ISAAC HARTER
10th NY Heavy Artilley
Contributed by BetteJo Hall-Caldwell
Veteran of 1861
Herkimer Citizen, December 19,1905
Served His Country Well and Is Now Serving Town and County Well.
Sketch of the Life of Isaac Harter, Artisan, Soldier, Post Commander, Town Assessor and Court Crier - A Busy Life Well Spent.
Every person who has attended Court in Herkimer during the past ten years will instantly recognize the picture in this column as the gray-haired veteran whose stenatorian tones of "Hear Ye, Hear Ye" are heard at the opening and closing of every session of Court. The gentleman is Isaac Harter, a native of Herkimer where he was born Oct. 8, 1838,
and where his whole life was spent except about twelve years when he resided in Jefferson county prior to 1860. Mr. Harter is a carpenter by occupation and has worked at his trade for fifty years. In the days which tried men's souls he was one of the first to respond to his country's call and enlisted August 8, 1862, in Co. C. Tenth New York Heavy Artillery, and served all through the war, being honorably discharged in July, 1865. Mr. Harter participated in the battle of Cold Harbor, Winchester, Fishers Hill, Cedar Creek, and all of the battles around Petersburg.
He was one of the organizers of Aaron Helmer Post, G.A.R., of this village and has held every office in the Post, being elected Commander for fourteen years continuously, and at the last Post election he positively declined a re-election and is now once more a private in the ranks. He is serving his third term as town assessor, and makes a fair and just official, using his very best judgment and the experience of years in fixing the value of assessable property.
In November, 1895, upon the death of John Hudd, who then held the office, he was appointed Court Crier by Judge Sheldon, re-appointed by Judge Devendorf when he took office January 1,1896, and upon the Judge's re-election he was re-appointed January 1, 1902, which position he still retains.
Mr. Harter is the father of six children, four of whom reside in Herkimer, his eldest son, ex-Alderman Eugene W. Harter, being in charge of the plating department of H. M. Quackenbush air gun factory, and another son, Ernest, being employed in the same factory.
Like all the men who took their lives in their hands and went to the front in the dark days of the rebellion Comrade Harter is held in the highest esteem by his neighbors and fellow citizens in old Herkimer.