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James Persinger Hardy

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James Persinger Hardy

Birth
USA
Death
1855 (aged 59–60)
Newton County, Texas, USA
Burial
Newton County, Texas, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Birth name: James Persinger. Surname changed to Hardy after moving to Texas.

James Persinger changed the family's surname from Persinger to Hardy and moved them all from Cross Plains, Ripley County, Indiana to Texas after Aug 1837.

The date of death has been in question. I have not found him in the 1860 US Census, but I did find his wife, Mary P. Hardy. In fact, she is listed as having land in the Agriculture Schedule in 1860, which is unlikely unless she was widowed. So far, the best we can do for a death date for James Persinger Hardy is between 1850 and 1860, or "about 1855."

I am still trying to prove James Persinger Hardy's ancestors and it looks like the only hope is through DNA. If anyone is a descendant of JPH, please contact the manager of this memorial, Rajordan.

James Persinger Hardy had been proven to have lived in the Republic of Texas, so all of James' legitimate female descendants are eligible to join the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

The story that James Persinger killed a man, packed up the whole family, moved to Texas, and changed their last name to Hardy has been passed down as family history through several different lines of descendants. I have located a couple of different newspaper clippings describing the murder.

*****
Shocking Murder

A most foul murder was perpetrated at the village of Cross Plains in Ripley County, on Thursday the 17th instant,* by an inhuman and despicable wretch named JAMES PERSINGER, upon Mr. GEO SALYERS, a respectable farmer of that county, the particulars of which we learn are as follows:

Mr Salyers happened in the village that day on business, and having partaken too freely of liquor, became somewhat intoxicated and remained till rather an unusual hour of the evening, over his accustomed stay. A dispute arose between the deceased and Persinger, sometime during the afternoon, in which the latter abused the deceased in a most shameful manner. The affair was afterwards settled, and the two were apparently satisfied and perfectly friendly; but when Salyers was about to start home, and in the act of getting on his horse, Persinger again attacked him, knocked him down with his fist, and kicked and bruised him most shockingly, before any person had time to interfere and separate them.

Salyers expired in a few minutes from the blows and kicks, with scarcely a struggle. Persinger managed to make his escape and delude all pursuit.

A reward of $265 is offered, by the friends and relatives of the deceased, for the apprehension of the murderer. He is described as a large rawboned man, about 40 or 45 years of age, about 6 feet high, at times wears large whiskers; several of his upper fore teeth are out, has a large eye and dark hair. It is to be hope that active measures will be taken to ferret out and bring this heartless being to condign punishment.
*****
* Thursday, 17 Aug 1837
(Printed in the "Indiana Genealogist" in Dec 2002 from an article printed in the "Indiana Democrat" on 4 Oct 1837.)
Birth name: James Persinger. Surname changed to Hardy after moving to Texas.

James Persinger changed the family's surname from Persinger to Hardy and moved them all from Cross Plains, Ripley County, Indiana to Texas after Aug 1837.

The date of death has been in question. I have not found him in the 1860 US Census, but I did find his wife, Mary P. Hardy. In fact, she is listed as having land in the Agriculture Schedule in 1860, which is unlikely unless she was widowed. So far, the best we can do for a death date for James Persinger Hardy is between 1850 and 1860, or "about 1855."

I am still trying to prove James Persinger Hardy's ancestors and it looks like the only hope is through DNA. If anyone is a descendant of JPH, please contact the manager of this memorial, Rajordan.

James Persinger Hardy had been proven to have lived in the Republic of Texas, so all of James' legitimate female descendants are eligible to join the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

The story that James Persinger killed a man, packed up the whole family, moved to Texas, and changed their last name to Hardy has been passed down as family history through several different lines of descendants. I have located a couple of different newspaper clippings describing the murder.

*****
Shocking Murder

A most foul murder was perpetrated at the village of Cross Plains in Ripley County, on Thursday the 17th instant,* by an inhuman and despicable wretch named JAMES PERSINGER, upon Mr. GEO SALYERS, a respectable farmer of that county, the particulars of which we learn are as follows:

Mr Salyers happened in the village that day on business, and having partaken too freely of liquor, became somewhat intoxicated and remained till rather an unusual hour of the evening, over his accustomed stay. A dispute arose between the deceased and Persinger, sometime during the afternoon, in which the latter abused the deceased in a most shameful manner. The affair was afterwards settled, and the two were apparently satisfied and perfectly friendly; but when Salyers was about to start home, and in the act of getting on his horse, Persinger again attacked him, knocked him down with his fist, and kicked and bruised him most shockingly, before any person had time to interfere and separate them.

Salyers expired in a few minutes from the blows and kicks, with scarcely a struggle. Persinger managed to make his escape and delude all pursuit.

A reward of $265 is offered, by the friends and relatives of the deceased, for the apprehension of the murderer. He is described as a large rawboned man, about 40 or 45 years of age, about 6 feet high, at times wears large whiskers; several of his upper fore teeth are out, has a large eye and dark hair. It is to be hope that active measures will be taken to ferret out and bring this heartless being to condign punishment.
*****
* Thursday, 17 Aug 1837
(Printed in the "Indiana Genealogist" in Dec 2002 from an article printed in the "Indiana Democrat" on 4 Oct 1837.)

Gravesite Details

Grave marker not found.



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