Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1904-09-09
Death of Henry B. HarnSDerGer.

Death of Henry B. HarnSberuer.
The death of this estimable gentle
man took place at his home near For
Republic, about 3 a. M, on Sun da.
morning, the 4th of Sept. 1904, after
verv brief illness On Friday he came
to his home from Black Rock Springs
where he had been staying, intending
to be present at a little social gather
ing of his friends and relatives at Shen-
dun that night, this he attended, going
home about II O'Clock. On the next
morning he did not rise at breakfast
time and when some of the family went
| to call him he said he was sleepy but
would be up soon. Breakfast being
served and he still not appearing. an
other emo JURY was made to receive only
| the same answer. About 10 O'Clock
his son John went in and found him
still sleeping, be awoke, however, and
then got up and partially dressed, but
lay down again and went again to
sleep. About II o'clock DR.. Kemper,
the family physician came by and was
sent in, and on examination found his
pulse bad but otherwise his condition
as usual. After dinner. however, DR..
Kemper was sent for and on arrival
administered stimulant but it was
evident that the patient was in his
last sleep and sometime after midnight
he ceased breathing, quietly passing
away without pain.
Mr.. Harnsberger, or Major Harms
berger, as he was entitled to have been
called, was born on the same farm on
which he died, on the 18th of N OVEN
her, 1916 He was therefore in his
SSH year. He was the eldest son OF
the late Stephen Harnsberger and
| Elizabeth, who before her marriage
| was Elizabeth Baker. In 1911 he
graduated from Dickinson College and
| it is believed at the time of bis death,
was the oldest living graduate OF the
| school. In early life he lived in Har-
| risonburg, where he met and m lrried
in lS46, Elizabeth Hopkins, of I. family
almost as widely connected III Rock
| ingham as his own, and who died some
eight years ago. Their surviving
children are John l, who lived with
his father at the time of his death,
Mrs. John w. Black burn of Shendun,
Mrs. John F. Lewis of Lynnwood. and
Mrs. G. G. Harnsberger of Elkton.
For many years Mr.. Harnsberger
served as Deputy under Col. George
| Chrlsman. high sheriff of Rocking
ham, and for number OF years there
after, was surveyor of the county.
During the late civil war he COM
| manded a company and at the battle
| of Piedmont in this county. was badly
| wounded in the leg and arm. In 1864
he was promoted to the rank OF Major,
a rank which he should have enjoyed
but being better known as captain,
that title was the one by which he was
called during his later life time. After
the close of the war, the people of bis
county called him to serve them in
the Legislature and this he did fol-
| two successive terms to their great
profit and to his own renown. In 1881
he was again elected to the Legislature
and was one of those unseated in 1888
Since that time he has been engaged
in business about his home until hi
ldeclining years caused him to lead
quiet life. The town of Shendun wa
laid out largely upon his lands In 1881
: and he took an active and pecnlla
interest in it's growth and develop
ment.
His family was from Switzerland
the founder, Adam Harnsberger, hav
ing come to this country about III
and was one of the Knights OF tn
Golden Horse shoe who came Into tE
Valley with the celebrated Go'
: Spottswood. Since their settlement
in the Valley the family has sprea
t until it now numbers thousands c
, members in this and adjoining state
< Whilst it's members have never sougf
;. distinction through official position
v many of them have held importal
u offices, and as family. none has ev
t borne more nnsullied reputation {
l. deserved fairer name. They are
t that stock which makes a nation grea
Of his immediate family, Maj'
It Harnsberger was the solitary scio
e his brother Joseph was the last to pr
!. cede him to the grave. He had
r uncle who fell at Yorktown and who
It body it is believed is buried at w
4, llamsburg, and various members ser
Is ed in the Revolution.
n, The funeral took place ON Monda
ii the 5th, at p. M. from the house al
d. the body was inferred in a new CEN
1t tery west of the South River about
mile away, to which all of the bodi
# of his family have been removed. 7
is services were conducted by the Re
n. w. d. Burkhart of the Presbyteri
of church, the funeral was largely 6
a tended, the procession extending
~ most from tie house to the cemeter
lily A Wedding.
II