Harmon Wiseheart: Hard to Find (52 Ancestors #42)

Posted on by under 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks Challenge, Family History, Genealogy, Jacobs Family, Photographs, Research Process, Wiseheart Family

Harmon Wiseheart is an ancestor for whom I’ve had to think outside the box to find records.  Some of them were easy, because Harmon/Harman and Wiseheart/Wisehart all come up in the soundex search.  After I had completed my initial run of hunting and gathering, I noticed that I was still missing Census records for him for 1830, 1840, and 1850.  Since he had married Jemima Jacobs in 1830, I could reasonably assume that he would have been head of household in those years.

I decided to look for his wife in 1850, since Jemima is a fairly uncommon name.  I didn’t turn up a Jemima Wiseheart, so I looked for Jemima Jacobs, on the off chance that her maiden name was listed.  What I found was a 17-year-old Jemima Jacobs living with an 80-year-old William Jacobs.  William is Jemima’s father, but my Jemima would have been about 40 and theoretically living with Harmon.  The 17-year-old may have been a niece.  I diligently glanced over the rest of the page and the next household was Armin and J. Wisehart.  No wonder I had such trouble!  And, I sure am lucky that they lived next door to her father.

Next, I looked for Harmon in 1840 and found him pretty quickly.  I must have just missed it in my original search.  I moved on to 1830.  After much searching, with a variety of name combinations, I finally found him.  He had been indexed on Ancestry as Harmon Jacobs.  The actual record clearly shows Harmon Wisehart, but William Jacobs is above him and William Jacobs Jr. is below him, so I can see how this might have happened.  I’m just glad I stuck with it and didn’t give up the search.  Harmon’s story is now more complete, and fairly interesting.

Harmon Wiseheart was born circa 1809 in Kentucky.2,3,4,5,6,7,8  He married Jemima Jacobs on March 14, 1830 in Jefferson County, Kentucky.1  He and Jemima had a farm next door to her brothers, Price Jacobs and William Jacobs Jr.2  In 1850, they were living near Jemima’s father, William.  Both Harmon and William were blacksmiths at this time.3  Their children are difficult to figure out, but I believe Harmon and Jemima had six chidlren:  William Henry, Sarah Katherine “Kitty”, George Allen, James Luminous, John S., Jacob E. Thomas.3,4,5,6,8  By 1860, Harmon was a farmer again.5  In 1870, Harmon was a chair maker, an occupation his sons William and John shared with him.6  Harmon died on April 28, 1876 in Jefferson County, Kentucky.  He was 67 years old.7,8

Price Jacobs and Harmon Wiseheart, circa 1850.

Price Jacobs and Harmon Wiseheart, circa 1850.

Sources

  1. “Kentucky Marriages, 1785-1979,” database, FamilySearch(https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F43W-XVD : accessed 19 March 2015), Harman Wisehart and Jemima Jacobs, 14 Mar 1830; citing Jefferson Co., Kentucky, reference ; FHL microfilm 817,868.
  2. Ancestry.com. 1830 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.  1830; Census Place: Jefferson, Kentucky; Series: M19; Roll: 38; Page: 136; Family History Library Film:0007817.
  3. Ancestry.com. 1840 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2010.  Year: 1840; Census Place: Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: 115; Page: 154; Image: 312; Family History Library Film:0007828.
  4. Ancestry.com. 1850 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Year: 1850; Census Place: District 1, Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: M432_205; Page: 217B; Image: 439.
  5. Ancestry.com. 1860 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Year: 1860; Census Place: District 2, Jefferson, Kentucky; Roll: M653_377; Page: 1093; Image: 350; Family History Library Film: 803377.
  6. Ancestry.com. 1870 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2009. Images reproduced by FamilySearch.  Year: 1870; Census Place: Floydsburg, Oldham, Kentucky; Roll: M593_493; Page: 35A; Image: 73; Family History Library Film: 545992.
  7. Ancestry.com. Kentucky, Death Records, 1852-1963 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2007.  Kentucky. Kentucky Birth, Marriage and Death Records – Microfilm (1852-1910). Microfilm rolls #994027-994058. Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives, Frankfort, Kentucky.
  8. “Harmon Wiseheart (1809 – 1876) – Find A Grave Memorial.” FindAGrave.com. Dorothy Gronefeld, 29 Oct. 2008. Web. 17 Oct. 2015. Find A Grave Memorial # 30962063.

2 thoughts on “Harmon Wiseheart: Hard to Find (52 Ancestors #42)”

  1. Thank you very much for this interesting and informative entry. My name is Dennis Jacobs. I am a direct descendent of Price Jacobs who was married to Mary Catherine Wiseheart the sister of Harmon.

    Reply

  2. Wiseharts are likely in my family tree and as a descendent of Price Jacobs of Adams County, Illinois I have research that might be helpful. Dennis Jacobs is my second cousin, he has also responded.

    Reply

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