BIO: William Golden Hardy, Bullitt County, KY

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Transcribed by: Jan West awest1@tampabay.rr.com
Date: 21 Jan 2000
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WILLIAM GOLDEN HARDY

The business of funeral directing has always been one of large importance to a community and 
in recent years has, in methods of operation, been made a real science, demanding men of 
thorough technical preparation and broad conception of their responsibilities. One of the 
most up-to-date undertaking firms in central Kentucky is that of W. G. Hardy & Brother, of 
West Point, Hardin county, where they maintain a modern and well equipped establishment. 
William Golden Hardy, senior member of this firm, was born in Bullitt county, Kentucky, on 
the 18th of February, 1894, and is a son of Francis Marion, Jr., and Bessie Ethyl (Ashby)
Hardy. His father was born September 10, 1870, at Pitt's Point, this state, and died at West 
Point, January 19, 1919. He had been engaged in mercantile affairs and as a hotelkeeper and 
was a man of prominence and influence in the community. He supported the republican party 
and was an earnest member of the Baptist church. He was a son of Francis Marion, Sr., and 
Matilda Jane (Hayman) Hardy, the former of whom was born in 1837, and died in November, 
1903, in West Point, at the age of sixty-six years.

He was a farmer and merchant, and was a veteran of the Civil war, in which he served in the 
Confederate army. He gave active support to the democratic party until the Cleveland 
administration, from which time he was a republican. His wife, who was a native of Kentucky, 
died in West Point in July, 1903, at the age of sixty-three years. Bessie Ethyl Ashby was 
born in Bullitt county, Kentucky, April 2, 1875, and is a daughter of Charles D. and Roena 
V. (Froman) Ashby. She is now living in West Point, where she owns the Hardy hotel. She 
belongs to Bright Star Chapter No. 16, O. E. S., at Louisville, is an active member of the 
Baptist church and is superintendent of the cradle department of the Sunday school, in which 
she is assisted by her daughter, Miss Ethyl.

Charles D. Ashby was born in Bullitt county, Kentucky, February 11, 1843, followed farming 
throughout his life, and died in that county, December 23, 1902. He served in the Union army 
during the Civil war, gave his political support to the republican party  and was a member 
of the Baptist church. His wife was born in Bullitt county, Kentucky, May 16, 1862, and died 
there June 16, 1917. She was a daughter of Jeremiah V. and Amanda (Graham) Froman, the 
former of whom was born in this state on March 8, 1818, and died in Bullitt county on 
December 6, 1902. He was a farmer and fruit grower and also owned a gristmill, a sawmill, a
hominy mill and a carding mill. He was prosperous and had a number of slaves. He served in 
the Union army during the Civil war, supported the republican party and was a member of the 
Baptist church. His wife was born in this state, July 27, 1819, and died in  Bullitt county, 
June 13, 1897. Charles D. Ashby was a son of Presley and Alishia Ashby, the former of whom 
was born May 15, 1813, and died in Bullitt county, December 11, 1891. He was a farmer, 
served in the Federal army during the Civil war, voted the republican ticket and was a 
member of the Christian church. His wife was born October 12, 1828, and died in Bullitt 
county, October 4, 1891. To Francis M., Jr., and Bessie E. Hardy were born three children, 
namely: William Golden; Francis B., who was married to Miss Adeline Wilson, of Elizabethtown, Kentucky; and Ethyl Armeta, who lives with her mother in West Point. 

William G. Hardy secured his education in the graded and high schools of West Point and then 
became associated with his father in the undertaking business, thus continuing until the 
fall of 1915, when he and his brother, Francis B., bought their father's interest and
have since continued the business under the firm name of W. G. Hardy & Brother. William G. 
Hardy graduated in 1915 from the Echols College of Embalming, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 
and Francis B. Hardy graduated in 1919 from Clark's College of Embalming in Cincinnati, 
Ohio. They have an up-to-date  establishment, give painstaking attention to every detail of 
their business and command their full share of the local business in their line. 

On February 20, 1915, in Louisville, Mr. Hardy was united in marriage to Miss Pauline Lucile 
Hendry, who was born on January 3, 1894, and is a daughter of George Alexander, Jr., and 
Dorah (Gardner) Hendry. Her father, who was born in Breckinridge county, Kentucky, and is 
now living in West Point, was formerly a railway postal clerk on the Illinois Central 
railroad, having been twenty-two years in the service. He is a member of the Ancient Free 
and Accepted Masons, belongs to the Baptist church and supports the republican party. His 
parents were George Alexander. Sr., and Zorada Catherine (Pendleton) Hendrie, the former of
whom was a native of Scotland, whence he came to this country when nine years of age, 
accompanied by his uncle, George Hendrie, and his brother, George Lucas Hendrie, and settled 
at Trenton, New Jersey, where he eventually engaged in farming. He was a member of the 
Baptist church and a republican. His wife was a native and lifelong resident of Breckinridge 
county, Kentucky.

Dorah Gardner was born in Cloverport, Kentucky, on October 15, 1871, and is a daughter of 
Capt. Elisha B. and Nancy Eliza (Gardner) Gardner. Her father, a son of James Gardner, was 
born in Hart county, Kentucky, and died at Marion, Ohio, in July, 1904, at the age of 
sixty-four years, being a resident of the National Soldiers' Home at the time of his death. 
He served in the Union  army during the Civil war and took part in the battle of Shiloh and 
in Sherman's march to the sea. He was a first lieutenant in the battle of Shiloh, where his 
captain was killed, and he thereafter commanded his company until the close of the war, 
though never commissioned a captain, and was honorably discharged at Louisville in 1865. His 
wife was born in Breckinridge county, Kentucky, on March 12, 1839, and died there in July, 
1902. She was a daughter of William and Minerva (Smart) Gardner, of Breckinridge county. Her 
father was a carpenter and builder by occupation, voted the democratic ticket and was a member of the Baptist church.

To George A. and Dorah Hendry were born three children, namely: Pauline L., Mrs. Hardy; 
Harry Hobert, who is employment manager of the Consolidated Coal Company at Jenkins, 
Kentucky, and is a veteran of the World war, having served eighteen months overseas; and 
Mary Catherine, who is the wife of Abel Warden Applegate, a professional baseball player, 
who enlisted for the World war and was in training at Camp Taylor. Mrs. Hardy graduated from 
the West Point high school in 1910 and taught school in Bullitt and Meade counties and in 
the West Point graded and high schools. She is an active member of the Methodist Episcopal 
church and its societies, serves as church organist, and belongs to the Parent-Teachers' 
Association. Mr. and Mrs. Hardy have two sons, William Golden, Jr., born February 5, 1918, 
and George Francis, born November 19, 1923. 

Mr. Hardy is a member of the Baptist church, of which he is moderator, and teaches in the 
Sunday school. He is a republican in his political alignment and has served as a member of 
the town council and on the school board. He is a member of Barker Lodge, No. 129, A. F. & 
A. M., and Barker Chapter, No. 154, R. A. M. A man of courteous and agreeable manner, 
straightforward in all the relations of life, and of excellent judgment in business, he has 
long been regarded as one of West Point's leading citizens and commands the confidence and 
respect of all who know him. 

HISTORY of KENTUCKY The Blue Grass State
322886 VOLUME III ILLUSTRATED
THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY
CHICAGO - LOUISVILLE 1928
pp 641-642