Joseph Hardin
Encyclopedia
Colonel Joseph Hardin, Sr. (April 18, 1734 – July 4, 1801) Hardin was an Assemblyman (Provincial Congressman) for the North Carolina Colony. During the War for Independence
, as a member of the militia
from Tryon County
, Hardin fought the Cherokee
allies of Britain along the western frontier. Later in the war, having taken his family over the Appalachian Mountains
to the Washington District
for safety against the advance of the Red Coat
s out of South Carolina
, Hardin joined the Overmountain Men
. He saw action at the Battle of Ramsour's Mill
and the decisive Battle of Kings Mountain
. Following the peace with Britain
, Hardin was a co-founder and second Speaker of the House for the State of Franklin
; and an Assemblyman in the Southwest Territory
before its statehood as Tennessee
. Hardin was the great-grandfather of Texas outlaw and gunslinger, John Wesley Hardin
.
, Virginia Colony in an area several years later to be encompassed by the fledgling town of Richmond at the Falls
(now Richmond), Virginia Colony.
Joseph Hardin was the second son, and fourth child, of Benjamin Hardin II and Margaret Hooper. He was older brother to Captain John Hardin (1736–1802) (noted as the hero who turned the tide of battle for the patriot
s at the Battle of Ramsour's Mill
during the ”Southern Campaign”
of the Revolutionary War) and Sarah Hardin, wife to Lt. Col. Frederick Hambright
.
Joseph married Jane Gibson (1742–1817) on July 8, 1762 in Virginia. They moved to the ‘Salisbury District
’ of North Carolina Colony, settling in the newly formed Tryon County, where he became Justice of the Peace
in 1772.
Joseph's children were: Rebecca; twins Joseph Jr. and John; Jane Ann; James W.; Benjamin I; Robert I; Elender; Mary Easter; Margaret; Amos; Benjamin II; Gibson; and Robert II. “Ben-two” and “Robert-two”, as they were called, were both named after older brothers whom had been lost in battle with Native Americans.
) (1783); and finally Greene Co. (1796). He served as an Assemblyman
(Representative
) for Tryon Co., NC (1774–1779); for Washington County (Washington District, North Carolina
) (1782) and, Greene Co., Tennessee East District, NC (1788).
Joseph Hardin was a signatory to the Tryon Resolves
in September 1775.
During the period of 1784-1785, Hardin, John Sevier
, and several others were instrumental in organizing the extra-legal State of Franklin
. He was elected its second Speaker of the House in June 1785. A few years after the failure of Franklin, he served as a representative for the First Territorial Assembly of the Southwest Territory
(also known as the Territory South of the Ohio River) held at Knoxville, Tennessee
in the summer of 1794. Later that same year, Hardin became a trustee of the newly chartered Greeneville (later Tusculum
) College.
of the 2nd North Carolina Minute Men (of the Salisbury District) in 1775. That same year, he appears in the rolls as a captain in the Tryon County Colonial Light Horse Rangers. Hardin took part in Moore's Cherokee Expedition into the Washington District late the following year. Beginning in 1777, Hardin carried a captain’s commission in Locke's Battalion (part of General Allen Jones'
Brigade) seeing action against Britain and its Native American
allies.
It was during this time that Hardin moved his family to the western settlements for safe keeping. As a member of the Overmountain militia, he fought in the Battle of Ramsour's Mill
, between the Tories (Loyalists to the Crown) and the Whigs (American Patriots) on June 20, 1780 and later that year at the Battle of Kings Mountain
, on Oct 7.
After the cessation of the ground war with Britain (1783), Hardin was appointed colonel
of the North Carolina Militia for "The Western Counties" (Re.: Tennessee) due to the continuing hostilities with the Chickamauga Indian
s.
.
