Harper - Alexander C.
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 22 May 1896
When business men were returning to their labors Wednesday
noon they were greatly shocked and surprised to learn that ‘Squire Harper was dead. Peacefully he passed away as the hands of
the clock on the mantle marked half past twelve. For some days he had been
complaining, having suffered first from a congestion of the lungs. This was
followed by heart failure, which gave the attending physician grave fears. In
the morning he appeared better, his face had assumed a healthy glow and at noon
he ate a hearty dinner. Soon afterward he gave signs of being greatly
distressed and could hardly breathe. Rapidly he grew worse and in a few moments
lay cold in death. The physician had been hastily summoned but before he
reached the bedside ‘Squire Harper was no more forever.
Mr. Harper was born near Chillicothe , Ohio Montgomery County
in 1830 and settled in Sugar
Creek Township Franklin Township Darlington , until 1862. For six years he was in the
mercantile business in Darlington with good
success. About 1870 he became one of the directors of the Vandalia Railway
Company, and did much to secure the right of way of the “Old Pumpkinvine” as it
was then called. He then entered into the contracting business, but
unfortunately lost more than $15,000, not getting pay for work he had done. He
continued in the work of contracting for twelve years. He served as Justice of
the Peace and then Trustee of Franklin Township continuously for twenty years.
In 1879 he moved to Crawfordsville and in 1882 was elected Sheriff of the
county. He was re-elected in 1884, holding the office for four years. During
Mr. Harper’s time occurred the only executions ever held in Montgomery County
Mr. Harper was married in May, 1856, to Miss Elenor Miller.
She died about one year afterward. In 1859 he was a second time to Miss Harriet
Flannigan who now survives him. Their family consisted of two daughters, one of
whom is Mrs. Julia Cox, of near Darlington ,
the other is yet unmarried.
Mr. Harper was a member of the Masonic Lodge at Darlington .
He had passed the Masonic work in lodge and chapter, passed
all the chairs, presiding in the east in the Blue Lodge for years. He still
held his membership at Darlington . He was
elected Master in 1866 and was repeatedly re-elected. He was a member of Darlington
Lodge, No. 186; Crawfordsville Chapter, No. 84; Council, No. 30; and Athens
Chapter, No. 96, of the Eastern Star.
Mr. Harper inherited the large, powerful frame of his
grandfather and united physical and mental strength to a degree that made him a
man whom any city might have been glad and proud to count among its prominent
men. Crawfordsville is ever ready to appreciate and acknowledge worth and she
found this most truly in Mr. Harper.
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday 22 May 1896
(diff section)
The funeral services of the late ‘Squire Harper occurred at the residence today at 11 o’clock. The
services were conducted by Rev. Williamson. After the services at the house,
the funeral procession was in charge of Major Foote, as chief marshal, and at
about 12, noon, preceded to Darlington where
the body was interred. The Masonic Lodge at Darlington
of which Mr. Harper has been a member for years, conducted the services there.