Hardin burials, Texas County, Missouri Samuel C. Hardin- b. January 25, 1818-KY to Hardy and Tabitha (Roberts) Hardin, came to St. Louis, MO about 1840. He was the oldest and took a job with the McClung Fur Co. of Linn Creek, MO. They sent him to what was Ashley Co., but now Texas Co. where he set up a trading post with the Osage Indians and others. He was the first Postmaster at Hickory Spring, MO-1851- (This was the forerunner of today's Mt. Grove). A few years later, December 25, 1845 Samuel met and married Miss Sarah Roper a daughter of Rev. John Roper and wife Nancy Smith who came from TN. The Hardins made their home at Hickory Spring about which is about 1/2 mile east of Mt. Grove City Limits on 9th Street of today. To their union 6 children were born namely: 1) Mary Frances Hardin b. 1848, who married Silas Rippee, 2) Emily Caroline Hardin b. Jan. 14, 1849, who married Peter Sanders, 3) Tabitha J. Hardin b. 1851, 4) Sarah S. Hardin b. 1853, 5)Infant son-1854-1856, buried unmarked with Samuel and Sarah. 6)John Hardin b. 1857 who married Vinney A. Reeves, 6) Joseph W. Hardin b. 1859 who married Lona Thorp. In 1859, Samuel died at Hickory Spring. In 1861, the Post Office was moved to Mt. Grove thus ending the community of Hickory Spring. Very little is left except a couple of old buildings as one goes across the county line. Sarah went on to raise the children in the country. The fenced in graves of the Hardins are located about 1/2 mile east of Mt. Grove City Limits, on private lands belonging to the HARKER family. Drive east on 9th Street and drive out of Mt. Grove. The pavement ends and gravel takes over. As you are driving you will see a grove of Hickory Trees, as you drive over the creek or stream a clearing on the east side. About 25 feet from the road are the graves. They read: Sarah Hardin wife of S.C. Hardin b. March 22, 1823 d. October 15, 1882. (Remember Friends as you pass by, I once was as you are now. As I am now, you will be, So prepare for death and eternity). It is said that this verse intrigued the people in the area for years. HONORABLE, Samuel C. Hardin, died October 13, 1859, aged 41 years, 8 months and 21 days. It also has an inscription at the bottom, but now to weathered to read. NOTE: We found tonight as we read some notes from Hardins/Harkers that Samuel and Sarah had a son who was born in 1854 and died before the next child was born in 1857. The infant son is buried unmarked near Samuel and Sarah on the south side of the road. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: C. M. Clark ====================================================================