William Hardman

WILLIAM HARDMAN, owner of two hundred and sixty-seven acres of valuable farming land, situated in Pleasant Township, on the London and Urbana Road, tine" miles south of Catawba, was born in Clark County, Ohio, February 28, 1831. and is a son of Jonathan and Mary (Arbogast) Hardman.

Philip Hardman, the great-grandfather of William, was born on the River Rhine, in Germany, and came to America, expecting to sell himself to an employer, in order to repay the sum of $35, which had been advanced for his passage. He was bought in the port of New York by a resident of New Jersey, and worked five months for his purchaser. This was no unusual transaction at that time. He subsequently made his way to Virginia, and at Clarksburg, in that state, his son Peter was born.

Peter Hardman learned the trade of gunsmith. He was twice married, his first wife being a Miss becker and his second wife, a Mrs. Edge, a widow. From Clarksburg, Virginia, Peter Hardman and wife came to Ohio, in 1803, and settled about one mile south of Osborn, Greene County. There was a law that prevailed at that time that some improvement had to be made on land in order to hold it. and after Peter Hardman had paid the sura of $1.25 an acre to the Government, he borrowed an ax, cut down a small tree, split it into rails and stood them over a stump, this being the sum of his improvements, but sufficient to protect his property. He then returned to Virginia, where he followed his trade for two years longer and then came back and settled on his land, on which he passed the remainder of his life. He was accompanied by his first wife, who lived to the age of about fifty years. When she was a girl of twelve years she was scalped by the Indians at the time all the other members' of her family were killed, and she was left supposed to be dead. She finally recovered and lived to become the mother of ten children. There were three children born to Peter Hardman 's second marriage: Peter, William R. and Jane.

Jonathan Hardman, father of William, was born at Clarksburg, Virginia, in 1803, and spent the remainder of his life in Ohio, dying at London, Madison County, in 1876. He married Mary Arbogast, who was born in Clark County, and was a daughter of Peter and Sarah Arbogast. They had nine children, namely: Sarah, who died in 1863; Peter, who married Lucia Lauman, of Chillicothe, was a soldier and died after being brought home from Harper's Ferry; Otho, who married Eliza Weaver, of Madison County, has had five children; William; Henderson, who died unmarried at the age of twenty-two years; Mary, who also died unmarried at the age of twenty-two years; Charlotte Ann, who died aged three weeks; Martha, deceased, who married John Savers, now a resident of Iowa, but formerly of Logan County, Ohio, left two children; and Wesley, who resides at Cable. Champaign County, Ohio, where he operates several grain elevators. He married Minnie Walk, who died in a hospital at Columbus, in 1904. She left no children.

William Hardman was reared on the home farm and attended the country schools when he could spare the time. He assisted his brothers in clearing and cultivating the farm and later, becoming interested in growing sheep, he went into partnership with J. R. Ware, of Mechanicsburg, following this business until 1863, when he became a member of the One Hundred and Sixty-seventh Regiment, Ohio Volunteer Infantry, for service in the Civil War. He was with his company in camp at Urbana, when he received a note from his partner which asked him to turn over his gun to the messenger, a man by the name of Thomas Cartmell, as the latter was willing to take his place and was an unmarried man. Mr. Ware knew that Mr. Hardman \s absence from the sheep farm would be a sad loss to their business, and as soon as Mr. Hardman recognized this fact, he made arrangements by which he could turn over to Mr. Cartmell his equipments, after which he returned home.

On October 29, 1856, Mr. Hardman was married to Margaret Ellen Bireley, who was born March 11, 1838, in Maryland, and is a daughter of Lewis and Sarah Bireley. They came to Clark County in 1839 and settled for a short time in Springfield Township, and in 1840 came to Pleasant Township, where they lived during the remainder of their lives. They had nine children, namely: Philip W., who was born February 15, 1826. died November 3, 1903; Rebecca, who was born September 16, 1827; Lewis, who was born September 28. 1831; Charlotte Catherine, who was born November 14, 1833; Elizabeth Ann, who was born December 7, 1835; Margaret Ellen, who is Mrs. Hardman; Sarah Jane, who was born May 23, 1841, died August 20, 1907, at Danville, Illinois; Eliza Henrietta, who was born May 24, 1842; and Henry Clay, who was born February 10, 1846, there having been but two deaths in this family.

Mr. and Mrs. Hardman have four children, namely: Minor, Belle, Eddie and Ella, the latter being twins. Minor Hardman was reared in Pleasant Towns-hip and in 1886 he married Hattie Runyan, who is a daughter of Thomas W. and Phebe Runyan, and they have three children: Omer, born November 19, 1882; Anna, born in December, 1893, and Ralph, born December 25, 1895. Belle Hardman, who was born August 8, 1867, married Milton Stipp, who is an extensive farmer and stockman, owning two hundred and fifty acres in Champaign County. They have one daughter, Essie Catherine, who was born January 3, 1891. Eddie and EII:i Hardman were born May 25, 1877. The former was married November 28, 1906, to Effie Marsh, of Madison County. They have a son, [name withheld], born May 10, 1908. The daughter was married April 7, 1898, to P. M. Wilson, who conducts a store at Brighton, Clark County, and they have three sons. William W., born October 12. 1900; Paul W., born December 31, 1902; and Orrin H., born August 12, 1905.

On October 29, 1906, Mr. and Mrs. Hardman enjoyed the celebration of their golden wedding anniversary and it was an occasion that will long be remembered by all who were permitted to participate in it. Friends and relatives were in attendance from Madison, Clark and Champaign Counties and also from Columbus, numbering four children, seven grandchildren and eighty-eight other relatives and near friends, many of whom had never before found an opportunity of becoming acquainted. With their expressions of interest, good-will and affection, they each brought nn appropriate present, which serves to recall the gives to Mr. and Mrs. Hardman every day of their lives. The banquet, of which ninety-five guests partook, was probably the most elaborate one ever served in Pleasant Township. Two presents which are highly prized are admirable pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Hardman, the first having been taken fifty years before this anniversary, and the second, about this period.

Although Mr. Hardman has reached his seventy-seventh birthday, he still takes an active interest in his farm and looks carefully after his valuable Delaine sheep. In politics he is a Republican and has served three terms on that ticket as township trustee. Mr. Hardman was reared in the faith of the Methodist Episcopal Church, but his religious views at present are in accordance with those of the IJniversalist Church.

As printed in 20th century history of Springfield, and Clark County, Ohio, and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.