Harding, John (1820-1916)

HARDING

Posted By: Joyce Hickman (email)
Date: 7/30/2008 at 13:53:10

John Harding
Dec 28, 1820 - July 31, 1916

(From the 1883 History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, by J. H. Keatley, p.101, Grove Twp.)
John Harding, farmer, P. O. Wheeler's Grove, born in Wiltshire, England, December 28, 1820, son of John and Elizabeth (Hewer) Harding, he born in Gloucestershire, England; died in England about 1828; she born in Wiltshire, England, died in England April 3, 1848. They had eight children, and as far is known four are living. Subject received a common school education; began life as a tenant farmer in England; married Miss Louisa Trotman in England about 1850, who was born there June 20, 1825, and is the daughter of Cornelius and Ann (Reeves) Trotman, both born in England; he died about 1869; she died in 1849. Subject has been ever ready to serve his fellow-citizens, and has held the offices of Trustee, School Director and Supervisor; is a member of the Methodist Episcopal Churhc, and came to this county from England in 1866, buying 109 acres of land, valued at about $6.80 per acre, and now owns 270 acres, valued at about $28 per acre; of this there are eighty or ninety acres of timber. Mr. and Mrs. Harding have had the following children - Ellen, Elizabeth, born May 29, 1853; Mary, born December 1, 1854; Hester D., on January 19, 1856; Bertha C., March 8, 1857; August M., May 6, 1858; Finnetta, June 28, 1859; Fannie S. J., November 22, 1860; Robert J., July 18, 1865; twin girls October 15, 1866, and Thomas W., Ocotber 12, 1867. All were born in England except the twin girls and Thomas, who were born in this county. Hester and Bertha were drowned in Engand October 21, 1858. The twins died in this county October 26, 1866. Mary C. died May 4, 1869, Fannie S. J. died April 6, 1880.

(From the 1891 Biographical History of Pottawattamie County, Iowa, p.680)
JOHN HARDING. Among the old settlers of Grove Township, none are better known than the gentleman whose name heads this article. He came here in 1866, and has since made this place his home.
Mr. HARDING was born in Wiltshire, England, December 28, 1820, the son of John and Elizabeth (HEUER) HARDING, both natives of England. He was reared on a farm and educated in his native land. The lessons of industry, economy and honesty, which in early life were instilled into him by his parents, have been of great value to him. In 1852, he married Miss Louisa TROTMAN, a native of Wiltshire, born in June 1826, the daughter of Cornelius and Ann (REEVES) TROTMAN.
In 1866, with his wife and children, Mr. HARDING bade farewell to friends and native land and sailed for America to make a home for himself and family. They started from Liverpool and landed at New York City, thence to Chicago by rail. In the latter place, he purchased a team and wagon and in it continued his Western journey to Pottawattamie County and settled in Grove Township. Here he bought seventy acres of partly improved land. Mr. HARDING has prospered since he took up his residence here and is now the owner of 270 acres of land; 230 acres are in one body, section 32, and forty acres are on section 21, being a mile and three quarters apart. This land consists of rich prairie soil and good timberland, well watered and well adapted for stock, and is considered one of the best farms in Grove Township. Mr. HARDING has a comfortable house and suitable outbuildings for stock, grain, etc. and is engaged in general farming and stock raising. He has some of the finest hogs in Pottawattamie County.
Ten children have been born to Mr. And Mrs. HARDING, viz.: Ellen Lydia WAGNER of Colorado; Elizabeth, wife of John OSLER, of Grove Township; Augusta Maud, wife of J. W. BROWNELL of Colorado; Finetta Almina, wife of A. A. SANDERS of Missouri; Robert J., who married Addie MAGEE and resides in Colorado; Thomas W., at home; Hester Drusillie Maria, and Bertha Charlotte, were both drowned in England, the former at the age of two years and ten months and the latter at the age of nineteen months; Mary Catherine died at the age of fourteen; and Fanny Sarah Jane died when she was nineteen years old. All their children were born in England except Thomas W., who is a native of this county.
Mr. HARDING and his wife were reared in the Church of England. They both united with the Protestant Methodist Church of this place, but Mr. HARDING says they were turned out of the church because he was a loyal Democrat; however, they are earnest and consistent Christians. He is a leader in the Democratic party, not only in his township but throughout the eastern part of Pottawattamie County. Colonel BOWMAN once stated that Pottawattamie County had no more zealous and loyal Democrat than John HARDING. For a number of years, he has served as a member of the Board of Township Trustees. He has been a delegate to both State and Congressional conventions at Des Moines and Atlantic, and to all the conventions of note on the Bluff, at times going from his place thirty miles and back in the same day to attend said conventions. He is a man well posted on all general topics, is firm in his convictions of right and wrong, and is honored and esteemed most by those who know him best.