
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Part III, History of Adams County, Pages 486-487

SIMON HARNISH, farmer, P. O. Bonneauville, was born November 9, 1824, in 
Heidelberg Township, York Co., Penn.  The Harnish family originally came from 
Germany, and after arriving in America first settled in Lancaster County, Penn., 
but their descendants soon scattered themselves over different parts of southern 
Pennsylvania.  Samuel Harnish (grandfather of our subject), who was a farmer, 
settled in the valley of Pigeon Hills.  One of his brothers settled near 
Chambersburg, and another near Carlisle, Penn.  Samuel Harnish was a Democrat in 
politics, served as county commissioner; married Elizabeth Burghart, and had 
nine children:  Jacob, Elizabeth, Samuel, Sally, Barbara, John, Michael, Nancy 
and Daniel.  The parents died on the old homestead at an advanced age.  Of their 
children, Jacob, born March 11, 1794, was a farmer; married Nancy, daughter of 
Samuel Bechtel, and who died aged thirty-five, the mother of seven children:  
Elizabeth, Sarah, Simon, Barbara and Anna (twins) Joseph and Magdalena.  Jacob 
Harnish’s second wife was Sarah, daughter of John Meyers; she died aged fifty-
five, the mother of three children:  Maria, Jacob and John; Jacob Harnish died 
near the old farm in this township, aged eighty years and five months.  Simon, 
his son, was educated in common schools, and farmed until he was twenty-one; 
then learned the wagon-maker’s trade, which he followed twenty years, in Adams 
and York Counties, Penn., and in Carroll County, Md.  He finally settled down in 
Conowago Township, where he successfully prosecuted his trade fourteen years.  
After this he embarked in mercantile business at White Hall, where he continued 
for four years, and kept a general store in Bonneauville, Penn., one year.  In 
1871 he removed to the farm where he has been ever since, and has 120 acres of 
land.  He was married here to Miss Margaret, daughter of Henry Shriner, of 
German descent, who was a resident of Carroll County, Md., and to this union 
were born six sons and two daughters:  Theodore H.; William F. P., an artist who 
died in Milford, Ill., aged twenty-one years; Clinton S., Charles S., Harry W., 
Oliver P., Abarilla J. (deceased) and Nannie L.  Mr. Harnish is a member of the 
German Reformed and his wife of the United Brethren Church.  Politically Mr. 
Harnish has been identified with the Democratic party, and has filled township 
offices.  He has always taken an active interest in educational matters, and has 
been school director for over twenty years.