Descendants of C. Sutton Hardy

Second Generation

Family of C. Sutton HARDY (1) & Martha TAYLOR

2. Unity Francis HARDY. Born ca 1796 in Greene Co., NC. Unity Francis died in Chickasaw Co. (now Clay Co.), MS, on 15 Sep 1864; she was 68. Buried in Wooten Cemetery, Clay Co., MS.
http://www.geocities.com/jeffkennedy5/d0000/g0000046.html#I441

bef 1825 when Unity Francis was 29, she married William Matthew WOOTEN, son of John WOOTEN Jr. (ca1762-1835) & Sarah HEWES (ca1765-1836), in Prob Greene Co., NC. Born ca 1792 in Lenoir Co., NC. William Matthew died in Chickasaw Co. (now Clay Co.), MS, on 7 Aug 1846; he was 54.

They had the following children:

10i.

Elizabeth (ca1825-ca1892)

11ii.

Matthew F. (1827-1867)

3. Elizabeth Sutton HARDY. Born on 19 Jul 1801 in prob NC.2 Elizabeth Sutton died in MS on 12 Feb 1883; she was 81. Religion: Presbyterian.

Elizabeth Sutton married Jesse KENNEDY, son of John KENNEDY (ca1764-1833) & Jane JONES. Born on 10 Mar 1804 in Prob Greene Co., NC.2 Jesse died in Clay Co., MS, on 1 Sep 1873; he was 69. Religion: Presbyterian.

They had the following children:

12i.

Martha Jane (1830-1831)

13ii.

Unity (1831-)

14iii.

John Sutton (1834-)

15iv.

Lemuel M. (1836-)

16v.

Martha Jane Elizabeth (1839-)

17vi.

Benjamin Franklin (1842-1906)

18vii.

Nancy Taylor (1845-1847)

4. Joshua Taylor HARDY. Born on 22 Mar 1807 in Duplin Co., NC. Joshua Taylor died in Clay Co., MS, on 13 Jul 1871; he was 64. Buried in Hardy Cemetery, Siloam, Clay Co., MS.
Joshua Taylor Hardy

A Brief Biography by Greg W. Lasley

At least one other account1records him as Joshua Henry Hardy, but I believe this to be in error. He is listed as Joshua T. Hardy in an extant newspaper account (his daughter Martha Ann’s obit), all census records, numerous court records in Oktibbeha Co. (present day Clay Co.), MS and even on a poem he personally wrote to his mother in 1827 when he was 19 years old. His gravestone in Siloam, Clay Co., MS also reads J. T. Hardy. I have found no original reference where he is listed as Joshua “Henry” Hardy. Some accounts indicate he had four wives1, Anna, Hannah, Rebecca and Mary Taylor. I can confirm only three; Anna, Rebecca and Hannah. See further information below. The only Mary Taylor I can account for is the wife of his Uncle John Hardy, so I am not sure where that information comes from. Still, there is a Mary T. Hardy buried in the small J. T. Hardy cemetery near Siloam, Clay County, MS. There is a B&W photo from ca 1960 showing a part of J.T. Hardy’s headstone immediately next to Mary T. Hardy’s headstone, but a personal visit to the cemetery in 2002 showed this is not the original location of Joshua’s stone. See below for more details. Mary T. Hardy died in October, 1857 which would seem to further indicate she was not a wife of Joshua, since Joshua’s first wife Anna died only two months earlier in August 1857. Mary T. Hardy may be Joshua’s sister Mary who may have never married. See <http://www.greglasley.net/jthardycem.html> for more information about this cemetery and the persons buried there.

Joshua T. Hardy’s birth is not listed in many of the early documents that include some of his father Sutton’s other children, such as the Robert Hardy family bible, but the earliest entry in the bible is dated 1820 which is after Joshua T. was born. The bible may not have been obtained until ca 1820 which may explain the reason Joshua’s birth was not recorded. Other early NC documents were dated after Joshua T. Hardy may have already left home (since he was Sutton’s oldest child), so his non-inclusion in these may not be meaningful. Joshua’s middle name of Taylor is certainly suggestive that his mother was Martha Taylor, wife of Sutton. Also, J. T. Hardy’s death is recorded in the family bible as 1 Aug 1871 which is two weeks after the date that has been recorded in our family history and on his gravestone, but certainly this must be the correct person as no other member of the extended Hardy family had the initials J.T. except a niece named Jennett T. Hardy, and she did not die until many years later. Also, Joshua's last born son was named Lemuel Sutton Hardy which is certainly again suggestive of his lineage. Our family oral history passed down by William Hardy and Sallie Ila Hardy gave Sutton as Joshua’s father. I believe Joshua Taylor Hardy is indeed Sutton’s son, but I’m still seeking more hard evidence.

