William "Indian Bill" Hardin[1, 2]
1747 - 1821 (74 years)-
Name William "Indian Bill" Hardin Born 1747 Virginia, USA 
Gender Male Residence Hardinsburg, Kentucky, USA Died Oct 22, 1821 Hardinsburg, Breckinridge county, Kentucky, USA Buried Hardinsburg, Kentucky, USA Notes - William (Indian Bill) Hardin was a noted Indian fighter, mentioned prominently in Perrin's "History of Breckenridge County before 1840", was a captain in the Militia, was nicknamed "Indian Bill" for his prowess against the Indians, and in his obituary is called "Colonel William Hardin?.
An article called "Interesting History of Indian Bill Hardin", by Henry C. Jolly in the "Breckenridge Democrat", April 25, 1902, states that in August 1779 he and his cousin Sinclair Hardin, and two other companions came to Kentucky and visited the vicinity of Hardinsburg, where William Hardin killed one Indian and his cousin was killed by another. They then visited the country of the present Hardin County, Kentucky, and William was so pleased with the country that he went back to Pennsylvania, gathered a group of 12 families there, and in 1780 they set out for Kentucky, arriving at the present site of Louisville March 6, 1781. They then journeyed back to Hardin's Creek and on March 17, 1781, began clearing the land for Hardin's Fort which later became Hardinsburg, Kentucky.
It was said that "Indian Bill" was a perfect specimen of a man. He stood 6 feet 4 inches and weighed 240 pounds. He was just about the same size as Simon Kenton (probably the most noted of all the Indian fighters) and it was reported that both men could run all day. No doubt Simon and "Indian Bill" fought against the Indians many times together. William Hardin and his brothers were raised on the western frontier of Pennsylvania and it was here that they became adept at Indian fighting. You had to if you were to survive.
William Hardin received grants from the state of Virginia in 1785 for 3800 acres of land, all near the present site of Hardinsburg, Kentucky.
Source of Information; Nassau-Siegen Immigrants; Daisy Decker George; Oran Hardin
Kentucky Records; Entered 6 October, 1995
William was known as "Indian Bill" Hardin
Death date may have been 22 July 1821
He was a Captain. He was the son of "Major" John Hardin of Virginia, Pennsylvania and Kentucky. He was born in Virginia in 1747, moved with his parents to Pennsylvania in 1765 and there married Winifred Ann Holtzclaw. He was married in 1768; served in the Cirginia Rifles under Morgan at the surrender of Burgoyne at Saratoga' under George Rogers Clark in Indiana and Illinois' and in command of expeditions against the Indians in Illinois. He went to Kentucky in 1780 and founded Hardin's Fort (now Hardinsburg).
source: The Genealogy of Mary Ellen Cox Storm of Hancock County, KY written by S. H. Briedenbach of Arlington, VA on June 19, 1971
Person ID I53141 mykindred Last Modified Jan 4, 2006
Father Maj. John Hardin, R.S., b. 1710, Northumberland county, Virginia, USA , d. Oct 13, 1789, Nelson county, Kentucky, USA (Age 79 years) Mother Catherine Marr, d. Aft 1780 Married 1730 Family ID F18438 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 Winifred Ann Holtzclaw, b. circa 1752, Prince William county, Virginia, USA , d. 1808, Hardinsburg, Kentucky, USA (Age ~ 56 years) Married 1768 Pennsylvania, USA Children 1. Amelia Hardin, d. Y 2. Jehu Hardin, d. Y 3. John E. Hardin, d. 1850, Brownsville, Pennsylvania, USA 4. Mary Ann Hardin, d. Y 5. Winnie (Winny) Ann Hardin, b. circa 1775, d. Bef 1821 (Age ~ 45 years) 6. Elijah Hardin, b. 1775, d. 1805 (Age 30 years) 7. Henry Hardin, b. Jun 08, 1778, Hardinsburg, Breckinridge county, Kentucky, USA , d. Between 1821 and 1855, Hardinsburg, Breckinridge county, Kentucky, USA (Age 42 years)8. Melinda A. Hardin, b. Feb 02, 1780, Hardinsburg, Breckinridge county, Kentucky, USA , d. Y9. Merry Celia Hardin, b. 1794, Hardinsburg, Kentucky, USA , d. 1854, Hawesville, Kentucky, USA (Age 60 years)10. William Hardin, b. Aug 03, 1781, d. Sep 24, 1850, Louisville, Jefferson county, Kentucky, USA (Age 69 years)Family ID F18436 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 2 Susannah McGee, d. Y Married Jul 09, 1808 Children 1. Hannah Hardin, d. Y 2. Lucinda Hardin, d. Y Family ID F18437 Group Sheet | Family Chart
- William (Indian Bill) Hardin was a noted Indian fighter, mentioned prominently in Perrin's "History of Breckenridge County before 1840", was a captain in the Militia, was nicknamed "Indian Bill" for his prowess against the Indians, and in his obituary is called "Colonel William Hardin?.
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