Harding, J. P.

HARDING, WRIGHT, GRANT, PERIN

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 8/30/2009 at 12:32:52

Harding, J. P.

The Harding family has long been well and favorably known in the vicinity of which this history treats and they have done their full share in the work of advancing general conditions and are therefore eminently deserving of representation in a history of the nature of the one at hand. One of the best known is Claudius Harding, of Baxter, who was born in Marietta Township, Marshall County, Iowa, December 4, 1878, and with the exception of eleven years spent in South Dakota, he has lived in this vicinity. His father, J. P. Harding, was born in Lawrence County, near Newcastle, Pennsylvania, December 17, 1851, and is now residing in Eden Township, Marshall County. His mother, known in her maidenhood as Delia A. Wright, was born in Van Buren County, Michigan, near Coldwater, October 12, 1860, and her death occurred at Wessington Springs, South Dakota, November 11, 1896.

There were ten children in the Harding family, named as follows: Claudius is the eldest; Orville Raymond, born April 26, 1880, is living in Caspar, Wyoming; Merrill J., born November 12, 1882, is a pharmacist in Des Moines, Iowa; Blanche E., born August 30, 1884, who is living in Omaha, is stenographer for the Cudahy Packing Company; Clayton W., born June 18, 1886, is living in Eden Township, Marshall County, with her father; Mrs. Delia A. Grant, born December 30, 1888, makes her home at Jireh, Wyoming; Vera, born February 4, 1890, is studying and will graduate in 1913 as nurse; Josephine, born March 23, 1891, is a professional nurse; Laura J., born May 20, 1893, is living at the family homestead in Eden Township; Edith M., born November 1, 1896, lives with her aunt at Albion, Iowa. The wife and mother dying when the youngest child was but ten days old, the responsibilities of rearing this family devolved upon the husband and father, and, being a man of extra-ordinary grit and foresight, he has performed his work admirably, being enabled to give his children good educations in the common schools, at the same time providing well for their every necessity materially, for he fully realized that without proper schooling they would have little chance in this world of specialization. Merrill was graduated from Highland Park College. Des Moines, and four daughters were graduated from the high school and two have taught school in this community. The three eldest children were born in Marshall County, the younger ones in South Dakota.

Claudius Harding grew up on the home farm and he has always known the meaning of hard work and has succeeded in the affairs of life as a result of his close application. He was united in marriage on March 15, 1906, with Ida Adelle Perin, who was born in Independence Township, Jasper County, March 15, 1881. She attended the common schools of the neighborhood and for one year was in the Baxter high school. Her father, Henry I. Perin, a complete sketch of whom appears elsewhere in this volume, was one of the early settlers in this part of Iowa and he was a soldier in the War Between the States. Her mother, known in her maidenhood as Almira Porter, was born in Scott County. Iowa. Both these parents reside in Baxter, Jasper County.

To Mr. and Mrs. Harding have been born one daughter, Gertrude Almira, March 29, 1907, and one son, Austin, April 9, 1909, both in Independence Township, this County.

Politically, Mr. Harding is a Republican and he belongs to the Methodist Episcopal Church, while Mrs. Harding holds her membership with the Reorganized Church of the Latter-Day Saints. In their cozy home is always to be found that rarest of earthly boons, contentment. Past and Present of Jasper County Iowa B. F. Bowden & Company, Indianapolis, IN, 1912 Page 1201.