HARDMAN:
As the name "Hardman" suggests, the Hardmans are of German extraction, from Pennsylvania by way of the Shanandoah, Virginia, and Monongahela country, thence to this upper Reedy; the majority, if not all, members of the family are fair skinned people. We find Thomas Hardman, Sr., mentioned in writings indicating he was among the settlers coming here from Monongalia Valley in the early forties, first clearing up the land at or about where Reedyville now is.
Thomas Hardman and Rebecca (Goff) Hardman reared seven children: William, John, George, Sase S., James E., Drusilla and Tina, all born before the Civil War (1861). These children all married near and reared families. Of descendants of Thomas and Rebecca (Goff) Hard- man, we give here the following concerning them:
William Hardman, son of Thomas and Rebecca, married Diana (Burdett), granddaughter of Martin Argabrite of upper Reedy, and made a large farm next above what is now Peniel; the Bill Hardman place, long spoken of as a best homestead. Their childrens names are Thomas, Jr.; John M., married Mollie Fouty; "Sase" I., married Carbine Robey; Rebecca Jane, born 1851, married Thaddeus Kelley of Harper District; Rachel Ellen, married John W. Kelley, a brother of Thaddeus Kelley above named.
John Hardman, son of Thomas and Rebecca, married Sarah, daughter of Samuel Romie of Upper Reedy; the names of the twelve children of John and Sarah are, Orlando, who married Margaret, daughter of John Fields; John Middleton, married Electra, daughter of Isaac Scott of Spencer; Lee, George, Ferd, Robert Josephine, wife of Lemuel Crislip; Mary Carminta, married S. Columbus Thrash of upper Reedy District, who are the parents of A bertus Lee Thrash, now (1926) cashier of First National Bank of Reedy; Fred Thrash, farmer on the old farm on Middle Fork, and a daughter, Beulah Thrash.
Ninth child of John and Sarah Hardman is Ella, who married Marshall A C. Board, son of A. Sandy Board of Reedy; Lola and Ada Hardman.
George. son of Thomas and Rebecca (Goff) Hardman; of him we have no information.
"Sase." son of Thomas and Rebecca Hardman, married Tina, a daughter of William Board, on upper Middle Fork of Reedy. James E., fifth son of Thomas and Rebecca Hardman, sett1ed on Colt Run of Left Reedy.
Drusilla, sixth child of Thomas and Rebecca Hardman, married Captain A1bert G. Ingraham (we spell it with the "aham" because thus he, himself, wrote it).
Tina, the second daughter and seventh child of Thomas and Rebecca Hardman, became the wife of Kelles Argabrite, son of Martin Argabrite, of upper Reedy.
Four sons of George W. and Rachel (Goff) Hardman, of Lcwis County, later Gilmer County, later Calhoun County, West Virginia. made their homes in Roane County; their names: Sylvester, Casset C.. reorge, Columbus and Or1ando. The last named two settled in Reedy District (which see) ; the first named two, about 1867. settled and improved large farrj~ in Curtis District. George went to Calhoun County. There were thirteen children in all.
Sylvcster Hardman son of George W. and Rachel. was born in ChImer Covn~v, August 22, 1836; married Martha. daughter of Geirge and Susan (Horton) Crow, in Jackson County, West Virginia on March 20, 1872. George Crow was born in Green County, Pennsylvania, and Susanna Horton was born in County Queen, Ireland; commenced their wedded life together in Monroe County, Ohio, where Martha was born, January 15, 1844. They came to Jackson County, West Virginia, when Martha was three years old, 1847. To Sylvester and Martha (Crow) Hardman, were born in Roane County, three sons and one daughter, names and dates of births as follows: Ira R., December 18, 1872; Susanna, October 3 1874; Charles C., June 24, 1879, and Owen Ruby, 1885. Of these children of Sylvester and Martha (Crow) Hardman, we further write:
Ira R. married Miss Hattie Clark; they live at Grantsville, West Virginia at this time (1926).
Susanna married William Brown Petty, of Reedyvllle, 9th day of May, 1894; his age 24, her age 20. Of this marriage of Susie and W. Brown, two daughters were born: Edna, who became wife of Guy Sinnett, hardware merchant of Spencer. The other daughters name is Nina, who is a youth yet with her mother, resident in Spencer; the father Win. Brown Petty, having died some years ago.
Charles C. married Gertrude, daughter of James B. and Julia (Hoskins) Thomasson of near Reedyville, June 22, year 1904; his age then 25, her age 22. Of this marriage two sons and one daughter are here; their names in order of their ages are, Floyd, Willis and Martha; the first named now approaching manhood; the second, Willis, a youth about 16 years of age, and the last. Martha, about twelve years. Charles C. Hardinan succeeded to the old home place, by purchasing shares, and became a prominent sheep and cattle raiser; was a public lecturer for the department of agriculture at time the State took hold to encourage farming. He died at the very highest of his usefulness and popularity in the State. His widow, Gertrude Thomasson Hardman, and the boys, still have the farm and some remnants of the once high bred stock herd that Charles C. had built up before his death.
