Harvey Day Pearson was one of at least three children of Jesse Pearson (1742-1790) and Sarah Elizabeth Harvey (abt. 1750-1786). His parents lived and died in Spartanburg County, SC. Jesse was born in Perquimans County NC and Sarah Harvey in Spartanburg SC. Two of Harvey's known siblings were Joel Pearson (b. abt. 1774 and may have married an Elizabeth Cooper) and William Wood Pearson (abt. 1785-aft. 1825); William married Martha Raiford; he migrated to Pike Co., MS.

Harvey married Lydia Holden on May 15, 1796 in Spartanburg South Carolina. Lydia, a daughter of Thomas Simon Holden Sr. (1749-1807) and Margaret Spurgeon (1755-1811), was born December 16, 1776 Spartanburg. She died April 24, 1851 in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana.

The couple had ten known children: Joel (1798-1878), Margaret (Maggie/Peggy, 1800-1857), John (1803-1864), Thomas (1805-abt. 1867), Charles (b. 1808 - he died young and is buried in the "Addison graveyard," according to a family Bible), Nancy Deborah (1811-1879), Sarah (Sally, 1813-1878), Cleopatria (1818-1886), William Day (1819-1873), and Simon Holden (1821-1887).

By 1800, four years after his marriage, Harvey was in the Mississippi Territory. In a Memorial to Congress referred on 25 Nov. 1803, citizens of this Territory were seeking that "moderate grants [be] made to actual settlers on unappropriated lands." By 1810, Harvey was in possession of such lands - his land claim was settled in January that year. See American State Papers, 1789–1837 (Gales & Seaton, Vol III, p. 72). Information on public lands claims during this period can be found here: http://www.archives.gov/publications/prologue/2005/summer/state-papers.html Harvey Pearson is listed, 1811-1812, in the Tax List for St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana.

Harvey Day Pearson served during the War of 1812 as a Private in the 12th. & 13th. Consolidated Regiment, LA Mil.; see Marion John Bennett Pierson's "Louisiana Soldiers in the War of 1812"; index http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/state/military/war1812/index.txt. These regiments belonged to the 2nd Div (under Major Philemn Thomas), 3rd Brigade (Bri. Gen. Robert McCausland). The 12th was commanded by Col. Abner Womack (from St Helena Parish) and the 13th by Col. Thomas C. Warner (from St. Tammany East of the Tangipahoa River). See LA Muster Rolls at https://geauxguardmuseums.com/download/attachment/15663

A family record indicates that Harvey is buried the OLD FORNEA CEMETERY, Washington Par, LA (located between Bogalusa and Angie, LA, on the Pearl River); it is called the "Pearson Graveyard" in a family Bible. But the list of the dead buried there, created by the Washington Parish Genealogical and Historical Society (and submitted by Edie McKinney Talley) includes Harvey and his wife Lydia Holden and notes that "Through the years this cemetery has been known as: Sand Hill Cemetery, Pearson Cem., Graveyard Hill Cem., and Fornea Cem. When other Fornea Cemeteries were formed it became known as the 'Old' Fornea Cemetery" (see image of list).

See more information about this family below - information contributed by V. Andrew Burch (Find a Grave ID 48671296)
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Children
1- Joel PEARSON birth July 16 1798 in Newberry District, South Carolina married Sarah Emily Fornea Her parents Isaac Fornea married May 26 1859 Nancy Jane Lewis daughter Josiah B Lewis granddaughter of Martin Lewis memorial #168429673 Water Hole Marion County Mississippi
2- Margaret (Peggy) PEARSON birth October 4 1800 in Mississippi
3- John PEARSON birth January 22 1803 death June 13 1864
4- Thomas PEARSON birth March 15 1805 St. Helena Parish, Louisiana
5- Charles PEARSON birth October 20 1808. 6- Nancy Deborah PEARSON birth January 26 1812 Washington Parish, Louisiana
7- Sarah "Sally" PEARSON birth July 21 1813 Louisiana
8- William Day PEARSON birth February 8 1816 Louisiana
9- Cleopatra PEARSON birth May 23 1818 Marion County Mississippi
10-Simon Holden PEARSON birth December 14 1821 Washington Parish

The Florida Parishes were so named because they originally were part of "West Florida," an area east of the Mississippi River, south of the 31st latitude, and north of New Orleans. The Florida Parishes include East Baton Rouge, the Feliciana's, St. Helena, Livingston, Tangipahoa, Washington, and St. Tammany. The area was originally under French rule, but was donated to the British by treaty on February 10, 1763. Sixteen years later, Spain seized possession of West Florida by conquest.
Although the Louisiana Purchase took place in 1803, West Florida was not specifically included in the transfer. The U.S. made a feeble claim to the territory, but Spain was not willing to relinquish control. It was not until the Rebellion of West Florida in 1810, that the U.S. was able to take control of the region. Louisiana became a state in 1812, but West Florida was not made a part of it until several months later.
During the sixteen years of British West Florida's existence, patriots who had fought for the British in the French and Indian War were offered land grants in the area for their military service. Many Anglo-Saxon families moved into the region from Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Carolinas. Some of them later fought enthusiastically against the British with General Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans in 1814. General Jackson marched his soldiers through Washington Parish on what was known as the "Military Road."
The parishes of Washington, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Livingston were all originally part of St. Helena Parish. In 1810, St. Helena was split to form St. Tammany Parish. Then in 1819, St. Tammany Parish was split to form Washington Parish. The preamble of the legislative act that authorized the split stated that the division was needed because some of the inhabitants lived to far away from the St. Tammany Parish seat to reach it conveniently. In 1832, St. Helena Parish was again divided to form Livingston Parish. The final division came in 1869 when Tangipahoa Parish was carved from portions of Livingston, Washington and St. Tammany Parishes.

"Pearson buried at the Pearson Graveyard on Pearl River in Washington Parish, Louisiana.

Lydia Day, widow of Harvey Pearson and W. Day died April 24, 1857 in St. Helena at her son's S. H. Pearson and was buried at the Pearson graveyard, Pearl River 27th. April."
"NANCY DAY PEARSON HUTCHINSON BIBIE G. Lane and P. P. Sandford for ME Church, 1844, New York. "Purchased of Parson Day, St. Helena, Louisiana, 1844, Copied June, 1959 by Mrs. J. P. Morris, Jr., Kentwood, La. In possession of Jewel Rymer, Tangipahoa, La. Bible Records Published by Louisiana Genealogical and Historical Society. Be it Known And Remembered: Vol. 1, Part 2. March 1998"

Nancy Day Pearson Hutchinson (daughter of William Day and Winnifred Pearson) Find a grave Memorial #171130252.