The Harpers – A Family of Settlers
Early Settlers in Obion County, Tennessee
Biography Copyright 1998, Dorothy Chance

Accounts of an early wagon train arriving in Obion County from York County, SC on February 17, 1825, include the names of James Harper (probably the leader of the wagon train), his son-in-law, Samuel Hutchison, Mrs. Roseanna Harper and her son-in-law, William Hutchison.

One  account of this pioneer wagon train as later reported in the Centennial History of the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church of Troy, tells us that the train, which left York Co., SC on the week before Christmas in 1824, “consisted in the aggregate of 43 souls, white and black.”

James Harper was born April 23, 1777 in South Carolina, the grandson of William Harper who emigrated from Ireland to South Carolina in December, 1767 and the son of Benjamin Harper who accompanied his father William to the new world.

William Harper and his wife, Margaret, were among a relatively small number of multi generational families who came as a group to America from Ireland during the great Scotch Irish migrations.

Arriving aboard the ship The Earl of Donegal in Charleston Harbor on that December day in 1767 were William Harper, age 63 and his wife Margaret, age 56; Benjamin Harper, age 30 and his wife Martha, age 24 and their 4 year old son William; Robert Harper, age 25 and his wife Agnes and their 6 year old son, John; Daniel Harper, age 20; William Jr., age 18, James, age 16; John Harper, age 14 and Jane Harper, age 11.

The Harpers quickly applied for and received land grants in the the upcountry of South Carolina where they were members of the old Waxhaw Presbyterian Church.

The second generation of this family of American Harpers were occupied with the Revolutionary War and were divided in allegiance. Two of William’s sons were Tories.  Benjamin, the father of James, was a Patriot. Benjamin was married to Martha Knox, who’s father had been on board The Earl of Donegal with the Harpers when coming to America.

When their son, James, moved westward to Obion County, he also was accompanied by extended family. His daughter, Mary Harper, was married to Samuel Hutchison.  Rossana Harper was the widow of James’ brother,  Henry Harper, and her daughter Jane was married to William Hutchison.  Another of Rossana’s daughters, Mary L. Harper married James B. Hogue in Obion Co., on October 9, 1833. (Later known as “Aunt Polly Hogue,” Mary’s account of the earliest days of this community in Obion County is recounted in her obituary where she was reported as the last living survivor of the group who made the pioneer journey together.)

Another of James’ sisters, Mary, was married to John Linn.  Whether John and Mary Linn came with the wagon train or not, they were also early poineers of Obion County where John Linn’s name appears in the 1830 census as well as in the Obion County Court Records as a juror in the January term of 1834. Another Linn, Andrew, died in Obion Co. and his estate was administered by James Harper.

James and Nancy Harper had 7 children.

Thomas Johnston Harper (T. J.) b. November 29, 1810;
Benjamin Knox, b. July 31, 1812;
Martha S. Harper, b. January 13, 1815;
Mary Harper,
William Harper
Robert Harper
James B. Harper, b. February 9, 1824.

Living In Obion County, T.J. and his wife Eliza McAlister had 8 children: Benjamin Knox and his wife Margaret Elizabeth Smith also had 8 children. Martha S. and her husband, Charles McAlister had 11 children; Mary and her husband Samuel Hutchison had one daughter, Nancy, born September 18, 1837. James B. and his wife Susan B. Maupin were also among these prominent citizens leaving for us a rich heritage. The other two, William and Robert are said to have become doctors and moved on to Texas.

Another Harper found in Obion County at the time was Moses Harper, possibly the son of James, Sr’s brother William. Robert Harper shared the family prominence, but the relationship to the rest of this family is unknown to this writer.

James Harper died December 17, 1838.  He and his wife Nancy are buried in the Hogue Cemetery which is a small family cemetery about two miles north and a little west of Troy. It was unkept and overgrown in 1960 when located and visited by Turner Edward Kirkland, a descendant living in Union City.