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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 fund 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
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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 Catharind 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
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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.
WILLIAM S. HAMILTON is one of the prominent farmers of Seventy-Six Township. He resides upon section 3, where he has a fine farm of 400 acres, all of which is under cultivation, with improvements of the best class. He is a native of Medina County, Ohio, born in 1827, and is the son of Mathew L. and Achsah (Beardsley) Hamilton, both of whom were natives of New York. He was reared on a farm and educated in the common schools of of his native State.
On the 12th of April, 1849, our subject was united in marriage with Miss Priscilla Miner, a native of Chautauqua county, N.Y., and the daughter of Ariel and Priscilla (Kimball) Miner, the former a native of Maine, and the latter of New York. Seven children were born unto them: George A., a stock-farmer residing in Lime Creek Township; Mathew L., a Government Land Commissioner, now in Sumner County, Kan.; Henry died at the age of eighteen months; Ellen died at the age of one year; William F. is a farmer residing in Seventy-Six Township; Grace is the wife of E. N. Hodges, of Seventy-Six Township; Emma is the wife of William Stone, of Sumner County, Kan.
In 1850 Mr. Hamilton with his family went to Branch County, Mich., where he remained two years, engaged in farming and stock-shipping. In March, 1852, he came to Washington County, Iowa, and entered 900 acres of land, on sections 2, 3 and 10 of Seventy-Six Township. On section 3 he now resides, and has there lived since the fall of 1852. The land purchased was in a wild state, and Mr. Hamilton at once commenced its improvement. While engaged in general farming, he from the beginning turned his attention to raising and shipping cattle. In all his farming operations he has been quite successful, and has ever been rated among the most enterprising citizens of his township. On the organization of the township, he was elected the first Justice of the Peace, which office he held for some years. Among other township offices he has held is that of Township Clerk. He was also a member of the County Board of Supervisors several years.
During the war of the Rebellion, Mr. Hamilton assisted in raising two regiments for the service, but did not himself enlist, for the reason that he was persuaded by many of those who did go to remain at home that he might care for their families. As is well known by every citizen of Washington County who was here during the progress of the war, political excitement ran high, and there were those living here whose sympathies were undoubtedly with those of the South. Those sympathising with that section did all in their power to discourage enlistment, and usually kept up a "fire in the rear" upon those who were in the front. Mr. Hamilton felt it his duty to defend those who were risking their lives in the service of their country, and in doing so had several encounters with those who were opposed to the war, and never came off second best. Mr. Hamilton comes of patriotic stock; his grandfather, Eden Hamilton, was a soldier in the war of the Revolution with rank of Major, while his father was a soldier in the War of 1812.
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His ancestors were from Scotland, and were among the Mayflower colony that settled in Massachusetts in 1620. Politically, Mr. Hamilton is a Republican of the stalwart kind, and has advocated the principles of that party ever since its organization. He is regarded as a wheel-horse in the party, and is ever ready to do all he can to advance its interests. While a radical in his political views, he is yet held in high esteem by men of all parties, and the advice of no man in Seventy-Six Township is more eagerly sought by those who feel the need of it. In the spring of 1887, he was foreman of the grand jury of Washington County, and in June following, was foreman of the United States Circuit Court jury at Keokuk. Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton are members of the United Brethren Church, and are active in all church work. No man in Washington County is better or more favorably known than William S. Hamilton, the subject of this sketch.
JOHN C. MITCHELL, section 12, Marion Township, is a farmer and stock-raiser. He was born in Clarke County, Ga., in 1817, and is the son of George and Sarah Mitchell. He left Georgia in 1835, and went to Blount County, Tenn., where he grew to manhood on a farm. His father died when he was an infant, and when he was between five and six years old his mother gave him to David Shay, with whom he lived until the death of the latter, when he went to Tennessee, as already stated, in company with the widow. In 1852, Mr. Mitchell came to Washington County, Iowa, and settled on section 6, Crawford Township, where he rented a farm, and lived two years. He then entered eighty acres of raw land on section 12, Marion Township, erecting a house, in which he moved, and where he still lives. He is now the owner of 115 acres of good land, the greater part being under improvement.
Mr. Mitchell was married in 1841, to Mary Ann Ferguson, a native of Tennessee. To them were born ten children: Andrew J., now in Gove County, Kan., engaged in farming; Susan, the wife of John Septer, of Ringgold County, Iowa; Amy K., wife of A.L. Roe, of Jewell County, Kan.; James L., now engaged in farming in Crawford township; William H., now in Rawlins County, Kan.; Mary A. died in infancy; Henry H., also deceased; Sarah Jane, wife of John Weir, of Greeley County, Neb.; Margaret and Julia Ann, twins, died in infancy. Mrs. Mitchell died April 28, 1865, aged forty-five years, and in 1866 Mr. Mitchell married Mrs. Eliza McCommons, a native of Tennessee, and widow of Thomas McCommons. Her maiden name was Ferguson. Mr. and Mrs. Mitchell are members of the United Presbyterian Church.
Politically, our subject is a Republican, and was from a boy always strongly opposed to slavery. While a citizen of Tennessee, he was made Lieutenant of a company in the State Militia, and was subsequently promoted Captain, and then made a Major and placed in command of a battalion. Left an orphan at a very tender age, it may readily be understood that the opportunity for self-culture was not very great, and the educational advantages were very meager indeed. But, notwithstanding his lack of education, he has by reading and contact with men, become quite well informed, and is able to express himself intelligently upon most questions of public interest. By good management and economy, he has secured enough of this world's goods to render him comfortable in his old age. In the neighborhood where he resides, and where he is best known he is univerally respected.
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