Τ ORIGIN OF THE HARDIN FAMILY IN AMERICA. HERE are several families in America bearing the name of Har din without a common origin. Some trace their source to Great Britain, others to the continent of Europe, while others stop on the hither shore of the Atlantic. That family to which Ben Hardin belonged claims a Huguenot descent. This claim lies somewhat in tradition, but is so well authenticated as to amount to historical truth. In 1706 it was estimated that by the persecutions of the Huguenots France had lost more than a million of her most active, enterprising, and industrious inhabitants. Deplorable as these persecutions were to their hapless victims, they proved the source of unmixed blessing to the new world. Hither the fugitives came by colonies, by companies, and one by one. The exchange of the comforts and luxuries of France for the privations and sufferings of the wilderness of America was a sore ordeal. Referring to their earlier experiences, it has been said that "the melancholy outline of Huguenot progress in the new world exhibits features of trial, strength, and suffering which render their career equally unique in both countries; a dark and bloody history, involving details of strife, of enterprise and sorrow, which denied them the securities of home in the parent land, and even the most miserable refuge from persecution in the wilderness of a savage empire."* "The story of the Floridian Huguenots especially is one of the most pathetic in the early annals of America. The time of their coming and the point of debarkation had much to do with the happiness and destiny of these emigrants. It has been said of a colony which settled at Mannakin, on the upper James river, in 1699, that it "infused a stream of pure and rich blood into Virginia society." Transplanted in the new world, the French fugitives became a vigorous, virtuous, and prosperous stock, from which some of the brightest names that adorn its history proudly trace their lineage. *Lilly and Totem, by W. Gilmore Sims, page —. †Cooke's Virginia, page 309. After the massacre of St. Bartholemew-though how near that event traditions differ-three brothers, of the name of Hardin, fled from their native France. They first went to England, where their stay was short, thence emigrating to Canada. The considerable French population of the latter, no doubt, attracted them. The rigors of a climate to which they were unaccustomed, however, soon drove them southward. Two settled in Virginia, the third in South Carolina. Subsequent trace of the latter is wholly lost. One of those remaining in Virginia some time afterward fell a victim of the savage Indians. There is no means of fixing the time of these various events with certainty. The survivor of the brothers in Virginia bore the Christian name of Martin. Of his career and death no record is known. In her childhood, Sarah Hardin, mother of Benjamin, knew him as a very old man, with a dark countenance and French dialect. Either he or a son of his of the same Christian name married a Miss Waters. Miss Waters was of English descent, and of her mother an interesting incident is related by her descendants: In the early colonial days it was usual for emigrants, who had not the means to pay their passage from Europe to America, to be carried by vessels and hired out, or, as it was usually termed, "sold" by the ship-master for a certain period, thus to pay their passage money. There lived a gentleman some distance from the nearest port where such help could be found, who had a large family. His wife, though an energetic woman, told him there was more work than she could do, and that he must go down to the port and buy a woman to help in household labor. Accordingly, he set forth on his journey, and, on his arrival at his destination, went among the passengers to be hired or sold, with a view to selection. His attention was attracted by a little girl, who sat alone and seemed without companions. He spoke to her and found her an interesting child of perhaps twelve years of age. He inquired who she was, and how she came to be there. She replied that she was an orphan; that arrangements had been made for her to emigrate with parties who, at the last moment, had failed to come, and that she had been persuaded by others to come anyway. She had not fully comprehended matters, and only realized her forlorn condition at the end of the voyage. Her generous hearted listener was so touched by her simple story that he paid her passage and took her home with him. When the good housewife saw what he had done, she at first repudiated the transaction altogether. She had told him, she said, to get a woman to do the He might find She did not Before other work, and instead he had brought her a child to raise. another home, she said, for her, as soon as he could. even inquire the name of the unwelcome newcomer. quarters had been found for the little girl, her inhospitable hostess started on a visit from home for a few days. As was her custom she gave each of her children their task during her absence. When she had assigned to each sewing or knitting or whatever it was, the little stranger said, "What must I do?" "You do!" said she, abruptly, "what can you do?" The little girl meekly replied: "I can knit a little." The lady softened down so far as to say, "Well, here is a stocking just put on the needles; you knit at that, and maybe some day you will have a pair of stockings." She left home and in a few days returned. Her children were called on to show their work. This done (she had heard the children calling the little girl "Rosa") she told Rosa, rather coldly, to bring her knitting and show what she had been doing. The child brought a pair of stockings nicely shaped and finished, which had been washed and put away in good order. "Who did this?" said the astonished woman. "I did," replied Rosa. "Who taught you how to knit?" "My mother." "Your mother!" said the mistress, seemingly surprised that Rosa ever had such a relation. "Yes, ma'am," replied