George Washington Harnish (1881-1958) and his wife, Maud Maynard (1881-1925)

George Washington Harnish and Maud (Maynard) Harnish

George Washington Harnish was born 11 September 1881 in Dunkirk, Jay Co., Indiana.  His parents were Joseph Allen Harness and Huldah Harness.  It is not known why George changed his last name to Harnish, but the name is found both as Harnish and Harness in earlier generations.

George was named in court documents dated 23 June 1891 as an heir to the estate of Joseph W. Harness.  George was Joseph's nephew.

In 1899, George was listed (as George Harness) in probate documents related to the estate of his maternal grandmother, Malinda J. (Andrews) Harness.

So far, I have not found George on the 1900 census.  According to a family story, George met Maud Maynard when he was a boarder in her parents' home.  I have found Maud's family on the 1900 census; they were living in Monroe Township, Madison Co., Indiana.  However, George is not listed on the census with them.

Maud Maynard was born 5 March 1881 in Anderson, Madison Co., Indiana.  Her parents were John Albert Maynard and Rosa Belle Nealis.  Maud was a Quaker and a member of the Vermillion Friends Church from about the age of 12 years.

Maud Maynard

Maud and George were married 22 February 1903, probably in Alexandria, Indiana, though it is possible the marriage took place in Anderson.  The marriage is found listed in a variety of marriage indexes and other secondary sources in Madison Co., Indiana, but the actual marriage license has not been found. There are many Madison Co. marriage records that were destroyed, so this one might be among those.

Over the years, George worked at a number of occupations including farmer, carpenter, glass worker, and paper cutter in a paper mill.

Maud and George had the following known children:
     Thelma Bell Harnish, born 21 March 1904 in Alexandria, Madison Co., Indiana;
     Alma Lucile Harnish, born 1 June 1907 in Madison Co., Indiana;
     Otis Byrl Harnish, born 7 November 1909 in Alexandria, Madison Co., Indiana;
     Dollie Faye Harnish, born 16 May 1915 in Alexandria, Madison Co., Indiana.
There may have been another daughter who died as an infant. The Madison Co., Indiana birth indexes show a daughter born to George and Maud on 14 January 1906 who is not named on the index.

The family is found on the 1910 census in Ward 1, Alexandria, Madison Co., Indiana.  The household lists: George age 28; Maude age 29; Thelma B. age 6; Alma L age 2; and Otis B age 5 months.



The 1920 census shows the family in Ward 2, Alexandria, Madison Co., Indiana.  The household consisted of:  George age 38; Maude age 38; Thelma age 15; Alma age 12; Byrl age 10; Dolly Fay age 4 years 8 months.



In February 1923, the family was living at 1202 S. Harrison St., Alexandria.  On 8 February 1923, their daughter, Thelma, married Boyd P. Duncan in Alexandria.

Thelma and Alma Harnish

Thelma, Alma, Byrl, and Dollie Harnish

 On 2 February 1925, Maud (Maynard) Harnish died at her home on Harrison Street in Alexandria.  She was 43 years old.  Her obituary, dated 03 Feb 1925 and published in  an unnamed paper from Alexandria, Madison Co., Indiana, reads as follows:

"MRS. M. HARNISH PASSES AWAY AT 12:30 A.M. TODAY -- Mrs. Maude Harnish, aged 44 years, wife of George Harnish of 1202 South Harrison Street, passed away at the family home at 12:30 a.m. today, following a lingering illness of complications.  Mrs. Harnish was very well known in this community, where she had lived for the past several years.  She is survived by the husband and several children.  Funeral arrangements have not been completed.  Surviving are the following children:  Mrs. Thelma Duncan, of this city; Alma, Byrl, and Dolly Fay Harnish, at home; one grandchild; four sisters, Mrs. Stella Marsh, Mrs. Pearl Kitterman, Mrs. Dollie Larmore, and Miss Cecil Maynard, all of this community; one brother, Barney Maynard, of this city.   Mrs. Harnish was a member of the Vermillion Friends church, having affiliated when she was 12 years of age.  She has been ill for the past five years, and would have been 44 years of age the 5th day of this month." 

Maud  was buried at Parkview Cemetery, Alexandria, Indiana.

I have not found the family on the 1930 census,  but in February 1926, they were still living in Alexandria.  At that time, daughter, Alma, was seriously injured in an automobile accident.  Newspaper articles indicate that George filed suit for damages against the truck driver involved in the wreck.  The suit dragged on for several years, and by 1928, George was living in Anderson, according to newspaper stories about the suit.

On 22 October 1927, daughter Alma married Earl Leonard Kennedy in Indianapolis, Indiana.

On 9 March 1929, son Byrl married Nellie Alice Mae Osborne in Delaware Co., Indiana.

On 30 September 1933, daughter Dollie married Carl Detrich in Muncie, Delaware Co., Indiana.

According to the 1940 census, George was living with his son, Byrl and Byrl's wife, Nellie, in Mt. Pleasant Township, Delaware Co., Indiana.  Byrl was working as a "gear cutter" in the automobile industry.  George was working as a carpenter.

By July 1955, George was living with his daughter, Alma, and her husband, Earl, at 702 Milton Avenue, Anderson, Indiana.

