John Tharp (1751-1819)

John Tharp was born April 28, 1751, in Somerset, NJ. It is believed his father's name was John; his mother was Margaret Elizabeth Frezier.

He served in the Revolutionary War (click for details)

John Tharp married January 27, 1782, in Mendham, Morris Co., NJ, Hannah Hurin. Hannah Tharp was the daughter of Seth Mehurin and Mary Hazen of Dedham, MA, and later of Morris Co., NJ. The Tharps lived with John's brother Peter in Marlborough, Ulster Co., NY, from after the War until 1788. Leaving NY in 1788, he arrived at Maysville, KY, in 1789, and by 1790 was in the first distribution of lots in Losantiville (Cincinnati), OH. He was in charge of materials during the erection of Fort Washington, and moved his family there when it was finished. In 1797, he bought land in Lebanon, OH.

"The History of Warren County, Ohio" (Chicago: W. H. Beers & Co., 1882) provides the following information on John Tharp:

John and Silas Hurin settled in Turtle Creek Twp. near the end of the eighteenth century (p. 438). Silas Hurin was one of the original proprietors of the lands on which Lebanon, Ohio, is built, and also erected the second house built in the town. About 1800, the brothers-in-law, John and Silas, became the joint owners of the west half of Section 35, upon which the southeast part of Lebanon stands.

John settled in Lebanon in abt. 1804. (pp. 449-451).

p. 279:
First Jail. —Before the seat of justice was permanently located, the County Commissioners did not feel justified in erecting any permanent public buildings. At their first meeting, however, June 11, 1804, they decided to erect a temporary jail, and agreed upon the plan of the building. On September 14, the contract for its construction was let to John Tharp for $275, and on the 30th of November, 1804, the Commissioners accepted the building completed. This, the first county building of Warren County, stood on the northwest lot of the public square of Lebanon.

John Tharp was also one of the founders of Lebanon and of its Presbyterian Church (p. 495):

The first meeting-house erected by the society was a commodious brick edifice and was completed about 1817. John Tharp, a member of the church, was most active and efficient in the work of soliciting subscriptions and overseeing the building of the church. notwithstanding his age, he traveled over the whole town and surrounding country, and with great energy and perseverance procured the means for erecting the building. In soliciting subscriptions, he gave assurances that the seats in the new church would be free to all; but a few years after its completion, the church resolved to sell the pews in order to raise money to support the society. The resolution was carried against the strenuous opposition of John Tharp. When the pews were sold, he refused to purchase one and also resolved not to be deprived of his right to a seat. He was a large and fleshy man and brought his large arm-chair into the church, placed it in an aisle and there sat during public service. He made no other opposition to the measure, but his course proved effectual. The plan of selling pews was abandoned and has never been again attempted in any church in Lebanon from that day to this, but in all the places of worship the seats have been free.

The following are the descendants of John and Hannah Tharp.

Generation No. 1

1. JOHN2 THARP (JOHN(?)1) was born 28 April 1751 in Somerset Co., New Jersey, and died 19 March 1819 in Lebanon, Warren Co., Ohio. He married HANNAH HURIN 27 January 1782 in Mendham, Morris Co., New Jersey, daughter of SETH MAHURIN and MARY HAZEN. She was born 04 February 1754 in Morris Co., New Jersey, and died 29 November 1841 in Turtle Creek Twp., Warren Co., Ohio.

<> Children of JOHN THARP and HANNAH HURIN are:
2. i. ELIZABETH3 THARP, b. 27 October 1783, Marlborough, Ulster Co., New York; d. 15 May 1850, Turtle Creek Twp., Warren Co., Ohio.

ii. HURIN THARP, b. 25 June 1786, Marlborough, Ulster Co., New York; d. 06 September 1786, Marlborough, Ulster Co., New York.

iii. SON THARP, b. 12 December 1787, Marlborough, Ulster Co., New York; d. 12 December 1787, Marlborough, Ulster Co., New York.

iv. MARY THARP, b. 27 July 1789, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio; d. 04 March 1791, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio.

3. v. THALIA THARP, b. 21 October 1792, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio; d. 09 May 1860, Cynthian Twp., Shelby Co., Ohio.

vi. SON THARP, b. 26 April 1796, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio; d. 26 April 1796, Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio.

Generation No. 2

2. ELIZABETH3 THARP (JOHN2, JOHN(?)1) was born 27 October 1783 in Marlborough, Ulster Co., New York, and died 15 May 1850 in Turtle Creek Twp., Warren Co., Ohio. She married SAMUEL SERING, JR. 20 October 1802 in Lebanon, Ohio. He was born 17 August 1781 in Westmoreland Co., Pennsylvania, and died 01 October 1851 in Franklin Co., Indiana.