the little girl. "Where did she live ?" Rosa described her English home. Rather quickly she was asked: "What was your mother's name?" She answered. Strange and admirable providence! That child's mother had been the kind benefactor who had taken that woman, when homeless and friendless, and raised her as her own child. The forlorn little Rosa had suddenly found a home. She became a member of the family, and in the end was portioned with the other children. She grew to womanhood and married a man named Waters. A daughter of this marriage was named "Rosa," and she it was who became the wife of Ben Hardin's ancestor. Captain Philemon Waters, an early settler in Washington county, was a grandson of the little English emigrant. The name of Hardin does not suggest a Gallic origin. Through what changes its orthography has passed since the Huguenot brothers fled from France is, to some extent, a matter of speculation. As found in public records of a century ago, "e" is substituted for "i" in the second syllable. Such seems to have been, at least, not an unusual mode of spelling at that time. In England, the name spelled this way is frequently met, and has been traced to Hareden or Hare-den as its root. Harding or Hardynge is a common English *Letter of Hon. Martin D. McHenry. form, but the Huguenot refugees brought with their French blood a French name. It has been supposed, by some, to have been originally "H'Arding." It can be said, in favor of this supposition, that it, at least, harmonizes the theory of French descent. How easily H'Arding could change to Harding, and the latter to Hardin or Harden is manifest. The theory that the name has passed through a transition state receives corroboration from the fact that the various branches of the family claiming a common origin differ in the orthography of their patronymic. Harding is a common form. Mr. Hardin, however, told General William Preston (on what data is not known) that, anciently, the name was "Hardouin." Persons bearing that name have long been distinguished in the annals of France. Martin Hardin, of Fauquier county, Va., was either a son or grandson of the Huguenot Martin, perhaps the former. He had a brother residing awhile in Virginia, who, it seems probable, emigrated thence to Pennsylvania. That this brother's name was Benjamin has been suggested, but it is here only put down tentatively. Benjamin (if such was his name) was the paternal grandfather of Ben Hardin. About 1765, several of Martin Hardin's children, with their families, removed from Fauquier county to George's Creek settlement, on the Monongahela river, in Westmoreland county, Pa. They had not intended to go, nor did they suppose they had gone, beyond the bounds of the Old Dominion. It was afterward discovered, however, that their new home was in Pennsylvania. That this circumstance caused the subsequent emigration to the West has been suggested, and seems probable. Of Martin Hardin's subsequent life no facts have been discovered, save that he made his will, in 1779, and died in Fauquier county, Va., the year following, leaving considerable estate. He had several children-three sons, John, Martin, and Mark, and four daughters, Sarah, Lydia, Mary, and Rosannah. The following is a literal transcript of the family record, brought by Colonel John Hardin to Kentucky in 1786: "Mary Hardin, daughter of Martin and Lydia, his wife, was born October ye 4, 1741. "Sarah Hardin, was born March ye 10, 1743. *See Appendix, Note A. "Martin Hardin, was born February ye 1, 1757. Rosannah Hardin, was born March ye 9, 1760." All of these children with their families, between 1785 and 1790, removed to Kentucky, and all but Rosannah settled in the same. neighborhood, near what is now the town of Springfield. Mary, the eldest, married Robert Wickliffe, and on his death she married William Robinson. She lived to an advanced age, and was the only one that died childless. Sarah was the mother of Mr. Hardin, and of her mention is reserved for the next chapter. Lydia married Charles Wickliffe, and bore four sons and five daughters. Of the former, the most distinguished were Robert Wickliffe, of Lexington, and Charles Anderson Wickliffe, of Bardstown. Mark and Martin respectively lived to advanced age, and died on the farm which their industry and courage had rescued from a savage wilderness. John, usually known as Colonel John Hardin, achieved such a career by his daring, fortitude, and discretion as his surroundings permitted. He early learned the use of the rifle, for hunting was an almost universal occupation, and the use of the rifle an indispensable part of frontier education. Indian hostilities soon commenced, and war afforded another demand for his skill. There were few schools, or means of literary culture. Hunting became his pursuit and delight. He was soon inured to hardships and became an expert woodsman. In 1774 he served as ensign in a militia company with Governor Dunmore's expedition against the Indians. October 10th, of that year, he took part in the battle fought at the mouth of the Kanawha, where Cornstalk commanded the Indians. Governor Isaac Shelby, then at young man of twenty-four, and his father, General Evan Shelby, largely contributed to the victory of the colonial troops. It was one of the bloodiest engagements that ever occurred between the whites and Indians, and none was ever more completely decisive in favor of the former. In August, 1775, under command of Captain Zach Morgan, during an encounter with the Indians, Colonel Hardin was severely wounded. Before his recovery he again joined Dunmore on his march to the Indian towns. After peace with the Indians he prepared for a journey to Kentucky, but was prevented by the outbreak of the war with Great Britain. He then set about recruiting for the continental army and shortly joined it as second lieutenant. In the service he was attached to General Daniel Morgan's rifle corps, which was usually on the lines. He was highly esteemed by Morgan, and often selected for |