Hi, this may be of help to someone. I have a book callt eh the "GENEALOGY OF THE HARDING FAMILY IN THE EASTERN COUNTIES OF NORTH CAROLINA which was compiled by Rev John R. Harding, D.D., Rector Trinity Church, Utica, NY from back in 1908. His Introduction is as follows: " The eatern counties of North Carolina were first settled by English families, or by those of English descent who, having first established themselves in the more northern colonies, at length emigrated to Carolina. It has been impossible to discover the full facts concerning the first Harding who settled in Beaufort Co., NC, the ancestor of the many who now bear his name. The family tradition is that he came from Providence, Rhode Island, in the early part of the eighteenth century, that he was a ship builder, and that his first residence was on Fork Point, Tar River, near Washington. The compiler of these records has sought in vain for the birthplace, parentage or marriage of this man. THe only clue, in absence of family tradition, is found in a genealogical register of the New England Hardings, compiled by the Rev. Abner Morse, A.M. and published in Boston in 1864. While in this volumn there is no definite link binding the North Carolina family to those of New England, yet the similarity of Christian names in the two branches for several generations offers a probability that both are of the same original stock. These names are STEPHEN, ISRAEL, NATHANIEL, BENJAMIN, and THOMAS. If any dependence is to be placed on this coincidence, and there is strong reason to do so, then it is probable that our first North Carolina ancestor, STEPHEN HARDING, is a descendantof the Stephen Harding who lived in Providence, Rhode Island, 1669, but who, tradition says came originally from Weymouth Landing, Mass. From Mr. Morse's record it is learned that the Hardings were among the earliest English colonists of Massachusetts. There is no exact date known of their arrival, but circumstances indicate that they imigrated with Sir Robert Gorges in 1623, and settled at Weymouth Landing, near Braintree, Mass. Here for half a century was their home, from which they afterward moved to different sections of New England. STEPHEN HARDING, the ancestor of the Eastern North Carolina Hardings had three sons, ISRAEL, BENJAMIN, and STEPHEN. Maybe this might help somebody out or maybe even help me to find the link I need. Good hunting all!!!!! Edward Harding Washington, North Carolina