William Thomas and Juda Frances Lee Hardee son
Zibe Brooks Hardee

Zibe Brooks Hardee was the third child of William and Juda Hardee. Zibe was born Sept. 4, 1859 in Alabama. He never married and is always listed in the census as single.

He is first listed with his family in the 1860 Alabama census as a one year old. His brother Pinkney Hardee was born Dec. 22, 1869 in Alabama so the family must have traveled to Van Zandt County, Texas sometime between then and Sept. 16, 1870 when the family is listed in the census and he is listed as 11 years old.

In 1880 he is living in Johnson Co., Texas as a single 21-year-old farm laborer with Abraham Arnold and his family. I don’t know of any connection with the Arnold family. But, Zibe’s father and siblings are living one family away, so they are nearby.

By 1900 both his parents have died. He is still living in Johnson County, Texas and is listed as a boarder in the household of the Killough family. He is listed as Zide Hardie age 38 and working as farm laborer.

In 1910 Zibe is living with his younger brother Robert Hardee and his family. They live at 401 Elmo St. in Cleburne, Johnson Co., Texas. His name is listed as Side and he is 46 years old. His brother works as a machinist at the railroad shop. Zibe works as a hostler helper at the railroad roundhouse. Looking at a map they lived near the railroad yard and almost everyone listed on this census page works for the railroad.

I did not know what a hostler was so I looked it up. A hostler is the person who receives the locomotive as they come in and cares for them in the roundhouse. They have them clean and ready for departure when needed.

Robert, Clifford T. and Zibe B. are all listed in the 1915 Cleburne City Directory living at 401 Elmo. Clifford T. is Robert’s son. Clifford is listed as a laborer, Robert as a truckman at G C & S F railroad and Zibe is a helper at G C & S F railroad.

He still lives with his brother in 1920. Zibe is listed as 62 years old and a hostler at the roundhouse.

He lives with his younger widowed sister Caroline in 1930. They live on 613 Royal St. in Cleburne, Texas, still near the railroad yard. Even though it’s been 10 years since the 1920 census he has only aged five years as he is listed as 67 years old but still works as a hostler helper in the shops.

Zibe Brooks Hardee died April 15, 1932 of influenzas and pneumonia. He was still living with his sister Caroline when he died. The informant on the death certificate was C.W. Hardee which I assume is Creed Westly Hardee, Zibe’s nephew from his brother Robert. C.W. Hardee gave his birthdate as Sept. 4, 1874. The year is incorrect as Zibe is listed in the 1860 census as one years old.  He is buried in the Cleburne Memorial Cemetery in Cleburne, Johnson Co., Texas.

Five months later his brother Robert dies of pneumonia. 

Even though Zibe never married or had children he will not be forgotten.