Hardin died July 4, 1801. He is interred at the Hickory Creek Cemetery, Hardin Valley, Knox Co., TN. There is a large monument dedicated to Hardin at the site. The inscription reads:
in late spring of 1816 bound for the general area which would eventually become Savannah, Tennessee
. The first party came by boat down the Tennessee River
, landing in May at "the easteward curve of the Tennessee" at Cerro Gordo
. The second, and larger, party had travelled overland and suffered from many delays. Upon the arrival of the second group, the parties finally rejoined at Johnson Creek, near present day Savannah, Tennessee
. It was now July, and the pioneers set about the laying down of the first permanent settlement by non-Native Americans in the area.
This second party was led by Joseph Hardin, Jr., son of Col. Joseph Hardin, who had, before his death, accumulated several land grants to the area as rewards for his Revolutionary War
service. Joseph, Jr. was accompanied on the trip by his brother, James Hardin (known as the founder of the settlement of Hardinville
; a failed endeavor that would be created in 1817 on nearby Hardin’s Creek). Both men executed land grants in the area. They had fought alongside their father in the war and had been likewise rewarded with their own land patents, and had inherited some of their father's remaining unclaimed grants. About this same time, other settlers from the initial expedition established a community further down river at Saltillo
.
Other relatives of Col. Joseph’s were to eventually settle in the area, including sons: Gibson, Ben II and Robert II, and daughter, Margaret (wife of Ninian Steele), all having arrived there by 1818.
The county was named posthumously for Joseph Hardin, Sr. in November 1819, at the first meeting of the county assembly which took place at the home of his son, James Hardin. Today, the courthouse in the county seat of Savannah is dedicated to him.
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, as a member of the militia
Militia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
from Tryon County
Tryon County, North Carolina
Tryon County is a former county which was located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It was formed in 1768 from the part of Mecklenburg County west of the Catawba River, although the legislative act that created it did not become effective until April 10, 1769. Due to inaccurate and delayed...
, Hardin fought the Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
allies of Britain along the western frontier. Later in the war, having taken his family over the Appalachian Mountains
Appalachian Mountains
The Appalachian Mountains #Whether the stressed vowel is or ,#Whether the "ch" is pronounced as a fricative or an affricate , and#Whether the final vowel is the monophthong or the diphthong .), often called the Appalachians, are a system of mountains in eastern North America. The Appalachians...
to the Washington District
Washington District, North Carolina
The Washington District of North Carolina was in a remote area west of the Appalachian Mountains, officially existing for only a short period of time , although it had been self-proclaimed and functioning as an independent governing entity since the spring of 1775...
for safety against the advance of the Red Coat
Red coat (British army)
Red coat or Redcoat is a historical term used to refer to soldiers of the British Army because of the red uniforms formerly worn by the majority of regiments. From the late 17th century to the early 20th century, the uniform of most British soldiers, , included a madder red coat or coatee...
s out of South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
, Hardin joined the Overmountain Men
Overmountain Men
The Overmountain Men were American frontiersmen from west of the Appalachian Mountains who took part in the American Revolutionary War. While they were present at multiple engagements in the war's southern campaign, they are best known for their role in the American victory at the Battle of Kings...
. He saw action at the Battle of Ramsour's Mill
Battle of Ramsour's Mill
The Battle of Ramsour's Mill took place on June 20, 1780 near present-day Lincolnton, North Carolina, during the British campaign to gain control of the southern colonies in the American Revolutionary War. About 400 American militia defeated 1,300 Loyalist militiamen. The battle did not involve any...
and the decisive Battle of Kings Mountain
Battle of Kings Mountain
The Battle of Kings Mountain was a decisive battle between the Patriot and Loyalist militias in the Southern campaign of the American Revolutionary War...
. Following the peace with Britain
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
, Hardin was a co-founder and second Speaker of the House for the State of Franklin
State of Franklin
The State of Franklin, known also as the Free Republic of Franklin or the State of Frankland , was an unrecognized autonomous United States territory created in 1784 from part of the territory west of the Appalachian Mountains that had been offered,...
