Genealogy of John Harwood Pierce -- 7th American Generation

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John James Pierce
Genealogy of John Harwood Pierce: 7th Generation

John James Pierce [7th generation] was born April 14, 1801, and died (at age 69) Oct. 8, 1870. He and his descendants form the seventh American generation of Pierces in our family tree. His father was Benjamin Pierce [6th generation]. John James Pierce was the grandfather of John Harwood Pierce, who is the central focus of this Pierce family genealogy.

John James Pierce [7th generation] would have been 37 years old when his father, (Benjamin Pierce [6th generation]), began his migration from Constantia, New York to Indiana. At this time, John James was already married and living somewhere near the Green Mountains District of Vermont.

In the 1920s, when John Harwood Pierce (John James Pierce's [7th generation] grandson) wrote a brief geneology of his family tree, he recalled only that his grandparent's marriage "was consummated somewhere in the Green Mountains District" of present day Vermont. It is safe to assume that they lived in this area as well, at least in the early part of their marriage. Their seventh child, John James Pierce [8th generation] was born in Hillsboro, New Hampshire. Perhaps they resettled there later in their married life.

John James Pierce [7th generation] and his wife Fanny Harwood had nine children. In maturity, these children spread out across the American and Canadian frontiers.

As young adults, three of John and Fanny's children, Harwood Pierce, John James Pierce, [8th generation] and Julia Pierce resettled to the northern frontier in Canada. Harwood Pierce settled in Renfew, Ontario, Canada. Julia Pierce, then married to Robert Bulmer, made her home in Ross Forrester's Falls, Ontario, Canada. John James Pierce [8th generation] and his wife Almira built a home in Waltham, Province of Quebec, Canada. These homes are actually fairly close (within 100 to 200 miles) from one other and from their parent's home in or near the Green Mountains District.

According to the brief geneology that John Harwood Pierce [9th generation] wrote in the 1920s, his father, John James Pierce [8th generation] and Harwood Pierce, his uncle, left their new homes in Canada having been "called [by the Church and God] to undertake a mission to preach abolition of slavery in the Southern States." There they met "with reverees and severe violence at the hands of the Southern mobs and returned north." Harwood Pierce returned to his home in Renfew, Ontario, Canada. But, John James Pierce [8th generation] met Judge Loren T. Hill at Davenport, Iowa and, at Judge Hill's suggestion, undertook a journey to Nebraska to buy land. He purchased the old town site of Ionia for Judge Hill and sent word for his wife and daughter in Canada "to join him in the west." His wife Mary Almira and daughter Clarissa Matilda undertook the journey from Waltham, Canada to Ionia, Nebraska on foot and via ox-drawn carts. The family resettled there and built a farm. A few years later, Clarissa married Mr. Smith and made her home a few miles up river. In the 1920's, John Harwood Pierce [9th generation] wrote in his brief geneology that his father's farm in Ionia did not exist any more, that the family farm had "long since been swept into the treacherous river." He goes on to report that his father John James Pierce, [8th generation] "is buried on the hill overlooking the town of Vermillion, S.D." This would be very close to where the old farm had been before the river remade its course.

As adults, two more of John and Fanny's children, Henry Pierce, and Mary Pierce resettled in and around the Ionia, Nebraska area. Henry Pierce resettled in Elk Point, Dakota, Mary Pierce resettled very close nearby in Ionia, Nebraska. One might assume that these siblings went west to join their brother, John James Pierce [8th generation] after he helped Judge Hill purchased the old town site of Ionia.

Mary Pierce married Jonathan Curtis. Records indicate that they were in Illinois in 1861. Jonathan Curtis is known to have served in the Illinois Infantry during the Civil War. After the War, Mary and Jonathan joined their brother Henry Pierce in Elk Point, Dakota (at that time it was still part of Nebraska). Albert Curtis, their only child, was born in 1867 in Elk Point. Sometime later, the family resettled close by in Ionia, Dixon Co., Nebraska. At this time, Mary's brother John James Pierce [8th generation], his wife Mary Almira and their daughter Clarissa were also living in Ionia.

Harvey Pierce relocated to St. Louis, Missouri.

It is not known what became of John and Fanny's three remaining children: Maria, Benjamin and Emily. Perhaps they did not survive their childhoods. If they did survive, it is not known where they may have settled.

47. John James Pierce, born April 14, 1801; died (at age 69) Oct. 8, 1870.: married Fanny Harwood. Little is know concerning Fanny Harwood, except that she had a brother living at Utica N.Y. John James Pierce and Fanny Harwood Pierce had these nine children.

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Biography: Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Genealogy: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th

Send all inquiries to the author, Barbara Case, at: bcase@calstatela.edu ~ Last Updated January 10, 2013