William Thomas and Juda Frances Lee Hardee son
John Perry Hardee

We first find John Perry Hardee at age three in the 1880 census of Johnson Co., Texas. That would make his birth year about 1877. He lives with his widowed father William and nine siblings. John’s mother Juda Frances Lee died the year before in 1879 so he never knew his mother. I can only guess that his older siblings helped raise him. Also living in the household are two older cousins. Joseph and Archie Favors are the children of Archibald and Jane Lee Favors. Jane Lee was a younger sister of Juda Lee Hardee, John Perry’s Mother.

There is no 1890 census so we next find John Perry in the 1900 census still living in Johnson County in the city of Cleburne. He lives with his cousin Joseph Favors. In the household is Joseph’s wife and two sons and his mother-in-law. John Perry is 24 years old, is single and works as a section hand. It is marked that he can read and write.

In 1904 there is an arrest record for J. P. Hardee. He pled guilty for theft of a horse. He was sentenced Feb. 22, 1904 and was discharged on Feb. 24, 1909. His records state he was 26 years old, 5’7 ½”, 136 lbs, dark completion, gray eyes and dark hair. He had two scars on the back of his neck, a scar in the pit of his back and two scars on the right side of his rump. He wore size 5 shoe, was married, used tobacco, had no education, was born 1879 in Texas. I am unsure of who he was married to but it may have been Lula Walker.

In 1910 he has moved to Delaware Township in Caddo County, Oklahoma and lives next door to his older sister Annie Mayfield and her husband and son. He is listed as age 30, widowed, born in Missouri and parents born in Ohio. He is a general farmer and can read and write and rents his farm. When I look at the census, the family below him has the head of household from Missouri and parents from Ohio, so I think this is an error on the census takers part. John Perry was born in Texas and parents were born in Alabama.

At some time after 1910 he returns to Texas and married Gertrude Bodine on June 1, 1914 in Ellis Co., Texas. They are listed in the 1915 city directory for Cleburne, Texas in Johnson Co. They live at 818 N. Wilhite and he is a laborer.

On June 1, 1916 they have their first son, John Thomas Hardee in Cleburne. Their second son dies hours after birth on Dec. 2, 1917 in Cleburne.

In 1918 John Perry registers for the World War I registration draft. He stated he is 39 years old and was born March 19, 1879. The 1880 census shows he was 3 which would make his birth year 1877. He works for the rail road in Cleburne and Gertrude Hardee is his nearest relative. He says he has blue eyes and black hair. I do not believe he ever served in the military.

John Perry and Gertrude have two more sons: Floyd Hardee born Feb. 12, 1920 and Zibe Brooks Hardee born March 28, 1921.

On July 25, 1923 this notice appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on page 17:

                Child Accidentally Killed

CLEBURNE July 25—A bullet from a large caliber pistol which he knocked from a buggy caused the death at Keene yesterday of Floyd Hardee three-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. John P. Hardee.

In December of 1924 John Perry pleas guilty of “Transporting intoxicating liquor. Possessing intoxication liquor for purpose of sale.” He is discharged August 9, 1925. His arrest record states, he is 45 years old, 5’ 6 7/8” has hazel eyes and brown hair, size 5 shoe size, married, uses tobacco, illiterate and cannot read or write, no schooling, born in 1879 in Texas and parents born in Alabama. Employed at rail road.

Their only daughter Norma Hardee was born December 23, 1927 in Texas.

The family is then found on the 1930 census living in Rush Springs, Grady Co., Oklahoma. John Perry is listed as 50 years old, born in Oklahoma and parents born in Kentucky. We know this is incorrect, I wonder if he did not trust the government and gave incorrect information or they weren’t home that day and a neighbor gave the information. We will never know.

He rents his house and works as a farm laborer. Also in the household are his wife Gertrude and children J.T (John Thomas) age 13, Brooks age 8 and Norma age 2.

 For a third time John Perry is arrested in October of 1931. His residence is listed as Cleburne, Johnson Co., Texas. He pleads guilty to “possessing intoxicating liquor and maintaining a public nuisance” for a term of one year. He is discharged on June 30, 1932.

 I am unable to find John Perry in the 1940 census or his living three children. However, I did find a Gertrude Hardee listed in the 1940 census living in Norman, Cleveland County, Oklahoma in the Central Oklahoma State Hospital. She is listed as 44 years old, born in Texas and married. I do not know why she was institutionalized here.

 In 1942 John Perry applied for Social Security and listed his birth as March 19, 1879 in Johnson Co., Texas and his parents as William T. Hardee and Frances Lee.

 I will let the newspaper tell you the next story. I was first told about this from a cousin. The 66-year-old man is John Perry Hardee.

 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas, 25 Dec 1944, Mon • Page 3

 William Roy Hardee Is Shot to Death in Fight

William Roy Hardee 24 of 3501 Alice, was shot and killed early Sunday during a fight with a 66-year old man. The assailant suffered a fractured skull in the altercation and was taken to City-County Hospital. Detective Lieutenant Cobb who investigated described the older man as a three times convict. The 66-year-old man who told Cobb that Hardee came to the Alice Street address about 4 am Sunday and started making coffee. He said Hardee walked to his bedside a blackjack in hand and that he was slugged several times. He then obtained a revolver from beneath his pillow and shot Hardee through the chest. Justice Hurley returned an inquest verdict of murder and said Hardee apparently died instantly. The older man was booked at city jail where officers noticed the seriousness of his head injuries and took him to the hospital.

 Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth, Texas 26 Dec 1944, Tue • Page 5

 Fatal Row to Grand Jury

Detective Lt Cobb said Monday afternoon that circumstances surrounding the altercation Sunday at 3501 Alice in which William Roy Hardee 24 was killed and a 66-year-old ex-convict suffered a fractured skull will be presented directly to the county grand jury. Funeral services for Hardee will be held Tuesday at Bridgeport Assembly' of God Church with burial in West Bridgeport Cemetery. His parents, six brothers and four sisters survive.

 From what I was told by a cousin, John Perry did not know who was attacking him when he shot him. I searched for more articles to find out what happened but could not find any more newspaper articles. I don’t know what the verdict was. The articles never mention John Perry’s name but I have copy of the death certificate for William Roy Hardee and the cause of death is listed as “Gun shot wounds inflicted by J.P. Hardee.” William Roy Hardee was John Perry Hardee’s Great Nephew.

 John Perry Hardee died on December 27, 1945 of Influenza. His death certificate stated he lived at 202 Waters in Cleburne, Texas for the past 6 months. His birth date was listed as March 19, 1879 in Texas and he was a farmer. The informant was his son, John T. Hardee and he gave the name of John Perry’s parents as Bill Hardee from Kentucky and Frances Lee from Kentucky, which is incorrect. It also listed him as widowed, but he is buried at Rosehill Cemetery in Cleburne Texas next to his wife Gertrude Hardee and her death date is listed on the tombstone as December 2, 1980.