Philip HARSH
- Born: 1798, Oppenheim, Germany
- Marriage (1): Magdalena KEHLER
- Died: 1871, Nashville, TN at age 73
General Notes:
Philip was born in Oppenheim near Frankfurt in 1797. His father Harsh von Oppenheim was a barrel manufacturer and was very prominent. His father married the sister of Field Marshal Michele Ney, one of Napolean's Generals. Marshall Ney was eventually executed in 1815, but rumors exist about his survival and move to North Carolina.
When Philip was about 12 or 13, Marshall Ney talked his sister into letting Philip come along on the campaign to Russia. Philip went with the army of 600,000 and walked all the way back from Moscow with the 200,000 survivors. In Moscow he was hit by a burning timber and carried this scar throughout his life.
The story of this is in cousin Minnie Long's Rutherford, Harsh and related families. ABC Jr. has a copy. This has a whole section on Philip Harsh.
Shortly after returning from Russia, he was skating with his younger brother and two friends on the Rhine. The two friends fell through and drowned. As their father had forbidden skating due to thin ice, Philip and his brother were severely flogged. From mortification and distress the boys ran away from home, following the Rhine down to its junction with the Marne and then on to Paris. There the boys were separated. The younger boy was later heard of as a wealthy and broad minded philanthropist.
Philip immigrated to America to the region of Harrisburg. There he courted Madalena Kaehler, daughter of a harness maker. He returned to Germany to get his MD, then back to PA to marry Madalena, then to Tennessee. It is said he got the MD to become acceptable so that Madalena's father would approve the marriage.
George was the third child.
Some relatives have traveled in Oppenheim but have not turned up any new information.
--Invalid Dates
Burial: City Cemetary, Nashville
Died when thrown from his carriage, pierced lung.
Noted events in his life were:
• Occupation: Medical Doctor.
• Education: Leipzig.
• Religion: Lutheran.
Philip married Magdalena KEHLER, daughter of George KEHLER and Unknown. (Magdalena KEHLER was born in 1802 in Pottsville PA, died in 1882 in Nashville TN and was buried in Nashville Cemetary, with husband.)
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