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LABAN ANDREW HARDIN.--The father of the subject
of this sketch, William Jefferson Hardin, is a native of Kentucky, where he was
born in 1820. When he was a boy his parents moved to Missouri, where he lived
for a number of years, and was there married to Rebecca Smith, whose parents
were from Tennessee, and moved from that State to Missouri. In 1852 Mr. Hardin,
with his wife and thre children, emigrated to California. Leaving Missouri on
the 1st day of May, they made the trip overland, and, after a journey of six
months, landed in Sonoma County. The first year he lived on the Laguna Creek,
near Sebastopol, and from there moved into Vallejo Township, and, in the fall
of 1855, to the Ketcheside ranch in the hills, now owned by John Lynch. In the
fall of 1856 he bought the Hardin property direct from General Vallejo. It then
consisted of 400 acres, and the following year he purchased from the same party
200 acres more. Mr. Hardin made this his home until 1877, since which time he
has lived in Santa Rosa and Petaluma, and is now residing in Colverdale. The
family consisted of seven children, as follows: William Henry, James Taylor
(who died in May, 1878), Laban Andrew, Mary Francis, Thomas Jefferson (who died
in 1870), John Marcus and Lester Bond. Laban Andrew Hardin was born in Johnson
County, Missouri, May 21, 1848. He was four years old when his father came to
this State, and with them he made his home until he was twenty-three years of
age. He then went to Nevada, where he was engaged in driving horses and cattle
for market. Two years later he made another trip to the same place, taking with
him a band of cattle, and remaining here about two years, dealing in and
raising stock. He then returned to this county, where he has since made his
home, living on part of the homestead. Mr. Hardin was united in marriage,
October 1, 1877, to Mrs. Sallie Wise, a native of Johnson County, Missouri.
They have three children: James Taylor, Lurena and William Graves. Mr. Hardin
is a successful farmer and stock-man, having on the place a large herd of
cattle and a number of horses, some of which are particularly fine. The soil of
the ranch is bery fertile, well watered, and is adapted to the raising of all
kinds of both fruit and grain. Hay grows in abundance, without sowing any
seed. |
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