Joseph Tomlinson

Joseph was born in Dublin Ireland the 12^th of October 1712. The names of his parents are still being researched by many. One possibility is James and Harriet nee Trowbridge Tomlinson as his parents. Joseph came to America in 1726, and settled in Maryland state. It has been written he came with his brothers, Nathaniel, John, James and Jessie. Joseph would have been 14 years old when he emigrated leaving the strong possibility he emigrated with his parents.

Joseph married Rebecca Swearingen on the 21^st of October 1738 in Queen Ann Parish, Anne Arundel County, Maryland. By 1740 Joseph was working for Jonathan Hager at Hagerstown, Maryland at the London Fur Company. He was superintendent of the fur storehouse outpost in Wills Creek in Maryland near the Pennsylvania border.

In those days, Colonel Washington and his colonial army were fighting the French and Indian war in Maryland and Pennsylvania area . Washington and Braddock’s army was active in Little Meadows, and most of Western Maryland, building wagon roads to transport artillery, supplies, and building stockade forts to aid in this war.

It wasn’t until the captured Fort Duquesne from the French in 1758, that it was safe for travelers to go westward on the Braddock Road. Inns were needed to accommodate these travelers across the mountains. This demand inticed Joseph, then a well-to-do planter, to go west and purchase an inn to accommodate these travelers.

On September 20^th of 1760, at age 48, Joseph deeded his 367 acres called “Water Sink” to Samuel Volgomat. He then moved west to Little Meadows. By 1761 Joseph purchased a 100 acre tract in Little Meadows which included the old campground used by Colonel Washington. He had it patented and called it “Good Will”. Good Will was only a day’s horse-back ride from Cumberland. It had good water, pasture and glade hay for the stock. Indeed this was a good site for an Inn.

Joseph built the large log inn and stables near a spring on old Braddock Road naming it the “Red House”. He became the first inn keeper at Little Meadows and the first settler in which is now called Garrett County . Many noted travelers, including General Washington were guests at the old Red House Inn.

His son, Jesse, later erected the splendid “Stone House” on the National Road and just a little distance form the former Red House. The Stone House is a, massive structure, three and half stories in the rear and two in the front. It has on its rear end a three story porch and a verandah one story high in front. The lands attached are the most fertile in the state and lie beautifully at the foot of the mountain

Jessie was also the first postmaster in the region and kept the post-office and a little store in his tavern. Little Meadows and the Stone House are the most attractive sites on the old National Road and threescore years ago they were centers of polities and society in Allegany county.

Joseph and Rebecca raised ten children in the Red House. The great hardships they endured during the war with the French and the tracking of Indians only made them a hardy breed of adventurers. Joseph with adventure in his blood, and their sons grown, was once again looking westward. Joseph was well acquainted with the familiar  yearning to improve his fortunes. This was the same desire that caused his father to leave Ireland for the new lands and Joseph to leave his farm to adventure in to new lands to open an inn. Now it was drawing him to once again leave his comfortable home for the unbroken wilderness called Ohio Valley which was dangerous and unsettled lands.

Joseph was an expert surveyor; he was noted to be an excellent judge of good soil and of good location from a business point of view. They surveyed and entered land at several points between Wheeling, Kentucky, and above Wheeling at Yellow Creek. Joseph assisted his sons in locating land in several places .

In 1770 Joseph and his son Samuel continued their exploration and quest for land as far as the Great Kanawha. This perilous trip was in a canoe armed with rifles, tomahawk and their surveyor instruments. They depended largely on the game of the forest, fish and parched corn for their sustenance. They stopped opposite the mouth of the Muskingum river and laid their claim on 400 acres of land. They left their sign or token of claim- that is, their initials blazed on a beech tree with gunpowder.

Joseph returned to Little Meadow near Wills Creek, making that his home until 1793 when several of his children having married and settled in that vicinity of Grave Creek. Joseph returned to Grave Creek, and died in Wheeling on December 1^st, 1793 at age 81. Joseph well earned the title of pioneer, explorer and adventurer, with honors given to him for his help in opening up the great Ohio Valley to civilization. It also ought to be noted that he served our country as a member of the Committee of Safety of Ohio county of Virginia in the Revolutionary War days. Joseph Tomlinson descendants are registered in the Daughters of the American Revolution and he is listed in lineage book number 60 on page 87.

John Tomlinson

John of Wills Creek, husband of Hannah, was born about 1740, most likely in Maryland. He was named the son of Joseph and Rebecca Swearingen Tomlinson in the Tomlinson Family Records. He was also named brother of Nathaniel Tomlinson, in Nathaniel’s will, and brother of Samuel in a 1778 Wills Town land deed, deeded to him after Samuel was killed by Indians in 1777.

