Sterling Hardin and Granville County, North Carolina
NEW: Research Report on Sterling Harding by William Evans, Durham, North Carolina
A door opened in 2024 to a new addition to our Samuel
Hardin
family history when Will Evans, of Durham, North Carolina, sent me a
well-researched paper on Sterling Hardin of Granville County, NC. His
major
revelation from the records is that not only did Sterling Hardin Sr.
have a daughter named Nancy, but that Nancy had three children by an
enslaved man called Roger before marrying a free person of color named
John Chavis. The children, having a white mother, were born free,
and became part of a group of free people of color in Granville County,
including the Chavis family, one of whom owned the lodging house that
was the scene of a 1750 robbery where Samuel Hardin, Jr., drinking
there, was the accused, and including the ancestors of our researcher.
He has expanded our knowledge of Rachel Thornton.
Will Evans is an excellent researcher whose methods and writing I
admire very much. Contact: William Evans, choirboy97@gmail.com.
He is a descendant of Sterling Hardin, Nancy Hardin, and the Chavis and
Bass families, free people of color in Granville County. He has
European Y-DNA. For over two centuries, his family has
remained in north-central North Carolina.
William A. Evans Jr. Family Tree at Ancestry.com
How to see a tree at Ancestry.com not yet
shared with you:
1. Search/Public member trees
2. In the form, concentrate of finding one individual: Nancy Harding
3. Use these search terms
Nancy Harding,l b. 1793
Nancy's spouse: John Chavis
Father: Sterling Harding b. 1748
Mother: Rachel Thornton b.1753
This will produce a list of trees with "William A. Evans, Jr. Family
Tree" in the first five.
Further correspondence with Will Evans 2024:
4/28/2024
I see Thomas Harding (died in 1749) in your tree but no wife is listed.
I looked at his estate file and he was married to a woman named
"Rebecker" which was probably "Rebecca" using today's spelling. Here
is
a link to the document that shows her name. The link should take
you to image
number 1795.
4/17/24
After Nancy Harding named Roger as her children's father, she was
released and essentially given another date to re-appear in court for a
trial and sentencing. I could not locate her in the court minutes for
the court term that she was supposed to appear. However there was a
note scribbled on one of the summonses stating that Nancy had moved to
Franklin County. If the family had land there as you stated, the note
makes sense in that she probably went to stay with relatives to avoid
punishment. Unfortunately though I can't find any trace of her living
in Franklin County. If she was living in someone else's household, she
wouldn't have been listed by name at that point in time. Additionally
Franklin County lost a lot of its county records due to neglect.
Map: Counties and county seats of North Carolina with adjacent Va and SC counties. Good for tracking Granville Hardins.
Granville County in General
Recent changes: Samuel
Hardin (Jr.) items have been moved to his page. Likewise for Thomas Hardin
and John Hardin.
This page is about the Sterling Hardin family who stayed in Granville,
including the grandson John Hardin who migrated to Wytheville, Virginia
and perhaps some went to other states. It is also about Granville
County in general.
A family of Hardins
beginning with Sterling Hardin, born about 1750, did not migrate south,
but lived a generation in Granville County, after which Sterling
Hardin, Jr. (1798) and his son John migrated to Wytheville, Virginia. A
DNA test of a
descendant of Sterling Hardin reveals they are identical to James Oran
Hardin, the "standard" I-M253 Hardin in my mind. When all is known,
Sterling will turn out to be a son of Samuel Hardin, Jr. or of Thomas
Hardin, one of the brothers who died in Granville County before 1753.
Futhermore, it's
possible that the Gabriel Hardin, b. bef. 1750 who lived in the 1770s
and 80s in Chatham County with John Hardin and left for Pendleton
District in 1787, should be attributed to Samuel or Thomas. John Hardin
was too young to father a son by 1750.
When Samuel Hardin died in Brunswick County, Virginia in 1732, his
left his unnamed three eldest sons 640 acres in North Carolina to
divide equally among themselves. Thus they were drawn across the state
line to Granville County. I find no hint of the sons ever
occupying it or selling it.
Samuel in
particular, and William, one of the youngest sons, bought
and sold land in Brunswick County for a few years.
In 1754 Samuel Harding property in Granville County was sold for
debt. That would be property abandoned by Samuel Hardin, Jr. when he
was
jailed. If the latter, then Samuel Hardin, Jr. was dead in 1754 since
it was his estate that was sued. It is likely, then, he was put to
death
for theft.
