HARPER:

Asa Harper, born in Tazwell County, Virginia (to be distinguished from Asa, born in Russell County, Virginia, son of John and Rachel (Taylor) Harper), settled on the head of Big Left Hand, in what was at that time Kanawha County, now Roane, near its boundary, between the years 1830 and 1840, lived there many years making a good farm and rearing at least three sons; such of his descendants as I have interviewed can not give us the name or family of his wife. This is the Asa Harper --fine engraver, &c. --arrested and carried before a judge sitting at Winfield, about the year 1844, to answer an indictment for counterfeiting the coin and bank notes of the money, &c.; an old citizen of Roane, born in Russell County, Virginia, son of a family well acquainted with the Harpers, says he was a boy some ten to fourteen years old and attending court with his father at Winfield at the time of Asa Harpers arraignment; that Harper made a great furore in court when told by the judge to stand up and answer "Guilty or not guilty to this indictment." Instead of answering direct, "he took from under his coat bags of the coin and stacks of new bills; throwing them on the table in presence of a thronged court room, he calmly said: 'Here's my share, judge, cover it with your larger one on which you have grown so great.' 'Sheriff, do your duty!' shouted the judge; 'take that man to jail; Harper, youre guilty of contempt of court! It is this courts order you be confined in the jail of this county to meditate on the gravity of this offense until such time as you have decided to order your action and conduct yourself with the respect due the majesty of the law and this court; at end of which time you may be again brought before this court to answer, first for this contempt.'" Most of the last of these words of the judge, Harper did not hear, nor anyone else, for the bailiffs were doing their duty and rushing Harper out; he was placed in jail at once, there to meditate and decide a course of action; but what his meditations and decision were we do not know.

The next morning after, groups of men could be seen here and there earnestly discussing; Harper was gone from the jail; where, how? who aided?

But Harpers relatives and friends were searching for newly broken ground or recently made heaps and piles for his body, believing Harper 1-ad been murdered in the night and his body hidden; for several years in succession at intervals relatives from Russell County and from Pike County, Kentucky, and elsewhere not having word from Asa alive, came to Winfield and searched for his remains. And, our informants and we here, do not assert that the Asa, subject of this sketch, is the same Asa Harper of the Winfield court story.

However, this Asa who settled in the then faraway forest at the head of Big Legt Hand, is said to have been a very skilled and beautiful engraver.

The names of the four sons of Asa Harper of Big Left Hand, are as follows:

Jordan Harper, who married Catherine, daughter of the Dodd family of Pocatalico, June 17, 1860; these raised four sons and two daughters, names and dates of birth we can give are thus: George Allen, born 1862, lives on Cotton now; Robert, 1866, lives on Cotton near George A.; James Asa, went to Kentucky some years ago; John Peter, whose residence we can not give. The names of four daughters of Jordan Harper are Malinda, Clara, Oma and Ella.

James, son of Jordan Harper, married Erslie Ann Cooper; Hezekiah, son of Jordan, married Margaret McGraw.


Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927, William H. Bishop, Esq., p. 542-543
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999