Joshua T. Hardy came to what is now Clay Co., MS ca 1836 or 1837

Joshua is listed (as is Sutton Hardy, his father) on page 117 of the 1840 census in Oktibbeha Co. (now Clay Co.), MS. By 1850 Sutton had moved to nearby Chickasaw Co., while Joshua remained in Oktibbeha Co.

1850 Oktibbeha Co., MS census no. 614 367/367
Hardee [Hardy], Joshua T. 43 NC farmer $1800 estate
Hardy, Anny 33 NC
Hardy, Robert 15 NC farmer
Hardy, Ann 13 NC
Hardy, Unity 11 MS
Hardy, Mary 9 MS
Hardy, Jane 8 MS
Hardy, John 6 MS
Hardy, Susan 4 MS
Hardy, William 2 MS

1860 Oktibbeha Co., MS census, page 59 453/385
Hardy, Joshua T. 53 M farming 10600/24100 born NC
Hardy, Robert 25 M farm laborer “
Hardy, John 16 M born MS
Hardy, Susan 14 F “
Hardy, William 12 M “
Hardy, Sarah 9 F “

1870 Oktibbeha Co., MS census, page 343
Hardy, Joshua 65 M Farmer born NC
Hardy, Hannah 59 F born Mass
Hardy, Susie E. 24 F born MS
Hardy, William 20 M Farmer “
Ball, Nancy J 28 F keeping house “
Ball, John W 3 M “

The below is from “History of Clay County, Mississippi” published in 1988 by the Curtis Media Corporation. The article on Joshua T. Hardy was written by Jack Elliott, Jr., my cousin, and 3G grandson of Joshua T. Hardy.

Page 474: Joshua T. Hardy married Anna (born Aug. 10, 1816 in North Carolina) on July 11, 1833, prior to moving to what is now Clay County. Their children included: (1) Robert, March 26, 1835-April 7, 1894; (2) Patsy Ann, April 8, 1837-November 20, 1858; (3) Unity Elizabeth, June 25, 1838-Jan. 12, 1859, married William F. Ball; (4) Mary Newborn. Oct. 27, 1840-August 26, 1857 (or 1859); (5) Nancy Jane, November 11, 1842-August 28, 1884; (6) John, May 1844-October 18, 1864; (7) Susan Elizabeth, August 11, 1846-? (married Joseph T. Doughty? on November 24, 1870; (8) William, February 9, 1848-1918; (9) Sarah Edith, August 11, 1850-? (married S. A. Westbrook? on December 20, 1867 and later married a Reverand Corbin); (10) Charles Henry, October 17, 1854-October 8, 1855; (11) Lemuel Sutton, January 26, 1857-August 18, 1857. Joshua’s wife Anna died on August 19, 1857, one day after the death of the infant Lemuel. The two are buried in the same grave in the Hardy Cemetery that is located about a mile north of Siloam, probably near Joshua’s house site. By 1870 Joshua had apparently re-married, this time to a “Hannah” who was born ca 1811 in Massachusetts. When Joshua died in 1871, he was buried in the Hardy Cemetery.

See <http://www.greglasley.net/jthardycem.html> for more information on the Hardy Cemetery. In short, there is a b&w photo taken in 1960 showing Joshua’s headstone touching Mary T. Hardy’s headstone. In the photo the two headstones are touching one another, a very unusual position since normally headstones are several feet apart. Perhaps this was the origin of the idea that Mart T. Hardy was a wife of Joshua. Jack Elliott and I made a personal visit to the cemetery on 17 September 2002. The cemetery is very overgrown with brush and weeds and somewhat difficult to find, but after cutting down some brush we were able to make drawings of the position of all the markers as well as take photos of all markers still readable. The website above will have this updated information, but the most interesting discovery was that Joshua T. Hardy’s headstone was next to his wife Anna’s headstone where we thought it should be. More interesting was that we located foot stones for Mary T. Hardy, Joshua Hardy, Anna Hardy, Mary M. Hardy, and Charles H. Hardy. The footstone for Joshua was next to the footstone for Anna where logic would indicate it would be, and not near Mary T. Hardy. Mary T. Hardy's grave is actually in a different row from the others. Located in one line side by side are the graves of Joshua, then Anna (who is buried with their son Lemuel), then their children Charles H., Mary M., and Martha Ann. See more information on the website. I do not believe Mary T. Hardy born in 1804 is a wife of Joshua, but rather is probably his sister or another relative.

