Harrison Co., IA by Harrison Co., IA Historical Society - 1981

HARMON LANCE PIERCE
Harmon Lance Pierce, was born on December 18, 1852, in Iowa county, Wisconsin, son of 
Philetus and Louisa (Noyes) Pierce, natives of Illinois and Ohio respectively, who, shortly after 
marriage became pioneers in Wisconsin.  They came to Little Sioux in 1860, owning and 
operating a farm located four miles southwest of the town.  Harmon L. Pierce was one of a family 
of 15 children, being the second in order of birth.  He remained under the parental roof until the 
time of his marriage.
On December 22, 1972, he led to the alter Laura Mae Farber, born May 30, 1853, to Geroge and 
Sarah (Walsh) Farber of Illinois.  She was one of a family of eight children, the family coming to 
Harrison County in 1870.  Harmon worked at farm labor but later mastered the carpenter's trade, 
at which he worked until 1885.  He then went into the pump and windmill business and 
succeeded so well in this undertaking that three years later he added a line of farm implements.  
Again in 1900 Mr. Pierce branched out in the line of hardware and opened up a tin shop.  Another 
unusual venture of Harmon's  was a pigeon ranch.  He raised squabs for the market and shipped 
about 8,000 birds annually to Chicago.  He had a line of full-blooded birds of the Homer and 
Carneaux breeds.
Harmon and Laura were the parents of two daughtes: Jessie, wife of Hill Hollins and mother of 
two sons, Loren and Byron. Sadie, wife of Newton --------  
Mr. Pierce as descended from sterling English and German stock and combined in his personality 
many of the admirable traits of both nationalities.