Sophia, the 6th child of Edmund Hardesty, was born July 6, 1806 in AnneArundel County, Maryland. Whe…

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Sophia, the 6th child of Edmund Hardesty, was born July 6, 1806 in AnneArundel County, Maryland. When she was 5 years old, the family moved toOhio where her father filed a claim for 160 acres in Washington Township,Coshocton County, Ohio. Practically no record has been kept of the earlydays in Ohio and very few tales of the early life have been passed on tolater generations. One story which has been told concerned Sophia who hadher eye on a handsome young man who had moved into the community. Rachel,Sophia's younger sister by 5 years, told Sophia that she would "do up"her ruffles for one year if Sophia would "catch" John. This arrangementapparently worked as Sophia Hardesty and John Cross were married inCoshocton County, Ohio, March 22, 1832.
John Cross was born 17 May 1804 in Huntingdon County, Pennsylvania. Hedied 14 April, 1886.

In the fall of 1853 Mr. and Mrs. John Cross and nine of their tenchildren, ranging in age from 2 to 19, started with ox team and coveredwagon for, Illinois where five of Sophia's sisters and brothers hadlocated. Edmund, the oldest son of John and Sophia, had moved to PineRock Township, Ogle County, Illinois the previous year. While the familywas traveling west crossing Indiana, one son, Levi Perry, becameseriously ill. Several days were spent in South Bend, Indiana trying tonurse the boy back to health but medicine was scarce and doctors notavailable. Levi Perry, age 11, died and was buried in South Bend. Afterhis death on October 13, 1853, the family continued their journey andarrived in Lafayette Township, Ogle County, Illinois on October 21, 1853.John and his family settled on land adjoining Amy and Spencer Tilton whohad arrived five years before. On their newly acquired farm the Crossfamily built a home, cleared the land and tilled the soil for more than30 years. John died in 1886. Sophia continued to live at the homesteadfor the rest of her life. Belle Gibson, a granddaughter, remembered goingfrom Chana with her father in a double seated buggy (surrey) to seeGrandma Cross. "We always had fun there for there were plenty of cousinsto play with".

At the Ogle County Historical Museum in Oregon there is a coverletdonated by Belle Gibson which belonged to Sophia. This coverlet, with aneagle and star design, was woven in 1839 by David Lawson of Janesville,Ohio. For this coverlet, Sophia raised the sheep and sheared them, cardedand spun the wool.

Sophia Hardesty Cross died in 1900, age 93 years, 10 months and 25 days.Both John and Sophia are buried in Flagg Center Cemetery.

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