Joseph deeded to each of his sons a tract of land called Wills Town and to Jesse a tract of land called Good Will. John settled on his Wills Town land thus giving him the name John of Wills Creek. John and his brother, Benjamin, in 1785, had their Wills Town land surveyed. Wills Town was formally called Willisses Town and was located about three miles from Fort Cumberland on the west side of the Wills Creek fork. The Wills Town Hundred as it was also called, was a site of an old Shawnee Indian settlement, named after an Indian, found there at the mouth of Caiucuctuck Creek. Wills Creek was a tributary of the north Branch of the Potomac and was originally known as Caicuctuc.

In 1788 John patented 229 acres on Wills Creek in Bedford county, Pennsylvania and named it Denmark. It seems to be clear that John owned property on Wills Creek in both Pennsylvania and Maryland.

John was a surveyor, like his father, and surveyed the military lots in 1788 in Allegany county, Maryland west of Fort Cumberland. These lots were offered by the State government to volunteers in the Continental Army. In 1771 John was described as a mill wright of Frederick county Maryland. Interesting enough a 1775 tax record of Cumberland Valley Pennsylvania mention of a Tumilson Mill and three years later the tax record lists a John Tumblson Sr. to have a total of 650 acres and a John Tumblson Jr. to have 50 acres.

John Tomlinson took the patriot’s oath of fidelity and support in Washington County, Maryland, in 1777. A local history said John and Benjamin moved from Bedford County Pennsylvania about the end of the Revolutionary War.

By 1793, John had accumulated more than 1,864 acres in the Third district, where his brother, Benjamin, had 371. The names of some of his tracts describe their geographical and economic characteristics and at least two were low alluvial land along a river known as bottoms. Wills Town, Horrible Bottom, Rock Point, Sampson Riddle, Late Discovery, Look Sharp, Mill Seat, Little Worth and Walnut Bottom was names of some of John’s land.

Family tradition says John was married twice and his first marriage issued John , Joseph and Lucy. I have yet to find a record that mentions another wife. If John’s birth date is correct, John would have been of age to marry in about 1759. Hannah released her dower on the 1814 Wills Town deed which was first deeded to John in 1771, thus she was married to John by 1771, at which time John was about 32. There is about 12 years from the time he would have been old enough to marry, and the 1771 deed, depending on when he married Hannah, there could leave enough time for John to have another family.

Family tradition says John’s second marriage was to Hannah Devore. The Tomlinsons and the Devores lived near each other in Wills Town. There was a lot of business conducted between the two families. In one incident, Jacob Devore was a witnesses to Hannah’s will dated 17 January 1839. In another, Cornelius Devore of Bedford County, Pennsylvania bought land from Joseph Tomlinson Jr. in the upper part of the fifth lot in Wills Town on 19 February 1784, putting him on the west side of Wills Creek near John and Benjamin Tomlinson. Also Hannahs’s granddaughter, Margaret Tomlinson, married James Devore, son of Charity Devore of Bedford, Pennsylvania and Philip Devore of New Jersey. In a Pennsylvania Supreme Court case of the Respublica (commonwealth) against John Devore in April 1795, John Tomlinson is the freehold of 140 acres, wooded and arable land, and was renting it to John Baker. John Baker in turn permitted Cornelius Devore to come in to possession of the land in 1792. John Devore cultivated the land for his brother, Cornelius, but no one lived on the land. John Tomlinson asked John Devore in 1793 to accompany him to the farm and then there at the farm he asked John Devore to give him his possessions. John Devore refused and said he could not, for the right was his brother’s, Cornelius Devore. John then laid his hand gently on him and desired him again to deliver up the possession. John Devore stepped back and picked up a stick and bid him stand off. John who admitted he felt no fears but expected to be struck if he pressed him further. All in all in the end, the judge ruled in favor for John Devore. The judge went on to say John Devore was invited on the land by John Tomlinson for the purpose of provoking him to some act of outrage and Baker was certainly guilty of allowing Cornelius to obtain possession of the land  and Tomlinson should have remedied the problem through the procedure under the landlord and tenant act.

John was the first of his three brothers to be elected to the Maryland House of Delegates of Allegany County. He served in 1790 and 1799. and also served as Justice of the Peace in Allegany County in the year 1829.

In 1794 John Tomlinson, yeoman, was in a dispute with James Dodsworth, miller. John was found guilty on the 20^th of October of 1794 of slander for accusing Dodsworth of theft of wheat from another miller, John Meaning. Later arbiters William Shaw and Charles F. Broadhag then granted John recovery in Dodsworth v. John Tomlinson, yeoman, for debt. Then in John Tomlinson v. James Dodsworth, miller, for non-payment of debt, the verdict was guilty and Moses Baird was surety for Dodsworth.

John Tomlinson was a miller, a surveyor, a legislature, a yeoman, a landowner and also a slave owner. On May 17, 1805 John Tomlinson listed the following slaves brought by him from the Territory of Columbia, James about 40 years of age, Sarah about the same, Ann nine years of age, Lantz about seven years old, Elisha about three years of age and Tom about four months. He intended these slaves to work his lands in Allegany County.

