Colonel WILLIAM ORR of Section 5, Keg Creek Township, the proprietor of Hardindale Farm is one of the prominent citizens of the county. He came here in 1872 from Harrison County, Iowa, where he has since made his home. He was born in Down County, near Belfast, Ireland, the son of John and Elizabeth (Lamont) Orr. William lived in his native place until sixteen years of age, and then sailed from Belfast to Liverpool and from there to New York. He went to Harrison County, Ohio, then to Tuscarawas County where he lived until 1844, then to Butler County, Pennsylvania until 1847, then to Washington County, Pennsylvania until the fall of 1848, then returned to the old homestead in Ireland. After six months he returned to Ohio and lived in Carroll County until 1856 when he went to Nebraska, and in 1857 near Florence, and in 1861 to Harrison County, Iowa. Here he bought an improved farm four miles south of Logan where he settled and lived until the fall of 1872 when he came to Pottawattamie County purchasing the land where he now lived, which was partly improved.

Hardindale now contains 590 acres in a body and is one among the well-improved farms of Keg Creek Township. The farm is fenced and divided into cultivated fields, meadows and pasture, and everything about the Orr homestead shows the thrift and enterprise of the owner. Colonel Orr is one of the prominent stock raisers and feeders in the county, making a specialty of Red Polled cattle of which he has as good as can be found in Western Iowa.

He was married in Belfast, Ireland, March 24, 1849 to Margaret Orr the daughter of John Alexander Orr. They have had twelve children, six of whom are still living, viz.: Margaret Anna the wife of D.S. Frank of this township, was born January 24, 1850; Elizabeth Jane born June 15, 1855, wife of H.B. Knowles of this township; Mary wife of Artemus Ward; Lamont and Mary, twins; William at home born May 12, 1861; and Emma born February 27, 1865. They have lost six by death, namely: John Alexander, born July 25, 1851; Mary born November 27, 1852 died when a child; William Orr, born march 15, 1857 also died when a child; Edwin born January 10, 1864; Hiram Woodworth born February 28, 1869; and Minnie born January 15, 1871.

The great loss of Colonel Orr's life was the death of his wife May 6, 1888. They had lived together for nearly thirty-nine years. She was reared a Unitarian and was a woman of many virtues, an affectionate wife and mother, and a very estimable lady.

Politically Colonel Orr is a Democrat and has served as Trustee and a member of the school board. He also served as Trustee of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum for four years from 1874 to 1878. He is a man sixty-four years of age, has traveled extensively and is well informed on all the questions of the day.