Hargis, Jasper N.

HARGIS

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 6/13/2021 at 15:21:10

JASPER N. HARGIS
born July 18, 1845, MO

Jasper N. Hargis, Superintendent of the Warren county poor farm, has occupied this responsible position for six years, and in this time has proved himself to be the right man in the right place. Mr. Hargis was born in the State of Missouri, July 18, 1845, one of the twelve children of Thomas and Naomi (Barnes) Hargis, and is one of the four of this number that are now living. His father, Thomas Hargis, was a native of Kentucky, born in the year 1791, and in that State made his home until 1829, when he moved to Illinois. He was a soldier in the war of 1812 and a participant in the battle of New Orleans. After living in Illinois one year he moved to Shelby county, Indiana, at which place he made his home until 1836, when he again changed his location, this time removing to Missouri. In Missouri he spent the residue of his life, his death occurring there in 1846, at the age of fifty-five years. The whole of his active life was spent in agricultural pursuits. His wife, whose maiden name was Naomi Barnes, was born in Kentucky in 1798, daughter of Richard and Tabitha Jane (Preston) Barnes, prominent people of that State, where they resided for many years. Richard Barnes was a Baptist minister and was for sixty years engaged in the work of the Master, the most of his service being given to his native State. In many respects he was a remarkable man, and few, if any, of the pioneer ministers of Kentucky wielded a more powerful influence for good than did Richard Barnes. In early life he rendered valiant service as a Revolutionary soldier. He died at the age of eighty-five. His daughter, Mrs. Hargis died in 1857. John Hargis, the grandfather of Jasper N., was a Virginian by birth. When a young man he went to Kentucky with the noted Daniel Boone, and for many years shared with him the dangers and privations of life on the frontier. He was in many an Indian fight and had many thrilling adventures and narrow escapes. His wife, whose maiden name was Jane Pyrent, was also a native of Virginia. Tracing the history of the Hargis family still further back, we find that they originated in Wales, and at an early day had representatives in the colony of Virginia, the family for many years figuring prominently in the Old Dominion.
From this brief glance at his ancestry we turn now to a review of the life of our immediate subject, Jasper N. Hargis. The first four years of his life were spent in his native State, after which, in 1849, he came with the rest of the family to Iowa and settled in Warren county, they being among the earliest of its pioneers. Here his youthful days were spent and here he was quietly working on the farm at the time the great Civil war broke out. July 1, 1861, he enlisted as a member of Company E, Fourth Iowa Infantry, one of the first Iowa regiments to go to the front, it being under command of Colonel G. M. Dodge. They went down the Mississippi to St Louis, Missouri and the first regular engagement in which they participated was that of Pea Ridge, Arkansas in which the regiment suffered a heavy loss. Later they became a part of the Fifteenth Army Corps and took part in the first Vicksburg campaign. At Chickasaw Bayou Mr. Hargis's company and regiment lost one half their number in killed and wounded within the brief space of thirty minutes! He was at Jackson, Mississippi, at Port Gibson, and at the siege of Vicksburg. After the capture of Vicksburg the Fifteenth Army Corps started out after Johnston and followed his army to Meridian, Mississippi, from which point they retraced their way to Vicksburg, where they were given a thirty-days furlough. At this time Mr. Hargis returned home and when his furlough had expired he rejoined his command at Memphis, and went with it to Corinth and Decatur. In the spring of 1864 he re-enlisted at Woodville, Alabama and immediately after came home on a veteran furlough, rejoined Sherman's army, and was at Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain, Missionary Ridge, Taylor's Ridge, Resaca, Dalton, Kenesaw mountain, all through the Atlanta campaign, and up through the Carolinas. The last pitched battle in which he participated was that of Goldsboro, just before the surrender of Johnston. Then he went on to Washington and took part in the grand review, and July 24, 1865 was mustered out of the ranks, after an honorable service which covered a period of four years and twenty days.
Soon after his return from the war Mr. Hargis was united in marriage to Miss Mahala Van Brunt, their union being consummated October 1, 1865. Mrs. Hargis is a native Ohio. and a daughter of Samuel and Malvina (Brown) Van Brunt. Her father was born New Jersey, July 31, 1801, son of Hedrick Van Brunt, a representative of one of first families of New Jersey. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Hargis has been blessed in the birth of seven children, three of whom are deceased, those surviving being John C., Arthur C., Merton, and Anah, - all of whom are living in Lincoln township, Warren county. After his marriage Mr. Hargis settled on a farm near Carlisle, in Warren county, where he continued to reside until January 1889, at which time he was called to superintend the Warren county poor farm. Here he has faithfully discharged the varied duties, devolving upon him in a manner highly creditable to himself and to the entire satisfaction of the people of the county. Mr. Hargis is a Republican of pronounced views, is enthusiastic in the interests of his party, and takes an active part in everything pertaining to the welfare of his community. For nearly thirty years he has been an Odd Fellow in good standing, and has passed all the chairs in the subordinate lodge and served as District Deputy Grand Master. He has also for a number of years been identified with I. B. Sexton Post, G.A.R. of Carlisle. Few men in Warren county are better known or have more friends than has Jasper N Hargis. Source: A Memorial and Biographical Record of Iowa, Lewis Publishing Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1896, vol.1, p.411

History of Warren County, Iowa; Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns & Etc., by Union Historical Company, 1879, p.717
HARGIS, JASPER N., farmer and stock buyer, Allen Township, Sec. 3; P. O. Carlisle; born in Macon county, Missouri, July 18, 1845, and came to this county, with his parents, in March, 1850; was in the late war, in Co. E, 4th Iowa infantry; enlisted July 10, 1861, and was mustered out at Louisville, Kentucky, August 15, 1865, and while in the service participated in the battles of Pea Ridge, Siege of Vicksburg, Arkansas Post, Jackson, Mississippi, Sherman on his March to the Sea, and several others; October 1, 1865, he married Miss Mahala Van Brunt, a native of Ohio; they have two sons and one daughter; John C., Clayton and Martha; owns twenty-eight acres of land.