In the following years before John’s death in 1833 John deeded much of his property to members of his family. John was making sure those people received what he wanted them to have. He knew wills could be contested and changed. He knew there was a good chance that would happen, so he conveyed much of his property before he died. The last deed he transacted was to Jessie Tomlinson of John in which he deeded Jessie 10 acres of “Pine Lick” bordering Nothing Left and Will Town for $80.

John Sr for the last 10 to 15 years of his life had a sore leg in which Jesse and his children helped John Sr by and was there for him. On Monday May 27 1833 John Sr. signed over $1,000 in notes to his grandchildren, John died the Friday after that May 27 , 1833 in early June.

About two and half months after Johns death on Thursday the 22 of August, Hannah Tomlinson, widow and Jessie her youngest son went before Allegany county court to file for letter of administration on the estate of John Tomlinson, Dec. The Saturday August 31 the court denied her request and granted administration to Thomas I McKaig.

An inventory of John’s goods and personal estate was appraised on August 31, 1833. It consisted of 3 milk cows, 7 small shoats,13 hogs, 25 sheep, a bay mare, hay bushel , 26 lb. wool, a small spinning wheel, wool wheel and reel, cotton wheel, jerk, a coffee mill, a coffee pot, a tub, a tin cup, iron pot, copper pot, 6 earthen crock, a funnel, a tea kettle,2 ladles, waiter, 2 pot trammels, a lot of old iron, square box, 2 tin buckets, an ax, iron sledge, a lb. steel yards, tin buckets, trowel and tangs, 6 chairs, a desk and book case, 3 tables, queen ware, one tin cup, a Franklin bedstead, 2 beds with bedding and bedsteads , a bureau , iron and holder, 4 candles, candle and stand.

Sale of John personal estate was conducted on September 10, 1833. Hannah Tomlinson bought the bureau, bedding, 1 cow, jerk, iron and holder, tea kettle, iron pot, 2 pot trammels , 2 tin buckets, coffee mill, earth crock, and chairs.

A dispute then arose between Jesse Tomlinson and his children and the administrator Thomas I McKaig in regards to a $1,000 note and land called Last Chance The dispute went to the Chancery court on October 31 1836. The object of the file in this case was to obtain a decree, declaring a certain single bill made on May 27, 1833 fraudulent and that a certain real estate called Nothing Left, be sold. John Tomlinson in his last days, being ill, turned over the $1,000. promissory note from John Buchanon to his son Jesse for his grandchildren. McKaig wanted to prove John Sr. was incapable of making a valid deed or contract in his last days of life. The court then ordered Jesse Tomlinson to appear in court before the third Monday of April 1837 to give his cause to the matter. This court order was to be published once each week for three successive weeks before the 20^th of December 1836 in a newspaper printed in the town of Cumberland .

In the November court session of 1836 the following witnesses were called before the jury courtroom to give testimonies regarding the last few days before John died. The witnesses called were Roger Taylor, Peter and Mary Kreaghbanm, John M Buchanon and Cornelius Devore. Some of the pages are missing from this court record but a lot is still intact. The first part of Roger Taylor’s testimony is missing. It starts “At different times he was unwell. He had a sore leg and a sore arm. I heard the old man say that he waited on him a good deal and that he wished to make him some satisfaction for it. He said this, a good while before the assignment. I do not know particularly whether he was fond of John. He was fond of all his grand-children. I thought he appeared to be fonder of his namesakes than others. He did not like Samuel and Jacob’s conduct, heard him say so, he did not like their getting drank. I heard him say that he would wish to dispose of some land he gave John a deed for, that he did not wish Samuel to get hold of it, and that he wished to convert his lands into money that he might do as he pleased with it, that he did not wish Samuel to get hold of it, that he got drunk and cut his arm. This conversation took place in his ordinary heath and must have been a year or two before his death and after that he did deed the said lands to his son Jesse John and to his son John John. I do recollect that he said he wished to die his own executor. By this I understood him to mean that he wished to settle his own affairs”.

The next witness was Peter Kreaghbanm and he testified “ I have known Mr. McKaig for about five years and John Tomlinson and his grandchildren fifteen Years. I know that he is dead , I was present when he died and helped to lay him out, I do not recollect the precise time but it is between four and five years. I was there one evening it was the same day the notes were altered in Cumberland. The night I was there he never spoke a word except he wanted to get up or be laid down. If any one asked him if he wanted any thing he would say yes or no, sometimes he opened and closed his eyes. He was very much enfeebled and would draw a very long breath. I thought he was dying. I cannot tell what was his state of mind. He was too weak to attend to business. I cannot tell whether he was easily influenced or whether any of his grand children did influence him. I was there the night of his death. I got there just at dusk, the evening before he died. He was in the same state of mind as when I saw him before. He could not rise in his bed without assistance, nor sit up when raised, he was as helpless as a child……….” The rest of the testimony from this witness is missing.

