| Bob Weaver 2024
The historical Hardman family, George Washington Hardman settled at Hardman Bend in the 1830s, owning one of the most palatial farms along the Little Kanawha River. Their descendants are among the most prevalent
in developing the county as farmers, politicians, businessmen and bankers.
George Washington Hardman, Jr. built a large manor house on Barnes Run after the Civil War. His son, Allie Hardman, was known as a womanizer throughout his life in addition to a long list of good deeds and accomplishments.
The family hired hundreds of Calhoun men and women.
I have long worked on a project recording the family history, a small piece here reflecting on Allie's philandering ways.
My orphaned grandfather John Ira McCoy was taken in by George Washington Hardman Jr. and raised as a sibling of Allie, many of the stories recalled by him.
During the night he got fleeced, returning to Calhoun.
This story appeared in the Parkersburg Sentinal in 1898:
Two farmers from Calhoun county were relieved of about $300 on Tuesday afternoon by two of Parkersburg's soiled doves. "
The two men came to town on their annual fall shopping trip and by their too frequent tipping the festive bowl, they are out $300.
The sly old fellows thought they would go around and see the girls for a little while and while on their tour of sightseeing, they became quite hilarious and philanthropically driven in their manner.
They bought beer, showed their money, and at the instigation of two girls, they left the bulk of their money with the girls for safe keeping.
They forgot about the money and left.
The next morning, they discovered their loss, but, alas, too late for they could not remember where they saw the girls, consequently no arrests could be made.
As the result of the afternoon and night's fun, the men are shy just $300.
They were two sorry looking lads as they started yesterday morning on a long and tedious walk up the Little Kanawha bearing in their minds a vivid recollection of a day in a wide open city. (End)
Needless to say, the elder Hardman was furious over the loss of the cash upon returning to Barnes Run.
A couple days past and Allie started having pain in his groin. He had the clap, a disease better known as gonorrhea . I delete the part about the discovery of the incident by his wife Narcissus Barr Hardman, who he married three years previously.
Now Allie's father was angry for the second time, insisting Allie get on his horse and do his farm chores around the county, after which Allie advised it was too painful, his scrotum swelling to the size of half a basketball.
His dad pulled out a little horse drawn jitney, cutting out a hole in the seat for his privates, telling him to be on his way.
Coming up to Mt. Zion Ridge on his cart near the historic Umstead Store he encountered a number of men on the store porch. The word had got out and one young man on the porch screamed out, "Here comes Allie
on his clap cart," after which Allie jumped off the cart and pounded the man.
Sometime later Hardman's employed a new hired girl, Allie quickly becoming infatuated and propositioning her for favors, after which she agreed to meet him after dark the barn, then promising her a 25 pound smoked ham.
After dark Allie went to the barn. Unknown to him, the girl backed out and told Allie's wife about the proposition, after which Narcissus went to the barn.
Allie announced his presence, after which Nar disguised her voice saying, "I've changed my mind, but leave the ham." He left the ham.
The following week the family and workers seated themselves at the 20-person table to spot a huge platter of fried ham, Allie inquiring of his wife why in the world did she fry all that ham.
Nar replied, "I'll tell you later.
She died in the late 1940s, beloved by most everyone who knew her. She had the largest funeral ever held at the Mt. Zion Church, about 1000
attending.
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