Gypsy Heart
Gold Member
Joe Harbour's Silver
In February 1799, Joseph purchased land in Christian County, KY and adjoining 200 acres shortly after. In 1812, he sold the land and moved farther west into Arkansas County of Missouri Territory. In 1817, the country became AR Territory, the state of Arkansas was not formed until 1836. Somewhere along the way, Joseph met up with Stephen F. Austin's second colony into Texas. It is recorded that on 25 Dec 1825, they crossed the Brazos River about 2 miles south of the present site of Old Washington, Washington County, Texas. This is where he made his home at *New Year's Creek on his seven square miles of land for the remainder of his life.
Joseph farmed and raised stock and was something of a financier. It is said that he had accumulated some money, mostly silver, and there being no banks in that part of Mexico, he buried the money or hid it in the hollow of a tree. A man by the name of **Greenwood was aware of his savings and shot Joseph for the purpose of robbing him. Joseph died a few days later on 24 Jul 1839. Greenwood was arrested and it is said, served a jail sentence for his crime. After shooting Harbour, Greenwood dug up the dirt floor of the smokehouse looking for the money but seemingly never found it nor did Joseph's family for that matter. Some neighbor boys found several hundred dollars in silver in a hollow tree on land that belonged to Harbour.
Joseph and Mary Harbour are both buried in the Harbour Cemetery in Washington County, Texas
In February 1799, Joseph purchased land in Christian County, KY and adjoining 200 acres shortly after. In 1812, he sold the land and moved farther west into Arkansas County of Missouri Territory. In 1817, the country became AR Territory, the state of Arkansas was not formed until 1836. Somewhere along the way, Joseph met up with Stephen F. Austin's second colony into Texas. It is recorded that on 25 Dec 1825, they crossed the Brazos River about 2 miles south of the present site of Old Washington, Washington County, Texas. This is where he made his home at *New Year's Creek on his seven square miles of land for the remainder of his life.
Joseph farmed and raised stock and was something of a financier. It is said that he had accumulated some money, mostly silver, and there being no banks in that part of Mexico, he buried the money or hid it in the hollow of a tree. A man by the name of **Greenwood was aware of his savings and shot Joseph for the purpose of robbing him. Joseph died a few days later on 24 Jul 1839. Greenwood was arrested and it is said, served a jail sentence for his crime. After shooting Harbour, Greenwood dug up the dirt floor of the smokehouse looking for the money but seemingly never found it nor did Joseph's family for that matter. Some neighbor boys found several hundred dollars in silver in a hollow tree on land that belonged to Harbour.
Joseph and Mary Harbour are both buried in the Harbour Cemetery in Washington County, Texas