The next pages are of the next court date Monday the 18^th of December 1836. George McVicker witness on the part of the defendants saying “ That he does know the parties , cannot say how long, but has known them some time, six or seven years. He was present when the assignment was made and that exhibit C is a true copy of said assignment . Mr. Buchanon talked with the old gentlemen and asked him if he wished this money, which he was then assigning to Jesse’s children to be for the present children or if he should have any other children whether they should have or not. Mr. Tomlinson answered No he wished it for the present children. Mr. Buchanon wrote the assignment in presence of the witnesses and the old man. He was held up in the bed by James Robison and young John Tomlinson. Mr. Buchanon then read the assignment and asked him if it was as he wished. I think the old man said it was. Mr. Buchanon then reached him the pen and he made his mark. I do not know whether his hand was directed or not but I think it was. I think it was put to the place. He said nothing after he made his mark until he was laid down in bed, immediately after which all the witnesses sighed it as witnesses. The old man was not looking at the witnesses while they were signing that I know of but I suppose that he knew that they were signing. The old man was in a very low state at that time I cannot say that I saw any improper influence connected upon him He had a sore leg which was very painful and had been sore from ten to fifteen years. His grandson, John, was very careful in waiting on him. I think he was very fond of John and I have heard him say that Jesse, and Jesse’s children had done more for him than any of his other children. I do not think it was more than two days after the assignment that he died, it was the Friday night after that, he died. He was very much against Samuel and Jacob and I think I heard him say that he would never do any thing for Jacob. The Friday evening before he was taken sick I Heard him say that he wished to die his own executor, I thought he meant that he wished to settle all his business before his death, so that no one would be put to the trouble of settling his affairs after he was dead. I know nothing as to him and his wife. After the assignment , Mr. Buchanon asked him what he wished done with the notes which were assigned. I think he said that he wished them to be given to his son Jesse. I did not hear them ask him anything except once, I heard John ask him if he wished him to have the old mare as they had been talking about it and he said Yes. This conversation was four or five days before the assignment. During his sickness, I do not think that he was at all times in a sound mind and I will tell you my reason, he wished to have a bucket of boiling water to put his leg in. This conversation I think took place either the night before or the night of the assignment. That night he frequently called for boiling water to put his leg in, his leg was very painful and had mortified and appeared to be the greatest part of his misery. They took him in an other room and warm water was brought him, he put his hand in it and appeared to be angry, because, as he said, it was not hot enough. I suppose he thought the water would relieve his leg . From this time to his death I can hardly think he was capable of doing business. I could see nothing during the whole of his sickness, which showed that he was deranged, except the hot water. He talked continually, during his sickness, of the notes until the assignment was made after which he said no more about them. In his conversation he said nothing about the assignment but wanted new notes drawn. Judging from the previous conversation which I had with him, when in health I thought that he had an idea of what he wanted done.

They met again on Thursday December 21^st and John M Buchanon gave the following testimony.

I know them both and I have been in the county fourteen years and have known Jesse Tomlinson the most of that time. He died in the early part of June eighteen hundred and thirty three. I do not recollect distinctly but I an under the impression that his grandson, John, of Jesse, stood behind him and steadied or directed his hand in assessing his mark to said assignment. I know nothing about his conduct and do not believe that he was in sane, although from protracted indisposition and the infirmities of age, for the was upwards of ninety, as he told me, he had, in a great measure lost his reasoning faculties and was not capable of disposing of any amount of property that required the exercise of his judgment. I would answer that his mind was in that state owing to causes set forth in the answer to the preceding interrogator and that it could be operated upon by those by whom he was immediately surrounded and for whom he had formed an attachment. By those who surrounded him I mean Jesse Tomlinson and his children. I think I heard John Tomlinson, son of Jesse say that he might have induced his grandfather to give him the thousand dollars just as easy as what he did give him. I am induced to believe he would, from the fact that he told me repeatedly, whilst in a healthy condition that he wanted the interest accruing on this money, to be paid to his wife, she outlived him, and the old man told me that he intended to leave this interest and his black girl, Phebe, to the old woman, his wife, as long as she lived and he thought that this with her thirds off the land would be sufficient to support her. He was afflicted with a sore leg. In the winter off eighteen hundred and thirty or thirty one his son Samuel cut his wrist with a butcher knife, Samuel Tomlinson came to me and asked me if I had a butcher knife, I told him I had. I was keeping store near there at the time ,I sold him a butcher knife and I ……..The rest is missing.

