Edmund Hardesty (1766-1864) Biographical Sketch

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Edmund Hardesty (1766-1864) Biographical Sketch


Article by Gladys G. Dietz, 607 Dixon Avenue, Rock Falls, Illinois 61071entitled Hardesty Migration.( In Hardesty Letter File)

NOTE:Gladys Dietz was a very respected Hardesty researcher, she freelyshared her information with family members and never copyrighted anymaterial. This is being shared in the memory of her generosity.


A small Indian camp, consisting of a few wigwams, was still standing whenthe first white settler and his family moved from Maryland into MuskingumCounty, Ohio. The first road through Washington Township was Owl CreekRoad, which entered Muskingum County and ran northwest into BedfordTownship. The old Newark Road, running east and West intersected the OwlCreek Road in the exact centre of Washington Township, and to thisintersection Wakatomika probably owes its existence.

The town, Wakatomika, probably got its start as a pioneer frontiervillage nearly two centuries ago. In the days of the RevolutionWakatomika was a thriving Shawnee village but was burned to the ground bythe expedition of Major Angus McDonald in July or August of 1774.(1) Thefirst settler of the tract of country now composing thistownship(Washington) was John Hardesty. He was originally from Maryland,and about 1806 came from Wheeling, Virginia and settled on the southeastquarter of section 22, the quarter through which Mill Fork flows intoMuskingum County. He was a powerful man physically, and his good dame wasby no means diminutive in stature. Their family consisted of 16 children,10 sons and 6 daughters, whose aggregate weight, it is said exceeded 3200pounds. John Hardesty was a regular frontiersman, and kept moving withthe tide of emigration westward while his years permitted. He sold hisfarm in this township to William F. Compton, and died some years ago inSt. Louis, Missouri. Most of his family preceded or followed him west.

Edmund Hardesty and his wife, Ruth Chaney, left Ann Arundel County,Maryland, and came to Ohio by covered wagons and ox teams over this sameroute with their six children, Harriet, Thomas, Nancy, John, Elizabeth,and Sophia. Their 7th child, Rachael Hardesty, was born in BethlehemTownship, Coshocton, Ohio, February 14, 1811 while her parents werecamping for the night at White Women's Rock. Rachael Hardesty marriedHamilton Cox on October 4, 1832. They never left Ohio and many of theirdescendants are still living in the Coshocton area.

Edmund Hardesty and his family located on the south half of Section 19,Washington Township, Coshocton County. He lived there until his wife diedin 1855 and was buried in Chalfant Cemetery. Edmund then decided to leaveOhio and come to Illinois. Before leaving Washington Township he sold tothe trustees of the Methodist Church $-8 T-4 1st of S.W. Sec. 19 154/160acres for $100 on May 19,1856. Then on Nov. 10, 1857 he deeded his sonThomas R-8 T-4 Qr S.W. Sec. 19 160 acres. He came to Illinois that yearand made his home with his daughter Nancy (Mrs. William) Tilton until hedied February 6, 1864. He is buried in Washington Grove Cemetery, OgleCounty, Illinois. All of Edmund's children preceded him to Illinoisexcept Rachael Cox and Edmund's second child Thomas (uncle Tommy). Thomaslived on the land he purchased from his father until his death on October21, 1893 at the age of 103 years and 5 days.

Abigail Ferguson was born in Pennsylvania December 24, 1818 and with herparents came to Coshocton, Ohio where she later married Daniel Hardesty,8th child of Edmund Hardesty, on December 24, 1836. In the spring of1852, Daniel Hardesty and wife Abigail and their eight children emigratedto Ogle County, Illinois in an ox-drawn covered wagon. Hattie Hay, agranddaughter, can recall several interesting things her grandmother toldher about the hardships of this trip and early pioneer life on the wagontrains while coming to Illinois. Hattie can recall her grandmothertelling that when they stopped to make camp the wagons were all placed ina circle. The men then gathered firewood from the forests and huge fireswere kept burning day and night in the centre of the circle so the heatwould protect the children from the snakes. There were many snakes inIndiana and Illinois at this time and snake bite was their biggest fear.Records show that Edmund Cross, a nephew of Daniel Hardesty, was also inthis group of pioneers.

