Individual Details

Family records give a birth of Stephen as 18 Apr 1779. The Mortality schedule in 1750, states that he died in Feb 1850, age 72, and was born in Virginia.

Tax lists from Lincoln Co KY
Although Stephen's father, grandfather, etc. are noted in the tax records beginning as early as 1787, Stephen first appears in 1799, recorded on 16 Jun as having one tithe over age 21, 3 horses, no land. This record places his birth as 1778 or earlier.
1800, Stephen had 44 acres on Drakes Creek, 1 tithe, 1 slave, 1 horse.
Garrard Co was formed from Lincoln in 1796, but many of the tax records seem to not indicate the change - perhaps surveys not yet done. Drakes Creek seems to have been within the bounds of Garrard.

Garrard Co Ky Tax lists:
1802 1 Jun. Stephen Harmon, 44 acres, Drakes Crk, 1 tithe, 2 horses
1803 9 Jun. Stephen Harmon, 44 acres, Drakes Crk, 1 tithe, 4 horses
1804 List 1. Stephen Harmon, 44 acres, Drakes Crk, 2 tithe, 1 slave, 4 horses
1805 List 2. Stephen Harmon, 44 acres Drakes Crk, 1 tithe, 1 slave, 4 horses
1806 List 1. Stephen Harmon, 44 acres Drakes Crk, 1 tithe, 1 slave, 4 horsus
1807 Not found
1808 Stephen Harmon, no land, 1 tithe, 2 slaves, 10 horses

Certificate #222 was granted in 1798, for granting relief to Settlers South of Green River. Stephen Harman was the assignee of William McAninch who was the assignee of Richard Brock. The land was 108 acres, survey dated 23 Aug 1799, in Pulaski Co on Fishing Creek. The grant dated 10 Feb 1809.
Certificate #222 to Richard Brock was for 130 acres, the South side of Fishing Creek, to include the improvements 11 Aug 1798. On 3 Nov 1798, Richard Brock assigned the certificate to William McAninch who assigned the same to Stephin Harman on 20 Nov 1807.
Survey was dated 23 Aug 1799 and done for William McAninch, assignee of Richard Brock, 108 acres, in Pulaski Co on fishing Creek. Begin on a beech to a May pole & white oak; thence to a beech; a white oak; a beech; a buckeye; two beeches, etc. The sketch shows an irregularly shaped track. James Hardgrove, D.S. William Daugharty and Josey Ranney were chain carriers.


Stephen may have moved to Tennessee circa 1809.

Stephen Harman is in the 1820 Monroe, MS census as is a Valentin Harman, and John Taylor, probably his brother-in-law.
Stephen is listed with 1 male under 10, 1m 10-16, 1m 16-18, 3m 16-26, and 1m age 26-45. 2 females under 10, 2f 10-16,, and 1 female age 26-45.
Valentin is listed with the note "occasionaly about" beside his name - 1 male age 16-26. [He could be a son of Stephen]
John Taylor had 1 male child under 10, 3 males 10-16, 1m 16-26, 1m 26-45; 2 females under 10, 1f 10-16, and 1f age 26-45.

1830 Census. Monroe Co, MS p.136
Stephen Harmon. 1m age 5-10, 3m age 20-30, 1 male age 50-60, 1f 10-15, 1f 15-20, 1f 20-30, 1f age 50-60. 11 slaves.

The records about his wife and child are from the Mormon records, dated 17 Dec 1845 at Nauvoo, Hancock Co, IL


The following information was furnished by Flo Dickey, of Tucson, Arizona, from 'The History of Monroe County", family 427; by Naomi and Robert Patterson.