The jury came to the verdict that John was not capable of making a valid contract. Jesse Tomlinson and John Buchanon were to hand over the notes to the Administrator of John’s estate . On December 10, 1839, the fourth account of John’s estate was recorded and the money was paid out to pay costs of the Administration. What was left from the estate went to Hannah, Jacob, Jesse Tomlinson, and “10 heirs names unknown.” Our Great, Great , Great Grandfather, Samuel, was one of the “10 heirs names unknown.”

Hannah filed her will on May 30, 1839, and it was proven June 11, 1839. Hannah died between January 17 and May 30, 1839, she left the whole estate to her son, Jacob Tomlinson, and I have found no record of it being contested.

Samuel Tomlinson

Minerva, wife of James Hardy, father was Samuel Tomlinson. Samuel was the son of John and Hannah Tomlinson, and was born about 1790 in Allegany County, Maryland. Samuel was the last of eight children born to this family. There is not much recorded on Samuel - only the usual land deeds, census and a marriage record. He is listed in the household of his father, John Tomlinson Sr, in the 1800 and 1810 census of the 5^th District of Allegany County, Maryland.

Samuel, at about age 21, married Margaret (Polly) Matthews on July 5, 1811, in the 5^th District of Allegany County. Margaret was the daughter of Chidley Matthews and Margaret Park of Allegany County.

Their first child, Joseph was born about 1814, leaving 3 years from Samuel and Margaret’s marriage and Joseph’s birth. They could have had another child in that time that died as a baby, that we do not know about. Joseph, son of Samuel and Margaret, moved to Ohio and married Mary Thompson. Joseph and Mary had at least three children.

Their next child born was our great grandmother, Minerva Tomlinson. She was born April 6, 1816, in the 5^th District of Allegany County, Maryland. Minerva married our great grandfather, James Hardy, in Pennsylvania, most likely in Bedford County.

Four months after our grandmother Minerva’s birth, a land deed was produced and recorded from John Tomlinson to Samuel. This deed is the first part of proof that establishes Samuel’s relationship to his father and mother, John and Hannah, as their son. The deed reads “ So well for and in consideration of the natural love and affection which he the said John Tomlinson hath and betray unto the said Samuel as also for the better maintenance, support, lively hood and procurement, of him the said Samuel Tomlinson, and also for the consideration of six hundred dollars for a part of a tract or parcel of land in Allegany County Maryland known by the name “Nothing Left” containing 300 acres.” This tract of land borders with the original tract called “Horribly Bottom Resurveyed,” “Wills Town” and the Pennsylvania border. This puts Samuel and Margaret on the border of Maryland and Pennsylvania. Samuel’s land on the map on the first page would be somewhere near Wills Creek and the Pennsylvania border. Samuel is named; Samuel, son of John Tomlinson on another land deed following this first deed from his father.

Their third child was Margaret M. Tomlinson in September of 1818. She was given the name of her grandmother and her mother. She married James P Devore in Pennsylvania and moved to Indiana and they had at least nine children.

By 1820 Samuel was about 30 years old, still living in the 5^th District of Allegany County Maryland. Their forth child was born , George Tomlinson, on the 11^th of March, 1821. George moved to Ohio shortly after his brother Joseph and married Mary Green. They had three known children.

The fifth and last child, Samuel Tomlinson Jr. was born in February in 1823. He also went to Ohio, most likely with his brother, George. Samuel married Sarah A Kemmel; they had no children.

In 1830, Samuel and his family are still living on their land on the Pennsylvania and Maryland border. All of their children were born by this time. In his father’s probate we have found that Samuel likes to drink and often gets drunk. It seems sometime after John sold “Nothing Left” to Samuel their relationship went bad, possibly because his father disapproved of him getting drunk. The probate gives witness to a incident that happened in 1830 or 1831. Samuel went to the town store proprietor, John Buchanon, and bought a butcher knife from him. I assume Samuel and his father John had a disagreement ether before or after he bought the knife. Samuel cut his fathers arm with the knife he bought from Mr. Buchanon. I do not know if he bought the knife to hurt his father. But John, because of this event and Samuel’s drinking, wished to leave Samuel nothing from his estate and sold land so Samuel could not get his hands on it after his death.

About the last time Samuel shows up in records in Allegany Co. Maryland is in February of 1832. A deed was drawn up and Samuel sold the 300 areas of “Nothing Left” he bought from his father for $600.00, to John M Buchanon for $3,000.00. That is a profit of $2,400.00 for Samuel.

John Tomlinson died about June 1833. Samuel is not on the list of people who bought items from the sale of his father personal estate in September of 1833. Maybe he had already left town.

I can only find his children in records from this point on. His two daughters Minerva and Margaret married in Pennsylvania between 1833 and 1835. Margaret and James Devore moved on to Richland County Ohio and were there in 1836. Their oldest son, Joseph, married in Richland Co. Ohio, in year 1837.

By 1839 his father’s probate was finalized and does not mention Samuel or anyone else other then Hannah, Jacob and Jesse and “10 remaining heirs, names unknown”. Soon after, Hannah died

and left her whole estate to Samuel’s brother Jacob Tomlinson. This could be a clue that Samuel was

not in the area at the time the probate was finalized.

