Transcribed by Denise McLoughlin
Tampico Area Historical Society

Page62

RICHARD I. HARDY, a progressive and enterprising agriculturist of section 13, Ustick Township, is a native of Whiteside County, his birth having occurred in Mounty Pleasant township, February 22, 1856. His father, William HARDY, was born in Lincolnshire, England. in 1833, and came to America in 1850. After one year spent in New York, he came to this county, where he worked as a farm hand. At length he was able to purchase 80 acres of land in Mount Pleasant Township, and as  time advanced he added to the orignal tract, at  one time eighty acres, and in all one hundred and sixty acres, all in Mounty Pleasant township. Throughout his active business life he gave his attention to general farming and stock raising and met with good success,  owning at the time of his death one hundred and sixty acres in Mounty Pleasant township, and one hundred and twenty acres in Ustick Township, and a quarter section in La Moure county, North Dakota.

He married Mrs. Keziah RICHARDSON, also a native of Linconshire, England, who came to this country when young as the wife of his brother, Thomas HARDY. By her first husband she had one child, Susanna, now the wie of Joseph JORDON, of Gordon Plains, by whom she had three children. Seven children were born of the second marriage, but one died in infancy. They were Amos, who lives on a part of the old home farm in Mounty Pleasant township and has four children; Richard, our subject; Winfield, who also lives on a part of the home farm and has two children, Horace, who died when a young man; Olive, who died in infancy, Alice; who died young, and Ruby, who married David STEWART,  of North Dakota, and died in 1893, leaving one child, Lee. The mother of these children died in 1870, and subsequently the father married her sister, Mrs. Elicia KENNEN, widow of William KENNAN, who died in Illinois, leaving one chld, Elizabeth. During the last two years of his life the father lived in Noreth Dakota, and died in 1890 while on a visit to his son in Union Grove Township, and after leaving school he worked as a farm hand for two years. Subsequently he successfully operated rented land until he was able to purchase eighty acres of land on section 13, Utick Township, where he now lives. Besides this property he also operates another eighty-acre tract belonging to his sister.

On the 31st of July, 1878, Mr. HARDY was united in marriage with Miss Elia McMILLEN, who was born in Ohio October 20, 1854, and when young came to Illinois with her parents, William and Nancy (BUTLER) McMILLEN, who settled in Round Grove. The father was born in Ohio, June 27, 1803, and died in 1880, while the mother was born in West Virginia, February 25, 1807, and died in 1874. They had fourteen children, of whom three died in infancy, the others being as follows: Eliza J. is the wife of James EWING, of Wilsonville, Alabama, and they have two children; L. Margaret married James RHODES, of Berlin, Ohio, and died in 1866, leaving a family of children; William M. was a soldier of Company H. Second West Virginia Cavalry, during the Civil War, and died soon after the close of that struggle, leaving five children; James H. was a member of the same company as his brother, and died about 1870; Sarah M., the twin sister of James H., married L. J. THOMPSON, and died in 1889, leaving five children; Amanda M. married R. M. THOMPSON, and died in Lyndon Township, Whiteside county, in 1893; Andrew L., a soldier of the same company as his two brothers, is now living in Jackson, Ohio, and has a family of five children; A. Murray and Emerson, also members of Company H, Second West Virginia Cavalry; the former is now a resident of Marietta, Ohio, and has seven children, while the latter lives in New York City, and has five children; S. Marion was killed in battle while serving in the same company and regiment as his brothers; and Ella N. is the wife of our subject. Mr. and Mrs. HARDY have four children, namely: Myrtle L., Mabel A., Murray W. and Maude M. all at home with the exception of the oldest, who is now the wife of James McKEE, of Ustick townsiip, and has one child, Harold.

After his marriage Mr. HARDY engaged in farming in Mounty Pleasant township for three years, and then worked for his father in Ustick township for four years, after which he returned  to Mounty Pleasant township for two years. At the end of that time he located upon his present farm on section 13, Ustik Township, and for a number of years he operated a corn sheller and thresher in connection with his work as a general farmer and stock raiser, but sold out that business in 1899. He was made many imporovements upon his place since it came into his possession, and has met with good success in his undertakings. He casts his ballotwith the Republican party, and has been elected to minor offices, having served as school director and road commissioner. Whiile in the latter office he did much toward improving  the roads and bridges in his townsyip. Frternally he is a member of Henderson Camp No. 13, M. W. A. of Morrison.