Portrait and Biographical Album of Fulton County,
Illinois: containing full page portraits and biographical sketches of
prominent and representative citizens of the county: together with
portraits and biographies of all the presidents of the United States,
and governors of the state; Biographical Pub. Co., Chicago, IL; 1890;
page 546-547; Transcribed by Margaret Rose Whitehurst
William Harden, Sr. Since his early youth this gentleman
has manifested a degree of enterprise which has redounded to his credit
and resulted in worldly prosperity. He attributes his success
largely to the aid of an excellent companion, who has prudently managed
the household economy, and given him wise counsel and cheering
sympathy. For some years he has been living in Fairview Township,
where he owns two hundred acres of cleared land on section 9, and seven
and one-half acres of timber. He is of English and German
ancestry, and no doubt inherits some of the national characteristics
which combine to form the business ability which has secured his
financial success.
The paternal grandparents of our subject were Thomas and
Priscilla Harden, natives of England, who after emigrating to America,
settled near Utica, N. Y. Among the members of their family was a
son John, who was born near Albany, N. Y., grew to maturity there, and
married Caroline Armstrong, whose father was a native of Germany.
John Harden became quite well-to-do, and during their early lives
bestowed upon his children very good advantages. He died in 1850,
at the age of fifty-two years. The widowed mother came West to
live with our subject, her third son, and died at his home in 1, at the
age of seventy-three years. The family consisted of twelve
children, named respectively: Maria, Thomas, Julia A., John, William,
Jeanette, Jerome, James, Mary, Henry, Dollie, and Caroline, the latter
three dying in infancy.
William Harden, the subject of this sketch, was born in Oswego
County, N. Y., April 30, 1832, and passed his boyhood in his native
State. His father died when he was a youth of seventeen, and two
years later he came to this county and engaged in farming. He
bought fifty acres on section 10, Fairview Township, occupying that
tract of land until 1854 when he sold it, and for the next eight years
farmed near Raritan, Henderson County. Selling his property
there, he next bought a part of his present farm, and again took up his
abode in this county. In addition to the estate upon which he
lives, he owns one hundred and forty acres in Maquon Township, Knox
County, on which the town of Rapatee is situated. In company with
George Prall, he built the grain elevator in that village, and shipped
the first car-load of grain from that center.
In 1855 Mr. Harden led to the hymeneal altar Miss Sarah A.
Sherman, a native of Oswego County, N. Y., daughter of Enoch and Alvira
(Dykeman) Sherman. The first fifteen years of her life were spent
in her native county, and she then became a resident in this
State. She has not only proved herself an efficient helpmate, but
is a wise and affectionate mother and kindly neighbor. She is
therefore looked upon with respect, and has many warm friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Harden have seven children, viz: William F., Jr.,
John, Alvira, Enoch, Carrie, James and Theodore. William married
Miss Hattie Hart, and has one child, Floyd, his home being on a farm in
Fairview Township; Alvira married Thomas Seltzer, lives on a farm in
Knox county, and has one child, Verna; James is telegraph operator for
Iowa Central Railroad at Rapatee, and the other members of the family
are still with their parents.
The first Presidential ballot of Mr. Harden was cast for J. C.
Fremont, and he has never failed since that time to deposit a
Republican ticket on election day. He has held the offices of
School Director and Trustee, having been the incumbent of the latter
eight years. His good judgment has been exercised as a juryman,
and in the various matters which come before the residents in the
vicinity, he endeavors to take such a part as will be for the public
good. He is a man of fine personal appearance, intelligence and
good character.
