Week 22 of 52: Uncertain

May 28, 2020

For week 22 of 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks the theme was “Uncertain.” When thinking about this topic, there are many things that I am uncertain about. One thing that came to mind is that I am uncertain as to what happened to Emmeline Harding after 1880.

There are eight known children of Josiah Harding and Eliza Provin Harding:

  1. George Simeon Harding 1839-1906
  2. Lucy Harding Soper 1843-1878
  3. Amy Harding Richter 1847-1900
  4. Emmeline Harding 1851-?
  5. George Washington Harding 1855 – 1930
  6. Perry J. Harding 1857-1931
  7. Ida Jean Harding Webb Preston 1859 – 1942
  8. Charles Harding 1862-1935

Emmeline is the only one of the children that I have not been able to find a date of death for. I have only found her in four documents.

1. The Harding family in the 1860 Census:1

Josiah Harding, 45, m, Gun Smith, 100 Personal Estate, Vermont Birthplace
Eliza Harding, 40, f, Mass Birthplace
George S Harding, 21, m, Laborer, Pennsylvania Birthplace
Lucy A Harding, 17, f, Servant, Pennsylvania Birthplace, Attended School within the year
Amy L Harding, 11, f, Pennsylvania Birthplace, Attended School within the year
Emaline E Harding, 8, f, Pennsylvania Birthplace, Attended School within the year
George W Harding, 5, m, Pennsylvania Birthplace, Attended School within the year
Perry J Harding, 3, m, Pennsylvania Birthplace
Ida Jane Harding, 1, f, Pennsylvania Birthplace

2. The Harding family in the 1870 Census:2

Harding Josiah, 55, m, w, Farm Labour, Birthplace Vermont, Male Citizen of U.S. of 21 years of age and upwards
Harding Elisa, 50, f, w, Keeping House, Birthplace Mass
Harding Emeline, 18, f, w, At Home, Birthplace Penna, Attended school within the year
Harding George, 15, m, w, At Home, Birthplace Penna, Attended school within the year
Harding Perry, 13, m, w, At Home, Birthplace Penna, Attended school within the year
Harding Ida, 11, f, w, At Home, Birthplace Penna, Attended school within the year
Harding Charles, 8, m, w

3. The Harding family in the 1880 Census:3

Harding Josiah, W, M, 65, married, Gun smith, 7 months unemployed during the census year, Birthplace Vermont, Birthplace of Father Mass, Birthplace of Mother Mass
Harding Eliza, W, F, 60, Wife, married, Keeping house, Birthplace Mass, Birthplace of Father Scotland, Birthplace of Mother Mass
Harding George W, W. M, 25, Son, single, Farm Laborer, Birthplace Penna, Birthplace of Father Vermont, Birthplace of Mother Mass
Harding Perry J, W, M, 23, Son, single, Farm laborer, 2 months unemployed during the census year, Birthplace Penna, Birthplace of Father Vermont, Birthplace of Mother Mass
Harding Emma E, W, F, 27, Daughter, single, Domest Servt, 4 months unemployed during the census year, sickness or disability: Spinal affect, Birthplace Penna, Birthplace of Father Vermont, Birthplace of Mother Mass
Harding Charles H, W, M, 18, son, single, School teacher, 6 months unemployed during the census year, attended school within the census year, Birthplace Penna, Birthplace of Father Vermont, Birthplace of Mother Mass

I do not know what “spinal affect” Emmeline might have had. Was it scoliosis? It must have been severe enough for the enumerator to write it down under the health area on the census form. The health area states: “Is the person [on the day of the Enumerator’s visit] sick or temporarily disabled, so as to be unable to attend to ordinary business or duties? If so, what is the sickness or disability?”

It is nice to hear that Emmeline was working some as a domestic servant. I wonder who she worked for.

4. Emmeline is also briefly mentioned in the book Our Harding Family by Mary E. Harding Baird. She is mentioned as a daughter of Josiah and Eliza and includes her date of birth of 26 Nov 1851. But when it comes to Emmeline’s section of the family history, all that is written is that she was unmarried.4

Emmeline Harding, unmarried.

I hope to find out more about Emmeline and help to tell her story.

Future Research Ideas:

  • See if Emmeline is listed as a surviving relative for any of her immediate family’s obituaries to narrow down a date of death
  • Contact local cemeteries to see if she is buried there (maybe without a headstone)
  • Check the admittance records for the County Poor House to see if she is listed

Sources

  1. 1860 U.S. census, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Liberty Township, p. 2-3 (penned), dwelling 14, family 14, Josiah Harding family; image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 July 2020); citing National Archives microfilm publication M653, roll M653_1187.
  2. 1870 U.S. census, Tioga County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, Covington Township, p. 2 (penned), dwelling 16, family 17, Josiah Harding family; image, Ancestry.com (http://www.ancestry.com : accessed 8 July 2020); citing National Archives microfilm publication M593, roll M593_.
  3. 1880 U.S. census, Covington Boro., Tioga County, Pennsylvania, population schedule, enumeration district (ED) 147, p. 127 (stamped), p. 25A (26) penned, dwelling 251, family 259, Josiah Harding family; Family History Film, 1255197.
  4. Mary E. Harding Baird, Our Harding Family: A Record of the Family and Descendants of Samuel Harding Whose Ancestor was Joseph Harding, Son of John of England, and of Love Mayhew Harding Wife of Samuel Harding Whose Ancestor was Thomas Mayhew, Son of Joseph of England, with Historical Sketches, (Privately Printed, 1957), 180.