Harding - William H. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

William H. HARDING is an enterprising agriculturist of Adams  Township, Mrs. Harding owning a well-improved farm of 254 acres on  Sec 2. She also has a fine residence in Rockville where they will  probably pass their declining years.

In the year 1884 our subject  went to Kansas where he preempted 160 acres of land, which he  afterward sold to his son, Edward. Mr. Harding was born in Shelby  Co KY March 2, 1833 and is a son of Josiah Harding who was born  in Maryland 1801. The latter resided in his native state until  attaining his 20th year when with his father, Nathan he removed  to Shelby Co KY. Our subject's father married in that county  Elizabeth daughter of Ellis Miller who was a farmer and stock  raiser in Kentucky to which state he removed from VA about 1821.

In 1835, Josiah Harding came to this county, locating in Greene  Township where he entered 160 acres and lived there for about two  years when he settled in Putnam County, which was his home for 20  years. At the expiration of that time he moved to a farm two  miles south of Crawfordsville where he died in April 1889. His  widow is still living on the old homestead though she was born as  long ago as March 12, 1806. Josiah Harding was a member of the  Methodist Episcopal Church and was politically a Republican. He  owned 240 acres of land in Montgomery County at the time of his  death.

William H. Harding of this sketch is one of 5 children, 4  of who grew to maturity. Charles W. is a retired merchant; John  is a farmer of Union Township, Montgomery County; and Henry W.  also resides in the last mentioned place. Our subject left home  when 18 going to LaFayette where he learned the dry goods trade.  Three years later he went to NY city where he engaged in the  wholesale millinery and fancy goods business with the firm of  Cochran & Nickey and at the end of two years was taken into  the firm, the title of which became Cochran & Harding.

When a  couple of years elapsed, thereafter retired and went to  Rockville, Indiana where he engaged in the dry goods business  with BW Stark, under the name of Stark & Harding. Some time  later our subject sold out to his partner and became a member of  the firm Coffin & Byers. The senior member withdrew a year  later, being following by Mr. Byers two years after. For six  years succeeding the firm was known as William H. Harding &  Co when our subject withdrew going into business for himself and  continuing along 5 years. His business ventures were blessed with  success from the start, and as he was always honorable and  correct in his methods, his patrons became his friends. In 1856  occurred the marriage of William H. Harding with Adeline E. Ward,  who is the daughter of Greenberry Ward, a native of Woodford Co  Ky his birth having occurred in 1800. In 1821 he settled on land  in Fayette County IN where he remained 5 years then coming to Parke  County and settling in the thick timber 4 miles south of our  subject's present home. At that time the Indians were still  plentiful in this locality and the nearest neighbor lived 9 miles  distant. He erected a log cabin on his place which he soon  brought under good cultivation.

In 1832 he purchased a farm which  is now the home of our subject and there he resided until his  death when he owned 313 acres. Mrs. Harding is the youngest and  only surviving member of the family comprising 3 children.  Greenberry died Sept 21, 1891 age 91 years and 20 days. He was  one of the hardy pioneers of this county and from 1867 to 1870 he  had an interest in a dry good business. He was a charter member  of the Methodist Episcopal Church at Rockville. Mrs. Harding was  born and reared on the place where she now lives and by her  marriage became the mother of 5, 3 of whom are living: Charles W,  who resides on the farm; Edward H a druggist at Rockville and  Frank B who runs the home farm. Politically, Mr. Harding is a  Republican and religiously a member of the Presbyterian  Church. - typed by kbz