John Thomas Hardin Family - Family Histories

John T. Hardin was born December 14, 1863 in San Marcos (see Benjamin Columbus Hardin). John T. married Nancy A. Holt of Santa Anna, June 18, 1882. He was foreman of the Busk Ranch. He built the Hardin School (one room) that his children attended. On the coldest day in Texas, February 22, 1899, he rode all day seeing about the destruction 100 hogs had done. He died of pneumonia eight days later and was the first Woodman of the World to be buried in Santa Anna, March 3, 1899, and has the tallest monument to this day. He left a widow, Nancy Holt, and eight children (see William Carroll Holt). Nancy married Richard Lee Connor of Galveston on May 20, 1900 (see R. E. L. Connor). The children of John T. and Nancy Hardin are:

(1) Chris Burk, January 4,1884 at Thrifty, married Mattie Sue Jones at Stacy, August 11, 1902, the daughter of J. W., November 8, l857-January 15, 1922, and Hattie Jones, 1857-1932. They had one daughter, Irma C., born in Coleman County, married Gordon Griffin, had one son, Gordon, Jr. The family lives in Austin. Mattie Sue had one brother, Robert M., 1901-1940, and her father ran a hotel in Coleman. Chris died September 24, 1948 and Mattie Sue, March 14, 1971, both buried in Coleman. Chris was a cattle inspector with Cattleman’s Association of Coleman.

(2) Montgomery Elizabeth (Monta), May 16, 1886 at Thrifty, studied millinery in Oklahoma, married Oscar H. Wright, September 29, 1907, the son of George Anderson and Carrie Anne (Cook) Wright, who came to Texas about 1872 from Tennessee, born April 21, 1880 in Paris. Monta also enjoyed singing and playing the piano for her family. He was a rancher in Coleman, Glasscock, Crockett and Irion counties until 1926, at which time the family moved to Sutton County and Oscar worked on the McKnight Ranch. He died February 28, 1960, buried in Sonora. They had three children: (2a) Eska Lee, April 24, 1909, died as an infant, buried at Stacy. (2b) Nancy Alzata, May 1, 1910 in Asherton, married Cashes W. Taylor, July 19, 1929 in Ballinger. Two children: (a) Billie Wright, June 18, 1930, married Bennie Glen Earp; (b) Blanche Lavon married R. Royce Regeon. Their grandchildren: Nanetta Lavon (Regeon) Phillips, Resa Riedale (Regeon) Loyd and Rhonda Gail Regeon, Billie Cash Taylor, died November 18, 1976 at age 14, Jerry and Roger, Keith Nolen, Charles, Frank and Kevin Taylor, Lura Jo (Clere) Mayfield, Arnell (Clere) Shelton and Carl Clere. Great-grandchildren: Jessica Joy and Aaron Scott Taylor, David, Stephanie, Steve and Tracy Nolen, T. Ada and Tanner Glen Mayfield, Jason Thomas Loyd and ? Phillips. In 1933, Cashes became deputy sheriff for Sutton County. They are presently ranching on the Emmons Ranch between Sonora and Eldorado; (2c) Blanche Dale, February 6, 1913 at Sonora, married Tom Palmer West, September 21, 1933, one daughter, Elizabeth Riedale, married Gene Pyron Eubank, two children, Scott and Leslie Lynn. Palmer died August 24, 1976, Blanche Dale lives in Eldorado. Monta lives in a nursing home there.

(3) William Benjamin, June 2, 1888 at Trickham-November 18, 1975 in Brady, married Maude Narcissa Polk, December 24, 1907 in Brady. Both are buried in Stacy. Their children: (3a) John Connor, November 10, 1908-October 1, 1909, buried at Stacy; (3b) James Lee, May 22, 1911 in McCulloch County, married Opal Deason (later divorced); (3c) Daisy Marie, September 24, 1912 in Coleman County, married Henry T. Bass, May 27, 1939. Children: Karin, May 31, 1942, married (1st) Thomas D. Childs, June 4, 1964, one child, Tiffany Deann, October 6, 1967. Thomas died February 29, 1968 in an aircraft accident. Karin married (2nd) Charles Borman, May 1, 1970, lives where in Abilene. (b) Kent, November 7, 1943, married Janet Pancake, September 6, 1976, one child, Jordan Lowrey, January 15, 1978, lives in Lewisville. Daisy is a retired teacher and lives in Meridian; (3d) Methiel Virginia, born in Coleman County, married Carlos A. Sneed, July 30, 1938. Methiel was a teacher, died March 19, 1973 in Kerrville. One daughter, Sandra Kay, January 29, 1942, lives in San
Antonio; (3e) Stella Juliet (Tilden), July 13, 1918 at Glen Cove, married (1) Fred J. Rose of San Marcos, July 30, 1938. Children: Fred Hardin, July 29, 1939, married (1st) Lova Janette Sealy in Wichita Falls. Children: Fred H. Jr., James William, Gary Dale, Randolph Kerry. Fred Sr. and Lova divorced in 1978, he married (2nd) Laura Dean Dragoo, two children, Brandon Ryan and Brady Ray. “Tilden” and Fred J. divorced, she married (2) Elmer J. Bruha, retired Air Force Lt. Colonel. She is a retired teacher, lives in San Antonio.

