Harshaws in Pittston

August 1897, W.R. Harshaw to preach twice as summer replacement

Dec 23, 1904  Helen home from Elmira College for holidays (along with a friend)

Rev. Dr. Harshaw has been granted a leave of absehce for three months from his duties as pastor of the Presbyterian church, and, accompanied by his wife, will spend the time in taking a foreign tour that will not only be full of pleasure, but will also be very attractive from an educational point of view. Although the leave of absence does not begin until Feb. 1st, the session of the church is already making preparations to supply the pulpit during the absence of the paBtor and Dr. Harshaw and wife are laying plans for their trip. They expect to become members of the Clark excursion party which will leave New York on Feb. 8th on a trip to the Holy Land. The arrangements for this trip are of a most extensive and complete character. The Clark brothers, who are managing the excursion, are experienced men in the business. The firm is composed of two brothers, one of whom is a resident of New York city, while the other is the United States consul at Jerusalem. They are thus well situated to manage trips to the Holy Land, and the one next year will be their fourth. Some 800 people from various parts of the country are booked for the excursion, and the new White Star steamer Celtic has been engaged for the entire tour. This boat is not built for speed, but its equipment is exceptionaHy fine, and the fact that it is built to accommodate more than 1.300 passengers ensures an abundance of room and accommodation* for the 800 who comprise the Clark party. All of the principal points of interest throughout the Holy Land will be visited, and when it is necessary to make trips Inland, the excursion steamer will await the party at the nearest port. On the return trip, Dr. and Mrs. Harshaw are planning to leave the excursion party at Rome, in order to take advantage of the opportunity to make a tour through the continent of Europe. They have never crossed the ocean, and they anticipate a most delightful journey among historic scenes of which they have read much but have never seen. Sept 11, 1901

Nov. 28, 1902  WR to deliver 2nd lecture Palestine on Horseback

>The Comet, the monthly publication edited by the pupils of the WeBt Pittston high school, made Its appearance for, the present school year yesterday afternoon. With this issue the magazine enters upon its third year as a printed journal, although for many years previous the paper was written and read to thg student body. The contents are on various themes and the general makeup of the publication, the typographical work and the literary work show Improvement over previous issues. The contents are: "Selfishness is the Mainspring of Human Activity," a debate, Charlotte Lindsay and Helen Kerr; "My Favorite Character in Fiction," Isabel N. Cosper; "The Story of Hiawatha's Wooing," Sophia Edgar; editorials; Castalia notes; "Relation of Mythology to Grecian Art." Helen Harshaw; "Henderson Dilfer and His Didoes," a story, by George Compton; "Hallowe'en Customs," a sketch, by Anna S. Horton; "Popular Superstitions are Groundless," Marjorie Wall; "Cribbing and Its Result," Leona Stanton; Personals; School Notes; and Exchanges. The Comet stafT is composed of Burt Lewis, editor In chief; Muriel Weston, literary editor; Florence Gingell, personal editor; Sophia Edgar, exchange editor; Helen Harshaw. society editor; Mary Perrin, school notes editor; Prof. Biprly, financial manager; Belin Mercur, business manager.


May 30, 1903

The honors of the graduating class at the high school have been announced. Miss Helen Harshaw being valedictorian and Miss Florence Gingull, salutatorian

At the Presbyterian church, tomorrow. the (services will be hold at the usual hours. Pastor Harshaw will preach ou "The Potter ami the Clay" in the morning, taking as hisN text the words, "We are the clay and Thou our poltcr; and we all are the work of thy hands."—Isaiah 64: 8. The pastor will discuss the question, "Can a Business Man be a Christian?" at the evening preaching session, and the basis of his remarks will be Proverbs Ti. 29

 Dec. 16, 1906
Miss Helen Harshaw, daughter of Kev. and Mrs. W. U. Harshaw, is home from 151 mint college to spend Ihe holidays at the home of her parents. She was accompanied home by Miss Kathryn Branson, of Trinidad, Colo., a student at the college, who will be her guest during the mid-term 

The Orsons

Mary Orson was my great great great grandmother.  Her ancestry grows foggy, though this is a 2008 description of what I thought we knew then.  Since then there's evidence which points to the Orsons coming from Leicestershire, perhaps Bottesford.

In doing a google search I came across this link.  I'm sure the explanation of the "Orson" name is apocryphal.

W.R.Harshaw on Libraries

William R. Harshaw wrote an article for Outlook Magazine in June 1901 on the West Pittston library.  The article was reprinted in the Pittston Gazette on July 9, 1901.  He's very concerned about getting people to read only the "best" and rather snobbishly dismissive of Pittston, which was more immigrant coal miners while West Pittston was more professional and managerial.  But for all his dated attitudes, he apparently was a driving force behind rejuvenating the library.

Theodore Roosevelt wrote for the magazine, which was not one of the muckraking mags.

The Galum Postmaster: Michael Harshaw

Michael Harshaw was appointed postmaster at Galum, IL on Jan 21, 1862.  Abraham Lincoln had been postmaster some 30 years earlier and got paid about $20 a quarter.  I don't know the basis--whether it was a flat salary or based on the money the postmaster collected.

Ancestry has a some explanation . As noted, the appointment was political (remember the movie "Lincoln") which links up with grandfather's bio of Michael.

But why "Galum"?  Cutler, IL was only developed when the railroad came through, which was after 1862.  My only clue is a "Galum Church Road" which currently runs west from the Pinckneyville area towards Cutler. Today it ends in an area which was mined, but assuming it was a continuous route in 1862 it would be route 15 which runs just north of Cutler, near the original location of Michael's church.

So was Michael's church the original "Galum Church?  No, it seems there was a Galum church  founded in 1854 near Pinckneyville which burned down in 2005,but the cemetery still remains.  So where was the postoffice, near the Galum church or the Cutler church.  Not clear.

The West Pittston Library and W.R.Harshaw I

Ms Anne Barr, director of the West Pittston Library, made connections with me through this blog.  We talked on the phone today.  Briefly it seems that grandfather, William R. Harshaw, was quite involved with the library's affairs, as reflected in the minutes of the library association. She will be sharing information on his involvement with me and I will pass it on (hence the "I").

The library website also provides access to digitized copies of some issues of the Pittston Gazette.  The first mention of W.R.Harshaw is on the occasion of the first use of the new church building, February 26, 1892. He preached twice.  A mystery though--why is he described as of Columbus, Ohio?  Perhaps a correspondent's mistake, because he was of New York City then.