My grandmother, Daniel and Abigail's 6th child, often spoke of thecovered wagons and oxen, but she could not recall many of the events ofthe trip as she was only six years old at the time.

Harriet Hardesty and her second husband, James Akens, and their familywere the first of Edmund's children to come to Illinois. They came in1835. Records show that David Maxwell, a brother-in-law to James Akens,came with this first group. These early Hardesty's settled in WashingtonGrove, Lafayette Township, Ogle County, Illinois.

When these early immigrants came, they looked for land near timber with aspring close by. The timber was used for material to build the home andfurniture, fence rails and fuel. They also looked for some prairie closeby so they could break up the land without clearing away the trees.Washington Grove must have satisfied all these qualifications. Harrietsaw the necessity for a saw mill, and Harriet's husband and son RichardHardesty, by her first marriage, built and ran the first saw mill in theWashington Grove area. In 1842 when the settlers came into this area, theland was not yet surveyed so could not be purchased. Harriet acquired herland on which she built the first log cabin from the United StatesGovernment May 1, 1843 at Dixon, Illinois when the land was opened toclaims. Harriet lived to be 99 years old, and is buried in Chapel HillCemetery west of Flagg Center, Ogle County.

In 1843 Nancy Hardesty and husband William Tilton, Nancy's sisterElizabeth Hardesty and husband Joseph slaughter, and their families cameinto Lafayette Township. In 1845 Amy Hardesty, sister to Nancy andElizabeth, and her husband Spencer Tilton, also a brother to WilliamTilton, and their families came into this same area. In 1852 DanielHardesty and wife, Abigail Ferguson, with their children and a nephew,Edmund Cross, followed. In 1853 John Cross and wife Sophia Hardesty andtheir nine children ranging from two to nineteen years followed Sophia'ssisters and brother and settled in Pine Rock Township where their oldestson, Edmund Cross , had settled. Our family records show that all theHardesty's came in covered wagons drawn by ox teams. Other families arementioned as coming with them but no names have been left on our recordsfor us.


A court document from the Recorder's office in Ogle County, Illinoisdated February 16, 1864 shows the following:
That said deceased (Edmond Hardesty) left him surviving Harriet Akins,Thomas Hardesty, Nancy Tilton, John Hardesty, Sophie Cross, Rachel Cox,Daniel Hardesty, Amy Tilton, and the children of his deceased daughter,Elizabeth Slaughter, William Slaughter, Nancy Bilmire, Ruth Lichliter,Adin Slaughter, Henry Slaughter, John Slaughter, Rachel Marshall,Arvilla, Tilton, Thomas Slaughter.
From this court record the above named people are considered to be thedescendants of Edmond Hardesty.
From the "History of Coshocton County - It's Past and Present 1740-1881"it gives, "Edward Hardesty came from Maryland in 1811 and located on thesouth half of section 19, Washington Twp. Coshocton County. Later hemoved to Illinois and there he died. His son Thomas Hardesty stilloccupies the SW quarter of this section." While in Ohio, Edmund Hardestywas known as both Edward and Edmond.
(The above information was taken from the "Hardesty Genealogy 1600-1985"for the most part provided by research of Mrs. F.M. Fitzgerald-Hart,genealogist Boroughbridge, York, England, Harry Wright Newman,genealogist, Annapolis, MD, and Mrs. Irene Hardesty Fithen, Woodinville,WA)

Edmund Hardesty (1766-1864) Petition for Partition filed in CoshoctonCo., Ohio

Box 62 Case #7031A Appearance Docket #14 Coshocton County Ohio Court ofCommon Pleas

To the Court of Common Pleas, within and for the County of Coshocton inthe State of Ohio.

Your petitioners Hamilton Cox and Rachel Cox, of the County of Coshoctonin the State of Ohio, represent.

That on or about the first day of July A. D. 184. One Edmund Hardestylate of said County of Coshocton, died intestate, seized of an estate ofin fee simple in the following described lands and tenements situate inthe county of Coshocton, in the State of Ohio, and which is particularlydescribed as follows:

The South East quarter, of section numbered nineteen (19) in Townshipfour (4) of Range Eight (8) in the Zanesville Military land Diostrictcontaining one hundred and sixty acres, more or less.

