Samuel and Sarah Hardin

Samuel was born January 22, 1818 in KY or TN to Hardy and Tabitha (Roberts) Hardin. He migrated to St. Louis, MO with his parents around 1840. He was the oldest and decided to take a job with McClurg Fur Co. of Linn Creek. They sent him to what was then Ashley Co. where he started a trading post at Hickory Spring with the Osage Indians and others. Hickory Spring was so named because of the Hickory Groves. This place was just across the Wright Co. line about a mile into the Texas Co. of today.

Samuel met and married Miss Sarah Roper b. March 22, 1823 a TN native who had come to MO as early as 1830; December 25, 1845. Sarah's parents were Rev. John and Nancy Agnes (Smith or Lang?) Roper who lived in St. Louis, Springfield, Old Hazelwood, Jericho, and Mt. Grove over the years.

The Hardin's made their home on lands near Hickory Spring. To their union there were six known children:

  1. Mary Francis Hardin

    2. b. 1848. She married Silas Rippee.
  2. Emily Caroline Hardin

    3. b. January 14, 1849. She married Peter Sanders.
  3. Tabitha J. Hardin

    4. b. 1851.
  4. Sarah S. Hardin

    5. b. 1853.
  5. John Hardin

    6. b. 1857. He married Vinney A. Reaves.
  6. Joseph W. Hardin

    7. b. 1859. He married Lona Thorp.
In 1851, a post office was started at Hickory Spring with Samuel Hardin as postmaster. He also served in various law endeavors for both Texas and Wright Counties, until his death October 13, 1859. In 1861, the post office was moved to Mt. Grove thus ending the thriving little community of Hickory Spring.

Sarah went on to raise their children near Hickory Spring. She stayed on the farm until her death October 5, 1882. Both Samuel and Sarah as well as one of their sons are buried on the lands that once belonged to them. Today it belongs to the Harker family and has for three generations. They keep the Hardin graves up nicely with a strong fence around them. The graves are located east of the Hickory Groves and Stream on the south side of the road.

As time changed most of the trade moved to Old Mountain Grove as well as its people from Hickory Spring. The first Mt. Grove was once located around Harrell and 9th in today's City of Mt. Grove, this was also once known as Old Town.

Contributed by C.M. Wright

Back to Index

©2007-2008 Rhonda Darnell