John Wesley Hardin I found an article written by Patrick Thomas in the Nashville Banner in 1979 about the ancestors of John Wesley Hardin. Thomas states that Swan Hardin settled in Maury County before 1820. I find his name on that census, listed as Swan Hardon. The Hardins apparently had lived long enough in Maury to establish themselves in the community. Swan Hardin, a Justice of the Peace, had sons as follows: Benjamin Franklin Hardin , probably the youngest, born in 1803; Augustine B. Hardin, a lawyer; William Hardin was editor of the "Columbia Report"; and Benjamin Watson Hardin, the grandfather of John Wesley Hardin, was a deputy sheriff. In October of 1825, two of the brothers were involved in a shootout on the court square in Columbia. Augustine B. Hardin, the lawyer, killed deputy county court clerk, Isaac N. Porter. Benjamin Franklin Hardin, then 22, shot William H. Williamson in the back. It is thought that politics was involved. The four brothers were indicted for these killings, but quickly left for Texas. Their father Swan, the only one they could catch, was brought to trial in Rutherford County Tennessee in March 1826 after a squabble over a change of venue. Swan had requested that his trial be moved to Hickman, Lawrence, Wayne or Hardin County. The prosecutor said that the Hardins have several blood relatives living and some are men of very extensive influence, in those counties. It was stated that Hardin County was named for a member of Swan's clan. Swan was found innocent of murder, but guilty of manslaughter and was branded with the letters "MS" on his left thumb. Afterward, Swan apparently left for Hardin County and eventually joined the others of his family in Texas. I find only one reference to Swan Hardin in Hardin County. "Hardin County Tennessee Records, 1820-1860" by Tony Hays. On 20 December 1824, Swan and Mary Hardin qualified as executor and executrix of the last will and testament of Martin Hardin. Swan Shows in the 1820 census of Maury Co., but I have not located him in another census. There is a William H. Hardin living in Lawrence Co., TN in 1830. This could be the son of Swan? Jake Boroughs sent me a note showing that James Gibson Hardin, father of John Wesley, was born in Wayne Co., TN in 1823. (The Banner article lists John Wesley's father as Joseph Gibson Hardin and grandfather as Benjamin Watson Hardin) I don't believe this family ran off to Texas as fast as the Banner article would have you believe. I am wide open for comments, suggestions or help. David >From Jake: Name: James Gibson Hardin Sex: M Title: Reverend Birth: 2 MAR 1823 in Wayne County, Tennessee Father: Benjamin P. Hardin II b: 28 FEB 1770 in Tyron County, North Carolina Mother: Martha Ann "Patsy" Barnett b: ABT. 1772 Marriage 1 Mary Elizabeth Dixon b: 7 DEC 1826 in Sullivan County Indiana Married: 19 MAY 1847 in Navarro County, Texas Children baby Hardin Joseph Gibson Hardin b: 5 JAN 1850 John Wesley Hardin b: 26 MAY 1853 Elizabeth "Lizzie" Hardin b: 23 JUN 1855 Nancy "Nannie" Hardin b: 31 MAR 1856 Martha Ann "Mattie" Hardin b: 17 APR 1857 Benjamin Hardin b: 1859 Jefferson Davis Hardin b: 7 SEP 1861 Barnett Gipson "Gip" Hardin b: 15 AUG 1874 Miscellaneous Census records for Hardins 1820 Census, Maury Co., TN Swan Hardon 1820 Census, Hardin Co. TN Ninnina Steel 001201-01401 James Hardin 110001-11201 James Goodin 20001-001 Joseph Hardin 0001-001 Gibson Hardin 120102-3211 Elender Thacker 2-0001 1820 Census, Wayne Co., TN Benjamin Hardin 32111-3001-5 1830 Census, Lawrence Co., TN William H. Hardin 10001-00001 1830 Census, Wayne Co., TN William Hardin 00000001-00030001 Amos Hardin 200001-10001-1 Abijah Hardin 0001-0001101 Ahab Hardin 00001-0001 Joshua Hardin 0011001-000001 William B. Hardin 00001-1001 Benjamin Hardin 0111101-0121001 1830 Census, Hardin Co., TN Gibson Hardin 00211001-011211 Mary M. Hardin 122-010001 1840 Census, Hardin Co., TN 1st C. D. Amos Hardin 112001-111001 2nd C. D. Mark Hardin 20001-00001 Benjamin Hardin Jr. 000101-00001 Mary Hardin 00111-0000001 William K. Hardin 000001-0001-1 Gibson G. Hardin 000001-0 4th C. D. Alexander M. Hardin100001-10001 5th C. D. Gibson Hardin 110010001-1001001 John Hardin 00002-1001 10th C. D. John Harden 1100001-10101 1840 Census, Wayne Co., TN Jesse Hardin 0111001-2100001 William Hardin 00000001-00001 Lewis Hardin 110101001-0323011 Robert Hardin 110001-10001