December term of the court, 1754: "William Eaton vrs. the
estate of Samuel Harding, attachment suit. Jury
decides for plaintiff. Property ordered sold to pay debt due Eaton."
-Court Minutes of Granville County, North Carolina
1746-1820, by
Zae Hargett Gwynn, printed 1977, Rocky Mount, NC. Chapter "Minutes
1754-1770" Author page 7, record book page 44.
In 1754 Granville County included that eastern half that became
Bute County in 1764. I don't know what region of the county the land
of Samuel Hardin, Jr. was in or where was the 640 acres left by Samuel
Hardin, Senior to his three eldest sons. I have not found the location
of that land.
The three eldest were slow to find their way into the records. This
writer is unaware of their
activities between 1732 and 1753. In the late 1740s Gabriel and
Samuel
-- already in their mid-thirties, it is believed -- married and began
families, probably in Granville County. Samuel Hardin, and probably
Gabriel,
were
employed as laborers
in Granville County in the 1750s. One day in the early
1750s, Samuel and Gabriel, and possibly William, were refreshing
themselves in a Granville County ordinary or lodging house when a
traveler came in. They all talked and drank. When the traveler was
drunk,
Samuel Hardin took some of the gold coins he had, it was claimed in
Samuel's trial
in 1753. He was sent to Edgecombe County for trial and I find no record
of his conviction. However I am
unable to find him in any records after his hearing,
except for the December1754 suit of his estate, quoted above.
John Hardin also married and began a family and was granted land in 1761 in what became Bute County near Louisburg. From 1761 to 1764 Gabriel Hardin owned land in Lunenberg County, Virginia. He received a grant of land in Moore County (then Cumberland), NC in 1764 and moved there in 1767, where he lived most of his life.
John Hardin was granted land 1761-1768 in Bute County, in what was
once eastern
Granville County. He left Bute County sometime after 17 Nov 1769. He is
found in the early 1770s in southern Chatham County, NC, in a location
about 23 miles east of Gabriel Hardin. He sold out to his son
Nicholas on 8 Nov 1786 and remained in Chatham County.
Hardin/Hardy Marriages in Granville County
Marriages of Granville County, North Carolina, 1753-1868
Author: Holcomb, Brent H Date of Publication: 2003
Those marked in italics by TLH may
be related.
1768 Oct 27 Bruce, Charles and Betty Benton. Hardy, Ben.
bondsman, Saml. Benton, witness. p.76
1777 Nov 14: Hines, Thomas, of Wake County, & Mary Hardy, of
Granville County, James Alston, bm; Saml. Henderson Jur., wit.
1786 Sep 16: Crowder, Hilkiah &
Lydda Harding, William Cook, bm;
Bennet Searcy, wit.
1789 June 3: Crowder, Uel &
Molley Harding, Wm. Cook, bm; A.
Henderson, wit.
1796 Dec 15: Moreland, Gabriel & Salley Harding, William
Miner, bm; Richard Taylor, wit.
1798 Shemwell, Samuel and Jenney Dickerson. Thornton Harden, bondsman.
Wm. Robards, witness.
1800 Dec 7: Mitchell, Wm. &
Rachel Harden, Mathew Allin, bm.
1801 Feb 18: Harden, Thornton &
Elizabeth Harrison, Uel
Crowder, bm; Wm. Walker, wit.
1816 Jan 3: Hardy, Sterling &
Lotty Inscore, A. D. Parrish, bm;
Horace A. Hester, wit.
1816 Jan 19: Brown, Dempsey & Phereba Harden, Larken White, bm;
H. Young, wit.
1816 July 6: Dement, Robert & Priscilla Harden, Garland Allen,
bm; W.M. Sneed, wit.
1816 Aug 7: Harden, Starling & Sally Worls, John Bruramett, bm;
Rhodes Herndon, wit.
1816 Nov 12: Wiles, William & Rhodey Harding, Absalom D.
Parish, bm; W.M. Sneed, wit.
1816 Nov 15: Brookhanks (possible misspelling of Brookbanks, name
above that listing), William & Rhodey Harding, Absolam Parrish, bm;
W.M. Sneed, wit.
1820 July 19: Chavis, John & Nancy Harding, Jesse Bass, bm;
Step. K. Sneed, wit.
1833 Nov 1: Harding, Solomon & Louisa Merrit, Iverson Mitchell,
bm; Benja. Kittrell, wit.
