Listed as a farmer in 1850, 1860, and 1870 census in Clay Co., MS. Following Reconstruction, Robert was Clay County’s first Democratic sheriff (1876-1878). After that period he operated a store in Siloam, MS from ca 1880 until his death. The 1880 census shows him as a merchant and a farmer. He was the Siloam postmaster (1882-1894) and apparently kept the post office at his store.

1870 Mississippi census, Oktibbeha Co., beat 2 612/606
Hardy, Robert 35 MW farmer 1200/630 NC
Hardy, Emily 29 FW keeping house AL
Hardy, Nancy 2 FW MS
Hardy, Mary 5/12 FW MS
Williams, Martha 11 FW MS

1880 Mississippi census, Clay County, for Robert Hardy’s household
148/154 
Hardy, Robert   m45   merchant & farmer    NC NC NC
      Emily   f37  wife                AL
      Nannie  f12 daughter             MS NC AL
      Mary   f10    daughter             MS NC AL
      Katie   f8     daughter             MS NC AL
      Susie   f7    daughter             MS NC AL
      John T.  m5 son                 MS NC AL
      Henry   m4  son                MS NC AL
      Robert Lee m2  son                 MS NC AL


Obit. West Point Leader, April 13, 1894
Died at his home in Siloam, on Sunday morning, Mr. Robert Hardy. Mr. Hardy has been identified with the county of Clay ever since it was established. He was elected the first democratic sheriff.

The below is from “History of Clay County, Mississippi” published in 1988 by the Curtis Media Corporation. The article on Robert Hardy (page 828) was written by Jack Elliott, Jr., my cousin, and a distant cousin of Robert Hardy.

“Robert Hardy was born on March 26, 1835 in North Carolina. He was the oldest son of Joshua T. and Anna Hardy, who came to what is now Clay County, Mississippi in 1837. Raised for the most part on a farm in the Siloam area, he probably farmed most of his life. He is listed as being a farmer in the 1850, 1860, and 1870 census. In the first two of these he was still living with his father. By 1870 he had started his own household, although he was still apparently living at Siloam. Robert married Emily Hyche (October 16, 1842 - August 27, 1885) on january 14, 1867. They had at least nine children: (1) Nannie, born ca 1868; (2) Mary, born ca 1870; (3) Katie, born ca 1872; (4) Susie, born ca 1873; (5) John T., born ca 1875; (6) Henry, born ca 1876, (7) Robert Lee, born ca 1878; (8) Lilah T., (May 1, 1879 - March 30, 1880); (9) Lillian Florence (March 26, 1882 - September 15, 1884). Very little is known about these children. When Emily died in 1885 she was buried with her last two children in the Miller Cemetery near Siloam. On September 29, 1886, Robert remarried, this time to Helen, the daughter of J. J. and Sarah McPhersob of Siloam. They had at least two children, Helen H. (July 31, 1888 - May 7, 1889) and a daughter who was born and died on June 9, 1887. Both of these infants were buried in the McPherson Cemetery at Siloam. After Reconstruction Robert ws Clay County’s first Democratic sheriff (1876 - 1878), following which he operated a store at Siloam (from ca 1890 to his death). The 1880 census listed him as being both a merchant and a farmer. He was the Siloam postmaster (1882 - 1884) and presumably kept the post office in the store. When he first operated the store, he was only managing it for the Siloam Grange which owned the building. The organization later sold the building to him. Robert was at one time the Worthy Master of the Siloam Grange, and in 1918 (should read 1878 fide Jack Elliott) he was an incorporator of the Siloam Grange Cooperative. He also belonged to the Masonic Lodge at Palo Alto and to the Siloam Baptist Church. On April 7, 1894 he died at his Siloam home and was buried in the McPherson cemetery. His widow sold the store building to Lydwell Garner of Siloam. According to the 1900 census his three sons were all living in the same house in that year, probably in the Siloam area. Robert L. and John were listed as farmers, and Henry was listed as a carpenter. By 1903 they appear to have moved away, because there are no Hardys listed for Siloam in the Personal Property Roll of that year.”
Jack D. Elliott, Jr.

When Emily died in 1885 she was buried with her last two children in the McPherson Cemetery (sometimes called Miller Cemetery) near Siloam, Clay Co., MS16,14

Note from Jack Elliott:
“Robert Hardy and his second wife Helen McPherson Hardy were buried in the McPherson cemetery at Siloam, Clay Co., MS which we visited. Helen's family home--the J.J. McPherson home-- was located a short distance to the east. There's a WPA account based on the testimony of Helen's sister, Jimmie McPherson, that Nathan Bedford Forrest stayed in the McPherson home the night before the battle of West Point (aka the battle of Ellis Bridge). This was the night of 20 February 1864.”