Also, the East half of the north East quarter, of said section nineteen(19) in Township four (4) of Range Eight (8) containing together onehundred and twenty acres more or less.

Also, all that part of the North West quarter of section twenty (20) inTownship four (4) of Range Eight (8) which is embraced in the followingboundaries, to wit: commencing for a boundary at the South west corner ofsaid of said North West quaeter of said section twenty, and running fromthence along the section line North, to the North West corner of saidNorth West quarter; thence east along the section line far enough that aline drawn from that point and running parallel with the west line to thesouth line of said North West quarter; and running thence west along thesouth line of said North West quarter to the place of beginning, willembrace within said boundaries one hundred acres.

The said lands and tenements descended to the following persons onlyheirs and legal representatives of the said Edmund Hardesty, deceased,

1st Your petitioner Rachel Cox who is a daughter of said Edmund Hardesty,deceased, and who is now inter married with said petitioner Hamilton Cox.

2 Thomas Hardesty and John Hardesty both sons of the said EdmundHardesty, deceased, who reside in said County of Coshocton.

  1. Daniel Hardesty a son of said Edmund Hardesty, deceased, who residesin the couty of Ogle in the State of Illinois.

  2. Harriett Aikins a daughter of said Edmund Hardesty, deceased, NancyTilton a daughter of said Edund Hardesty, married to William Tilton,Sophia Cross a daughter of said Edmund Hardesty, deceased, married toJohn Cross, and Amy Tilton a daughter of said Edmund Hardesty, deceased,married to Spencer Tilton all of whom reside in the County of Ogle in thestate of Illinois.

  3. William Slaughter, Edmund Slaughter, Henry Slaughter, Adin Slaughter,Nancy Slaughter, Ruth Slaughter, Aravilla Slaughter, John Slaughter,Joseph Slaughter and Thomas Slaughter, children of on ElizabethSlaughter, now deceased, who was a daughter of said Edmund Hardesty,deceased, all of whom resided when last heard from in the county of Oglein the State of Illinois.

The parties above named have the following undivided estate in saidpremises.

1st Your petitioners in right of the said Rachel Cox one equal undividedeighth part ther of in fee

  1. The said Harriet Aikins, Nancy Tilton, Sophia Cross, Amy Tilton,Danile Hardesty, and John Hardesty, each, one undivided eighth part infee.

  2. The said William Slaughter, Edmund Slaughter, Henry Slaughter,AdinSlaughter, Nancy Slaughter, Ruth Slaughter, Aravilla Slaughter, JohnSlaughter, Joseph Slaughter and Thomas Slaughter each one undividedeightieth part in fee

  3. The said Edmund Hardesty in his lifetime conveyed to the said ThomasHardesty, his son the south West quarter of said section nineteen (19) inTownship 4 or Range Eight (8) containing one hundred and sixty acres moreor less at which time he gave to the said Thomas Hardesty by way ofadvancement in the price of said premises, the sum of fifteen hundreddollars, in full of his share of his lands, and the said Thomas Hardestyreceived the same as such, and is not now entitled to any part, interestor share in the premises herein before described and of which the saidEdmund Hardesty died seized.

Your petitioners therefore pray that the said Harriet Aikins, THomasHardesty, Nancy Tilton, Willim Tilton, Sophia Cross, John Cross, AmyTilton, Spencer Tilton, Daniel Hardesty, John Hardesty, WilliamSlaughter, Edmund Slaughter, Henry Slaughter, Adin Slaughter, NancySlaughter, Ruth Slaughter, Aravilla Slaughter, John Slaughter, JosephSlaughter and Thomas Slaughter, be made parties depudants to thispetition that they may answer all and singular the matters hereincontained and set forth; and your petitioner desiring to hold then saidinterest in severalty, may that partition of said previously may be made,or if partition cannot, without manifest injury, be made, then that thepremises may be sold or other order taken pursuant to the Statute.

Hamilton Cox & Rachel Cox by Thos Campbell, Atty for Petrs

Filed Dec 31st, 1864 W. R. Forker Dep. Clk.

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