; and an Assemblyman in the Southwest Territory
Southwest Territory
The Territory South of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Southwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1790, until June 1, 1796, when it was admitted to the United States as the State of Tennessee.The Southwest Territory was...
before its statehood as Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. Hardin was the great-grandfather of Texas outlaw and gunslinger, John Wesley Hardin
John Wesley Hardin
John Wesley Hardin was an American outlaw, gunfighter, and controversial folk hero of the Old West. He was born in Bonham, Texas. Hardin found himself in trouble with the law at an early age, and spent the majority of his life being pursued by both local lawmen and federal troops of the...
.
Early and family life
Joseph Hardin was born the spring of 1734 in Henrico Co.Henrico County, Virginia
Henrico is a county located in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a state of the United States. As of 2010, Henrico was home to 306,935 people. It is located in the Richmond-Petersburg region and is a portion of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Virginia Colony in an area several years later to be encompassed by the fledgling town of Richmond at the Falls
Richmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
(now Richmond), Virginia Colony.
Joseph Hardin was the second son, and fourth child, of Benjamin Hardin II and Margaret Hooper. He was older brother to Captain John Hardin (1736–1802) (noted as the hero who turned the tide of battle for the patriot
Patriot
A patriot is someone who feels a strong support for his or her country. See Patriotism.Patriot or Patriots may also refer to:- Politics :* Patriot Party , various political parties...
s at the Battle of Ramsour's Mill
Battle of Ramsour's Mill
The Battle of Ramsour's Mill took place on June 20, 1780 near present-day Lincolnton, North Carolina, during the British campaign to gain control of the southern colonies in the American Revolutionary War. About 400 American militia defeated 1,300 Loyalist militiamen. The battle did not involve any...
during the ”Southern Campaign”
Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War
The Southern theater of the American Revolutionary War was the central area of operations in North America in the second half of the American Revolutionary War. During the first three years of the conflict, the primary military encounters had been in the north, focused on campaigns around the...
of the Revolutionary War) and Sarah Hardin, wife to Lt. Col. Frederick Hambright
Frederick Hambright
Frederick Hambright was a military officer who fought in both the local militia and in the North Carolina Line of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War. He is best known for his participation in the Battle of Kings Mountain in 1780...
.
Joseph married Jane Gibson (1742–1817) on July 8, 1762 in Virginia. They moved to the ‘Salisbury District
Salisbury District, North Carolina
The Salisbury District of North Carolina, was originally one of several colonial judicial districts established in 1766. Immediately preceding the onset of the American War of Independence, these six regions, in 1775, were broadened into "de facto" militia districts.The Salisbury District was based...
’ of North Carolina Colony, settling in the newly formed Tryon County, where he became Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
in 1772.
Joseph's children were: Rebecca; twins Joseph Jr. and John; Jane Ann; James W.; Benjamin I; Robert I; Elender; Mary Easter; Margaret; Amos; Benjamin II; Gibson; and Robert II. “Ben-two” and “Robert-two”, as they were called, were both named after older brothers whom had been lost in battle with Native Americans.
Civil service
Hardin served several stints as a local Justice of the Peace: first in Tryon County, NC (April 1772–1778); then Washington Co., NC (Tennessee East DistrictEast Tennessee
East Tennessee is a name given to approximately the eastern third of the U.S. state of Tennessee, one of the three Grand Divisions of Tennessee defined in state law. East Tennessee consists of 33 counties, 30 located within the Eastern Time Zone and three counties in the Central Time Zone, namely...
) (1783); and finally Greene Co. (1796). He served as an Assemblyman
Legislator
A legislator is a person who writes and passes laws, especially someone who is a member of a legislature. Legislators are usually politicians and are often elected by the people...
(Representative
North Carolina House of Representatives
The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the state senate....
