CENTRE LINES


The HARPSTER Family


This column is part of a feature series which focuses on a different Centre County family each week. Five new columns will be released each month unless some technical difficulty enters the picture.

This column's focus is on HARPSTER. An effort has been made to identify all persons carrying that name in the 1890 U.S. Census, using the Centre County business directory which was formed from a preliminary review of that census before the larger set of 1890 U.S. Census records was destroyed by fire. (Sadly, the postal directory does not typically provide the ages of females, but it's the best record we've got).

One book in the Pennsylvania Room of the Centre County Library in Bellefonte apparently deals with the Harpster family. It is J.O. Harpster's The Harpsters and Their Habitat.

There are 10 different first-name entries for Harpster in John Blair Linn's History of Centre and Clinton County (1883). In addition, there are many references to the name in Beers' Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania (1898).

And, now, your ancestors' HARPSTER neighbors in 1890:

In CENTRE HALL Borough:

Jacob F., 65, blacksmith
	Catharine
	Lizzie E.
	Annie M.
	Charles F. 17
	Claud W. 11
Sarah E.

In FERGUSON Township:

Christopher, 66, laborer--Gatesburg
	Elizabeth
	Daniel C. 33
	Barbara E.
Fannie H.--Rock Springs
	James C. 22
George E., 39, farmer--Penna Furnace
	Annie E.
	Maggie C.
Isaac, 30, laborer--Gatesburg
	Ellen
	Lester
	Edward C. 1
John A., 37, laborer--Penna Furnace
	Ida J.
	Emory B. 3
	Ralph H. 2
Maria--Penna Furnace
	John O. 23
	Mary A.
	Magalina
	Charles B. 11
Miles, 42, laborer--Penna Furnace
	Elizabeth
	Martin G.
	David P. 16
	Joseph H. 13
	Susan A.
	Thomas E. 9
	Orie E. 6
	Warren W. 4
	David 68
	William 19
Samuel, 61, laborer--Gatesburg
	Margaret
	Jacob 27
	Daniel 26
	Samuel 24

In HOWARD Towsnhip:

George W., 31, laborer--Howard
	Emma R.
	Richard T. 4
	Sarah C.

In PATTON Township:

Alexander, 56, farmer--Benore
	Edward S. 20
	Anna B.
	Bertha
	Laura E.

In UNION Township:

John E., 25, farmer--Fleming
	Emma J.
	Lucinda

In WORTH Township:

Joseph S., 47, farmer--Port Matilda
	Sarah M.
	Jackson 23
	John O. 21
	George 19
	Lula G.
	Nancy B.
	William H. 13
	Elizabeth J.
	Chester A. 8
	Simon S. 6
	Pearl 4

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