Time line for Joshua T. Hardy

22 Mar 1807; born, Duplin Co., NC

11 Jul 1833; married Anna Hardy (his first cousin) in North Carolina

ca 1836 or 1837; came to Oktibbeha Co., MS (present day Clay Co)

1840; listed on federal census in Oktibbeha Co., MS on same page (117) right under his father, Sutton. We think Joshua was living on land owned by Sutton in section 13, township 17 since Sutton bought this land in 1836 and Joshua is shown in a nearby household on the census. His family shows one male between 5 and 10 years of age, one male between 30 and 40, two females under 5 and one female between 20 and 30.

1850; listed on federal census in Oktibbeha Co., MS with wife Anna and eight children

25 Mar 1852; purchased half a section of land from the New York & Mississippi Land Company, Oktibbeha Co. Deed Book #2 p. 340. The area where the land was located was sometimes claimed by Chickasaw Co. and sometimes by Oktibbeha Co. All this area is now Clay County.

1855-1860; these were very difficult years for Joshua since 5 of his children, two wives, Anna and Rebecca, and Mary T. Hardy (sister or some other relative?) all died during this time; all but Rebecca are known to be buried in the J. T. Hardy cemetery.

3 Mar 1859; Joshua T. Hardy and Rebecca M. Beall file a marriage contract in the Oktibbeha Co. courthouse, deed book 13 p. 267. This contract seems very unusual for that day and age as it appears to be a pre-nuptial agreement. Both parties agree to hold their own separate properties as such and to exercise their own wills over said properties. There is no marriage license itself (none exist for those dates), but it is clear from this and a later court record that Joshua and Rebecca did marry.

4 May 1859; Joshua T. Hardy, William Sloan, and Elijah Smith enter into a contract with William F. Ball (son-in-law of JTH) to buy two Negro slaves. Oktibbeha Co., MS Deed book 13 page 371.

1860; Joshua T. Hardy is on the 1860 Oktibbeha Co., MS census with 5 of his children, but no wife. Had Rebecca died at the time of the census? Rebecca M. Hardy is listed on the 1860 Mortality Schedule for Oktibbeha Co., MS. She died in September 1860 at age 53 of cancer.

1860 – 1865; Joshua’s wife Rebecca M. (Beall) Hardy died and he married Hannah Jordan (unknown what her maiden name was, but she had been married to Matthew Jordan of Oktibbeha Co., MS. She appears on the 1850 census as 39 years of age with Matthew Jordan.

6 Sep 1865; Joshua T. Hardy and his wife Hannah sell a parcel of land from that purchased in 1852, above. Oktibbeha Co. Deed Book 15, p. 189.

9 Jan 1867; Joshua T. Hardy, executor of the estate of Rebecca M. Hardy, sold a parcel of land from section 26 that had been owned by Rebecca prior to her death. Clay Co. MS Deed Book C, pp 259-260. This is the woman Joshua married ca 1859.

1870; Joshua is listed on the 1870 Oktibbeha Co. census with wife Hannah and children Susan and William as well as Nancy J. (Hardy) Ball and her 3 year old son John.

1871; Joshua died on 19 Jul 1871 (gravestone inscription) or 1 Aug 1871 (Robert Hardy bible record).

On 11 Jul 1833 when Joshua Taylor was 26, he first married Anna H. “Annie” HARDY1, daughter of Lemuel HARDY III (1779-1846) & Martha “Patsy” MEWBORN (1796-1851), in NC. Born on 10 Aug 1816 in North Carolina. Anna H. “Annie” died on 19 Aug 1857; she was 41. Buried in Hardy Cemetery, Siloam, Clay Co., MS.
Maiden name also Hardy, she was her husband Joshua’s first cousin. Anna died on August 19, 1857, one day after the death of the infant Lemuel. The two are buried in the same grave in the Hardy Cemetery that is located about a mile north of Siloam, probably near Joshua’s house site. See <http://www.greglasley.net/jthardycem.html> for more information on this family graveyard.