) for Tryon Co., NC (1774–1779); for Washington County (Washington District, North Carolina
Washington District, North Carolina
The Washington District of North Carolina was in a remote area west of the Appalachian Mountains, officially existing for only a short period of time , although it had been self-proclaimed and functioning as an independent governing entity since the spring of 1775...
) (1782) and, Greene Co., Tennessee East District, NC (1788).
Joseph Hardin was a signatory to the Tryon Resolves
Tryon Resolves
The Tryon Resolves were a brief declaration adopted by the citizens of Tryon County in the Province of North Carolina in the early days of the American Revolution. In the Resolves, the county vowed resistance to coercive actions by the British Empire against its North American colonies...
in September 1775.
During the period of 1784-1785, Hardin, John Sevier
John Sevier
John Sevier served four years as the only governor of the State of Franklin and twelve years as Governor of Tennessee. As a U.S. Representative from Tennessee from 1811 until his death...
, and several others were instrumental in organizing the extra-legal State of Franklin
State of Franklin
The State of Franklin, known also as the Free Republic of Franklin or the State of Frankland , was an unrecognized autonomous United States territory created in 1784 from part of the territory west of the Appalachian Mountains that had been offered,...
. He was elected its second Speaker of the House in June 1785. A few years after the failure of Franklin, he served as a representative for the First Territorial Assembly of the Southwest Territory
Southwest Territory
The Territory South of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Southwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1790, until June 1, 1796, when it was admitted to the United States as the State of Tennessee.The Southwest Territory was...
(also known as the Territory South of the Ohio River) held at Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
in the summer of 1794. Later that same year, Hardin became a trustee of the newly chartered Greeneville (later Tusculum
Tusculum College
Tusculum College is a coeducational private college affiliated with the Presbyterian Church , with its main campus in Tusculum, Tennessee, United States, a suburb of Greeneville...
) College.
Military service
Hardin’s first documented military service shows his appointment as a majorMajor (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
of the 2nd North Carolina Minute Men (of the Salisbury District) in 1775. That same year, he appears in the rolls as a captain in the Tryon County Colonial Light Horse Rangers. Hardin took part in Moore's Cherokee Expedition into the Washington District late the following year. Beginning in 1777, Hardin carried a captain’s commission in Locke's Battalion (part of General Allen Jones'
Allen Jones (delegate)
Allen Jones was an American planter and statesman from Northampton County, North Carolina. During the Revolutionary War he was a Brigadier General in the state militia. He was a delegate for North Carolina to the Continental Congress in 1779 and 1780...
Brigade) seeing action against Britain and its Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
allies.
It was during this time that Hardin moved his family to the western settlements for safe keeping. As a member of the Overmountain militia, he fought in the Battle of Ramsour's Mill
Battle of Ramsour's Mill
The Battle of Ramsour's Mill took place on June 20, 1780 near present-day Lincolnton, North Carolina, during the British campaign to gain control of the southern colonies in the American Revolutionary War. About 400 American militia defeated 1,300 Loyalist militiamen. The battle did not involve any...
, between the Tories (Loyalists to the Crown) and the Whigs (American Patriots) on June 20, 1780 and later that year at the Battle of Kings Mountain
Battle of Kings Mountain
The Battle of Kings Mountain was a decisive battle between the Patriot and Loyalist militias in the Southern campaign of the American Revolutionary War...
, on Oct 7.
After the cessation of the ground war with Britain (1783), Hardin was appointed colonel
Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, colonel is a senior field grade military officer rank just above the rank of lieutenant colonel and just below the rank of brigadier general...
of the North Carolina Militia for "The Western Counties" (Re.: Tennessee) due to the continuing hostilities with the Chickamauga Indian
Chickamauga Indian
The Chickamauga or Lower Cherokee, were a band of Cherokee who supported Great Britain at the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. They were followers of the Cherokee chief Dragging Canoe...
s.