In 1847 Samuel’s son, George, was in Richland County and married; Samuel Jr. followed and married in 1854. Both owned land by 1853 in Richland County Ohio. I can only image that Samuel Sr. packed his family in a covered wagon and headed west and that would explain how all their children ended up in Richland County Ohio at one time or another.

Another mystery to me is a picture that was taken of all of Samuel’s children. They were all together and it looks like they were in black. The picture would have to be dated before brother Joseph’s death in 1889 and at that time they were all living in different states, namely Ohio, Indiana and Iowa. What happened that would bring the siblings together again? Remember traveling was not easy in those days and they would have had to leave their farms for days to participate in this picture.

Hardy Family of Harrison County, Iowa

James Hardy

James Hardy; pioneer, sheriff, judge, miller, farmer, and father. 

James Hardy was born 10 Apr 1813 in Somerset County, PA to Joseph and Nancy (Ann) Hardy.  About 1829 James' grandfather, William Hardy, died in Somerset Co.  and the family moved to Logan Co., OH. and then to LaGrange, Indiana in 1836. After the death of Joseph, James moved his family to Glenwood, Pottawattame, Iowa in 1850 and became their first sheriff.  In 1852 he moved his family to Harrison County, Iowa and lived there until he died May 10, 1885. He served as county judge and helped build Harrison County's first courthouse.  James is buried in Magnolia Cemetery in Magnolia. James  married on 10 Nov 1833 to Minerva Tomlinson.  

Minerva was born on 6 Apr 1816 in Allegeny County, Maryland and is the daughter of Samuel Tomlinson and Polly Matthews both of Maryland.  James and Minerva's children were Joseph Andrew, Norman Bruce, George Washington,  James, Samuel Tomlinson, Delevan Martin   Jerome Bonaparte,  Drusus Nicholas and Josephine Margaret Hardy.

 The old Courthouse in Magnolia.
James Hardy helped build this courthouse

Minerva Tomlinson Hardy

James and Minerva Hardy's children
Top Row - Norman B. Hardy, Joseph, Delavan M Hardy, George Hardy
Bottom Row-  Jerone B. Hardy, Samuel Hardy, Josephine Hardy, James Hardy, Drusus Hardy
taken about 1872 by Eation Photographer in Magnolia Harrison Co., Iowa

James and Minerva Hardy children's spouses
Top Row - Katie, Myra, Ann, Julia
Bottom Row-  Mary, Viola, Milton, Minnie, Flora
 taken about 1872 by Eation Photographer in Magnolia Harrison Co., Iowa.

Children of James and Minerva are:

1. Infant, born September 14, 1834 died as a baby.

2. Lloyd, born March 15, 1836 died as a baby 

3. Joseph Andrew, born September 26, 1838 in Angola, Indiana; died March 15, 1894 in Rantsdale, Ravalli Co..Mt. Married (1) Julia E. Hopkins January 24, 1859 in Harrison, Iowa. He married (2) Myra Trow July 02, 1885 in Harrison, Iowa.

4. Norman Bruce, born November 21, 1840 in Lagrange Co., Indiana; died December 11, 1909 in Harrison, Iowa.  married (1) Mary H Eaton May 14, 1862 in Magnolia, Harrison, Iowa. He married (2) Katie Nutterville September 10, 1877 in Harrison, Iowa.

5. George Washington, born March 10, 1843 in Lagrange Co., Indiana; died November 07, 1919 Harrison, Iowa. married Julia A Wakefield August 16, 1863 in Harrison, Iowa.

6. James P, born March 27, 1846 in  Lagrange Co., Indiana; died December 04, 1912 in Seattle, Washington. married Mary Lauretta Oviatt March 30, 1869 in Harrison, Iowa.

7. Samuel Tomlinson , born May 01, 1848 in Angola, Steuben, Indiana; died July 21, 1933 in Logan, Iowa.married (1) Martha Emma Walden 1866,  (2) Viola M Vincent June 30, 1872 in Iowa.

8. Delevan Martin, born April 03, 1851 in Coonsville (Glenwood), Mills, Iowa; died February 07, 1927 Tacoma, Washington.married Anna Libbie Severance.

9. Jerome Bonaparte Hardy, born June 11, 1853 in Magnolia, Harrison, Iowa; died June 30, 1921 in Logan, Iowa.married Mary H Merchant March 24, 1874 in Magnolia, Iowa.

10. Drusus Nicholas Hardy, born February 08, 1856 in Magnolia, Harrison, Iowa; died January 18, 1932 in Missouri Valley, Iowa. married Flora Cornelia Oviatt May 28, 1879

11. Josephine Margaret Hardy, born March 05, 1858 in Magnolia, Harrison, Iowa; died July 12, 1941 in Logan, Iowa.married Milton Merchant Abt. 1880 in Harrison, Iowa.

