Administrative Information

Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research. Researchers must register and agree to copyright and privacy laws before using this collection. Please contact Research Services staff before visiting the James Madison University Special Collections Library to use this collection.

Use Restrictions

The copyright interests in this collection have been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collection Library. For more information, contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu).

Preferred Citation

[identification of item], [box #, folder #], Marianne L. Garber Collection of Shenandoah Valley Documents, 1780-1899, SC 0138, Special Collections, Carrier Library, James Madison University, Harrisonburg, Va.

Acquisition Information

This collection was donated to Special Collections in January 1995 by Marianne L. Garber of Timberville, Virginia. According to the donor, the journal was written by William Mathias Harner of McGaheysville, Virginia, born November 24, 1823 and married January 1852.

Other Formats Available

The farm journal of William Mathias Harner has been transcribed and is in the first folder.

Processing Information

In order to streamline the process of applying collection numbers, Special Collections staff completed a large-scale renumbering campaign in the spring of 2017. This collection was previously cataloged as SC 3066.

Bio/Historical Note

William Harner was born to George and Margaret Harner on November 25, 1823. He was baptized at Peak Mountain Church on January 10, 1824. It is believed that the name Harner might have originally been Hares. He attended Peak Mountain Church, a Lutheran and Reform church all of his life. Harner was the youngest of eight children. He lived on his family's farm according to the 1850 United States census. This census places them in the 56 1/2 District in October 16, 1850.

Scope and Content

The Marianne L. Garber Collection of Shenandoah Valley Documents, 1780-1899, contains one journal written by William Mathias Harner from 1847-1861, eight legal and business documents dating from 1815- 1899, and ten land deeds and indentures dating from 1780-1887. The bulk of the documents are land deeds and miscellaneous legal and business documents for Rockingham and Shenandoah counties. Also included in the collection is a farm journal with one-line entries describing agricultural activities almost daily for most of the time period from August 1847 to May 1861.

Arrangement

The collection is arranged topically.

Index Terms

Subjects:

• Agriculture -- Virginia -- 19th century
• Debt -- Virginia
• Deeds -- Virginia -- Rockingham County
• Deeds -- Virginia -- Shenandoah County
• Farm life -- Virginia -- 19th century
• Farmers -- Virginia -- 19th century
• Frye family
• Harner, William Mathias
• Homan family
• Indentured servants -- Virginia
• L. P. Henkel & Co
• Land titles -- Registration and transfer -- Virginia -- Sources
• Land titles -- Virginia -- Sources
• Lee, Henry, 1756-1818 -- Autograph
• Linhoss family
• Pence family
• Randolph, Beverly 1754-1797 -- Autograph
• Rockingham County (Va.) -- History -- Sources
• Shenandoah County (Va.) -- History -- Sources
• Shirley, C., Major
• Virginia -- Genealogy -- Sources