J. N. Harshman, a prominent Butler county farmer and stockman, was born near Niles, Mich., November 29, 1854. He is a son of Moses and Elizabeth (Everharding) Harshman. The father was a native of Preble county, Ohio, and of German descent, and the mother was a Virginian. The Harshman family removed from Michigan to Indiana when

J. N. was thirteen years old. The father was a miller in early life and worked at his trade in Michigan and Indiana for some time but afterwards followed farming. In 1880 the Harshman family came to Kansas, settling in El Dorado township, south of the city of El Dorado, on the place where W. B. Thompson now lives. The place had a substantial stone house upon it which was built by a man named Snow. Here the father engaged in farming and spent the balance of his life on that place. He died November 11, 1902, and the mother passed away March 4, 1907.

J. N. Harshman has made farming and stock raising his life's study and occupation. He began farming on his own account with eighty acres and has added to his acreage from time to time and now has one of the best farms in Butler county which consists of 320 acres, a large part of his farm being fertile, productive bottom land, and he has met with a great deal of success as a grain farmer as well as a stock raiser. He is an advocate of mixed farming both as a means of soil conservation and as a means of avoiding a complete failure in any one season or in other words he is not a believer in having all his eggs in one basket.

Mr. Harshman has been twice married, his first wife being Miss Martha Smith, a native of Indiana, to whom were born three children, as follows: Addie, married Oscar Berner, Latham, Kans.; Eva, married Leslie Covert, Mulvane, Kans., and Willard, resides near Hopkins Switch, Fairview township. After the death of his first wife, Mr. Harshman married Miss Jennie Bless, a native of Illinois.

Mr. Harshman is a Republican, and takes a commendable interest in local as well as State and National affairs and is a man who keeps himself well posted in the events of the times. He has served as a member of the school board and is a member of the United Brethren church. He is public spirited and progressive, and is well known in the community for his uprightness and substantial citizenship.

Previous | Main Page | Biography Index | Next

Pages 423-424,