Stephen Harmon was born in the State of Virginia on 18 April, 1779. He played a leading role in the founding and establishing of Monroe County, Mississippi. According to the documentation of George W. Howell, Jr. in the Howell Scrapbook, he was among the influential of the 'Pioneers who settled in Monroe County prior to September, 1820'. Personal Papers handed down in the family confirm this.
Stephen Harman married Lucy Joslin (she may be Nancy Lucy or Lucy Nancy or just called Lucy) on April 7, 1799, probably in Kentucky. (Florence's note: Court Document assigning her uncle William Joslin as her legal guardian, Garrard County, Kentucky, 1794, names her Lucinda).
Family records indicate that Stephen moved from Kentucky to Tennessee between 1808 and 1810 and by September, 1820 was in Monroe County, approximately 1 and 1/2 miles west of the Buttahatchie River and 1 and 1/2 miles north of Grubb Springs near a place called Mormon Springs.
In the year 1820 Stephen owned three slaves. Ten years later he owned 11 slaves and had increased his land holdings substantially. In 1839, his property was appraised at $18,900.
Stephen was on a 5 member commission appointed to organize and establish the first county government for Monroe County. He served on this committee until it was replaced in 1822 with a three member Quorum Court. After leaving this committee he was recommended to be appointed as a Justice of the Peace for Monroe County. The writers state they have found no record if he served or was ever appointed.
In 1830, Stephen was appointed along with seven other men to select a site for a permanent county seat for Monroe County. The county had been reconstituted and Lowndes County was created out of Monroe. On 3 November, 1830, Stephen and his fellow commissioners purchased the site of the town of Athens as the new site of the permanent seat of justice for Monroe County. The town of Athens was laid out by these commissioners on the 21.76 acres. Some of the streets mentioned in Athens city according to old original deeds handed down through the Harmon family (are on lots owned by Stephen Harman).
In 1831 he was appointed Overseer of the Poor." The article also mentions that Stephen Harman was known particularly for his fine riding horses. His grandson, Stephen Harman III reported that he also had a blacksmith shop.
Stephen died in his home in Monroe County, 16 February, 1850, intestate. A statement for attending to him was submitted to the Estate by Dr. Ira G. Broyles, which included 9 visits, both day and night, from December to February, 1850. The total amount was $45.50. His son, Stephen A. Harmon was appointed administrator on April 2, 1850. The appraisal included 22 slaves valued at $10,550. He owned more than 1300 acres of land when he died. See Probate Packet Number 431, Chancery Clerk of Monroe County, Mississippi.
His widow, Lucy Joslin Harman, died May 10, 1854. Neither of their grave sites is known.

If the above highlighted statement is true, the $64,000 question is where in Tennessee did Stephen Harmon live between 1808 and 1810 (and possibly longer)? If he was living in the area of Davidson and/or Wilson County (the John Hays family was living practically on the county line of those two counties), then he may very well have had contact with the Hays family, and with his younger cousin Harmon A. Hays.


Another Stephen Harmon was present in Greene Co TN - he married Sarah Luster and belongs to the Harmons from Peaked Mountain. He was born in the 1770's and went to Monroe Co, TN and then on to Independence Co, AR.
1850 Census. Washington Twp, Independence Co, AR; Hh 775/875
Stephen Harmon, age 73, Blacksmith, b. VA, with Sarah, age 70, b. VA.
Other Harmon families in the same neighborhood included Hh 873, Mosel Harmon, age 36, b. TN; Trent Harmon, age 48, blacksmith, b. TN; Peter Harmon, age 28, b. TN

Birth	1778	Virginia
Marriage	7 Apr 1799	Garrard County, Kentucky - Lucy Joshlin
Death	1850	Monroe County, Mississippi

Spouse	Lucy Joshlin (1778 - )
Child	Jane Harmon (1800 - )
Child	James Harmon (1801 - 1851)
Child	Jonathan Taylor Harmon (1803 - 1836)
Child	Israel Harmon (1805 - 1855)
Child	Sarah Harmon (1808 - 1888)
Child	Elizabeth Harmon (1810 - )
Child	Lovis Harmon (1812 - )
Child	Stephen Arthur Harmon (1815 - )
Child	Mary C. Harmon (1818 - )

Father	Israel Harmon (1754 - 1805)
Mother	Jane "Jenny" Gibson ( - 1787)
Sibling	Samuel Harmon (1780 - 1846)
Sibling	Sarah "Sally" Harmon (1782 - )
Sibling	Israel Harmon (1783 - )
Sibling	Jacob Harmon (1785 - )