Families is divided into 3 sections: Go to the Menu for photos and information on Siblings, Children, or Descendants
Marriages
Asa Hartshorn at age 35 married Saran A. Howes 28 September 1864 (while the Civil War was occurring). They had one child named Leonard (Lennie) born August 1866. Sarah tragically died 29 August 1866, apparently related to childbirth. If that was not enough tragedy, Lennie died 27 August 1883 at age 17 of unknown cause. Sarah was born 28 May 1836 so was age 30 at her death, and Asa was 39.
He remarried after several months on October 1, 1867 [per Obituary 1916 newspaper] to Brunette O. Morgan b, 1 February 1833 d. 29 April 1916. Brunette was 4 years younger than he, but older than was Sarah, who was 7 years younger. With Brunette, there were three children, all born in Lebanon, Madison County, NY. All three children lived through the Great Depression and WWI, and two also lived through WWII and the Korean War:
THE FAMILY THAT WAS ALMOST ERASED FOREVER (All of us) in 1708
In Haverhill MA, there was a massacre on August 29, 1708 led by the French Major De Rouville with support from Native Americans. Sixteen or more villagers were murdered and others taken prisoner. The village consisted of about 30 cottages or log cabins, with a meeting house in the center.
From [http://haverhillhistory.blogspot.com/2009/10/bloody-sunday.html] – Haverhill Massacre of 1708
“On the morning of August 29, 1708 as the village slept, a war party of about 150 French and Indians quietly slipped by the frontier garrisons toward the village. A young local named John Keezar, who was an early riser, was leading his horse from pasture and was near the pound when he spied the invading forces and raced ahead to the village firing a single musket shot to raise the alarm.”
(some gory murders took place which the author-webmaster deleted)
“A short distance west of the meetinghouse Thomas Hartshorn (our ancestor) was fatally shot along with (one) of his sons as they ran from their house to call for help. A (second) son was tomahawked as he came out of the doorway. Mrs. (Hannah) Hartshorn hid in the cellar with the rest of her children while leaving an infant son (David) in the (upstairs) bedroom for fear that its cries would give them away. The marauders overlooked the hideaway but upon finding the baby callously heaved it out of the (second story) window into a pile of shingles. The infant somehow survived the fall and was ultimately rehabilitated to complete health.”
(Several other gory murders are detailed but deleted)
[Mirack, Benjamin, The History of Haverhill, Massachusetts (1832)
http://www.archive.org/details/historyofhaverhi00miri]
“The family of Thomas Hartshorn suffered as severely as that of Mr. Rolfe. He saw a party approaching to assault his house, which stood a few rods west of the meeting-house, and escaped out of it, followed by two of his sons, to call assistance; but all three were shot dead immediately after leaving it. (The second) son was tomahawked as he was coming out at the door. Mrs. (Hannah) Hartshorn, with that presence of mind which is a characteristic of her sex, when surrounded with danger, instantly took the rest of her children — except an infant (David, 4 months old) which she left on a bed in the garret, and which she was afraid would, by its cries, betray their place of concealment, if she took it with her — through a trap-door into the cellar. The enemy entered the house, and began to plunder it, but happily did not discover them. The (Indians) went into the garret, took the infant from its bed, and threw it out at the window. It fell on a pile of clapboards, and when the action was over, it was found completely stunned (by his Grandfather, Lt. John Hartshorn). It lived, however, and became a man of uncommon stature, and of remarkable strength. His neighbors would frequently joke him, and say that the Indians stunted him when they threw him from the garret-window.*
The infant, who was our ancestor, only the 4th generation prior to Asa, lived during the Haverhill Massacre of 1708 in MA, was David Hartshorn. His father was John Jr and grandfather was named Lt. John. David grew up to be of unusual strength and stature, it is reported, despite being tossed out of a 2nd story window on August 29, 1708 at 4 months old (there is little prestige for an Indian to possess a baby’s scalp). His two older brothers were killed by the French, and both were pre-teen boys. David’s mother was Hannah Frame Hartshorn. There is murkiness in the identity of rest of the kids, but the 3 who survived were boys (not girls according to other reports) ages 3, 5, and 7 who she took into the root cellar [yielding to Hartshorn, Derick’s book]. The boys who died that day were John Ill age 12, and Thomas age 9.
[Cronan, Francis W, Red Sunday, the Saltonstalls, the Dustons, and the Fighting Ayers 1965,The Record Publishing Company, Haverhill MA 127 to 156], a very detailed account of the massacre starting with the first spotting of the Indians, the murder of a large number of citizens, and ending with attempts to follow and retrieve those who were kidnapped. Thomas Hartshorn is named on the bottom of p.133 and the story of his wife and the infant show at the top of the next page.
Factual check on Hartshorn fatalities that day (Hartshorn, Derick p.34. 60-61]
John Hartshorn, b. July 10, 1673 the GGG-Grandfather of Asa Hartshorn
John Hartshorn Jr. b. December 30, 1696 age 12
Thomas Hartshorn b. April 23, 1699 age 9
Factual check on Hartshorn survivors:
David Hartshorn b. April 29, 1708 age at the time 4 months. d. April 30, 1777 or 1778 at age 70 in New London, CT. David had 17 children!! So that confirms records showing he was of uncommon stature, and of remarkable strength.
Factual check on the children hidden in a root cellar:
Jacob age 7, Jonathan age 5, and Timothy age 3, all sheltered by their mother, Hannah.