 Picture of the old courthouse in Magnolia and all of the judges that served there.
 It is said this picture is hanging in the new courthouse in Logan.

My great, great grandfather James Hardy, son of Joseph and Nancy, was born and raised in Southampton, Somerset county, PA on April 13, 1813.  James, according to his obituary,  went to business school somewhere in PA.  The fact that he became a sheriff and a county judge I wonder if it wasn't business law school.  (Something to investigate; find schools, academies, colleges in the area that he grew up in, maybe a state school directory and go from there searching for school logs, granulation rolls, school history, whatever you can find.)   

James finished school and married Minerva Tomlinson, daughter of Samuel and Margaret Matthew's on Nov 10 1833 in Pennsylvania.  The Tomlinson and Matthews family were both from Maryland.  James and Minerva headed west to Logan County, Ohio, where they joined up with James' father Joseph.  James engaged in farming for three years before moving the family again to Steuben Co., Indiana in 1836. This family included his; father and mother, Joseph and Nancy Ann, and younger brothers Joseph and Lloyd, sisters Elizabeth, Margaret and Susan all married before excect Susan who was married in Logan co. 

 One year later Steuben county was created from Lagrange county, Indiana making him one of the first settlers of Steuben county.James lived in Steuben County for about 14 years. He was a farmer. He was appointed the first constable of Jackson town in 1837. He was also first bailiff in charge of the grand jury in 1838.

James' father Joseph died in 1847, and his mother Nancy a few years later. Joseph's probate was settled in 1850. James then moved his family farther west across the Iowa border to Coonsville, Pottawattamie County, now Glenwood, Mills county.

Mills county was created from Pottawattamie on the first Monday in August of 1851 and James was elected the sheriff and county assessor of this new county. Record shows James was still sheriff of Mills co. in June 1852.

James was not total satisfied in his present location in Mills County. James moved further north in Pottawattamie county in the autumn of 1852. He moved to the site of what is called Magnolia, Harrison County, Iowa. Again he was one of the first settlers of the counties of Iowa.

James entered 160 acres of land in Magnolia and a quarter of Section 15 in Calhoun in 1852. That first winter James rented a house in Calhoun town while he built a log cabin on his 160 acres.

In 1853 James laid out what is known as "Hardy's Addition". In March of the same year James assisted the county seat commissioners in locating the county seat of Harrison county to this place in Magnolia.

By the first Monday of April a full copra of county officials were elected. The return was to be carried to the house of Stephen King to be counted. James Hardy and Thomas B Neeley were appointed to take the poll books from this west side of the county to Judge King's place. Upon this journey they arrived at the banks of the swollen Boyar river. They needed to cross and there was no bridge. They staked out their horses and undressed. They swam the river, keeping their scanty wardrobes and record books above the high water. They dressed and went on to Judge King's place on foot.

James was elected the county's second judge in 1854 and served to 1857. In those days Harrison county was under the county judge system---- a one man power. As a general rule these county judges were men of exceptional integrity. They was held in high esteem , good judgment and were of a high and honorable order - above suspicion.

The county judge system was abolished in 1869 and the county seat was relocated to Logan in 1875. Memories of those days are seen in a large framed picture of the old pioneer courthouse at Magnolia. Surrounding the courthouse are pictures of it's county judges whom served 1853 to 1869.

Under Judge Hardy's administration the first courthouse was built in 1856 in the county's seat of Magnolia, and the town of Clay was organized in 1856. Judge Hardy always took active part in any enterprise that in his judgment would build the interests of Harrison county. He donated land and money to help such matters along. No man was more popular in the county than Judge Hardy as he was always called.

James belonged to a society styled "regulators" that consisted of an organized band of pioneers that became a law of itself. No one would dare to question their authority. The formation of this society was to protect their fellow settler from claim jumpers or land sharks from stealing their land. In their way they sought to see that honorable men seeking homes in their county should not be imposed upon and beaten out of their rights. These claim jumpers were given formal notices that if they did not relinquish all supposed rights to a certain piece of land that they would receive free transportation the great unknown country, whence claim jumpers were never known to return. Sometimes one would presume that this was not legal, but in such cases "judge lynch" tried the case with but little argument, and sentence was at once executed in a near by grove. Those cases of that degree were rare and seldom. The usual outcome was a speedy flight from Harrison county, then a kingdom in itself.

