I first came across the Harney family in the 1880 U.S. Federal Census. The family is living in Hobart, Lake County, Indiana. The household is as follows:
*Fredrick Harney - white, male, age 35, married, blacksmith, born Austria, parents born Austria/Austria
*Margaret Harney - white, female, age 38, wife, married, keeping house, has Neuralgia, born in Prussia, parents born Prussia/Prussia
*Mary Harney - white, female, age 14, daughter, single, school, born Austria, parents born Austria/Prussia
*Frank Harney - white, male, age 10, son, single, school, born Austria, parents born Austria/Prussia
*Edward Harney - white, male, age 2, son, single, born Indiana, parents born Austria/Prussia
*Frederick Harney - white, male, age 6/12, son, single, born Indiana, parents born Austria/Prussia
*George Becker - white, male, Grandfather, age 76, widowed or divorced, cannot read or write, born in Austria, parents born Austria/Austria
Based on the above information from the 1880 U.S. Census, here is what I can know:
- Fredrick Harney was born about 1845 in Austria.
- Both of Fredrick's parents were born in Austria.
- Fredrick is a blacksmith by trade.
- Margaret Harney was born about 1842 in Prussia.
- Margaret is ill with a disorder called Neuralgia, which causes pain in nerves for no reason.
- Both of Margaret's parents were born in Prussia.
- The two oldest children, Mary and Frank, were born in Austria.
- The two youngest children, Edward and Fredrick were born in Indiana.
- Based on Edward's age and place of birth, the family has been living in Indiana for at least 2 years.
- George Becker is probably Margaret's father.
Next, I found Fredrick Harney in the 1900 U.S. Federal Census in Hobart Township, Lake County, Indiana.
*Fr Harney - Dad, white, male, born Nov 1846, age 53, widowed, married 24 years, born in Germany, parents born Germany/Germany, immigrated in 1872, been in U.S. 28 years, naturalized, blacksmith
*Fred Harney - son, white, male, born Nov 1880, age 19, single, born in Indiana, parents born Germany/Germany, day laborer
*May Hemstreet - daughter, white, female, born Sep 1865, age 34, married 9 years, has 4 children, 4 children living, born in Austria, parents born Germany/Germany, immigrated in 1873, been in U.S. 27 years, naturalized
*William Hemstreet - grandson, white, male, June 1892, age 7, single, born in Illinois, parents born New York/Austria
*Frank A. Hemstreet - grandson, white, male, Apr 1894, age 6, single, born in Illinois, parents born New York/Austria
*Margaette R. Hemstreet - granddaughter, white, female, Sept 1897, age 2, single, born in Illinois, parents born New York/Austria
*Frederick E. Hemstreet - grandson, white, male, Feb 1899, age 1, single, born in Illinois, parents born New York/Austria
*M.T. Hemstreet - son in law, white, male, Apr 1864, Apr 1864, age 36, married 9 years, born in New York, parents born New York/New York, book keeper
So based on both the 1880 census and the 1900 census, here is what I can know so far:
- Fredrick Harney was born in November 1846 in Austria or Germany.
- Fredrick Harney is a blacksmith by trade.
- Fredrick Harney probably married his wife, Margaret, around 1876.
- Fredrick immigrated to the U.S. in 1872 and is naturalized.
- Frederick Harney was born in November 1880 in Indiana.
- Mary (Harney) Hemstreet was born in September 1865 in Austria.
- Mary (Harney) Hemstreet immigrated to the U.S. in 1873 and is naturalized.
- Mary (Harney) Hemstreet has four children, all of which are born in Illinois.
- Mary Hemstreet is most likely married to M.T. Hemstreet, born April 1864 in New York. The couple was probably married about 1891, possibly in Illinois.
I then began to wonder when Fredrick died. A search on Ancestry.com in the database, Indiana Deaths, 1882-1920 gave me this find:
*Frederich Harney, Sr. died on 11 Apr 1911 in Hobart at age 65.
But this still leaves me with so many other questions:
- If Fredrick really is naturalized, then where is his record?
- Where is Fredrick and Margaret's marriage record?
- Where are Fredrick and Margaret buried?
- Where are the passenger lists that list Fredrick, Margaret, and the kids?
- Where is Fredrick on the 1910 census?
- Are the rumors true that Margaret was previously married? If so, then to who?
- Did Fredrick marry a second time after the death of Margaret?
Stay tuned until next week, when I will write part two of this series of posts.
