HARDY, Cornelius

HARDY, GODLOVE, WHITE, LIPPINCOTT, FLOYD, LINGO, BUCKWALTER, TATEMAN

Posted By: Norma Jennings (email)
Date: 10/25/2011 at 01:53:15

CORNELIUS HARDY was born in Monmouth County, N.J., in 1834, being the son of William and Alice (White) Hardy. The origin of the Hardy family will be found in the sketch of William H. Hardy, deceased. The parents of Alice White were natives of New York City, and her father, Jesse White, was a sailor during his lifetime. His wife was Sarah Lippincott, who was the mother of several children, but reared only four—Samuel, William, Mary and Alice. The history of that family is traditional, and most of it is lost.

William Hardy and Alice White were married in the city of New York, at her uncle's, Samuel Floyd's, a machinist of that city. The young people began domestic life upon a farm, the husband working by the month until 1839, when they emigrated to Kendall County, Ill., settling twelve miles west of Aurora. There William rented land, and until he left that State purchased none. Another brother of William's was born in New Jersey, and Samuel in Illinois, in which State nothing of special importance occurred connected with the family, except the death of Samuel. In 1855 the entire family moved to Washington County, Iowa, and the first summer was spent in the "Younkin Hotel," mentioned elsewhere. William had been here prior to their moving, and had entered the land which his son now owns. In 1855 the house was erected in which Cornelius yet resides, and the same year an orchard was planted on the place. The boys were old enough to break the prairie, and while the father was building the house and making it ready for occupancy, they were getting the land in order to put in a crop the next season.

Mr. Hardy's father became quite a wealthy man before his death; and from beginning as a farm hand in New Jersey, working by the month at small wages, and a tenant for seventeen years in Illinois, in which time he earned money to enter his land and improve it; and after putting it in the best of order, with fine buildings, and the farm largely stocked, he found himself, at the age of sixty years, the owner of a half section of fine land, and his remaining years were spent in comparative ease. His death occurred in 1876, he having reached his sixty-fifth year. His wife survived until 1880, when, having spent more than a quarter of a century in the new country, she died on the home that was so dear to her, and where for so many years she and her husband had been happy and properous [prosperous] together. She was sixty-five years of age at her death, and her remains are interred beside those of her husband, in the Riverside Cemetery.

George Hardy married Catharine Godlove, daughter of Adam and Susan (Tateman) Godlove, who were early settlers of this county, and a most estimable family. George is a merchant at Riverside, and has a family of three children—Minnie, Georgie and Willie. Cornelius Hardy was married in 1856, to Miss Mary A. Radebaugh, daughter of William and Eliza (Randall) Radebaugh, who came from Ohio at an early day. Eliza Randall was born in Seneca County, N.Y., and her parents were residents of South Bend, Ind., when her marriage to Mr. Radebaugh was celebrated. there Mary A. and a son, John W., were born; and in 1840 the young couple, with their children, came to Iowa, and they located in Johnson county in 1841. They moved to Rapid Creek, above Iowa city, the next year, and William Radebaugh erected a mill, which was the first one built in that county. He also built the first bridge spanning English River. Iowa City consisted of a few log cabins, and William Radebaugh sawed the lumber for the first frame house built in that town. Four years later he removed to what was known as Sheffield, a town having been laid out; but with the exception of William's house and store, and a mill erected by a Mr. McClure and purchased by Mr. Radebaugh some time later, nothing but the name remained of the town. The family staid [stayed] there for a number of yars, a part of which time Mr. Radebaugh spent in California, going there in 1851, and returning by water. He mined one year, but lost so much money that he quit that venture, and spent some time in the meat business, sending his mules loaded with meat into the mining camps and over the mountains. He came back with considerable money, and purchased again the same mill property before owned by him, but he always wanted to return to California, that having proved to be a land that filled his pockets with gold and his imagination with pictures of beauty. His death occurred two years after his return. The widow sold the mill, and purchased a farm in this county, and two years after bought a farm near the Hardy estate. Seventeen years a widow, Mrs. Radebaugh finally married a wealthy gentleman, Mr. James Smith, of this county. They have no heirs. They afterward removed to Yatton, where her death occurred in 1880. She was the mother of seven children: Mary A., the wife of our subject; John W., married to Margaret Lingo; Martha S., deceased in infancy; Nathaniel, deceased, who married Lollie Kaye; he had charge of a mill near Idaho Springs, Co., where he was accidently killed. Jane C., deceased in childhood; Henry M., now married to Miss Tint Kiner, and who is engaged in the livery business at South English; Charles Edwin, the youngest member of the family, is the husband of Miss Maggie Reynolds, of Toolsboro, Iowa, and is engaged in milling. Nathaniel and John were both soldiers during the late war, Nathaniel in the 10th Iowa Regiment, and John in the 22d. The latter was captured at the battle of Antietam, and was confined at both Saulsbury and Andersonville prisons. The hardships and horrors of that prison pen are too well known to need repetition. He only lived thirteen days after his release. He was sent home, and breathed his last with his loving wife and relatives by his side.

Upon the farm entered by William Hardy, and under the roof of the old family mansion, all their children but one were born: William E., deceased; Iowa B., deceased; Charley Guy and Goldie G. complete the number. The eldest daughter became the wife of Christian Buckwalter, in 1881, and her death occurred November 18, two years later. During his residence in the county, our subject has served as County Supervisor for three terms, and is now a member of the School Board of his district. As a family of prominence, and a representative of two families of the earliest settlers, we are pleased to give them a deserved place in these pages. Mrs. Hardy is one of the few ladies now living who were residents when the Indians inhabited this county, and in childhood the Indians were her playmates, and she was often rocked by the dusky Indian mothers. A large Indian village was located near her father's house, of which no trace now remains.

Portrait and Biographical Album, Washington County, Iowa pp.182-184