1840 Jan 5: Hardin, John & Mariah Haley, ; Danl. Fowler, _____
Watson, bm.
1842 Oct 14: Hardin, James & Betsey Fowler, Charles Allen, bm;
Wm. H. Whitfield, wit.
1867 Nov 24: Harden, Jesse, of color, parents unknown, & Agnes
Burwell, parents unknown, m by J. D, C. Pool, J. P.
http://www.ncgenweb.us/ncgranville/marriage/bride-hi.htm :
Harden, Phereba Brown, Demsey 19
Jan 1811
Harden, Pricilla Dement, Robert
06 Jul 1816
Harden, Rachel Mitchell, William
07 Dec 1800
Harding, Nancy Chavis, John 19
Jul 1820
Harding, Rhody Brookbanks, William
05 Nov 1816
Harding, Rhody Wiles, William 12
Nov 1816
Harding, Sally Moreland, Gabriel
15 Dec 1796
Hardy, Mary Hines, Thomas 14 Nov
1777
And from the real estate record, deed book Y p.51: "Sterling Harden deed of gift to UEL CROWDER, March 11, 1818." -Granville County Kinfolks 1765-1826
"My
G-G Grandfather married Mary(Molly) Harding in Granville County, NC and
he was given as a gift 50 acres of land from Sterling Harding. I feel
this person and I are related through this Harding line. My G-G
Grandfather was Uel Crowder from Mecklenburg county, Va and he moved to
Granville County and married Mary Harding. His brother Hilliker (Hill)
Crowder married Lydia Harding. I beleive this women to be sisters and
Sterling their father."
-Idalia Crowder Hicks in a March 1998 archived
query.
William Brookbank married Rhody Hardin in Granville Co. November 5,
1816. Rhody died in Granville Co. 1839.
From an archived
query 2003-05-31 by arnoldallen@bellsouth.net
Marriages from Hicks.
1816 Jan 3. Bond #3339. Inscore, Lottle to Hardy, Sterling. Absolem D. Parish, bondsman. p.98
1816 Aug 7. #6632. Worls, Sally to Harden, Sterling. John Brummitt, bondsman. p. 205.
1833 Nov 1. #7686. Merritt, Laura to Harding, Solomon. Iverson Mitchell, bondsman. p. 130.
Some marriages from "Hicks History of Granville County NC Vol 1," by Elizabeth Hicks Humme. Oxford NC 1965
Raw Transcriptions from Granville County for Later Placement
1746. Joseph Harding was on Thomas McAdory Owen's list of early
settlers , seems to be owing 8 tax. Old-G. page 209.*
About Chavers families, free people of color in Granville County (possibly useful in future research)
from Tax
Lists - Free People of Color from 1780 to 1860. contributed by Jahrod Pender
Courtesy Deloris Williams and contributors at the Granville County US Genweb
site.
1782 -- Fishing Creek / Acres -- Ann Chavis 400
1786 Tax -- Fishing Creek -- William Chavis
1796 -- Tar River -- note by compiler: Charles Chavis married Nancy
Taborn 4 Nov, bondsman Benjamin Bass.
1797 -- Abrams Plains -- Charles Chavors
1797 --- Abrams Plains -- James Chavors Sr., Charles Chavors
1797 -- Oxford -- Isaac Chavers
1798 -- Oxford -- Isaac Chavers
1798 -- Tar River -- Isaac Chavis
1798 -- County Line -- Evins Chavis (Free Negro)
1799 -- Ragland -- Peter Chavis
1799 -- Abrams Plains -- Evin Chavis, Isaac Chavis 150A. 1 fp
1800 -- Oxford -- Evins Chavers 1 poll
1800 -- Ragland -- Peter Chavis
1801 -- Ragland -- James Chavers
1801 -- Ragland -- Peter Chavers
1803 -- Ragland -- Peter Chavis 100 ac.
1803 -- Country Line -- Charles Chavis
1804 -- Ragland -- Peter Chavis, 100 A.
1804 -- County Line -- Charles Chavis
1804 -- Abrams Plains -- Isaac Chavis, 150 acres
1805 -- Oxford -- Peter Chavis, 100 acres
1805 -- Abrams Plains -- Isaac Chavis 150
1805 -- County Line -- Charles Chavis
1805 -- Island Creek -- Anthony Chavis
1831 -- Beaver Dam -- William Chavers
Muster
Roll of the Regiment in Granville County under the Comand of Col.
