William Thomas and Juda Frances Lee’s daughter

Sabitha Annie Hardee

In 1865 William Thomas Hardee was serving in the Civil war. He was captured near Petersburg on March 25 and became a prisoner of war on March 27, 1865. When Sabitha was born on April 12, 1865 her father was a prisoner of war at Point Lookout, Maryland. William was released on June 13, 1865.

Her mother Juda Frances was alone at the family homestead in Coosa County, Alabama with six other children ranging in ages of 3-9 years old. I can only hope she had family around to help her, because I couldn’t image running a farm and raising seven children by myself.

Between 1869 and 1870 the family of 11 moved from Coosa County, Alabama to Van Zandt County, Texas. Sabitha would have been about five years old when they took the 600-mile journey overland.

In 1870 the family is living next door to Williams widowed mother, Tabitha. I have often wondered if this was the reason they moved to Texas.

On August 27, 1884 Sabitha marries James Rufus Mayfield in Parker County, Texas. They live in Wise County, Texas according to the 1900 census and she has had five children but only two are living. There children are Annie born Dec 1889 and Josie born March 1892.

They move to Delaware Township, Caddo County, Oklahoma and are listed on the 1910 census as renting a farm. Their son James Booth born November 1900 is the only child in the household. Her widowed younger brother, John Perry Hardee lives with them.

In 1920 they are still farming in Caddo County, Oklahoma and their son and his wife, Ila live with them.

Their daughter Josie Mayfield Anderson dies June 11, 1920 at the age of 28. In the 1930 census their 21-year-old granddaughter, Anna E. Anderson lives with them.  I would guess they took her in to raise her as her father died in 1925. Also, in the household is Sabitha’s older widowed sister Sarah Jane “Sally” Pully. They are all now living in Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma.

James Mayfield dies in 1937 and in 1940 Sabitha listed as Anna is living with her daughter and son-in-law Annie and Casper Meetings in Ninnekah, Grady County, Oklahoma.  Also living in the household is Sabitha’s brother-in-law Fred Taylor. Fred had been married to her sister Lucinda “Cindy” Hardee Taylor.

Sabitha died March 31, 1950 and is buried in the Rose Hill Cemetery in Chickasha, Grady County, Oklahoma.

 

William Thomas and Juda Frances Lee’s son
William R. Hardee

Not much is known about William R. Hardee. He was born about 1863 in Alabama. He moved with the family about 1869/1870 to Van Zandt County, Texas and is listed in the 1880 census living with his father and siblings in Johnson Co., Texas. He is 15 and is not attending school and cannot read or write.

There is no 1890 census and no other records have been located.

 

William Thomas and Juda Frances Lee Hardee’s daughter
Lucinda J. “Cindy” Hardee

Lucinda J. Hardee was the fifth child of William and Juda Hardee. Her name in records is listed as Lucinda or Cindy/Cinda/Sindy. She was born April of 1861 or 1862 in Alabama. I believe about 1869 or 1870 her family traveled to Van Zandt County, Texas when she was about 7 or 8 years old.

The family is found in 1870 living in Van Zandt Co., Texas and in 1880 the family is living in Johnson Co., Texas. Lucinda is listed in both as single and she is 27 years old in 1880.

In 1900, both her parents have died and she is living as a single female with her younger brother Pink Hardee and his wife and children in Alvarado, Johnson Co., Texas. She is listed as Sindy and it lists her birth date as April 1861 making her 39 years old. This conflicts with the 1870 census which shows her as eight years old and since the census was taken after April, I would guess 1862 is the correct year. However, her younger brother was born January 19, 1860 so it is feasible she could have been born in April of 1861.

On June 12, 1904 Lucinda married S. Fred Taylor in Johnson Co., Texas. In 1910 Lucinda and Fred are living in Parker County, Texas and Fred is a farmer. This is Fred’s second marriage and they have a seven-year-old girl living with them who is from his first marriage named Hatty Taylor.

By 1920 they have moved to Rush Springs, Grady Co., Oklahoma and all three are listed together. Fred is still farming and has a mortgage on the land he owns.

In 1920 just Fred and Lucinda are listed on the census in Rush Springs, Oklahoma and they have a 29 year old servant living with them.

I have no death information for Lucinda. Her husband Fred is listed in the 1940 census as a widow so I would assume she died between 1930-1940. In 1940 Fred is living with his wife’s niece and her husband, Casper and Annie Mayfield Meetings. Also living in the household is the mother of Annie, and Lucinda’s widowed sister, Anna Mayfield. They live in Ninnekah, Grady Co., Oklahoma.

 William Thomas and Juda Frances Lee Hardee’s son

Samuel Burel Hardee

Next in the series of William and Juda Hardee’s children is my Great Grandfather Samuel Burel Hardee. He was born Jan. 26, 1860 in Alabama. He was most likely born in Coosa County, Alabama as he was listed as ½ years old in the 1860 census. Sam would have been two years old when his father, William Hardee went away to join the Civil war and five when he returned.

Around 1869 they moved to Van Zandt County, Texas and lived near William Hardee’s widowed mother Tabitha Hardee.