George Washington Harnish died at 702 Milton Avenue, Anderson, Indiana, on 7 March 1958.  He was 76 years old.  An obituary was published in the Alexandria newspaper on 10 March 1958:

"Funeral services for George Washington Harnish were held at 2 p.m. today at the Vermillion Friends Church with the Rev. Raymond Breaker, pastor of the Friends Church in Anderson, officiating.  Burial was in Parkview Cemetery in Alexandria.    Mr. Harnish died at 5:40 P.M. Friday at the home of a daughter, Mrs. Alma Kennedy, 702 Milton Ave., Anderson, following an eight month illness.  He was born 9-11-1881 in Dunkirk, the son of Joseph & Hulda Harnish.  He was married to Maude Maynard on 2-22-1903 in Alexandria.  She died in 1925.    He was a member of the Vermillion Friends Church & A.F.L. Carpenter's Local in Anderson.  He was employed by paper mills and as a glass worker.  Survivors include a son, Burl, Orlando, Fla., three daughters: Mrs. Kennedy, Dolly Brown, Peru, & Thelma Taylor, Indianapolis.  Three brothers, Earl & Emory, Dunkirk, and Ethel Ashley, Ft. Wayne and grandchildren.  Body to Davis Funeral Home and returned to Kennedy home in Anderson preceding funeral."

He was buried next to Maud in Parkview Cemetery, Alexandria, Indiana.

George W. Harnish

George W. Harnish

I would like to thank my sister and my parents for their research on George and Maud.  Much of the information I have on the Harnish family comes from their work.

The following descendant chart does not list individuals still living:

George Washington Harnish, b. 11 Sep 1881 at Dunkirk, Jay Co., IN, d. 7 Mar 1958 at Anderson, Madison Co., IN

+Maud Maynard, b. 5 Mar 1881 at Anderson, Madison Co., IN, m. 22 Feb 1903 at Alexandria or Anderson, Madison Co., IN, d. 2 Feb 1925 at Alexandria, Madison Co., IN

├── Thelma Bell Harnish, b. 21 Mar 1904 at Alexandria, Madison Co., IN, d. 24 Aug 1961 at Muncie, Delaware Co., IN

│   +Boyd Pinkie Duncan, b. 27 Sep 1897 at Monroe Twp., Madison Co., IN, m. 8 Feb 1923 at Alexandria, Madison Co., IN, d. 26 Jan 1960 at Seattle, King Co., WA

│   ├── Carita Belle Duncan, b. 20 Mar 1923 at Alexandria, Madison Co., IN, d. 10 Feb 2011 at Garden City, Nassau Co., NY

│   │   +Hugh Upton Shockley, b. 31 Jan 1920 at Brookhaven, Long Island, NY, m. 20 Jun 1942 at Bexar Co., TX, d. 30 Aug 1996 at Aurora, Arapahoe Co., CO

│   │   +Steven Horvath, b. 10 Jan 1924 at Northampton, PA, m. 30 Jun 1951 at Allentown, Lehigh Co., PA, d. 12 Dec 1989 at Stewart Manor, Long Island, NY

│   ├── descendant is still living

│   └── Armin Keith Duncan, b. 26 May 1930 at Alexandria, Monroe Twp., Madison Co., IN, d. 25 Aug 1996 at Muncie, Delaware Co., IN

│       +Carmen Joan Charlton, b. 27 Aug 1931 at Muncie, Delaware Co., IN, m. 13 Mar 1949 at Henry Co., IN, d. 14 Aug 2004 at Muncie, Delaware Co., IN

│   +Harold Lee Taylor, b. 14 Jun 1903 at Muncie, Delaware Co., IN, m. circa 1932, d. 1 Jul 1956 at Orlando, Orange Co., FL

├── (--?--) Harnish, b. 14 Jan 1906 at Madison Co., IN

├── Alma Lucile Harnish, b. 1 Jun 1907 at Madison Co., IN, d. Jan 1978 at Anderson, Madison Co., IN

│   +Earl Kennedy, b. 30 Apr 1900 at Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN, m. 22 Oct 1927 at Indianapolis, Marion Co., IN, d. 18 May 1966 at Anderson, Madison Co., IN

├── Otis Burl Harnish, b. 7 Nov 1909 at Alexandria, Madison Co., IN, d. 11 Mar 1974 at Apopka, Orange Co., FL

│   +Nellie Alice Mae Osborne d. 1980

│   ├── Byrl Leonard Harnish, b. 2 Feb 1930 at Winamac, Pulaski Co., IN, d. 25 Jul 1990 at Mission, Hildalgo Co., TX

│   │   +Phyllis Eldora Hoskins, b. 22 May 1931 at Wetzel Co., WV, m. 11 Mar 1950, d. 20 Jul 1978 at Ft. Hood, Bell Co., TX

│   ├── Sara Jo Harnish, b. 15 Nov 1936 at Cammack, Delaware Co., IN, d. 1 Feb 2011 at Muncie, Delaware Co., IN

│   +Martha Lucille Duke, b. 13 Feb 1916 at Muncie, Delaware Co., IN, m. 23 Jul 1952, d. 5 Jun 2006 at Sarasota, Sarasota Co., FL

└── Dollie Faye Harnish, b. 16 May 1915 at Alexandria, Madison Co., IN, d. 13 Jun 1994 at Carrollton, Carroll Co., GA

    +Carl Detrich

    └── Carol Jane Detrich, b. 15 Jul 1937 at IN, d. 29 Jul 1994 at Carroll Co., GA

        +William Lee Wolfe, b. 1936, d. 1996