Charles Harmer
There are few permanent residents Of Xenia Township, Greene County, who are not familiar with the name of this old and honored citizen. He for many years was one of the leading agriculturists of Xenia Twp, but some time since wisely retired form active labor, and amid the comforts of a pleasant home in Oldtown is enjoying the fruits of his early toil. He is a large property-holder, owning nearly one thousand acres of land in this county, and he has watched its growth and development with the interest only felt by those came hither in the pioneer days, and who labored and waited for results. It's present condition is due to the efforts of those early pioneers whose names it is designed to perpetuate in this volume.
The Harner family is of German origin, and in the Fatherland, Jacob Harner, the immediate progenitor of our subject, was born. There also he was reared and later emigrated to America. He was married in Pennsylvania, the maiden name of his wife being Anna Maria Hefly, a native of Hagerstown, PA. The parents of our subject soon after their marriage emigrated to this county and settled in Beaver Creek Township when the county around them was mostly inhabited by wild animals. There the father secured a tract of land, built up a good homestead by the labor of his hands, and died about 1846. The mother departed this life in 1868, after the decease of her husband. Their family consisted of ten children, three of whom are living. Charles, our subject, was the seventh child. He was born at the old homestead in Beaver Creek Township, July 19, 1817, and there grew to man's estate, living with his father until he was married. He then purchased the farm in the northeast part of Xenia Township, where he continued to live until his removal to Oldtown early in the '60's.
Mr. Harner was married in his native township, March 19, 1840, to Miss Mary Ann, daughter of the late Morgan Morgan, a native of Washington County, MD. Her mother bore the maiden name of Elizabeth Reel, and was a native of the same county as her husband. They were married in Maryland, whence they emigrated to this county at an early day, settling in Beaver Creek Township, where they lived until called hence. There were born to them five sons and one daughter, and Mrs. Harner was the next to the eldest. She was born at the old homestead at Beaver Creek Township, March 14, 1823, and spent her early life in a manner common to the daughters of pioneer farmers. She attended the district school and was trained by her excellent mother in all useful household duties, so that she was fully fitted to take her place as the mistress of a good man's home. To Mr. and Mrs. Harner there have been born eleven children, seven sons and four daughters, these being named respectively: Martin, Mary E., David J., Isabella, Morgan J., Rose Ann, Martha C., Charles A., Franklin J., James H and Samuel B. This large family represents a spectacle of a circle still unbroken by the hand of the Destroyer. The most of them are married and comfortably settled in life. Mr. Harner, politically, is a pronounced Prohibitionist, while both he and his estimable wife are members of the Reformed Church.
From Portrait and Biographical Album of Clark and Greene Counties, Chapman Bros., Chicago, published 1890