William Eaton as taken at a General Muster of the said Regiment 8th
October 1754 (showing Chavers)
Courtesy Deloris Williams and contributors at the Granville County US Genweb site.
Capt. John Glover's Company
William Chavers, Negro
William Chavers, Mullato
Gilbert Chavers, Mulatto
17 Oct 1761 Hardy, Benj.
Witness to will of Isaac Winston
19 Apr 1762 John and Ann Hunnicutt exec. of will of Joseph Wright. Probably May court 1762. *OldG p.73
1763 Mark Hardin witness to a sale.
79. David Green, of Or. Co. to John Gun. Sale, Feby 7, 1763. Cons: 15.
8s. 3d. proc. Conveys: stock and goods. Wit: Jno. Burt, Mark Hardin. p. 35.*OldG p.96
*Old G="History and Genealogies of Old Granville County, North Carolina 1746-1800," by Thomas McAdory Owen, pub. by Southern Historical Press.
Sterling Hardin, Sr. ~ 1748, d. about 1818.
I depend primarily on the 2024 work of William Evans, above. This
section is a recap and is where I put material additional to William
Evans.
Sterling Hardin was born 1748 and lived his life in Granville County, North Carolina. He married Rachel Thornton. They had children who included Thornton Hardin and Sterling J. Hardin. A descendant of Sterling Hardin has tested for DNA and is an i1a Hardin. Please see kit #130976, William Hardin, at hhhdna.com.
It is logical to see Sterling Hardin as a probable son of Thomas Hardin or Samuel Hardin, Jr. who both resided in eastern Granville County in the 1740s. There was a mention of a John Hardin in a record. If a son of old Samuel Hardin of Brunswick County, he was not living when the 640 acres were divided among Samuel's three oldest sons.
TAX PAYERS IN GRANVILLE COUNTY, 1788, EPPING FOREST DISTRICT included Sterling Harding with 100 acres, situation of land "D", one free poll. The list was taken by Charles R. Eaton. The copyist for USGenWeb Archives was Rosie H. Guthrie. This year was left out of the Will Evans research paper.
Granville County Notes by
Researcher Susan Austin
Hardin researcher Susan Hardin Austin of Joplin and Springfield, Missouri has been active in finding a descendant of Sterling Hardin. She encouraged the descendant toward a DNA test. He shows to be an i1a Hardin. She researched and posted the line from Sterling Hardin to the descendent. That line and the DNA result is found on the hhhdna.com web site.
"[The elder] Sterling did not die the same year as Thornton according
to court
records. I researched this back when I did the dna kit.
"In Granville Co. NC along with Sterling there is a Thomas &
Rebecca Hardin. Thomas died 1750 and Rebecca in 1755 bound their son
Mark to Robert Jones Jr. There is also a John Hardin in Granville Co
during this time period."
November Term 1804. Rebecca Moore and Charlotte Harrison to appear
as
witnesses at suit of THORNTON HARDEN, administrator of STERLING HARDIN.
"Court Minutes of Granville County North Carolina 1746-1820" by Zae
Hargrett Gwinn, p. 209. Court Minites 1803-1806
More on Thornton Hardin
from the Revolutionary War Pension Application of James Harrison
of Overton County, Tennessee, application dated 1854 June 21. transcription:
http://revwarapps.org/r1653.pdf
The declarant was Eli Harrison, age 85, [b. 1769] of Overton
County, Tennessee, the son of James Harrison. Elizabeth Harrison, the
sister of Eli, married Thornton Hardin and they both died in
Granville County, N.C. "upwards of 50 years ago" (about 1804)."My
parents [James Harrison and Winney Reddin] ... as I always heard and
believed were lawfully married in the State of Virginia and I think it
was in Amelia County and I expect it has been at least 96 years ago
[1758] for their 3rd child was 7 years older than I was –
My father moved to Halifax County North Carolina before I was born and
settled on
Roanoke River where he lived until after the Revolutionary War."
Comment: Elizabeth Harrison was just above Eli in Eli's list of 7 children, so possibly born 1767. Elizabeth might have married about 1785, but records show 1801 Feb 18 in Granville County. Elizabeth was born in Amelia County, Va. or more likely in Halifax County, North Carolina. Where would she have met Thornton Hardin? James Harrison lived in Warren County, Capt. Wm. St. John's District, in the North Carolina census of 1784-1787 with 2 females.
