M. D. Harper Update

We have received the following new information from a Harper descendant. Thanks for sharing this information!!

M. D. Harper's full name is Manadier D. Harper, as suggested in an earlier posting in this blog (May 2008).

Manadier D. Harper

"We are quite sure our Manadier is the same as the Manadier who was hanged. This due to census records, marriage and land records. My husband's direct line goes back thru Manadier's dau Elizabeth.

After the hanging, Manadier's wife Eliza and her children moved to Fulton Co IL and then Peoria, IL. She remained in Peoria until her death. We know nothing about Eliza's parentage yet, only that she had a possible brother James who resided in Peoria IL in 1844. Eliza was born ca 1829 and died Apr 30, 1886 in Peoria IL. She is buried at Springdale Cem in her dau Sarah's Harper Hitz' plot of graves. There is no stone. She never remarried and took in washings to earn money.

Eliza Dougherty Harper and Manadier Harper were married in Tazewell Co, IL on June 22, 1845. Manadier purchased several parcels of public domain land in Tazewell Co IL about 1836 and sold them about 1845 (when he probably moved to AR- 1850 census). His brother Isaac also bought and sold land about the same time period and moved to AR.

POSSIBLE PARENTS: From the 1850 census the prospective mother of Manadier is Elizabeth Harper who is living with Manadier. From the Tazewell County land records, there is a John M. Harper who purchased about the same time as Manadier and brother Isaac. John and Elizabeth Harper sold their land in 1839 to Manadier Harper. We presume John is a possible father to Manadier and Isaac.

Children:
Thomas George Harper (1848 - Apr 6, 1893) served in the Civil War from IL. He is buried in Springdale Cem, Peoria. Oftentimes in the Peoria City Directory, his name is listed as George. He lived with his mother most of his life in Peoria. We have found no marriages for him. He has a military tomstone.

Elizabeth Harper (Apr 3, 1851 - Dec 29, 1926) m. Sampson Bush at Fulton Co IL on Feb 9, 1867. After he was killed in an argument, she moved to Peoria IL and ultimately married Samuel Tincher. Elizabeth and Sampson had 3 children - William, Sarah, and Franklin. She had one son with Samuel Tincher - Samuel Tincher Jr. Elizabeth and her son Samuel were very poor are both buried at the County Farm (Poor Farm) Cem. Brothers Thomas, William and John lived with Elizabeth and Sampson at various times before Samson's death.

William L. Harper (ca 1853 - Apr 13, 1893) - buried at Springdale Cem, Peoria next to his sister Anna (no stone). We have not been able to prove any marriages for him as of yet. He lived with his mother or brother John most of the time in Peoria IL.

Sarah J. Harper (Feb 7, 1855 - Sep 30, 1914) - buried at Springdale Cem, Peoria. She married Oswald Joseph Hitz They had 5 children.

John C. Harper (May 1857 - Nov 4, 1920) - buried at Springdale Cem, Peoria (no stone). He married Jane/Effie/Alice . They had 5 children.

Anna Nancy Harper (Perlina) - ca 1860 - May 9, 1893) - buried at Springdale Cem, Peoria (no stone). She married Frank Rodaski on Apr 26, 1880 in Peoria. They had no children that we know of."


Additional posts on the Harper Family:
Harper - 1850 Census
M. D. Harper
Eliza Harper - Wash Woman

Eliza Harper -- Wash Woman

Eliza Harper - Widow and Wash Woman

Imagine what life was like for all the widows of the men who were hanged. They were left on the Texas frontier during the Civil War without the protection and support of a husband. Many did not have family nearby to help them. Many also had small infants to care for, such as Dicy Chiles and Eliza Harper.

Census records show that Eliza Harper left Texas with her family and moved back to Illinois by 1870. Her oldest son, Thomas, was born in Illinois, so we know that she had lived in Illinois previously about 1848. Maybe she had family still in the area -- but we don't know for sure. In 1870, Eliza was living in Peoria, Illinois with her children. She is supporting her family as a "wash woman" -- washing clothes for other people.  In the days before electricity, laundry was a hard, back-breaking job!  First, bending over a washboard scrubbing the clothes.  Then, wringing the clothes out by hand, rinsing, again wringing by hand, and then, hanging the clothes out to dry.  Finally, once dry the clothes needed to be ironed with a heavy iron that was heated on the wood stove.

Photo of "girls washing" from Vintage Everyday Blog

An eight-year-old daughter, Nancy, is listed in the 1870 census. That means Eliza had a baby daughter born sometime around 1862, about the time when her husband was killed in the Great Hangings at Gainesville.

1870 Census, Peoria, Illinois

Peoria, Illinois 1870 Census
Name: Eliza Harper
Estimated birth year: abt 1829 Age in 1870: 41 Birthplace: Ohio
Home in 1870: Peoria Ward 4, Peoria, Illinois
Occupation: Wash woman
Household Members:
Harper, Eliza, 41, f, w, wash woman, Ohio, cannot read or write
-----, Thomas, 21, m, w, laborer, born Illinios
-----, Elizabeth, 19, f, w, at home, born Illinois
-----, William, 18, m, w, laborer, born Illinois
-----, Sarah, 15, f, w, at home, born Texas
-----, John, 13, m, w, at school, born Texas
-----, Nancy, 8, f, w, at school, born Texas
Source Citation: Year: 1870; Census Place: Peoria Ward 4, Peoria, Illinois; Roll: M593_267; Page: 379.