(4) Clara (Jane) Annie, December 6, 1890 on Busk Ranch, married (1st) James Marion Collier in December 1906, one child, Ruth Aleene, June 22, 1908. Clara and James M. were divorced. He died in 1950, buried at Stacy. Jane married (2nd) Willis N. “Hawk” Hawkins, December 18, 1915 in Brownwood. They sold life insurance for Jefferson Standard in Coleman County twenty two years as Hawkins and Hawkins until they retired in 1936 to Mrs. Hawkins old homeplace on the Colorado River, east of the Stacy bridge. Mr. Hawkins died October 15, 1960, buried at Stacy, but Jane is still operating the 284 acre ranch alone at the age of 92! The first Hardin school is 93 years old and is used as a hay barn. Also, a small rock house built by Jim Nunn, a surveyor, in 1861, is still standing near the river and below Jane’s home, which was built in 1900 by her stepfather, Lee Connor. Her daughter was born in this farm house. Ruth attended five Catholic convents before graduating from Coleman High School. She opened the first Beauty Shop in Coleman. She married Morris R. Rogers, November 10, 1903 in Normangee-June 4, 1961, buried in Coleman. They had one daughter, Barbara Jane, December 21, 1926 in Waco. Ruth retired from the beauty business in 1974. Barbara J. married (1st) John Henry Cash, December 24, 1945 in Coleman, the son of John Francis and Ella Cash of Coleman. Their children: (1) John Roger, November 23, 1951, married Anita Kemper, one child, John Harmon, September 11, 1974 (see R. F. Kemper). They divorced and John remarried, lives in Freeport and works for Dow Chemical. ( 2) Nancy Ellen, October 22, 1953, married Steve Worley, one child, Jennifer Leigh, February 19, 1983. They live in Plano. Barbara J. married (2nd) Walter B. Moore, September 26, 1959. Two sons: Walter Glenn, September 21, 1960 in Longview, and Morris Hardin, April 18, 1962 in Coleman. Both sons are attending college. Barbara J. (Bobbie) worked 17 years for the State Department of Human Resources in Coleman County. Walter works for Thelbert Elkins Gulf Station in Coleman.

(6) John Thomas Jr., April 24, 1895 in Gouldbusk, married Nila Montgomery, two children, Nila May and Frances. He ranched and lived at Christoval, died February 3, 1975, buried there. (Note from a family member, Lajuana Ereckson, daughter of Frances Hardin Allcorn: John Thomas and Nila Hardin had three children. They also had a son, Joe Billy Hardin who was living in 2009 in Oolagah, Oklahoma in 2009.)

(7) Forest Gould, January 11, 1896 at Gouldbusk, left Coleman County in 1924 to work ranches in Crockett County until 1937, then he was employed by the U.S. Department of Interior. In 1948, Gould joined the Texas Rangers and retired at age 70 while living in Sanderson. He was a Mason. He married Zelma Myers, September 18, 1920, born December 30, 1900, the daughter of William and Angie (Damron) Myers. Mr. Myers was a Coleman County rancher. They had two daughters: Eleanor Louise (Boyd), November 21, 1921, and Peggy Jean (Joyce), October 26, 1923-October 2,1967. Gould served in WWI, died June 20, 1982, buried in Fort Bliss National Cemetery in El Paso, as is his wife, Zelma.

(8) Nancy Alzada, October 20, 1898 at Gouldbusk, married Herman Holstead of Ruston, Louisiana, July 31, 1920. They had three children: Virginia Belle, Cleo Jean and Herman Garland. Herman died June 1,1972, buried at BossierCity. Nancy presently lives at the Pilgrim Manor Nursing Home in Bossier City.