Joanna Harmon

Joanna Harmon was born September 29, 1853, in Indiana, possibly in Posey County.  She was the daughter of Wilson Harmon and Elizabeth Endicott. 

Joanna's family moved to Illinois around 1868 or 1869.  The 1870 Gallatin County, Illinois, census lists Joanna as 16 years old. 

Joanna married Ira Thomas Conger on September 28, 1876, in Gallatin County, Illinois. 

Ira Thomas Conger was born August 14, 1848, in Tennessee, possibly in Christian County.  He was the son of Elisha Conger and Jane R. (last name unknown). 

Elisha Conger was born August 28, 1820, in Smith County, Tennessee and Jane R. (last name unknown) was born January 1, 1824, in Smith County, according to some researchers.  Elisha and Jane married about 1840 and appear on the 1840 Smith County, Tennessee census.  Two of Elisha and Jane's children were born in Smith County, Tennessee before the family moved to Kentucky about 1849.  The family appears on the 1850 Christian County, Kentucky census and on the 1860, 1870 and 1880 Crittenden County, Kentucky census.  Elisha Conger died April 20, 1885, in Crittenden County.  Jane died there April 19, 1898.  According to census, their children included (1) Joshua Conger, b. abt 1843, Smith Co, TN; (2) Ira Thomas Conger, b. 1848, Smith Co, TN; (3) Lemuel P. Conger, b. abt 1851, KY; m. Sarah C. James on Sept 4, 1873, Gallatin Co, IL; (4) Peyton N. Conger, b. abt 1854, KY; (5) Malinda J. Conger, b. abt 1856, KY; (6) Sarah E. Conger, b. abt 1860, Crittenden Co, KY and (7) Emanuel S. Conger, b. abt 1866, Crittenden Co, KY. 

Ira Thomas Conger was married prior to his marriage to Joanna.  The 1870 Gallatin County, Illinois census shows Ira Thomas, 22 and Janey Conger, 18 years old.  (Some researchers say that Ira Thomas married  Mary E. Felker on December 22, 1872 in Crittenden County, Kentucky.  It is said that Mary Felker was born about 1852 and died March 24, 1874, during childbirth in Crittenden County.  We have no information concerning this marriage.)

Joanna and Ira Thomas appear to have returned to Kentucky after their marriage.  Census indicates their first child was born about 1877 in Kentucky.  The family moved to Smith County, Tennessee where they appear on the 1880 census.  The census shows Thomas, 33, a dentist, born in Tennessee, father and mother born in Tennessee; Joanna, wife, 24, born in Indiana, mother and father born in Indiana; Elisha W., son, 2, born in Kentucky and Ida B., daughter, 11 months, born in Tennessee.  (The 1900 census indicates that their third child was also born in Tennessee.  Other researchers indicate that the remainder of their children were born in Crittenden County, Kentucky.)

Joanna and Ira Thomas both died prior to 1900.  Their daughter Harriet and her family were living in the Choctaw Nation of the Indian Territory in 1900.  The 1900 census shows Harriet's  younger sister, Nora, age 11, was living with Harriet's family.

Children of Ira Thomas Conger and Joanna Harmon