HARMON CRUM
Photograph, courtesy of
Great-Great-Great-Great Granddaughter Donna McPherson
Harmon Crum II, born in Lowndes County, Georgia, in the year 1803, to James Harmon Crum Senior and Mary Ann Porter Crum. Rhoda Jarrott Burnett was born in Irwin County Georgia, in the year 1805, to Daniel David Burnett and Hanna Gornto Burnett. Harmon met Rhoda Jarrott Burnett and they were married on October 21, 1824. Together they had eleven children together, with three of those being stillborn:
| James Burnett Crum | 10-04-1825 |
| Harmon Crum III | 11-29-1828 |
| Rhoda Jarrott Crum | 07-19-1831 |
| David Crum | 01-05-1834 |
| Daniel Jarrott Crum | 12-19-1836 |
| Hannah Elizabeth Jasper Crum | 05-24-1839 |
| Thomas Lafayette | 01-17-1842 |
| Susanna Elizabeth Crum | |
| Ben Crum | |
| Nancy Porter Crum | 1846 |
Harmon and Rhoda moved their family to Florida and settled in the area known as Summerfield-Whitesville. The exact date of his coming is not recorded, but it is of certainty that he came after Florida had been acquired. (Florida was acquired by treaty and purchase in July, 1821.) It is also certain that he was here before hostilities commenced with the Seminole nation in 1832.
Harmon is credited with being one of the first white settlers to move to this area and to civilize this land. This conclusion is based on the fact that many Indians lived in the area where he settled, and they were friendly, so much so that the Crum children learned to speak the Seminole dialect from the Indian children with whom they mingled. Harmon is listed in the book “Pioneers of Marion County” located in the Ocala Library in the Genealogical Room.
On March 17, 1845, Harmon Crum II registered for the Armed Occupation Act between 1842-1843 and received five Land Patents for a total of 359 acres of land located near 14-mile pond. A Marion County Land District Survey dated between 1832-1849 shows the location of this property as well as that of John Tompkins and 14-mile pond*. Harmon owned the property around the 10 acres that was owned by the Florida Central and Peninsula Railroad Company. However, Harmon never owned the 10 acres that is now called Crum Cemetery.
Harmon’s wife, Rhoda died between 1846 and 1850. Family Search records show that she was buried in Crum Cemetery. Harmon’s Great-Great-Great-Great Granddaughter, Donna McPherson, has confirmed that Harmon & Rhoda Crum are buried in Crum Cemetery. On May 16th, 2009, Donna and Mary Lynn McPherson visited Crum Cemetery with some of our Trustees. They pointed out the location of Harmon & Rhoda’s graves and provided additional information on three of their babies, and two of Rhoda & John Tompkins babies that are buried there. Headstones have now been placed for each of the identified graves and a historical sign has been placed at the entrance of Crum Cemetery honoring Harmon Crum. Harmon remarried sometime after 1850 to Margeann Strickland.
It is not known when, but Harmon Crum and most of his family eventually moved south to Sumterville, in Sumter County, but this was not until after the Summerfield-Whitesville community had become fairly thickly settled.
The Crum Family Farm—Sumterville
The Crum Family Home—Sumterville
The Crum Family Farm—Sumterville
Photographs, courtesy of the Florida Electronic Library
Florida Memory Project
Harmon’s oldest son, James B. Crum, stayed in Marion County and an 1850 Censes shows he was a Farmer, with a wife named Ann. It also shows one child Barb.
Rhoda Jarrott (Crum) & John Tompkins
Photograph, courtesy of
Great-Great-Great Granddaughter Donna McPherson
John Tompkins registered for the Armed Occupation Act between 1842-1843 and received and Patents for land located near 14-mile pond. A Marion County Land District Surveyed between 1832-1849 shows the location of this property Harmon’s daughter Rhoda Jarrott Crum married John Tompkins, and they stayed in the Summerfield-Whitesville area. Both Rhoda and John Tompkins are buried in Crum Cemetery. A search on Ancestery.com shows that they had nine children:
| William Tompkins | 06-06-1848 |
| Frances Candesa Tompkins | 02-13-1850 |
| John W. Tompkins | 1853 |
| Martha Ann Tompkins | 11-08-1854 |
| Rhoda Jarrott Tompkins | 10-01-1856 |
| Godfrey Tompkins | 10-12-1859 |
| Sue Tompkins | 1860 |
| John Ransome Tompkins | 06-13-1861 |
| James A Tompkins | 1867 |
| Robert Tompkins | 1869 |
Harmon’s sons Harmon Crum III, and Thomas L. Crum were both Confederate Soldiers during the American Civil War. Harmon III as a Corporal in Johnston Company from 1855-1856. Harmon III later moved to Homeland Florida, in Polk County and is buried in the Homeland Cemetery. Thomas was a Private in CO. E 10th FL Volunteer Infantry.
Harmon Crum II died in Sumterville on December 12, 1871. Family Search records show that he was buried in Crum Cemetery. There are three separate entries by two different individuals showing his burial was at Crum Cemetery. However, to date, no headstone has been located. An Ocala Star Banner newspaper article dated February 28, 1954 seems to confirm this: “But an old story persists that his widow, determined that he be interred in the old burial ground at Summerfield, started north with the body in a wagon. Reminded of the long journey and the jot weather that would hamper the success of her mission, Mrs. Crum is said to have replied: “I’ll do it, if I have to fight the buzzards every step of the way.””
Another record (unknown source) dated March 17, 1990, states “that Rhoda J. Crum Tompkins is at the cemetery near the rock quarry between Pedro and Summerfield. There look to be some graves marked only with stones near the graves of Rhoda and John Tompkins. Perhaps Harmon is buried nearby.”
*14-mile pond would have been located 14 miles from Fort King. Lake Camielia is the lake shown on the 1850 survey and is located south of SE 147 Lane, and west of SE 32 Court Road