Our earliest record of Henry Harman comes from a 1784 tax list of Rockingham County, VA, where he is listed with a household of "8 white soles".  He appears again on a census of Rockingham County taken in 1787, as does George Harman.  The relationship of these two individuals is at this stage a matter of speculation.

There is also a Peter Herman/Harman on the 1784 tax list with "5 white soles, one residence, and one barn".  He appears to be the Peter mentioned in the church records of the Peaked Mountain Lutheran congregation, and he is not immediately related to Henry.  He may in fact be a cousin, but this remains to be proved.

The next time we find Henry is on the 1810 census of Augusta County, VA, where he appears with a son and daughter under 10, a son and daughter aged 11-16, a son and daughter aged 17-24, himself aged over 45 and his wife, aged over 45.  This may be the Henry Harman who in Augusta County on October 12, 1796, along with John Wise gave surety to the marriage of John Wise and Catherine Hanger, daughter of Frederick Hanger. (Chalkley Vol 2, p. 322).  He is almost certainly the Henry Harman who in Augusta County on February 20, 1799, along with Philip Weikle, gave surety to the marriage of his son Henry Harmon and Mary Weikle, daughter of said Philip Weikle (Chalkley Vol 2, p. 333).  He appears to have also along with John McCausland gave surety to the marriage of Henry Harman (aa nephew?) to Susannah Printz, sister to Peter Printz, and of age, January 20, 1801 (Chalkley Vol 2, p. 340).  On 24th April, 1804, Henry Harmon was made administrator (guardian) of Nicholas Harmon (Chalkley Vol 2, p. 393).  What relationship this Nicholas had with Henry is not known. Nicholas appears to be the boy under 10 listed on the 1810 Augusta County census.

Henry's whereabouts in 1820 are not known for certain.  He does not appear on the 1820 census of Augusta County, VA.  There is a Henry Harman listed on the 1820 census of Harrison Twp., Preble County, OH, but he remains there in 1830, so he is likely not the same Henry.  Curiously there is a Solomon Harman in Preble County, who was one of the earliest pioneers in 1802.  One of Henry's sons was also named Solomon.  Is this Solomon Henry's brother?

Henry left a will in Warren County, OH that reads:

In the name of God-Amen

I Henry Harman of the County of Warren and the state of Ohio being weak in body but of a sound disposing mind and memory. Knowing the certainty of death and the uncertainty of this mortal life and wishing to have my business affairs arranged so I may be able to leave this world whenever shall be the will of divined providence to call me from his stage of action. Do make and publish this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking all former wills by me made what so ever and confirming this only in manner and form following towit I Commit my soul to the Almighty God and the body to the earth to be exactly buried as my Executor herein is after named may direct and after my executor shall have paid my funeral expenses and all my just debts. I do will and bequeath unto Madgalene Harman my beloved wife all my estate which shall to be left both real and personal to be under the management and control of my son David Harman for her interest and benefit she receiving the interest and profits arising from and the same to hold so long as she shall remain my widow and at her death in case she should marry again it is my will that my estate both real and personal shall be divided equally among my children George, Henry, John, Catherine, David, Andrew, Elizabeth, Polly, Barbara, and Solomon.

My son John Harman having received from me the sum of three hundred and twenty one dollars and thirty cents is not to have any part of my estate until my other children shall have received each them that amount out of my estate which I may or shall leave for distribution among them, and after they shall receive said amount should there be any left than my son John to have an equal share of the residue with the other children, and if any Of my aforementioned children should die leaving issue it is my will that their child or children shall receive the same share as their parents would have been entitled to had they been living. I do appoint my wife Magdalene and my son David Harman the executors of this my last will and testament signed and sealed and acknowledge this seventeenth day of July in the year of our Lord Eighteen Hundred and twenty eight in Presence of

Jacoby Hallack & Joseph Dell
Henry (his mark) Harman

Henry's wife Magdelene appears as "Mary M. Harman" on the 1830 census of Turtle Creek Twp., Warren County, OH.  According to cemetery inscriptions, Henry died October 29, 1828 at the age of 84 y, 2 m, 6 d, making his birthdate August 23, 1744.  Magdelene died January 12, 1848, at the age of 89y, 8d, making her birthdate January 4, 1759.  Their birthplaces are not known, but one unsourced posting has listed their birthplaces as Germany.  I believe it was rather Pennsylvania or Virginia.

According to his will, Henry's firstborn was George.  He has been assumed to be the George H. Harman who was in Augusta Co. VA (1810, 1820), then Greene Co. OH (1825-1829), then Seneca Co OH (after 1829).  According to his age at death, inscribed on his cemetery marker, George was born April 27, 1771.  Other unsourced postings have his birthdate as October 1, 1775, however, the cemetery inscription is clear and unmistakable.  Since Magdelene was not born until 1759, we must assume that she was not his mother, either and that Henry was married previously around 1770.  An alternative explanation is that the George documented below and on separate pages is not connected to this Henry.

Henry's second child, Henry, was born in 1778.  Magdelene would have been 19, which is a reasonable age.  In addition, children appear at regular intervals after Henry's marriage to Magdelene.  So we assume that they were married around 1777-1778.

The descendants of Henry Harman:

..... 2   George Henry Harman b: April 27, 1771 in PA or VA  d: October 27, 1848 in Seneca Twp., Seneca County, OH
.........  +Cloah Clevenger b: 1778 in Shenandoah County, VA m: August 2, 1799 in Frederick County, VA d: April 2, 1850 in Seneca Twp., Seneca County, OH
  *2nd Wife of Henry Harman:
..  +Maria Magdalene b: January 4, 1759 in Germany m: Abt June 1777 in Augusta County, VA d: January 12, 1848 in Turtle Creek Twp., Warren County, OH
..... 2   Henry Harman b: April 8, 1778 in Rockingham County, VA
.........  +Mary Weikle  m: February 20, 1799 in Augusta County, VA d: Abt 1800
..... 2   John Harman b: October 1, 1782 in Rockingham County, VA  d: August 2, 1873 in Beaver Creek, Rockingham County, VA
.........  +Rachel Rader  m: December 19, 1805
.....  *2nd Wife of John Harman:
.........  +Susannah McLaughlin  m: January 23, 1826
..... 2   Catherine Harman b: November 11, 1784
.........  +George Weikle  m: July 1, 1806 in Augusta County, VA
.....  *2nd Husband of Catherine Harman:
.........  +George Mittenberger  m: 1826  in Warren County, OH
..... 2   David Harman b: July 22, 1786
..... 2   Andrew Harman b: September 1, 1789
.........  +Elizabeth Rell  m: January 15, 1828  in Warren County, OH
..... 2   Elizabeth Harman b: January 12, 1792
.........  +John Smith  m: July 5, 1810 in Augusta County, VA
..... 2   Mary Harman b: July 17, 1794
.........  +Charles Cody  m: April 22, 1824  in Warren County, OH
..... 2   Solomon Harman b: April 7, 1797 in Augusta County, VA
..... 2   Barbara Harman b: August 13, 1799
.........  +William Anderson b: Abt 1790 m: February 14, 1822 in Warren County, OH

Some unsourced postings add Michael Harman b: July 27, 1780 to this series.  We must assume that since he is not mentioned in Henry's will, this account is erroneous, or Michael died before the will was made.

*This page researched by Tim Abel, Lin Morin, Patsy Thomas and Ann Thomas.  If you connect, please contact us!