In November Term 1804 Rebecca Moore and Charlotte Harrison, who were
sisters of Thornton's wife Elizabeth Harrison, appeared as witnesses at
suit of THORNTON HARDEN, administrator of STERLING HARDIN. I presume
those Harrison sisters lived near Granville County. Benjamin Moore
lived in the Dutch District of Granville County; Charlotte perhaps with
her father.
Starkey Hardin
February term 1808: John Stroud of Orange County asks administration
on estate of Catherine Thornton, deceased, and produced the written
relinquishment of STARKEY HARDEN, who married the only child and
daughter of said Catherine; granted.
"Court Minutes of Granville County North Carolina 1746-1820" by
Zae Hargrett Gwinn, p. 225. Court Minites 1806-1810, Feb. term 1808.
Sterling Hardin Jr. 1798
In the 1860 U.S. Census in district 68 of Wythe County Virginia is
found Starling Hardin, age 62, laborer, born North Carolina, living
with three grown women, the oldest being Margaret, 36, born North
Carolina in 1824. This established his general age and that he was a
widower. His entry had the last name first, unlike every other entry on
the page. So it is often indexed as surname "Starling."
Thornton Hardin 17xx
1801 Nov 2: Administration on estate of THORNTON HARDEN granted to
John B. Pulliam, with bond secured by William Pannell and James M.
Burton.
"Court Minites of Granville County, North Carolina 1746-1820" by Zae
Hargret Gwynn
Minutes of 1800-1802 p. 190.
Note: This entry disagrees with the
account of Thornton Hardin being in court to defend his father's estate
in November 1804. See Sterling Hardin section above.
John Hardin, son of Sterling Hardin, Jr. in Wythe County, Va.
Summary-of-John-G-Hardin.pdf New, July 16, 2020
The marriage license obtained by John Hardin and his second wife is a gold mine of information and confirmation about him and his parents. It is reproduced at the end of the pdf document just above.
Virginia
John Harden and Louisa E. Shewy
issued 15 Dec 1863
Time of Marriage, 24th December 1863
Place of Marriage, Wythe County
Full Names of Parties married, John Harden & Louisa Evaline Shewy
Age of Husband, 47 years
Age of Wife 23 years 9 months
Condition of Husband, widowed
Condition of Wife, single
Place of husband's birth, Granville N. Carolina
Place of Wife's Birth, Bland Co formerly Wythe Co. Va.
Place of Husband's Residence, Wythe Co Va
Place of Wife's Residence, Wythe Co Va
Names of Husband's Parents, Sterling Harden Charlotte Harden
Names of Wife's Parents, Washington W. Shewey & Anna Kinsler
Occupation of Husband, sharpener(?)
Given under my hand this 15th day of December 1863
J. H. Fellots, Clerk.
MINISTER'S RETURN OF MARRIAGE
I certify that on the 24th day of Dec 1863 at the House of Tabitha Harden Wythe Co. I united in marriage the above named and described parties, under authority of the annexed License.
Levi Hubble, Minister
For the marrriage license, thanks to
ienesmyles at Engle/Harden/Weidow/shelhammer Family Tree
http://trees.ancestry.com/tree/17272071
Deed Book 1, Bland County p. 294-296, January 5, 1867 - Francis M.
Waddle & Martha A. Waddle, his wife, Uphemia E. Waddle, Wythe
County, to John G. Hardin of Bland County, for the sum of $50.00 in
specie, all their rights, title and interest in 19 acres, on Walkers
Creek, it being the same land deeded by Solomon Purkey & wife to
the Waddles and Malinda Cooley, by deed dated May 3, 1848 and recorded
in Wythe County. Signed, witnessed and Martha examined privately,
Janyary 5, 1867. Recorded in Bland County, January 3, 1868.
The 21 March 1895 marriage license of Water T. Harmon (b. 1869 in
Wythe County) and Nancy A. Farley states his father's name as Jno. G. Harden and
mother Louisa E. Shewey.
(Perhaps Harmon was a foster son of the Hardins.)
The following, found by Barbara Rivas at newspapers.com, might apply to this family.
Richmond Dispatch
Richmond, Virginia
24 Mar 1901 Sunday page 15
Wytheville and Vicinity
Wytheville, VA., March 22 -
Young James Hardin, who left here many years since for the West, and who
spent the past two years as a soldier of the United States army in the
Philippines, has returned home.