Transcribed from "An Illustrated History of The Big Bend Country, embracing
Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin counties, State of Washington",
published by Western Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
HERMAN F. HARMS is a popular
and respected man of Lincoln county. His estate of one section lies
seven miles north from Almira and is made valuable and beautiful by having
all kinds of improvements necessary on a first class farm and his residence
is as fine as can be found in this portion of the country.
Mr. Harms has his place well provided with
all sorts of machinery, plenty of horses and cattle, and he is a progressive
and up to date farmer who enjoys life as well as makes money. Herman
F. Harms was born in Lee county, Illinois, on April 14, 1860, being the
son of Anton W. and Anna (Heckter) Harms, natives of Germany. He
came to this country when a young lad and was married in Missouri, and
in his early manhood settled on a farm in Illinois, where he was one of
the prominent and wealthy men in his section. Our subject studied
in the district schools, then took a course in the Sterling business college,
after which he accepted a position as salesman in a department store.
In 1883, we find him in Colorado exploring, then again he took a position
as salesman. It was 1887 that he came to Washington and after spending
one year in traveling around settled on his present estate, in 1888.
He secured land by government rights and then purchased enough to make
one section.
In 1900, Mr. Harmes married Miss Lizzie Crossgrove
and to them one child has been born, Eugene L. Mrs. Harms' parents,
John and Rachel (Deets) Crossgrove, were natives of Ohio and Germany respectively.
They were married in Ohio, in 1867, migrated to Missouri in 1869, and are
now prominent and well-to-do farmers there. The father's parents
were early pioneers to Holmes county, Ohio, and followed farming.
Mrs. Harms has two brothers, Jacob F. and William L.
The brothers and sisters of our subject were
George A., a prominent and well-to-do farmer of Illinois; Anton W., a farmer
in Illinois; Augusta K., an accomplished musician; Mrs. Theresa S. Jurgens;
Mrs. Helen Braner; Mrs. Lizette Sartorious, living in Florida; Mrs. Amelia
Freeze; and Mrs. Frederica Miller, both deceased.
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