James Hardy was noted for his coolness when threatened by Indians.  There was a time in 1853 when the visiting band of 150 Nebraska Omaha Indian's who were camping along the banks of the Willow by reason of treaty, would annoy the settlers by milking their cows, stealing chickens and begging for several years.  Companies frequently were organized to drive the Indians off. Sometimes there would be shooting. Usually no one would get hurt. About 20 warriors of this band was going up the Willow, they were stopped and made to surrender and sent back to their own country beyond the big muddy. The rest of the 150 Indians that was going up the Boyar was much stronger and would not consent to surrender to James Hardy and 25 of the white settlers that came upon their camp demanding their surrender.  James Hardy and the rest of the settlers suddenly realized they were out numbered and the settlers sent for reinforcements, but even then they were out numbered. The settlers then high tailed it out of there when they was surprised from the rear by a few more Indians.

James Hardy and Jacob Huffman built one of the first grist mills in Harrison county in 1854. The Hardy mill was erected on the banks of the Willow, on section 15 in Calhoun . Farmers came from a 75 mile radius to have their wheat grind at the Hardy mill. Huffman sold his interest in the mill to James Hardy in 1863. James kept the mill operating until his eye sight failed them in 1880, making it impossible for him to run the mill. The old mill was left still and the waters that once gave the mill life, cut its way under the supports, collapsing the mill into the Willow. It was never repaired but the lumber was used for various buildings. In 1915, the old burrs and part of the machinery still remain at the once prosperous mill.

In 1859 Harrison county agricultural society held its second annual fair near the old courthouse in Magnolia. Their attractions were the products of soil and barn-yard, homemade goods and domestic articles. Some the games played was horse and foot races. There were premiums awarded. James took first place for the best two years old steer winning two dollars.

December 1, 1860 James and Minerva platted out Magnolia city and recorded and filed the platt January 10, 1861. This was to the west of the original platting which was done under the Authority of commissioners and County judge.  Three years later James donated to the town land for a cemetery.  Magnolia by 1869 had a population of about 300, with three dry goods store, two hotels, ten carpenters, four blacksmiths, one tailor, a shoe shop, two physicians, two ministers, six attorneys, two jewelers, artist who took daguerreotypes, a copper shop and one plasterer. In the immediate vicinity there was two gist mills and a number of saw mills in operation. Nine mails arrived each week by stage coach.

In 1864 James moved to Calhoun by the Willow. He spent his last years farming and running the mill in Calhoun. My grandpa Lou told and wrote of days as a child growing up around his grandparents and the mill.

In about 1880 James lost the use of his eyesight as a result of sickness and from that time on he gradually grew weaker. Finally he fell into a dreamless sleep. He died May 10,1885. He is buried in the same Magnolia town cemetery he donated to the town.

The history books of Harrison County tell us that of all the pioneer men none were more highly respected than Judge Hardy. He was an industrious man. A good citizen who has filled with credit the highest offices in the county. James was a good, kind father and a considerate husband. A trustworthy friend to all who lived within the radius of his acquaintance.

Tombstone inscription    Section 2 row 6
James Hardy
Died May 10, 1885
Aged 72y 1m 1d
Father rest in peace

Missouri Valley Times

Judge James Hardy, one of Harrison counties oldest and most respected citizens, died at his home near Magnolia, on Sunday last. He was buried on Tuesday last. We have not received the particulars May 15,1885 

Obituary of Grandma Hardy

Minerva Tomlinson was born April 6, 1861, in the state of Maryland; departed this life at the home of her daughter, Mrs Milton Merchant, near Logan on Tuesday, June 14, 1904, aged, 88 years 1 month and 9 days. She was married to James Hardy Nov, 10, 1833 in the state of p
Pennsylvania. She and her husband moved to Glenwood Mills county this state in 1850 and to Harrison county in 1852.

To them were born eleven children----ten sons and one daughter, eight of whom still survive her and are; Norman B., Geo. W., James K., Samuel T., Delavan M., Jerone B., Drufus N., and Josephine, now Mrs. Milton Merchant. The husband and three children precced her to the world beyond. She also leaves two brothers, Sam and Geo. Tomlinson each of whom are above eighty years old, 44 grand children and 33 great grand children to mourn her loss

The funeral exercises were held at her late home Thursday June 16, conducted by Rev. E. Bodenham, pastor of the Baptist church of Logan. The interment took place in the Magnolia cemetery which was given to the town by her husband years ago.

She has been in poor health for some time, but was confined to her bed but a few weeks in her final sickness. Most all her near relatives were present either at her late sickness or her funeral. She knew that death was near so she bade all “good bye”

Her suffering was great but in all she was patient and unselfishly thinking of the comfort of those who were caring for her. In early life she became a Christian and so lived until her death. Her kindness of heart won for her the love of all who knew her. Her life is gone out but her works live after her.

Logan Gazette June 23, 1904, page one

Who was those before me?

Welcome to my first page of my family history blog.  I want this to be a place for me to reflect and share what I know and my new discoveries. I have been studying my family history since I was a teenager.  My grandmother had a trunk of old family pictures  that my family was so blessed to have.  As a child I would look through the pictures and wonder who they were and what did they do. Were they farmers, shoe makers, clerks, and were did they live?