The Manson Harger Family
Notes 12/16/1996 by James G. Harger: Mail
Manson Harger born around 1847 Warrick Co. Indiana, died May 6, 1896. It is said he drowned in a shallow open well while trying to water his horses and mules. His wife Tennie died two months later Jul 14, 1896. Manson is buried next to his wifes Tennie and Mary Liberty cemetery. On his headstone, Manson Harger; on Mary's headstone, Mary Louise Cannon Harger; on Tennie's headstone, Tennie, Kirkland Riley Harger.
Manson was the son of Milton Harger and his first wife Elizabeth Evans.He was born at Warrick Co., Indiana.
He married Mary L. cannon a daughter of Edward Cannon and Elizabeth Sturgeon. We assume they were married in Warrick Co. because that was where she was living with her Mother Elizabeth Sturgeon Cannon
Mother Elizabeth Cannon was now married to Mansons uncle Alfred Harger who lived in Warrick Co. near Yankeetown Indiana, as were some other Hargers, Sturgeons and Cannons.
In 1868 many of the families moved on to Arkansas; Alfred Harger and Many of his Family and Elizabeth Sturgeon Cannon, some of her Cannon children and Harger Children and at least two of her brothers King Sturgeon and wife and her brother Warren Sturgeon.
A newspaper article stated that Warren killed his brother in-law Alfred Harger and about how Manson was an early progressive farmer in Franklin Co. Ark.
1870 census Manson and M, L. had 1 Dau and 4 sons who survived to adulthood. M. L. Died 28 Feb. 1880 shortly after the birth of her son Robert; most likely from Birthing complications. She was buried at Liberty Cemetery, Franklin County Arkansas.
On Jul 13, 1880 Manson married Tennie Kirkland, Riley. She had Been Married to James Riley and already had a son named Jim Riley. They had 6 children who lived to adulthood, 2 Girls and 4 boys.
A 1927 news article stated that Manson had over 120 living descendants.
Alfred L. (AL.) Harger was the first born child of Manson and Mary L. Cannon. He was born in Arkansas Probably at his father Mansons Farm at the Denning Greenwood Community in Franklin Co. Arkansas.
The 1880 census shows him as 11 Yrs. He being the eldest son he was shown as head of the house in the 1900 census and along with his wife Viola and their 2 sons and 2 daughters were listed as 2 minor brothers and 2 minor sisters as their father had died 6/5/1896 and Mansons wife Tennie died 6/14/1896.
Alfred had a good business furnishing meat, dairy and produce to the miners and coal co. stores until the mines poor economy in the 1920s caused him great financial losses and he lost his stock farm and business.
He went to work for the Federal Tick Eradication Program as a Range Rider. He had worked the counties from Franklin southward. Alfred was injured when his horse fell with him near Gillam/ De Queen, Sevier Co. Arkansas on Jan. 18 1928 and was injured internally and had abdominal surgery on Feb. 4 1928 and died there on Feb. 16 1928 8PM.
The dates above were on the death certificate which I obtained from Little Rock in 1993. My father had told me of his fathers death as he and my grandfather were working on the job together.
Alfreds body was returned to Altus for burial at Liberty Cemetery, Franklin Co. Ark. where his mother Mary L. Cannon Harger and father Manson are buried also.
On May 10, 1998 at the Harger Family reunion at Ozark, AR. My cousin, Billie Jean Whittle Boyher loaned me the Bible Viola Harger, our grandmother, had when she died in St. Louis, Mo.
I copied the 4 pages of family info. It had dates, names and other records that Grand Ma Harger, as she was called, had kept. The Bible at this time is in the possession of Billie Jean Whittle Boyher of St, Louis, Mo. June 22, 1998.