John Harbison and Massy White

---

---

Husband John Harbison ^{1 2}

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 1822 3
         Buried: 

       Marriage: 1787 - Brownsville, Washington Co, PA 2

---

---

Wife Massy White ^{1 4}

---

           Born: 18 Mar 1770 - Amwell Twp, Hunterdon Co, NJ 1 5
     Christened: 
           Died:  - Freeport, Armstrong Co, PA
         Buried: 

---

         Father: Edward White (      -      ) 2
         Mother: 

---

---

• Biographical Sketch: from History of Butler County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883).
To read the story of her capture by the indians and her escape, click here.

---

Children

---

1 M John Harbison ³

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Bef 1883 - Cedar Rapids, Linn Co, IA
         Buried: 

---

2 M James Harbison ³

---

           Born: Abt 1791
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Jane Waddle (      -      ) 6

---

3 F Betsey Harbison ³

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: [Unk] Simmons (      -      ) 3

---

4 F Peggy Harbison ³

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: [Unk] Taylor (      -      ) 3

---

5 M William Harbison ³

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

---

6 M Thomas Harbison ^{3 7}

---

           Born: 1798 - Armstrong Co, PA 7
     Christened: 
           Died: 30 Apr 1870 - Buffalo Twp, Butler Co, PA 7
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Jane McCurdy (      -1872) 6
           Marr: 16 May 1823 7

---

7 F Martha "Mattie" Harbison ^{2 3}

---

           Born: 1800 - near Freeport, Armstrong Co, PA 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 1882 - Wheeling, Ohio Co, WV 2
         Buried: 

         Spouse: William Wiley (1794-1869) 2
           Marr: 1817 2

---

8 F Nelly Jane Harbison ³

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 1882 - Pittsburgh, Allegheny Co, PA 3
         Buried: 

         Spouse: [Unk] Murphy (      -      ) 3

---

9 M Benjamin Harbison ³

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Aft 1883
         Buried: 

---

10 F Sina Harbison ³

---

           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: 
         Buried: 

         Spouse: [Unk] Sharp (      -      ) 3

---

---

General Notes: Husband - John Harbison

---

He was an Indian scout or spy.
Two years after marriage, he and his wife removed from Redstone Fort to the head-waters of Chartiers Creek.

He and his wife were among the first settlers of Buffalo township, Butler County, Pennsylvania. Their location was on the Weaver farm, near the county line. He participated in the Indian expedition of Gen. St. Clair under Capt. Guthrie, and was wounded on the 4th of November, 1791, when St. Clair was defeated. He built a mill on Buffalo Creek in 1807, and remained on the farm he had taken up until his death. [HBC 1883, 256]

He and his wife were the parents of eleven children, two of whom were killed before their mother's eyes by Indians. There is a well-known account of the capture by the natives of Massy Harbison and her children, and her marvelous escape from her captors.

---

General Notes: Wife - Massy White

---

She was a good rifle shot, and during attacks by the natives on the blockhouse, which was within sight of her home, she would seize her rifle and do her part in driving off the attackers.

1 —, History of Butler County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883), Pg 17.

2 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 346.

3 —, History of Butler County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883), Pg 256.

4 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 128, 346.

5 —, Commemorative Biographical Record of Washington County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: J. H. Beers & Co., 1893), Pg 128.

6 —, History of Butler County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Waterman, Watkins & Co., 1883), Pg 257.

7 —, History of Butler County, Pennsylvania (R. C. Brown & Co. Publishers, 1895), Pg 865.