In 1880 Sam would have been 20 years old but I cannot locate him in the census. His widowed father and siblings were now living in Johnson Co., Texas.

When Sam was 26 years old, he married 16-year-old Georgiana Clarissa Ransom on August 22, 1886 in Parker County, Texas. They are listed as S.B Hardee and Miss Clersy Ransom on the marriage record and Mr. S. B. Hardee and Miss G.A.C. Ransom on the marriage certificate. Sam is listed from Johnson Co. and Georgia is listed from Parker County and they married at her home.

Their first child William Russell Hardee was born April 3, 1888 in Wise County, Texas. Followed by Samuel Burel Hardee Jr. on January 22, 1890 in Decatur, Wise Co., Texas. Then daughters, Ada Frances Hardee born March 5, 1892 and Ida Lou Hardee born March 30, 1894, both born in Decatur, Wise Co., Texas.

I have a deed dated Nov. 21, 1895 showing “Sam Hardy and wife   Hardy” purchased land “…on the West Fork of the Trinity River about 10 miles S. W. from Decatur being 198 ¾ acres more or less…” for $1,000. They paid $300 cash and then $200 at 8 per cent interest per annum due every 6 months till paid.

On October 19, 1896 they had their fifth child “Buster” Edward Thomas Hardee born in Wise Co., Texas.

Sam purchased 40 more acres on July 25, 1899 for $250 cash in his name only. This time his name is spelled S. B. Hardee.

Another daughter is born August 11, 1899 in Wise Co., Texas, Lillie Vester Hardee and in the 1900 census the family is living in Wise Co., Texas. Sam owns his farm and has a mortgage and is listed as a farmer. He cannot read or write and has been married for 14 years. Wife is listed as Clarissa and has had six children and all six are alive. The children are William, Samuel, Ada, Ida, Edward T. and Lillie V.

My Grandfather, Joseph Abraham Hardee is born January 6, 1902 in Decatur, Wise Co., Texas. On November 27, 1903 a deed is recorded showing S. B. Hardee and G.A.C. Hardee wife of S.B. Hardee sold 40 acres for $200 in Wise County, Texas.

Daughter Mary Caroline Hardee is born August 12, 1906 in Decatur, Wise Co., Texas, followed by sister Edna Mae Hardee born April 30, 1910 in Wise Co., Texas.

The 1910 census shows the family still living in Decatur, Wise Co., Texas. This census shows Sam can read and write and that he is a farmer working on his own account and rents the farm. He has been married 23 years and his wife listed as Georgia A. has eight children born and living. (At age 40 she is pregnant with her last child, Edna who will be born in less than three weeks.) Also living in the household is 16-year-old daughter Ida Hardee and her 27-year-old husband, John Barber. They have been married one year.

In 1920 the family is listed as living in Rhome, Wise Co., Texas and the household consists of Sam and Georgia A., Joe, Mary, Edna Mae and Sam’s mother in law Marguaretta Ransom. The next family listed is his oldest son William R. Hardee and his wife and four children. This census shows Sam is a laborer on a farm he rents and cannot read and write.

Sam Hardee died June 28, 1929. His obituary was listed in the Decatur News on July 5, 1929 front page:

S.B. Hardee

S.B. Hardee died at his home in Newark, Saturday, June 29, 1929. Funeral services were held in Newark Sunday afternoon at the First Baptist Church with Rev. Brammer officiating. Internment in Dido cemetery. Mr. Hardee was a brother-in-law of John Ransome (sic) of near Decatur.

The informant on his death certificate was one of his sons and he listed Sam’s father as J.W. Hardee and his mother as Georgia Ransom. Both are incorrect as Georgia was Sam’s wife and his father was William T. Hardee. His birth date is also listed incorrectly as Jan. 26, 1859, should be 1860. Sam was 69 years old when he died but his age is incorrectly listed as 60. The cause of death only listed that there was “No medical attendant.”

I only know the basics about Samuel Hardee from what I have been able to find in written sources. I really haven't heard any stories about Sam. The stories are what make the person come alive. If anyone know any stories about how life was growing up for Sam or his brothers, I would love to hear them.

Children of Samuel and Georgia Hardee

1. William Russell Hardee born April 3, 1888 in Wise Co., Texas
2. Samuel Burel Hardee Jr. born Jan. 22, 1890 in Decatur, Wise Co., Texas
3. Ada Frances Hardee born March 5, 1892 in Decatur, Wise Co., Texas
4. Ida Lou Hardee born March 30, 1894 in Decatur, Wise Co., Texas
5. Buster Edward Thomas Hardee born Oct. 19, 1896 in Wise Co., Texas
6. Lillie Vester Hardee born Aug. 11, 1899 in Wise Co., Texas
7. Joseph Abraham Hardee born Jan. 6, 1902 in Decatur, Wise Co., Texas [My Grandfather]
8. Mary Caroline Hardee born Aug 12, 1906 in Decatur, Wise Co., Texas
9. Edna Mae Hardee born April 30, 1910 in Wise Co., Texas

All the children stayed in Texas except the last two daughters, Mary and Edna who moved with their families to California. We are just now connecting again with our California Hardee relatives.