There is a marriage listed in the online Illinois marriage index for M. D. Harper and wife, Eliza.  Here is the marriage index info:
Illinois marriage index: 
HARPER, M -- DOUGHERTY, ELIZA; 06/22/1845; Tazewell County;  00A/0123 00001150

Any additional help on the Harper family would be appreciated -- Thanks!

Additional posts on the Harper Family:
M. D. Harper Update
Harper - 1850 Census
M. D. Harper

Harper - 1850 Census "find" in Arkansas

Since only initials were given for Harper's first name, it has been hard to find him in the 1850 Census. From the 1860 Census, we know that Harper was a 31 yr old carpenter born in Virginia and his wife, Eliza, born in Indiana about 1829. (The 1860 Census transcription can be found in an earlier post for M.D. Harper.)

The 1860 Census shows Harper's children born in the following places:
Thomas Harper age 12 born about 1848 in Illinois
Elizabeth Harper age 10 born about 1850 in Arkansas
Wm L Harper age 7 born about 1853 in Missouri
Sarah J Harper age 5 born about 1855 in Texas
John C Harper age 3 born about 1857 in Texas
Perlina Harper age 6 months born about 1860 in Texas

We know from the above census that Harper had a daughter, Elizabeth, born sometime in 1850 in Arkansas. The following census entry may be M. D. Harper. The places of birth matches Harper & wife, Eliza, but the ages are off. However, the information for son Thomas matches perfectly.

1850 Census, Franklin County, AR, pg 274, bottom of page

1850 Census, Franklin County, AR, continued top of page 275

1850 Census, Arkansas, Franklin County, Prairie twp, pg 274-275
Harper, Manadier, 23, m, farmer, Virginia
-----, Eliza, 23, f, Indiana, cannot read or write
-----, Thomas, 2, m, Illinois
Harper, Elizabeth, 71, f, Virginia, cannot read or write
-----, Shadrick, 41, m, Virginia, idiotic

**note: Next door to Isaac Harper (38, farmer, Virginia) and wife, Abigill Harper (35, NY) and family.
Source: US Federal Census; Year: 1850; Census Place: Prairie, Franklin, Arkansas; Roll: M432_26; Page: 138

If this is our M. D. Harper, then his name would be Manadier D. Harper. It seems that his mother, Elizabeth, is living with him. His daughter born during the year 1850 was named Elizabeth -- perhaps after his mother??

Any additional input or information on this family would be appreciated!!

Additional posts on the Harper Family:
M. D. Harper Update
M. D. Harper
Eliza Harper - Wash Woman

M. D. Harper

Several (way too many) of the victims of the Hangings are known only by their initials, such as M. D. Harper.  In 1860, M. D. Harper was a 31 year old carpenter from Virginia with $245 in personal property.  His wife was Eliza and they had 6 children, ranging in age from 12 years old down to 6 months old.

M. D. Harper can be found in the 1860 census for Cooke County:

1860 Census, Cooke County, TX

Name: M D Harper

Age in 1860: 33 Birth Year: abt 1827 Birthplace: Virginia
Home in 1860: Cooke, Texas Post Office: Gainesville
Occupation: Carpenter
Household Members:
Name Age
M D Harper, 33, Carpenter, $245 personal estate, Virginia
Eliza Harper, 31, Indiana
Thomas Harper, 12, Illinois
Elizabeth Harper, 10, Arkansas
Wm L Harper, 7, Missouri
Sarah J Harper, 5, Texas
John C Harper, 3, Texas
Perlina Harper, 6/12, Texas
Source Citation: Year: 1860; Census Place: , Cooke, Texas; Roll: M653_1291; Page: 237;

Diamonds's account of the trial for M. D. Harper:
page 61-62
Trial of M. D. Harper -- Conspiracy and Insurrection
Witnesses called by the court: Henry Chiles and W.W. Johnson

M. D. Harper stated in his trial,
"I was a Union man and desired the restoration of the old government, and I am now grieved to know that my efforts to resist the march of secession have led to results ruinous to the peace and happiness of the community in which I live.
I did not think a desire or an honest effort to reestablish the Union could be termed criminal..."

Like Dr. Child's and others who were convicted and hung, he seemed to place his reliance in the success of the Union Army and to console himself in his crimes with the relflection that no act could be termed criminal per se which was the necessary result of a purpose to aid the Federal Army in re-estabilishing the old Constitution and Union.

Page 63 of Diamond's account:

"Harper was conducted to the place of execution and there in the midst of a multitude of people and a weeping family remained unmoved, and obeying the directions of the executioner in a business-like manner stepped off the carriage..."

Additional posts on the Harper Family:
M. D. Harper > Manadier D Harper
Harper - 1850 Census
Eliza Harper - Wash Woman