HARVEY - Harlan - Fountain County INGenWeb Project

HARLAN HARVEY – bio

Source: Unknown but probably from the Vigo County History – original is on a brownish old piece of paper typed on an old typewriter  (thanks to Missy Foster Payne, one of my great contributors on the Fountain County, Indiana Genealogy page 😊) – information compiled by Rolla E. Cowger grea grandfather of Missy – thanks so much for sharing

Tradition says that Harlan Harvey came to Indiana from Warren County, Ohio and that his ancestors founded the town of Harveysburg in Warren County, Ohio.  I have been told that Harlan Harvey was a blacksmith by trade and that he established a blacksmith shop at a crossroad a few miles west of Kingman, Indiana near the Fountain-Parke County line tim time other homes was (sic) built and the settlement was called Harveysburg.  

Following items copied from a history of Vigo-Parke Counties by Beckwith, 1880.

P 352 – A tan yard was put in operation in 1836 by Harlan Harvey, who came from Warren County, Ohio and was run by him and his partner, George Madden who came in 1837 for 1 6 years.

P 354 – Harlan Harvey shipped grain and pork from Howard on Wabash River to New Orleans.

Harvey Family – Parke Co IN Nov 11, 61

Ruth Harvey daughter of William and Mahala Doan. Date of birth and death unknown. Married Dan Mulvahill. Children: Pearl and Hazel. These two children lived at Kingman, Indiana the last I knew.  Dan Mulvahill was a track foreman for the C&EI RR at Kingman Indiana many years.  Note from kbz – Dan died of uremia at Union Hospital in Terre Haute, Vigo Co IN May 9, 1928.  He was born in Ireland May 1, 1867 son of Daniel & Bridget Conley Mulvihill (sic according to three places on his death record)

Wash Harvey (George Washington Harvey) son of William Harvey and Mahala Doan.
Date of birth and death unknown
Married Jessie Mitchell
Their children: Frank, Gilbert, Marvin, Igone and Evelyn.
No information of any of these children

Note: George Washington Harvey’s Death Certificate
Source: Indiana Death Certificate 1943 #29953

Cyntha Kay Harvey (Cyn) daughter of William Harvey and Mahala (Doan)
Date of birth unknown died January 1956 – Married Charley Dudley
Their children: Marzone married Fay Bulsher – 1956 lived at 211 E. 5^th St, Tilton, Danville, Illinoi
Mona married William Schwab – Address: Cayuga, Indiana. Several children. William Schwab has been employed for many years as telegrapher and towerman for the C&EI RR at Cayuga, Indiana

Will Harvey – son of William and Mahala (Doan) Harvey – birth unknown. Died May 6, 1957 at Hammond, Indiana buried Hoopeston, Ill married #1 Etta Cox (children by Etta: Pearl, Hazel, Horace, Janie, Lena and Gerald – no information) Married #2 Maude Harvey, widow of Otis Harvey.

The Old Coal Road

The sound of bull-frogs awakened me during the night. There must have been a hundred or more from the racket they were making!  I was on what was to be my last ride on “The Old Coal Road.”  At that time, it was known as the CA&S Chicago Attica & Southern, which was the part north of West Melcher, Ind. The part South of that point was owned by the CI&W (Cincinnati, Indianapolis & Western, later a part of the B&O, Baltimore & Ohio).

I was in a caboose, in the dark and no way of knowing where I was. I was on a train bound for Attica. No sound of an engine working anywhere and no sign of the crew. I had boarded the train at West Union, Ind where Uncle Speck Harvey was section foreman and lived in the old depot. Uncle les Harvey was section foreman at Attica, Indiana and lived in an old passenger coach in the CA&S Yards at Attica. He had invited me to come and stay awhile with him.

As I remember it, the CA&S had a switch run working south out of Attica to West Melcher at night and returning the next night, switching the industries along the line.  Uncle Les and I had boarded the train for a ride to Attica after a family get together.  While reading the poem, “Abandoned,” memories of that last ride came flooding back to me. My life and my family was a part of the Old Coal Road as it was known for many years.

My father, Rolla E. Cowger was working for the Big Four, or CCC&St.L RR and was day operator leverman at GR Tower where the C&EI crossed the Big 4 tracks at Burnett Indiana. He boarded at the home of Rachel Doan Harvey, My mother, Ella Ivy Thompson and her young son, Glenn, lived at home at that time.

The C&EI had purchased the Old Coal Road and was operating it at this time. Father’s brother, Milton O. Cowger was agent at Ehrmandale, Indiana and taught my father telegraphy and station work. M.O. was later the chief clerk to the Supt. At Brazil.

My grandmother, Rachel Harvey had four sons and a son-in-law that were section foreman for the old coal road at some time or other. They were: Elmer, Otis, Speck, Les and Alvin Jackson the son-in-law. Uncle Alvin told me that at the time that the railroad was built through Tangier, Indiana, he drove a team and scraper and helped level the right of way.

When my parents decided to get married, they decided to get married in Park (sic – Parke) County at Rockville. My mother had been born at Sylvania, which was near there. Uncle Alvin Jackson with his crew, loaded Rolla and Ella on his hand powered hand car and pumped them from Burnett to Otter Creek Jct, Ind where the Brazil branch line joined the main line of the C&EI and where it crossed the Vandalia line. They road a Vandalia passenger train to Rockville, got married and returned on the next Southbound train to Terre Haute. They spent most of the day and evening there attending a theater, etc. Then they rode the THI&E Interurban car to North Terre Haute, hired a team and rig and drove it back to Burnett. It all happened on Nov 20, 1907.