Barber County Kansas
|
Barber County Kansas |
|
On Thursday, December 7, 1901, at 12:12 p.m., Henry Harrison Hardy passed from mortality into immortality, after courageously and patiently enduring lung disease for twenty five years.His death came at a time when his friends and neighbors were not fully prepared to bear his departure although he had not been able to be out of the house for nearly five months.
About twenty five years ago he was attacked with serious lung affection and at that time his death was expected. But after a long term of treatment he conquered. He has been bed fast many times since, and finally his strength was exhausted and he surrendered to the decree that all mankind must sooner or later obey.
Henry Harrison Hardy was born at Lancaster, Ohio, September 9, 1836; died at Medicine Lodge, Kansas, December 5, 1901, aged 65 years, 2 months, 20 days. He came to Barber county in March, 1880, settling on a farm a short distance west of Medicine Lodge and remained there until his health became impaired when he moved to the city, engaging in different pursuits.
Early in the Civil War he enlisted, and at the time of his discharge at the close, he was Lieutenant in Company H. 47th Illinois volunteers.
He served Barber county in the capacity of probate judge from 1886 to 1890 with honor and ability.
Judge Hardy was a man with strong moral convictions and he exemplified them without fear of favor in his everyday life. He was by no means what many in this day are pleased to call a "policy" man. He had a keen conception of right, was always sincere and honest in his actions and expected the same high standards from others. His citizenship among us cannot be overestimated in value. His means were limited but his counsel, his industry and his christian character stand as a monument to his memory and as an example to the rising generation.
The funeral services were conducted at the family residence on Friday afternoon and the body laid to peaceful rest in Highland cemetery. Rev. J. F. Irwin, pastor of the M. E. church of which he was a member, conducted the services. His comrades of the G. A. R. attended in a body to pay their tribute and respect to one who had been near and dear to them, and the entire service was impressive and sublime.
Let it be written on his epitaph that the life of Judge Hardy was not vain. The best part of his life was given to his country, his character molded by his own effort and his virtues always outshining his faults.
He is survived by a wife, two sons and a daughter. Fred Hardy and Mrs. J. L. Ellsworth reside at Alva, O. T. Sherry T. Hardy lives with his mother.
IN MEMORIUM. Again the Black Camel has knelt before the portals of our Post, and all that was mortal of our loved and trusted Comrade, Henry Harrison Hardy, of Company H, 41st Regiment, Illinois Volunteer Infantry, was silently borne to fame's eternal camping ground, where -
"No rumor of the foe's advance
Now swells upon the wind,
No troubled thought at midnight haunts
Of loved ones left behind:
No vision of the morrow's strife
The warrior's dream alarms,
No braying born screaming fife
At dawn shall call to arms."In the presence of these who are personally acquainted with Judge Hardy, his sterling qualities as a man and citizen of honor, integrity and worth, his many laudable, unostentatious christian virtues, as well as an unswerving patriot, who not only loved his country, but voluntarily offered his life as a willing sacrifice in its behalf during the dark and cheerless days of civil strife, words of ours are wholly unnecessary to even attempt the formulation of a fitting eulogium in behalf of the memory of one so highly esteemed while living and now so truly mourned by all, as is our late comrade of Eldred Post No. 174 G. A. R. who on the 5th inst., crossed the mystical River of Death, and now sweetly reposes in the light and love of his merciful Redeemer.
"Rest on, embalmed and sainted dead,"
* * *
"Nor shall your glory be forgot
While Fame her record keeps.
Or Honor paints the hallowed spot
Where Valor proudly sleeps."To the bereaved widow, sorrowing children and friends of the family, we fervently unite tendering our sincere sympathy and condolence in this their hour of affliction, and earnestly express the hope that they will unite with us in looking up and beyond in acknowledgment of the righteous ways of an all wise Providence, and a heartfelt prayer, that Thy will, O Lord, not ours be done.
JOHN SHANNON,
JNO. L. BRADY,
Committee.
CARD OF THANKS Mrs. Hardy, sons and daughter take this opportunity of heartily thanking the old soldiers and kind friends for their kindly assistance and sympathy in their sorrow.