Owen Ruby Hardman, son of Sylvester and Martha (Crow) Hardball, was born on the Reedy farm in the year 1885; at early manhood came to Spencer and engaged in the produce business, followed that a few years. On September 24, 1913, he married Martha Grace, daughter of George ~r Ho1swade of Spencer History; his age then 28, her age 25. Of this marriage several children have been born, their names and ages we leave for a biographer. Owen Ruby Hardman a few years ago launched into the road and bridge building business, at which he is reputed to have prospered. He is at this time (1926) president of the Traders Trust & Banking Company bank of Spencer.
This ancestor, Sylvester Hardman, in addition to making a fine stock farm on Reedy, was some years prominent as a purchaser and transporter of timber of Reedys hg forest; also was elected and served one term as State Senator, 21st and 22nd sessions, 1893-1895.
Cassett Hardnian, son of George W. and Rachel (Goff) Hardman, was born when their home was on Hughes River, October 8, 1839, so says his wife; died on Reedy, November 2, 1925. He united in marriage with Miss Isabella R. Burdette, April 9, 1867, in Spencer. She is the daughter of William Burdette (see Burdette). They at once commenced their married life on forest lands on Left Reedy below Reedyville.
He was one of the partnership "Hardman Brothers," who dealt largely in marketing timber from that locality; theirs was soon an attractive and productive farm; later they erected the second of the good frame farm houses of that creek. Isabelle R., now a wiodw, still lives there.
To Cassett and Isabelle R. (Burdette) Hardman were born and by them reared the one son and two daughters: Gay, Leota and Sallie. Further cf these:
Leota married Calvin Smith Vandal on September 13. 1887; his age then 24, hers 19. See Spencer District, Chapter VII.
Sallie married, first, Eddie Mount, October 16, 1897; her age then 21, k~1s age 27. Some children were born, and Mount died. Afterward, April 21, 1906, Sallie, widow, married Elzie Cummings, she 26, he 25. He was born in Lewis County, West Virginia. He is noted as having one of Curtis District's finest farms.
Gay Hardman, only son of Cassett and Isabell, his wife, married Miss Tisha Miller, of lower Spring Creek, on the first day of March, 1896, his age 24, hers 19; she was a daughter of Hezekiah and Jemima (Vandal) Miller. One son and one daughter was born of this union.
Columbus Hardman, son of George Washington and Rachel (Goff) Hardman, one of the first of the family to settle on left Reedy, married Miss Jennie Hosey in Calhoun County, about the year 1871; they establishd their home at once on Left Reedy, one-fourth mile above the place now called Billings railroad station; both here lived out their spans of married life, in a comfortable home. They reared only two children their names Lora and Harry M.
Lora married Thomas H. Depue, November 18, 1894, her age 21, his age 20. He was born in Jackson County, West Virginia; died here.
Harry M. married Miss Ora L. Hamrick, January 5, 1910, his age 26, her age 21. She was a daughter of G. J. Hamrick, then resident farmer near Seaman. See "Chenowith."
George Hardman, son of George W. and Rachel (Goff) Hardman, married Miss Virginia Burdette, "Dina" the record has it, on October 23, 1867. They made their home in Calhoun County, where they have lived ever since.
Orlando Hardman, son of George XV .and Rachel (Goff) Hardman, was born March 8, 1846; married Miss Jennie Thorn in Wirt County, West Virginia, June 20, 1872; she was a daughter of Zadoc Thorn and wife, of Main Reedy below "Three Forks." They made their first home for some years in Calhoun County; then with their family of several children came to Billings on Reedy about the first of 1896, where he erected on his lands next the railroad station the best residence seen there; he died there, and there the widow yet lives. His farm when he first acquired it was the tract of more than five hundred acres, called the Hugh Kyger place.
To Orlando and "Jennie" or Virginia (Thorn), his wife, were born and by them reared--as I am informed--two sons and three daughters; their names: Everette, Russell, Lucy V., Rachel F. and Lillie Bell. The girls married at this Kyger and Billings home.
Rached to Edgar S. Harpold, June 7, 1894, her age 19, his age 24; he was born in Jackson County, she in Calhoun.
Lucy V. married John McClung of Reedy, June 26, 1901; their ages not shown on the marriage record.
Lillie Belle married Walter Hugh Ryland, October 16, 1895, her age 20, his age 24; he was born in Richmond, Virginia.
Everette and Dr. Russell T. are at this time young business men stirring mention of themselves sometimes, but whether married or not we can not say.
Source: History of Roane County, West Virginia, 1774-1927 William H. Bishop, Esq. p 537-541
Submitter: Sandy Spradling, November 28, 1999
