Effingham County IL Archives Biographies.....Hardin, Stephen 1818 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 20, 2011, 11:49 pm

Source: See below
Author: Lake City Publishing Co.

HON. STEPHEN HARDIN, who is engaged in merchandising in Mason, has for
thirty-seven years been prominently connected with the interests of this
community. He was born in Washington County, Ind., near Hardinsburgh, September
18, 1818. His father was John Hardin, and the paternal grandfather bore the same
name. The latter moved with his son to Indiana, where he and his wife died. The
father of our subject was a native of Burke County, N. C. When he was about
twenty years of age he removed from that State to Indiana, where he followed
farming. He lived in Washington County, and became a large stock dealer, making
a specialty of the breeding of horses. Mr. Hardin married Miss Ellen Colclasure,
who was born in Shelby County, Ky., and was a daughter of Abraham Colclasure.
Her father was a native of Germany. He emigrated to this country, for a time was
a resident of Kentucky, and afterwards became a farmer of Indiana, where his
last days were spent.

  Unto Mr. and Mrs. Hardin was born a family of eleven children, seven sons and
four daughters, all of whom grew to mature years, were married and had families
of their own. In order of birth they were as follows: Stephen; Abram, now
deceased; Elisha; John, now deceased; Aaron T.; Jacob M.; Leander; Susan and
Abbie Adeline, also deceased; Sarah E. and Mary E. Sarah was twice married. She
became the wife of Moel Wood, by whom she had two children, yet living. After
his death she married Joseph Gibson, but he is also deceased. She makes her home
in Mason. Mary became the wife of Jefferson Crane, who died leaving five
children. She is now Mrs. Rhodes, and resides with her husband in Knoxville,
Iowa. The father of this family came to Mason in 1864. and made his home with
his children and grandchildren until his death, which occurred in February,
1884, in the eighty-ninth year of his age, at the home of his son, Stephen. His
wife was called to her final rest about eleven years previous, dying in 1872.
They were both members of the Methodist Episcopal Church.

  Stephen Hardin, the subject of this sketch, was reared to manhood upon his
father's farm. He acquired his education in the district schools of Washington
County, Ind., after which he engaged in teaching in that community. On the 9th
of March, 1841, he was joined in marriage with Miss Mary, daughter of Peter and
Elizabeth (Barnet) Stalcup, the former a native of North Carolina, and the
latter of Kentucky. Six sons and four daughters were born of this union.
Elizabeth E., the eldest, is the wife of Andrew Nelson, a carpenter residing in
Mason. They have five children living: William M., who is a switchman in the
railroad yards at Cairo, Ill., and married Florence E. Bowling, by whom he has
one child, Blanche K.; Jennie, Mrs. Irey, whose husband is a farmer of Mason
Township; Mary, wife of William O'Donnell; and Sophrenus H. and Stephen H. John
S., the eldest son of Stephen Hardin, our subject, enlisted for the late Civil
war in August, 1861, as a member of the Thirty-eighth Illinois Infantry, but
soon contracted disease and died in October of the same year. Jane A. is the
wife of Morgan Cavanaugh, of Kepley Springs, Mason Township. Susan A. died in
infancy. Peter B. married Sina Baker, and resides in Edgewood, Ill. Leander M.
married Miss Sarah E. Debolt, by whom he has four children, Ora, Earl, Stephen
A. and John, and resides in Mason. Sarah E. is the wife of John C. Martin, of
Mason, and they have five children living: Maud, Gertrude, Ethel, Nina E. and
Grace F. Levi married Miss Nora Leith, and his wife died in February, 1890. They
had four children, two of whom are yet living: Jessie F. and Charles C. John S.,
the second of that name, married Miss Minnie Vandeusen, and they have two
children, Andrew and Mabel. He is station agent and telegraph operator at
Clifford, Ill. The other child of the Hardin family, a son, died in infancy.

  Mr. Hardin, our subject, removed from Indiana to Clay County, Ill., in 1843,
and resided near Bible Grove until 1856, when he came to Effingham County, Ill.
Taking up his residence at Mason, he has since made it his home. During the
greater part of his life he has followed the occupation of farming and
Stock-raising, but has now retired from that business and is engaged in
merchandising. In connection with his son he owns about one hundred and fifty
acres of land in Union Township, and also has sixty acres of timber land about
three miles from Mason, while within the corporate limits of the village he owns
fifty acres of good land, upon which is situated his pleasant home, one of the
best and most desirable residences in the town.

  When Mr. Hardin first came to Illinois, the locality in which he settled was
all wild and unimproved, and he bore all the experiences and privations of
pioneer life. He was obliged to haul his flour from St. Louis by wagons, and ten
days were required to make the round trip. During his residence in Clay County
he served as Sheriff from 1850 until 1852. He has held various offices of honor
and trust in Effingham County, and in 1858 was elected Representative to the
Illinois General Assembly, of which he was a member for two years. He is serving
as Justice of the Peace, which office he has held for six years. In all his
public duties he has been true to the trust reposed in him, and has, therefore,
won the commendation of all concerned. He exercises his right of franchise in
support of the Democratic party. For thirty-seven years Mr. Hardin has been a
resident of Mason, and is one of the substantial and highly respected citizens
of Effingham County. In his business career he has met with success, gaining a
comfortable competence through his own industrious and well-directed efforts.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Effingham, Jasper and Richland Counties
Chicago: Lake City Publishing Co.
1893

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/effingham/bios/hardin1662gbs.txt

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