Harbert Family Stories
Josiah Harbert was born in 1828 in Champaign County, Ohio, six miles from Urbana and was one of eight children of Thomas and Elizabeth (Huston) Harbert III. Josiah was the youngest son of the family, was raised on his father's farm, and was educated at the early subscription schools. After moving to Putnam County, Missouri, with his family, he became restless to continue west for adventure and riches.
In 1858, prospectors had found gold along Cherry Creek near the site of present-day Denver. This discovery also kindled Josiah Harbert's dreams of fortune. In 1859, Josiah and Martha Jane had their first child, John Thomas Harbert, and only son. Shortly after John Thomas was born, Josiah moved his family from Missouri to a prairie town called Denver in the Colorado region, crossing the plains with ox-teams and wagons. He left his parents and brothers and sisters behind as he moved westward in search of new opportunities. In the vicinity south of what is now Denver, Josiah prospected for gold and bought and improved a farm on Plum Creek and worked it for three years. In 1863, Josiah Harbert used the ox-teams and wagons again to move his family from Colorado 750 miles to Virginia City in the Rocky Mountains. Located in a rugged, scenic region, Josiah engaged in gold mining and in building residence and business houses. In addition, during lulls in mining and building activities, he undertook freighting with some measure of success. One day, Vigilantes hung five of the infamous Plummer’s gang simultaneously from a roof beam of an unfinished house that Josiah was building for another family.
| Josiah and Martha Jane had four children. They were John Thomas, Emma C., Clara (Carrie) L., and Martha Elizabeth (Lizzie). In 1876, the family made the formidable move by mule team from Montana to Los Angeles County, California. They settled in the new development called Alhambra. The Harberts "bought the corner forty acres at Boabdil and Garfield. Most of the settlers were young men starting out in life, but the Harberts were well along in the fifties, with all their children grown. The family made a splendid working unit and by their labors and fortunate rains were successful enough with their grain venture to be able to add from time to time to their acreage, and to their harvesting equipment, and to build a comfortable house. However, the Harberts were so accustomed to the wide open spaces, that they were beginning to irk with the number of newcomers." |
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Josiah was given a business opportunity to join with other powerful financiers in a strategy of land development and speculation in the nearby Arizona Territory. These entrepreneurs determined that Phoenix had the potential for significant growth with the additional ingredients of financing, cash crops, promotion, and improved transportation. Irrigated agriculture could produce commodities for export and generate development much like the Los Angeles region. At age 58, Josiah agreed to move his family to Phoenix to participate first-hand in a bold development venture. He moved to the Arizona Territory to go into business with the Arizona Improvement Company. The Arizona Improvement Company was a joint venture of California and local entrepreneurs focused on the development of Phoenix. Over the next 20 years, Josiah served as a director and stock holder in the Phoenix irrigation canals, developed and sold land, and introduced ostrich farming to Phoenix. Josiah was also credited with having set out the first orange trees in Arizona in 1888 near the Arizona Canal Falls.
Josiah and Martha Jane (Goul)
Harbert (about 1890)