Land grants
As was the custom of the time, he was awarded land grants totaling 8400 acres (34 km²) for service to his country. In 1786, several thousand acres of this land was set aside for Col. Hardin in what later became Hardin County, TennesseeHardin County, Tennessee
Hardin County is a county located in the U.S. State of Tennessee. As of 2010, the population was 26,026. The Hardin County seat is Savannah. The county was named posthumously for Col. Joseph Hardin, a Revolutionary War soldier and a legislative representative for the Province of North Carolina and...
.
Later life and legacy
Although he himself never set foot in that region, on March 11, 1786 the land along the far western reaches of the Tennessee River was surveyed by Isaac Taylor and warrants were drawn on behalf of Hardin for 3000 acres (12.1 km²) in what was to become Hardin County, Tennessee However, due to legal trouble with squatters and the wildness of that area in Tennessee, it was thirty years before his family could settle there.Hardin died July 4, 1801. He is interred at the Hickory Creek Cemetery, Hardin Valley, Knox Co., TN. There is a large monument dedicated to Hardin at the site. The inscription reads:
The Hardin Expedition
Two parties of settlers (totaling 26) struck out of Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
in late spring of 1816 bound for the general area which would eventually become Savannah, Tennessee
Savannah, Tennessee
Savannah is a city in Hardin County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,917 at the 2000 census and the 2007 population estimate was 7,262. It is the county seat of Hardin County. Savannah hosted the NAIA college football national championship game from 1996-2007. Savannah is home to...
. The first party came by boat down the Tennessee River
Tennessee River
The Tennessee River is the largest tributary of the Ohio River. It is approximately 652 miles long and is located in the southeastern United States in the Tennessee Valley. The river was once popularly known as the Cherokee River, among other names...
, landing in May at "the easteward curve of the Tennessee" at Cerro Gordo
Cerro Gordo, Tennessee
Cerro Gordo is an unincorporated community in Hardin County, Tennessee, United States. Cerro Gordo is located on the east bank of the Tennessee River north of Savannah...
. The second, and larger, party had travelled overland and suffered from many delays. Upon the arrival of the second group, the parties finally rejoined at Johnson Creek, near present day Savannah, Tennessee
Savannah, Tennessee
Savannah is a city in Hardin County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 6,917 at the 2000 census and the 2007 population estimate was 7,262. It is the county seat of Hardin County. Savannah hosted the NAIA college football national championship game from 1996-2007. Savannah is home to...
. It was now July, and the pioneers set about the laying down of the first permanent settlement by non-Native Americans in the area.
This second party was led by Joseph Hardin, Jr., son of Col. Joseph Hardin, who had, before his death, accumulated several land grants to the area as rewards for his Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
service. Joseph, Jr. was accompanied on the trip by his brother, James Hardin (known as the founder of the settlement of Hardinville
Hardinville, Tennessee
Hardinville or Hardinsville was a hamlet founded in 1817 "near the confluence of Turkey and Boone's Creeks" in Hardin County, Tennessee east of the Tennessee River. It was incorporated by the state legislature on October 24, 1824...
; a failed endeavor that would be created in 1817 on nearby Hardin’s Creek). Both men executed land grants in the area. They had fought alongside their father in the war and had been likewise rewarded with their own land patents, and had inherited some of their father's remaining unclaimed grants. About this same time, other settlers from the initial expedition established a community further down river at Saltillo
Saltillo, Tennessee
Saltillo is a town in Hardin County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 303 at the 2010 census. Saltillo is located on the left bank of the Tennessee River, about 12 miles north of Savannah, Tennessee.-History:...
.
Other relatives of Col. Joseph’s were to eventually settle in the area, including sons: Gibson, Ben II and Robert II, and daughter, Margaret (wife of Ninian Steele), all having arrived there by 1818.
The county was named posthumously for Joseph Hardin, Sr. in November 1819, at the first meeting of the county assembly which took place at the home of his son, James Hardin. Today, the courthouse in the county seat of Savannah is dedicated to him.