In all documents written in German where the name Harshbarger occurs it invariably is spelled "Hirschberger". 'Hirsh' means a deer, 'berg' a mountain. "Hirshberger" deermountain. "Hirshberger" an inhabitant of Deermountain. I suppose some local mountain among the Alps was so called and all who lived on this particular mountain were called Hirschbergers. Our ancestors came from Basle, Switzerland. Just east of the city is a village called Hirschberg, and of course alll its inhabitants are Hirschbergers, the same as those in Pittsburg are Pittsburgers. If this is a very old town, it may be our name was thus and there derived. I find a multitude of Harshbarger families in this country and Europe. I do not suppose them to be derived from a common ancestor but from a common circumstance such as I have pointed out above. To those who have studied the derivation of modern names I am sure this explaination will be sufficient. In transferring the name from the German it has been modified and corrupted so that it is spelled in many ways, even by the same branch of the family at times. As the majority spell it Harshbarger, I shall use that form.
Christian Hirschberger I
Christian Hirschberger I, our immigrant ancestor was born about 1720-1725 at Epstein, Rhine Province,
Bavaria, Germany. When he received a "Certificate of a Journeyman Tailor", 15th February 1747, at Freinsheim, Germany, he was listed as a citizen and a resident of the village of Epstein. This village is located near Wiesbaden, west of Frankfurt, Germany. Previously family histories state Christian was a soldier and bodyguard for Emperor Frederick the Great of Prussia.
Christian Hirshberger I arrived at the Statehouse at Philadelphia, Saturday, the 9th September 1749. He arrived on the ship Saint Andrew, James Abercrombie; Master, from Rottendam, but last from Plymouth to England.
These are the children and their marriages pf Christian Herschberger I and his wife Caroline. All of these marriages are recorded in Shenandoah County, Virginian or in the State Archives, Richmond, Virginia.
Barbara m. 28 June 1785 John Lionbarger; Daniel m. 9 December 1794 Barbara Blosser; Abraham (two marriages are listed and when Christian's Estate was settled, Abraham was listed with his wife Catharine, I have no proof Catharine is right) m. 25 August 1791 Catharine Trickler and M. 22 December 1800 Catharine Rinehart; Henry m. 31 October 1788 Elizabeth Houser; Anna m. 28 May 1805 George Gander; Maria Mary m. 14 November 1793 John Maggast or Maggart; Elizabeth m. 17 May 1795 Tobias Blosser; Susana m. 25 August 1805 Summers; Christian II m. 10 July 1803 Susanna Burocker.
From the time Christian I arrived in the colonies to the present time, his last name has been speeled in various ways. When he arrived, he spelled it Hirshberger, when he purchased the land in Fredrick County, Colony of Virginia and when his children were married the spelling was Hershbarger for our lineage.
Christian I's last Will and Testament was made and recorded in Shenandoah County, Virginia 28th Day of February 1805. This Will was probated and settled in 1808 and 1809 in Shenandoah County, Virginia.
Christian Harshbarger II\
Christian Harshbarger II, first of our ancestors born in the colonies was born 29 August, 1776, Shenandoah County Virginia Christian married 10 July 1803 Susanna Burocker, Shenandoah County, Virginia. Susanna born 1783 Luray, Shenandoah County, Virginia daughter of Daniel and Elizabeth Burocker. The Burocker name also had various spellings and the moder spelling is Boraker.
Christian and Susanna started their family in Shenandoah County, Virginia, Michael born 30 April, 1804; Barbara born 15 April, 1807, Christian, his wife Susanna and their young children then migrated to Champaign County, Ohio in the year 1808, where the rest of their children were born. Isaac born 1 September, 1808; Samuel born 25 April, 1810; Daniel born 25 May, 1814; Elizabeth born ca 1816, died ca 1832; Christopher born 9 April, 1819.
After obtaining land, Christian then moved his wife and family to the wilderness territory in Montgomery County, Indiana to start their second settlement. This land included the Harshbarger Cemetery, where Susanna had been buried, upon her death May 1, 1855. Many of the other setlers had also or would be buried in this cemetery.
Christian moved to Piatt County, Illinois to live with his son Daniel Harshbarger. His son Samuel was also living in Piatt County, Illinois. Prior to Christian's death December 1, 1858, he had his sons promise to take his body back to Montgomery County, Indiana to be buried in the Harshbarger Cemetery beside his wife and the son's mother. This proved to be a very rough journey and they probably would not have been able to accomplish their mission had not the Wabash River been frozen.
Michael Harshbarger
Michael Harshbarger, the first child of Christian and Susanna Harshbarger was born May 30, 1804 Shenandoah County, Virginia. Michael's family were pioneers as as a small boy four years of age they moved to Champaign County, Ohio. Then when Michael was nineteen, they moved again to the wilderness of Montgomery County, Indiana.
Michael married Miss Elizabeth Brown, January 2, 1827 Montgomery County, Indiana. Here they started their lives together and having their faimily in a small cabin In 1834 Michael and his family, moved to Warren County, Illinois.
The following story was told by Wayne Lee Harshbarger, a great-grandson of Michael's as being handed down through the family history.
"When Michael and the other settlers were first in Warren and Knox Counties there was a small stream, used as a dividing line between the Indians of that area and the white settlers. One evening a group of Indians, presumable intoxicated, captured Michael and was going to torture or kill him. Due to Michael's screams, help arrived and saved him. The Indians had tied him to a tree and were gathering brush and weed to start a fire to burn him at the stake. No dount Michael was very glad and relieved to have help arrive".
When Michael and Elizabeth moved to Warren County they had three small daughters, Mary born February 12, 1830; Lucinda born March 26, 1831; Melinda born sometime during 1834, all in Montgomery County, Ind. February 27, 1836, 1836 a daughter Barbary was born: Daniel born February 27, 1838; Sarah or Sally born sometime during 1840; Isaac born March 16, 1842; Samuel born March 25, 1845; Allen born April 23, 1846; and Elizabeth born April 15, 1849.
Tragedy began to strike this young family. Daniel died September 26, 1838; Barbary died March 6, 1840; Mary died April 25, 1840; Samuel died April 30, 1845; Elizabeth, the mother passed on September 14, 1862. These children's graves along with Michael's, Elizabeth the mother, and Michael's second wife Elizabeth are all in the Fuller Cemetery, Knox County, Illinois.
September 16, 1872 Michael married Elizabeth Willey, Knox County, Illinois. After her death, he married (Mrs. Betsey Nelson) or Mrs. Elizabeth Nelson, a Swedish woman, ( so described on the marriage record)