They had the following children:

19i.

Robert (1835-1894)

20ii.

Martha Ann “Patsy” (1837-1858)

21iii.

Unity Elizabeth (1838-1859)

22iv.

Mary Mewborn (1840-1857)

23v.

Nancy Jane “Nannie” (1842-1884)

24vi.

John (1844-1864)

25vii.

Susan Elizabeth (1846-)

26viii.

William (1848-1918)

27ix.

Sarah Edith (1850-)

28x.

Charles Henry (1854-1855)

29xi.

Lemuel Sutton (1857-1857)

ca 1859 when Joshua Taylor was 51, he second married Rebbeca M. BEALL in Oktibbeha Co., MS. Born ca 1807 in Georgia. Rebbeca M. died in Oktibbeha Co., MS, in Sep 1860; she was 53.
Refer to detailed notes on Joshua T. Hardy for details. Rebecca is listed in the 1860 Mortality Schedule for Oktibbeha Co., MS. This schedule indicates she was born in Georgia and died in September 1860 in Oktibbeha Co. of cancer at age 53.

ca 1865 when Joshua Taylor was 57, he third married Hannah in Oktibbeha Co., MS. Born ca 1811 in Mass. Hannah died aft 1870; she was 59.
In 1850 Hannah was married to Matthew Jordan on the census in Oktibbeha Co., MS. See detailed notes for Joshua T. Hardy for more information.

5. Mary HARDY. Born ca 1810 in NC.
Mary was still living with her parents at age 40 in 1850.

6. Robert D. HARDY. Born on 5 Jun 1814 in NC. Robert D. died on 13 Aug 1885; he was 71. Buried in Old Field Cemetery, Walthall, MS.
1850 Miss. census, Chickasaw Co.
Hardy, Robert 37 blacksmith NC
Hardy, Mary 26 AL
Hardy, Mary 6 MS
Hardy, John 2 MS

The below is from “History of Clay County, Mississippi” published in 1988 by the Curtis Media Corporation. The note on Robert D. Hardy was written by Jack Elliott, Jr., my cousin, and 4G nephew of Robert D. Hardy.

Page 474: Robert D. Hardy married Mary Ann Shaffer (February 17, 1824-December 12, 1890) the daughter of John and Mary Ann Shaffer. Robert and his wife appear to have moved to Webster County, because they are buried in the Old Field Cemetery near Walthall.

Robert D. married Mary Ann SHAFFER, daughter of John SHAFFER & Mary. Born on 17 Feb 1824 in Alabama. Mary Ann died on 12 Dec 1890; she was 66. Buried in Old Field Cemetery, Walthall, MS.

They had the following children:

30i.

Mary (ca1844-1913)

31ii.

John Lemuel (1848-1911)

7. William Thomas HARDY. Born on 29 Mar 1820 in Bertie Co., NC. William Thomas died in Bellfountaine, Webster Co., MS, on 17 May 1899; he was 79.
William T. and his wife Tryphenia were living with his father Sutton in 1850 as shown on the census of Chickaswa Co., MS (now Clay Co.).

Moved to Bellfountaine from Palo Alto in 1867 according to Webster Co., MS History, Webster Co. Historical Assn., p. 347

The below is from “History of Clay County, Mississippi” published in 1988 by the Curtis Media Corporation. The article on William T. Hardy was written by Jack Elliott, Jr., my cousin, and 4G nephew of William T. Hardy.

Page 474: William T. Hardy married Tryphenia, the daughter of Burwell and Susan Ball, natives of Alabama who lived in the Siloam vicinity. By 1860 William T. had moved to Carroll County and then later moved to Bellefountaine in what is now Webster County where he at one time operated a store. He and his wife are buried in the North Union Cemetery at Bellefountaine.

WALTHALL WARDEN, Jan. 21, 1891 issue:
W. T. Hardy and sons have purchased a controlling interest and will conduct the business of the cooperative store, Robert Hardy -- salesman.

