John Wesley Harrow (1819 - 1886)

Born 8 May 1819 in Maryville, Kentucky [uncertain]

Ancestors

Husband of Neoma (Parker) Harrow — married 10 Oct 1842 in Cedar Bluff Township, Jefferson County, Iowa

Husband of Sarah Pettit (Gibson) Harrow — married 3 Mar 1850 in Monroe County, Iowa

Descendants

Died 18 Nov 1886 at age 67 in Decatur County, Iowa

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John Wesley Harrow was born 8 May 1819 ^[1] in Maryville, Kentucky (possibly current Claysville, Kentucky).^[2]. He is believed to be the son of Samuel Harrow and Nancy Unknown. ^[3] On 19 February 1843, John is believed to have married Neoma PARKER in Jefferson County, Iowa. ^[4] On 3 March 1850, John married Sarah P. GIBSON in Monroe County, Iowa. ^[5] John died 18 November 1886 in Decatur County, Iowa.^[6]

Fairfield Tribune (Fairfield, Iowa) 13 May 1886 p. 2, col. 2: Cedar Township. Recolletions of 1845 by One of its early Residents, Now a Citizen of Fairfield. Among the residents of Cedar township in 1845 I recall ... Widow Parker, her sons, Joseph and Addison, and her two son-in-laws, John and Sanford Harrow .... J.W. C.

MIGRATION PATH -- Kentucky > Iowa (Jefferson > Monroe > Decatur > Ringgold > Decatur)

CENSUS HISTORY

1850 United States Census - District 13, Monroe County, Iowa. John with his wife, Sarah. Others in the household are John Hayle (24, cabinetmaker) and a 7 year old male named James. James last name is indicated by ditto marks and he is enumerated directly below John Hayle. It is believed that this James is James Harrow, son of John W. and his first wife, Neoma Parker.^[7]

1856 Iowa State Census - Decatur County, Iowa. John is stated to be 33 years old, born in Kentucky and a laborer. Also in the household are wife, Sarah (29, KY), and children James (age unreadable, IA), Nancy J (4, IA) and Samuel (1, IA).

1860 United States Census - Lotts Creek Township, Ringgold County, Iowa. (Sarah Gibson Harrow's obituary states that the family moved to Ringgold County around 1858). John is stated to be a farmer, 42 years old, born in Kentucky, with real estate valued at $1,550 and a personal estate valued at $270. John's wife, Sarah (25, KY), is also in the household as are James (Jas. M., 16, farmhand), the children Nancy J. (7, Iowa), Samuel (5, Iowa), William (4, Iowa) and Lucinda (1, Iowa).

Note that a James Harrow age 17 is also living in the household of Samuel and Nancy Harrow, John's parents, in Leon, Decatur, Iowa. This is likely the same James. That James is stated to be a clerk (Samuel Harrow was a merchant). That census was taken on July 30, 1860. The census in Ringgold County was taken June 26th, so it is probable that it is the same James and he went to work in his grandfather's store in the interim.

1870 United States Census - Center, Decatur, Iowa. Roll: M593_386; Page: 235B; Image: 476; Family History Library Film: 545885. He is living in Center township, Decatur County, Iowa. He is stated to be a farmer, born in Kentucky age 54 years, with real estate valued at $1,500 and personal property of $558. John's wife, Sarah, is stated to be 41 years old, born in Indiana and keeping house. Others in the household are Jane (likely Nancy Jane), 18; Samuel (15, farm laborer), William (13, farm laborer), Lucinda (11), Mary (7), Joseph (5), Elizabeth (3) and Jeannetta (3/12). James has left the household since the 1860 census, and has not been located in the 1870 census.

1885 Iowa State Census - Center Township, Decatur County, Iowa. He is listed as 65 years old. Also in the household is his wife, Sarah (55), daughters Mary (22) and Eva (13) and son Joseph (18), as well as his father in law, Samuel Gibson (77). Also in the household is Loyd Bolyard, age 22, relationship unknown. The index entry is here.

John died on 18 November 1886. ^[8] He is buried in Franklin Cemetery, Center Township, Decatur Co., Iowa, Row 12. ^[9]

The Decatur County (Iowa) Journal, 25 November 1886, p. 4, col. 3:

Obituary. John W. Harrow was born near Marysville, KY May 8th 1819 and died at his home north of Leon November 18, 1886, aged 67 years, 6 months and 10 days. He was married to Sarah P. Gibson at Albia, Iowa, March 3d 1850. He resided in Decatur county some 33 years. Bro. Harrow united with the M.E. church at Fairfield [Note: probably Jefferson County, Iowa] in 1841, though for some reason he held no connection with the church in recent years. A widow and nine children survive him, three of whom were present when he died. He has been sick some 13 months though only bed-fast for a few days at last. He was buried by the writer from the Dunkard church, north east of Leon. C.L.N.

Sources

1. ↑ Obituary of John W. Harrow. Iowa Cemetery Records, Grave Stone Records of Decatur County, Iowa, Ancestry.com Database viewed 2 August 2003 states 1820.
2. ↑ Jown W. Harrow Obituary
3. ↑ Per multiple internet posts, parents are Samuel Harrow (b. 1798 in Ky) and Nancy [Unk] b. 1788? John Harrow and Sarah Gibson’s eldest daughter is named “Nancy” and their eldest son is named “Samuel”. Samuel Harrow resident in Monroe County, Iowa in 1850 and in Decatur County, Iowa in 1860 is presumed to be the father of John W. Harrow based on simultaneous contemporaneous residence in Jefferson Co., Iowa, Monroe Co., Iowa and Decatur Co., Iowa. Nancy, his wife included in his household in 1850 and 1860 United States Census is presumed to be John’s mother.
4. ↑ From Jefferson Co., Iowa GenWeb site, Jefferson County marriages. The entry can be viewed here.
5. ↑ Iowa Marriages to 1850, Ancestry.com: Gibson, Sarah P. married Harrow, John W. on 03 Mar 1850 in Monroe County, Iowa. “Compiled by Liahona Research at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City, UT, unfortunately do not contain citations for the origin of each entry.” United States Census 1 June 1850 indicates John and Sarah married within the year. Contrary: Sarah's Obituary states she married John W. Harrow in 1846.
6. ↑ Obituary of John W. Harrow.
7. ↑ Ancestry.com indexes James as "James Hayle". However, in the 1860 census, a James Harrow age 16 is enumerated in John's household. The 1850 and 1860 census did not include relationship to head of household. I believe that "James Ditto Mark" in the 1850 census is actually "James Harrow", John's son. John was married in 1843 to Neoma Parker prior to his marriage to Sarah in 1850. A son about the age of 7 year old James would be reasonable.
8. ↑ John Harrow Obituary (18 November 1886).
9. ↑ Ancestry.com. Iowa Cemetery Records. Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2000. Original Data: Works Project Administration. Graves Registration Project. Washington, D.C.: n.p.