Hardin Family History & Genealogy

This was a letter written by my late grandmother, Ms. Lily E. Hardin. This is some information that she had obtained about her husband, Samuel Lorenzer (S.L.) Hardin.
I am searching for information on SAMUEL TURNER HARDIN, father of my husband, SAMUEL LORENZER (S.L.) HARDIN, born December 14, 1910 in ASHLEY COUNTY, PORTLAND, ARKANSAS.
SAMUEL TURNER HARDIN was 35 years old and he married ALICE IVA (IVEY) JONES, 20 years old, on March 6, 1910 in ASHLEY COUNTY, PORTLAND, ARKANSAS.
He was a railroad employee at the time - also did taxidermy work on the side, I have been told.
He had two sons, KEVIN & LEVIN HARDIN who were ages 8 years and 6 years of age from previous marriage who visited in spring. I am told they lived in Indianapolis, Indiana.
He was transferred in early summer and was to write wife to come when located. He wrote several letters, but her brothers did not give them to her. He finally got a divorce. The brother gave her only that letter -- I was told by one brother after her death.
My husband died July 2, 1993.

I'm not sure when my grandmother had written this. My grandmother passed away June 14, 2007. My mother was getting some things and came across this letter. I would like to try to find out some more about my grandfather's family. It would be really nice to know a little more about my greatgrand father and his other children. I'm sure that some of my family would like to know about their aunts and uncles and other cousins. Thank you.

Letter of Jonathan Hardin to his brother Joab Hardin.
Conway County
Arkansas Territory
Dec. 20 1826
I regret, my dear Brother that circumstances over which I could have no control have prevented me from answering your very acceptable letter of the 9th of Sept. by my friend Judge Searcy. It is not, I assure you, for the want of fraternal affection, that I have neglected you. On the contrary, I am overflowing with love and sympathy for which you with the ties of consanguinity are so eminently calculated to inspire.

I need not tell you that your letter afforded me most unbounded pleasure, for it heightened my joy above all things, except a visit from you or a visit to you, which I cannot under existing circumstance anticipate with any very reasonable probability of realizing in less than a year or two, as it would be entirely incompatible with my interest to visit you as soon as you desire me to in your letter. I am pleased to hear of your prosperous situation;
that your vocation is lucrative and that my old Mother is yet in the land of the living, and as vigorous as her declining years will justify, though to
hear of her decease soon, would scarcely surprise of agitate me, as I am aware that she is arriving at that period of life when according to nature
she should become a Sojourner in a distant and infinitely more happy land,
and thought the dispensation is looked for, the bereavement would I assure to
me be lamentable not withstanding we have been long and widely separated.

I speak experimentally, for some more than two years ago, I was visited by a
similar loss in the death of my father and her loss would not be less an
affliction.

Our Father died suddenly and his estate was left in such a situation that I myself have had no benefit of it. The circumstances are these: To wit; Shortly anterior to his death (in anticipation of a heavy and malicious lawsuit) he made the sham sale of his property to a gentleman by the name of John L (Lindsey) Lafferty, who married our half sister, and in whom my Father placed
every confidence. After the suit was comprised, my Father died before the
trade with Lafferty was cancelled, leaving him the nominal owner of the
property; the July after my father died, my sister Lafferty's wife was also consigned to the tomb, leaving an infant son. Mr. Lafferty, I am sorry to say, betrayed the confidence my Father placed in him and has swindled us out of the property. I have no remedy unless I institute a tedious suit in Chancery, the result of which is at best problematical, and besides he has so mismanaged and run through the estate that it is now scarcely an object. My Father bequeathed in a deed of gift to my brother George before his death a
handsome property, consisting of a negro woman and child now two children and a negro man and some stock. He would, if he had lived made a similar
bequest--but he is consigned prematurely to Mother earth and I have been left friendless, comparatively speaking on the wide stream of life without rudder or compass by which to shape my course. But I hope for better and have accumulated a tolerable property on which to subsist. My avocations have
been various. I have attended some to farming and raising horses and stock
and devoted some time and money to the improvement of my very deficient
education, which it was my fate to receive in the lifetime of my father owing to a lack of schools and convenience, peculiar to new countrie. I should be extremely glad to see you, but unless you give me the pleasure of a visit to my residence, it is a pleasure that is distant, as I cannot visit you in Tennessee for some time to come, but shall visit you by letter frequently and hope you will be good enough to attend to and answer all communication from me and inform me of the health of Mother and all the relations.

Our Relative here are all well. Uncle Benj. Hardin's children are all
married and left him but two; viz: Walter and Ewele. Cousins Joseph Hardin died about three months since, leaving a family of four motherless children and a second wife, when he had been married a short time before.

The prospects of our country are pretty good. Crops were fine tho the staple production of our country which is cotton is very low. Other produce in proportionably low. I could write you a volume of news, tho perhaps of little interest to you, I shall therefore save you the trouble of reading myself of writing. Direct your letters in the future to Marion, Conway County, Ark. Territory, where I shall be able to receive and attend to them.
With affectionate regard to yourself and Mother, I am
Dear Brother
Very Truly,
Jonathan Hardin

Mr. Joab Hardin.
(Courtesy of Mary Cooper Miller of Arkansas)