Meandering by Bev McCollom, June 23, 2008 The Gyp Hill Premiere , Medicine Lodge, Kansas.Henry Harrison Hardy was born in Lancaster, Ohio, on September 9, 1836, and served in the Union Army during the Civil War, a Lieutenant in Company H, 47th Illinois Volunteers. He was discharged before the war was over because of an illness contracted from severe exposure. He returned to his home, which was then in Shelbyville, Illinois.
Henry married Theresa Lockwood. She and her sister, Abigail, were schoolteachers.
Henry promised Theresa that her mother and her sister, Abigail, could make their home with them.
In 1880 in an attempt to improve his health Henry Hardy, his wife and children, his mother-in-law, and his sister-in-law moved to Barber County, Kansas, where they lived west of Medicine Lodge on Cedar Creek. Their home was damaged in the flood of 1885. Henry and Teresa had three children, all of whom attended District #10 school, where their Aunt Abigail was the teacher. The Hardy children were sons, Fred and Sherry, and daughter, Abigail, known as Babe.
The Hardy family eventually moved to Medicine Lodge. Their home was at 115 North Oak, at the southwest corner of North Oak and West First (where Gus Palmer built his house.). Henry served Barber County as Probate Judge from 1886 to 1890. Judge Hardy was described as a man with strong moral convictions, which he exemplified in his every day life. He was always honest and sincere in his actions and expected the same from others.
In 1887 Judge Hardy went into the cotton business with Henry Durst, who had decided to bring cotton to Barber County as a major industry. Durst was a well-to-do German who had come to Medicine Lodge from Dayton, Ohio. He immediately became a big promoter of the town and county. He went into real estate, building a number of homes on South Walnut in Durst’s Addition to Medicine Lodge. Only one remains today - on the east side of S. Walnut between Lincoln and Fremont.
In 1886 Durst grew some cotton in his garden and sent it to Alabama to have it ginned. The report was that it was good quality cotton. So in March of 1887 Durst & Hardy had cotton seeds for everyone to plant.. But the progressive German had not taken into account the harshness of the prairie, and cotton crops failed. However, Durst & Hardy put a cotton gin in the Farmers’ Mill at North Main and West Second (where the Southern Baptist Church is now). They had two bales of cotton at the mill and were sure that more would be coming in. But the cotton crop brought only $600 to Barber County. The cotton gin was not needed the next year.
The Judge had something more exciting than ginning cotton going on in 1888.
His daughter, Babe, married Lemuel Ellsworth and son, Fred, married Minnie Hunter in a double wedding in the Hardy home on December 23rd. The Reverend Sanderson of the Methodist Church officiated.
Then in 1898 H.H. Hardy and his son, Sherry, went into business together. They opened a grocery store on North Main Street (where the old Western Auto Store is.) It was a very successful business. Sherry, who never married, continued to operate the grocery store until his death in June of 1929.
Abigail Lockwood, Judge Hardy’s sister-in-law, never married, but continued to teach school in Barber County. Some of her schools were Roundup, Doles, Mingona, Forest City, and Kling. She boarded with a family in each area. On winter mornings she would walk to the one-room school early to make a fire in the stove so that it would be warm when the children arrived. Abigail died in 1912.
Judge Hardy died on December 7th, 1901, of lung disease. He had not been able to be out of the house for nearly five months. The Index reported: "About twenty-five years ago he was attacked with serious lung infection and at that time his death was expected. But after a long term of treatment, he conquered. He has been bedfast many times since, and finally his strength was exhausted and he surrendered to the decree that all mankind must sooner or later obey.. . . His death came at a time when his friends and neighbors were not fully prepared to bear his departure . . . . "
Mrs. Hardy was completely deaf and rarely left the house, but friends and neighbors visited her every day. Son, Sherry, lived at home with his mother until her death in January, 1928. When I was growing up, Fred Hardy lived in the home on West First. He was often in the group from Medicine Lodge who went to Colorado Springs in the summer, and he told wonderful stories about his Dad.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
|
|
|