Damn,They just keep coming up from different angles.Thanks a Million.R ----- Original Message ----- From: Sara Patton <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, November 05, 1999 12 10 Subject: Helen Yoakum Black Letters #2 > Transcript of a copy of a letter from Mrs. Helen Black to Mr. Jesse > Cunningham found in R.B. Woodworth Notebooks on file in Moorefield Public > Library. > > Honey Grove, Fannin County Texas May 30 1878 [should read 1873] > > Mr. Jesse Cunningham- Dear Sir: > > I have drawn a short sketch of those from whom you sprang and herewith > enclose it to you. My unfortunate situation has put it out of my power to > do for you what I intended doing. I wrote my agent in Moorefield (WVa.) to > satisfy all claims you hold against me, provided he was ever so fortunate as > to collect anything for me. I could write you a quire of paper if I would > consult my own inclination, but don't know that you would appreciate it now, > but you would this short sketch. Michael Harness was married to Elizabeth > Jephebe in Pennsylvania (both born there) what her mother's maiden name was > I have forgotten, but had descended from the Royal blood of Europe, they > were of Dutch descent. > > Lord Fairfax had a grant from the King of England (his son Lord Fairfax was > a woman hater) he made it known among the people of Pa., that all who would > go to the South Branch of the Potomac River and there settle and make a > tomahawk mark around what land they wanted and the terms were almost nothing > and as well as my memory serves me it was at the end of 99 years they were > to pay ½ ct per acre (38). The Dutch selected from among them four reliable > men to go and look at the country and Lord Fairfax gave the latitude and > longitude boundaries and they traveled by a pocket compass. On the return > of these men they reported so favorable about the country that Michael > Harness started in the next spring time enough to plant a crop, (to this > Fairfax Winchester was the nearest town) and Philip Powell Yookum was called > to Winchester to report his knowledge of the river and he stated the > S.B.[South Branch of the] Potomac was the name given by the Indians on > reaching this country and the name was established (39) > > Elizabeth Harness a daughter of Michael Harness at the age of eleven years > left the wagons and with spunk steel and tomahawk in hand led the way from > Capon Mt. and clearing the road so the wagon could pass went to the S.B. > River built a fire had it in readiness where the men got there, > consequently, you will see that the said Elizabeth was the first white woman > that trod this glorious soil of the South Branch Potomac, a country of which > all have been so proud. > > Michael Harness raised 13 children to be men and women grown, 9 sons and 4 > daughters. Elizabeth was the oldest daughter, married P.P. Yookum. Rebecca > (40) married Michael See, Crate Harness married Andy Trumbo and went to > Kentucky. Dolly H. married Samuel Hornback, also went to KY. John Harness > the first child married Elizabeth Yookum, Adam do not remember, Leonard a > Hatch and went to Ill. Peter married Susan ______ and went to Ohio, Conrad > married Molly M. Jacob married Miss Pettie the niece of your great > grandmother Harness. His second marriage was to Elizabeth Roarabor(41), > Michael Adam and Conrad were killed and scalped by the Indians and carried > to the Fort (42). They died in the presence of their mother but not in the > same year. Conrad's wife and child were killed at the same time and their > remains were found 3 years to a day by a mulatto woman and her gold purse, > clasp and scissors chain, the silk rotted from the purse and the money gone. > > Your great grandfather Harness raised 10 children, 5 sons and 5 daughters. > Jemima married Wm Cunningham (your grand parents) Elizabeth married Michael > Welton, and went to Mo. Rebecca married John Cunningham, Hannah married > Henry Hull, Sallie married Isaac Cunningham and went to Ky. The two last > women were twins. George Harness married Rebecca Casey and lived in > Moorefield. Joseph married Rebecca Williams and went to Ohio. Adam married > Elizabeth Baker and lived where Jesse Fisher now lived. Solomon married > Catherine Saps(43). John married Hannah Inskeep, and lived at the mouth of > the S.B. on the Maryland side of the Potomac. > > My father and mother were second cousins(44). Barbara (or Rebecca) See was > my mother's grand mother, consequently I have two great grand mothers who > were Harnesses. Elizabeth Yookum was eleven years old when she came to this > country and died at 77 I was 7 years of age at the time of her death and I > was born in [17]97. > > Elizabeth Jephebe was related to Wm Penn. I have now given you the > particulars as nearly as I can recollect hoping it will be satisfactory to > you. > > Remain yours etc. > > Helen Black. > > The following comment followed the above letter in Mr. Woodworth's notes. > > A true and exact copy from an old copy sent to Miss Mary M. Williams by Mrs. > Ernest Crummell. Another abstract (made Jan 27 1902 by Mrs. I.H.H.R. from a > copy by John Cunningham) sent "Mrs. A.M. Stubblefield Augusta 7 1905 by Mrs. > Irene H. Harness Roger concludes: -- 'My father and mother old Capt. Mike > Yocum and wife who was a Miss Betsy Stump were second cousins. Barbara See > was my mother's grandmother, consequently I have two great grandmothers who > were Harnesses. Elizabeth Yocum was 11 years old when she came to this > country and died at 77 in 1804, I was 7 years of age at the time. I was > born in 1797 so Elizabeth Harness must have been born in 1727 and came here > in 1738. Elizabeth Jesschape [sic] wife of Michael Harness Sr. was related > to Wm Penn.' Which conclusion beyond question is editorial conflation as > regards additional words. R.B. Woodworth 7/9/1933." > > Another handwritten copy of this same 1873/1878 letter, with some > variations, appears on p. 273 in the "Family Ledger of Eliza (Lillie) > McNeill Williams Cunningham", dated April 1926. Following the letter, Mrs. > Cunningham added this note: > > "The writer of the above letter was born and raised on what was recently the > Shearer farm which is about 3/4 of a mile below Jesse Fisher's on the same > side of the river, and about 8? miles from Moorefield. The said Jesse Fisher > remembers Mrs. Helen Yoakum Black very well. Also her husband and her father > as well as some other members of the family. Mrs. Helen Black was 81 years > of age when she wrote this letter. Mrs. B. P. Fisher, Edgewater, W.Va., Jan > 8, 1902." > > > END NOTES > 38. An excellent article by Charles Morrison on the Fairfax land grants > appears in WVA History, 37 (Oct 1976) entitled "Early Fairfax Land Grants > and Leases Along the South Branch of the Potomac." > > 39. Some Yoakum histories claim that Philip Powell Yoakum was part of the > Fairfax survey team though I have not found his name on any of the survey > lists. > > 40. In her earlier letter, Mrs. Black identifies the Harness daughter who > married Michael See as Barbara. Hardy Co. land records also show her as > "Barbara" or "Barbary". > > 41. Rohrbaugh > 42.Fort Harness, located on the north bank of the South Branch River, just > west of Fisher, WV. > > 43.This may be a transcription error for Stump. Stump family histories list > Catherine Stump, daughter of Leonard Stump, Sr. and Catherine See (daughter > of Michael and Barbara Harness See) as married to Solomon Harness. > > 44.Michael Yoakum's mother and Elizabeth Stump's grandmother were sisters. > > >