Harding, Benjamin G. (1828-1905)

HARDING

Posted By: Transcriber
Date: 11/4/2002 at 11:44:46

Benjamin D. Harding
Dec 20, 1828 - Apr 17, 1905

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.659)
BENJAMIN G. HARDING, farmer at Crescent City, was born in Green Co, Kentucky, Dec 20, 1820, son of Payne and Matilda (Reed) Harding, natives of that state but of Virginia ancestry, and farmers. The parents moved from Kentucky to Hendricks Co, Indiana, where they remained 14 years, clearing two farms. The mother dying there, the father moed to Linn Co, Iowa, bought a farm on Cedar River and commenced improving it; and in Dec 1859 married Mary Reynolds. Several years afterward he disposed of that property and purchased a farm in Decatur Co, this state, and moved upon it, but shortly left that and settled in Chariton Co, Missouri, where his second wife died. After residing there ten years he sold and came to live with his son, our subject, and died March 22, 1883, at age 83 years. He had eight children, namely: Sarah and Elizabeth, deceased; Benjamin G., the third born; Emily, wife of James Kirk of Missouri; Rowanna, deceased; Mary Ann, now the wife of George Daugherty of Iowa, and Martha and Samuel, also both deceased. Benjamin, brought up to farm life, left home at age 20 and began life for himself by raising livestock extensively and successfully. In five years he sold out and moved to Decatur Co, Iowa, and bought 90 acres of unimproved land, lived upon it 4 years and was married there. He then located in Crescent City and engaged in farming and buying cattle and turning them to sell to emigrants. This he followed for 9 years and then bought 40 acres of partly improved land on sect 13 and this he has made a comfortable home. He erected a frame house 28 feet square and one and a half stories high. He now owns 210 acres of fine land. He has experienced many of the harships of pioneer life, commencing with nothing, but has faced them bravely and won success. Politically he is a stanch Democrat. He and his wife are members of the Church of Latter Day Saints of which he is an ordained elder; he has officiated as pastor of the Crescent City and other congregations of this faith in the vicinity for 20 years. Feb 19, 1857, he married Elizabeth Ann, daughter of Elsa and Mary (Hall) Haskins, natives respectively of Virginia and Kentucky, who in 1838 moved to Missouri and afterward came to Crescent City, where they both died, he at age 77 and she at 78. Mr and Mrs Hardings children are 10 in number: Samuel P., at Crescent City, Oliver in Crescent Twp; Emma, wife of Charles Sapworth of Hazel Dell Twp; Olive May and Jason at home; George Jackson at Council Bluffs; Don Carlos, Pearl, Charles and Mary, all at home. There are also two grandchildren, whom they are bringing up, named Myrtle M. and William B.