<> Children of ELIZABETH THARP and SAMUEL SERING are:
4. i. JOHN CYRUS4 SERING, b. 05 January 1809, Ohio; d. 03 November 1895, Franklin Co., Indiana.

ii. SILAS SERING.

3. THALIA3 THARP (JOHN2, JOHN(?)1) was born 21 October 1792 in Cincinnati, Hamilton Co., Ohio, and died 09 May 1860 in Cynthian Twp., Shelby Co., Ohio. She married ROBERT PORTER 30 June 1810 in Warren Co., Ohio, son of WILLIAM? PORTER. He was born Abt. 1785 in Ireland, and died 16 October 1858 in Cynthian Twp., Shelby Co., Ohio.

<> Children of THALIA THARP and ROBERT PORTER are:
5. i. WILLIAM THARP4 PORTER, b. Abt. 1812, Ohio; d. 04 April 1886, Glencoe, McLeod Co., Minnesota.

ii. MARGARET JANE "JANE" PORTER, b. Abt. 1815.

6. iii. HANNAH MARIA PORTER, b. Abt. 1822, Ohio.

Generation No. 3

4. JOHN CYRUS4 SERING (ELIZABETH3 THARP, JOHN2, JOHN(?)1) was born 05 January 1809 in Ohio, and died 03 November 1895 in Franklin Co., Indiana. He married ELIZA JANE HARDY 20 August 1840 in Franklin Co., Indiana. She was born 02 May 1822 in Indiana, and died 20 February 1889 in Franklin Co., Indiana.

<> Child of JOHN SERING and ELIZA HARDY is:
i. MARY5 SERING, b. 20 March 1843, Franklin Co., Indiana; d. 21 September 1916, Thorntown, Indiana; m. EZEKIEL ROSS JACQUES, 26 November 1862, Brookville, Indiana; b. 24 March 1841, Franklin Co. or Butler Co., Ohio; d. 10 February 1913, Thorntown, Indiana.

5. WILLIAM THARP4 PORTER (THALIA3 THARP, JOHN2, JOHN(?)1) was born Abt. 1812 in Ohio, and died 04 April 1886 in Glencoe, McLeod Co., Minnesota. He married (1) EUNICE CATHERINE MURDOCK 29 May 1836 in Montgomery Co., Ohio, daughter of _____ MURDOCK and MARY DARROW. She was born Abt. 1819, and died 15 August 1849 in Cynthian Township, Shelby Co., Ohio. He married (2) REBECCA J. MCCINTOCK 22 March 1855 in Shelby Co., Ohio. She was born Abt. 1825 in Ohio. <>

Children of WILLIAM PORTER and EUNICE MURDOCK are:
i. MARY LOUISA5 PORTER, b. Abt. 1839, Turtle Creek Twp., Warren Co., Ohio; d. 17 March 1842, Turtle Creek Twp., Warren Co., Ohio.

ii. HARRIET LUCRETIA PORTER, b. Abt. 1844; d. Fredonia, Wilson Co., Kansas; m. _____ ARMSTRONG.

iii. CELIA MARIA PORTER, b. 11 August 1845, Lebanon, Warren Co., Ohio; d. 01 November 1925, Washington, D.C.; m. CHARLES HENRY VAN ALSTINE, 09 August 1866, Kankakee, Kankakee Co., Illinois; b. 08 September 1841, Jonesville, Hillsdale Co., Michigan; d. 16 August 1917, Center Twp., Fredonia, Wilson Co., Kansas.

iv. CATHERINE E. PORTER, b. December 1847, Ohio; d. Bef. 06 May 1910; m. HARVEY G. WOODRING, Abt. 1871, prob. Minnesota; b. March 1848, Ohio; d. Aft. 29 January 1920.

6. HANNAH MARIA4 PORTER (THALIA3 THARP, JOHN2, JOHN(?)1) was born Abt. 1822 in Ohio. She married SAMUEL LEIGHTY, JR. 06 November 1851 in Shelby Co., Ohio, son of SAMUEL LEIGHTY and SUSANNA _____. He was born Abt. 1825 in Ohio. <>

Children of HANNAH PORTER and SAMUEL LEIGHTY are:
i. WILLIAM5 LEIGHTY, b. Abt. 1846, Ohio.

ii. THALLIA LEIGHTY, b. Abt. 1852, 0hio.

FOOTNOTES: [a place to add additional information that you might want to submit]

This page created 10 May 2005 and last updated 2 April, 2014
© 2005-2006  Arne H Trelvik  All rights reserved