Obit for William T. Hardy - W. T. Hardy was born March 29, 1820, married January 29, 1850, and departed this life May 17, 1899. He was the affectionate father of several children, and 23 grand children. His loving wife preceded him to the Heavely Home about 8 years ago. He was a devoted man, a member of the Baptist Church for about 50 years. He was strong in faith like Abraham of old, he believed in God. He was a true supporter of the church, and his most fervent prayers were for the salvation of lost sinners. He has lived in this community for 32 years, and was a true neighbor, a successful farmer and a most progressive citizen. He was a valiant soldier in the Lost Cause, and a true patriot. As father and husband he was greatly devoted to his family and would freely make any sacrifice for their comfort and success. In his last illness his sufferings were very great, but he bore them with great patience, saying that he had "tried the sweets of this world and now desired to try the sweets of the next and best world." When the last moment came he sweetly fell asleep in Jesus amid the triumph of faith. His work is done, his sufferings are over and he is now at rest. Dear children and grand children, strive to meet him and your sweet precious mother in Heaven where deaths and partings shall never come. You can truly say "A light is gone from our home, a voice we loved is still, A vacancy is left in our hearts which can never be filled. by: Alfred B. Hicks, Bellfountain, Miss., May 29th, 1899.

The above obit was copied from a xerox copy of a single typewritten page that has been passed down by our family. There is no indication of the newspaper this may have been published in.

On 29 Jan 1850 when William Thomas was 29, he married Tryphenia BALL, daughter of Burwell BALL (ca1799-1877) & Susan (ca1799-1879). Born on 8 Jun 1829 in Alabama. Tryphenia died in Bellfountaine, Webster Co., MS, on 31 Jan 1891; she was 61. Buried in North Union Cemetery, Bellfountaine, MS. Religion: member of Siloam Baptist Church in 1851.
WALTHALL WARDEN, Feb. 18, 1891
In Memory of Tryphenia Hardy
Our beloved sister, Tryphenia Hardy, who was born June 8, 1829, and died at her home in Bellfountain, Miss, Jan. 31, 1891, age 61 yrs., 7 mos., and 2 days.
She was married Jan. 29, 1850; previous to this time, she had made a profession of faith in Christ, and on the 4th Sabbath in Oct. 1851 she united with the Siloam Baptist Church. During the remaining forty years of her life she lived a true devoted Christian. To the sick and affected she was extremely kind, her daily visits, her warm sympathy, her utmost attention and willingness to administer to their wants, mark her christian character, this the whole community deeply feels and regrets the loss of this dear friend.
Her death was due to an attack of pneumonia, under which she intensely suffered for several or three weeks. She was a noble, loving and dutiful wife and the mildness, kindness and affection of her children show that she has been to them all a mother could be.
Dear family, we know your trouble is great, and none but those who have experienced like sorrow can fathom the woe expressed in these words -- “is dead” -- for they mean so much, though we mingle our deepest sympathy with your bereavement and hope that you can lift up your hearts and say, “Not our will but thine, Oh God, be done.”

They had the following children:

32i.

Martha Susan (1851-1892)

33ii.

Joseph W. (1852-1909)

34iii.

Tryphenia Tennie (1855-1857)

35iv.

Parthenia (1857-1857)

36v.

Francis (1858-1936)

37vi.

Lemuel B. (1861-1863)

38vii.

Ella (1865-1934)

39viii.

Robert L. (1867-1899)

40ix.

John Sutton (1870-1948)

41x.

Jennett T. (-1887)

8. Susannah “Susan” HARDY. Born on 11 Aug 1822 in North Carolina. Susannah “Susan” died in Lamar Co., TX, on 12 Apr 1897; she was 74. Buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Lamar Co., TX.

On 11 Sep 1843 when Susannah “Susan” was 21, she married Zachariah Gibbs PHILLIPS, son of Joshua PHILLIPS & Margaret ROWSEY, in Mississippi. Born on 27 Jul 1814 in Alabama. Zachariah Gibbs died in Clay Co., MS, on 2 Aug 1884; he was 70. Buried in Hebron Baptist Church Cemetery, Clay Co., MS.
Zach and his wife Susannah were living in the same house as her father Sutton Hardy on the 1850 census in Chickasaw Co., MS. See: <http://www.bjhughes.org/phillips.html> for more information.

They had the following children:

42i.

Martha (1844-1858)

43ii.

Zachariah Taylor (1847-1925)

44iii.

Mary Melisa (1850-1874)

45iv.

Joshua Sutton (1852-1879)

46v.

William Rousey (1855-1925)

47vi.

Susan Elizabeth (1859-1930)

48vii.

Charles Cotrel (1861-1920)

49viii.

Unity Frances (1865-1931)

9. Martha T. HARDY. Born ca 1828.
Martha T. was still living with her parents at age 22 in 1850.

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