"An Illustrated History of the Big Bend Country; Embracing Lincoln, Douglas, Adams and Franklin Counties; State of Washington". Spokane, Western Historical Publishing Company, Publishers, 1904. HANNAH J. HARTER is certainly to be commended, for she has done a praiseworthy labor in this county. She owns an estate of one-half section, three miles south from Delight. When her husband died, she had five children to care for and a homestead of one-quarter section, only five acres of which were under cultivation. Now she has three hundred and twenty acres farmed to wheat, the balance well fenced and the place supplied with all machinery and stock needed. She has recently built a fine new residence and has made all this holding by her wisdom and hard labor here on the farm. Hannah J Harter was born in Keokuk county, Iowa, on January 29, 1847. Her parents, Aaron and Hannah (Edie) Gaskill, were natives of Ohio and settled in Iowa while it was yet a territory, and there the father remained until his death. They were the parents of six children, Elizabeth, Aaron, William, Charlotte, Hannah J., and Delilah. Mrs. Harter was educated in her native place and at the age of eighteen married James Harter, a native of Franklin county, Indiana, who had come to Iowa with his parents when a boy. Mrs. Harter and her husband settled on a farm until 1877, then moved to Kansas and were glad enough one year later to come to Washington and take a homestead where she resides at the present time. The following year, Mr. Harter died and left his wife and five children. The names of the children are Joseph and Jessie in Hatton; George, farming in this county; Alice and James living with their mother. The prospects were very dark when Mr. Harter died. For a widow to be left in a new country with five children and but five acres from which to gain a living with very little other property and neighbors a long way off is something to discourage even a strong heart. But Mrs. Harter was not the kind to give up. She went to work and soon had the whole one hundred and sixty acres producing wheat. She bought another quarter section, erected the buildings mentioned, commenced raising stock, supplied the place with plenty of good water, and has made a first class success in every sense of the word. Joseph, her oldest son, is now married and dwelling in Hatton. Mrs. Harter is a member of the Christian church and a woman who receives the respect and good will of all who know her. Another item which should be mentioned is that when Mr. Harter died, he left a life insurance of two thousand dollars. This seemed as if it was a wise provision for the needy ones left behind, but an unscrupulous agent succeeded in swindling this poor widow out of the entire amount. The blow was appalling, but nothwithstanding all this, Mrs. Harter overcame all and has made the present holding by her skill, wisdom and careful industry. She certainly deserves the competence she has gathered. Submitted by: Georgia Harter Williams, georgiahw@earthlink.net