Jeremiah Harnell, BiographyPorter County biographical sketches . . . .
Transcribed biography of Jeremiah Harnell
JEREMIAH HARNELL, deceased, one of the first merchants to locate in Valparaiso, came to the place about the year 1836, and by his honor, enterprise and pleasing manners, rapidly won the confidence, friendship and patronage of the villagers and the surrounding neighborhood. Rev. Dr. Beatty, his former pastor, at Steubenville, Ohio, mentioned him as a young man of marked ability, capable of high career in any vocation he might prefer. He chose the activity of mercantile pursuits, although of fine literary tastes and scholastic habits, delighting always to spend leisure hours with books and pen. A fine orator, he was often called to assist the temperance work, political campaigns, and on all other occasions requiring intelligence and fine address. In the year 1838, he represented the counties of Porter and Lake in the State Legislature, and had he lived, would have been selected for the occupancy of still higher offices of trust and importance. A few years after his arrival, he married Miss B. E. Cowan, an estimable and attractive young lady, who some time previous, had removed from Romney, Hampshire Co., Va., to Southern Indiana, and one of the original members of the Presbyterian Church, of Valparaiso. With her he enjoyed happy years of home life, and the generous and pleasant hospitalities they conferred upon friends, will be remembered by many who were guests at their table and fireside. When death called the noble husband and father, a universal sympathy and grief were felt; the loss being one to a community as well as to the shadowed household. And now, although time has planted the mosses of many a summer upon his grave, the name of Mr. Hamell is one recalled; his gifts and virtues frequently recounted and absent, he is still unforgotten. Rev J. C. Brown, D. D., the beloved and lamented first pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Valparaiso, was his warm friend and admirer, referring to him ever as a gentleman of culture, usefulness, piety and public spirit, of unusually fine personal appearance, and remarkable social qualities. It is said that as a brilliant conversationalist he was unsurpassed, being able to discuss topics of the day at his storeroom while busily engaged in posting his ledgers. In sermons preached specially to young men of the town, Mr. Hamell was suggested for their imitation as a type of what one could accomplish by his own unaided effort in obtaining position in society, education, success in business, and what is above all, a name so noble as to become a cherished legacy. Such to his family and friends is that of Jeremiah Hamell, and this little tribute is placed to his memory with the tenderness with which loving hands garland a tomb.
Source: Goodspeed, Weston A., and Charles Blanchard. 1882. Counties of Porter and Lake, Indiana: Historical and Biographical, Illustrated. Chicago, Illinois: F. A. Battey & Company. 771 p.
Page(s) in Source: 247
This biography has been transcribed exactly as it was originally published in the source. Please note that we do not provide photocopies or digital scans of biographies appearing on this website.
Biography transcribed by Steven R. Shook