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Louisa (Martin) Harshbarger, the third child of Ambrose and Phebe (Stewart) Martin, was born 23 November 1836 near Camargo, Illinois, which was then included in Coles County, but became part of Douglas County in 1859. Louisa spent her entire life in this area. The Illinois marriage records show that Louisa married (1) William S. Worley in Coles County on 20 October 1857. William had been born 16 January 1822 in Harrison County, Kentucky, the son of Caleb and Elizabeth (Nesbit) Worley. He had been previously married to Susanah Cheney, who died in March 1857, seven months before William married Louisa. His marriage to Louisa apparently ended shortly in divorce, as the 1860 census shows William living in Douglas County with a family named Madoris, and without Louisa. I don’t know where Louisa was residing in 1860, as I have not found her in the census. It’s worth noting, though, that the 1870 census shows a 12-year-old girl, Mahala J. Worley, living in the household of Louisa’s parents, Ambrose and Phebe Martin. Hence, it appears that Louisa’s brief marriage to William Worley produced one child:
Mahala’s father, William Worley, lived until 1909 and made quite a name for himself but never again lived with Louisa. The Illinois marriage records show that “Mrs. Louisa Worley” married (2) Andrew Jackson Harshbarger in Douglas County on 14 December 1866. Andrew was a Civil War veteran, born 24 February 1842 in Monroe County, Indiana, reportedly a son of Andrew and Mary Ann Harshbarger. According to the Report of the Adjutant General of the State of Indiana, page 94, A. J. Harshborger [sic], a resident of Bellville [sic], enlisted in the Seventh Regiment of the Indiana Infantry, Company B, on 30 Aug. 1861. (Belleville is a small community in Hendricks County, Indiana.) Corporal Andrew J. Harshbarger transferred to Company A of the Reorganized 20th Regiment on 14 Dec. 1863 and mustered out as a Sergeant on 12 July 1865 (ibid., p. 432). Andrew saw many engagements during his service, including Second Bull Run, Antietam, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville, the Wilderness, Spotsylvania, the siege of Petersburg, and the Battle of Gettysburg. The 1870 census shows Andrew and Louisa living in Camargo with their twin girls, both 2 years old. Also in their household is a 12-year-old boy, Rufus Harshbarger, born in Indiana. Could this be Andrew’s son from a previous marriage? or perhaps a nephew? I have not found Rufus listed in any earlier or later censuses and have no further information about him. Louisa lived close to her parents in 1870, as they are listed on the very next census page, and, as mentioned above, her daughter Mahala Worley was living with them. At time of the 1880 census, Andrew and Louisa were still in Camargo with five of their six children. Their youngest son was born a few months after the census was taken. Louisa passed away on 22 April 1899 and is buried at the Murdock Cemetery in Douglas County. On 15 May 1901, Andrew married Mrs. Mary Catherine (Shoemaker) Taylor in Parke County, Indiana. The 1910 census shows him living with Mary in Parke County. Then, on 19 November 1910, Andrew passed away, and his body was returned for burial at Murdock Cemetery. According to Andrew's obituary, he and Louisa were the parents of eight children, two of whom died in infancy. The six who survived were:
If you can suggest any corrections to the information above or provide any further details about Louisa, her husbands, and her descendants, please contact me at the address shown in the image below:
Thanks,
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