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 OHN HALL RARDIN, a retired farmer of Morgan Township, and residing in the town which bears his name, is a prominent citizen of Coles County, and a descendant of one of the pioneer families of Illinois. He was horn Feb. 24, 1818, and is the son of Samuel and Catherine (Light) Rardin. Samuel Rardin was born in Pennsylvania, Nov. 16, 1790, and was the son of John and M. (Hull) Rardin, the former a native of Pittsburgh, Pa. The mother of our subject was the daughter of Jacob and Catherine Light, and was born in Clermont County, Ohio. Dec. 5, 1790. Of her union with Samuel Rardin there were born twelve children, eight of whom are now living: Jacob, John, Frank and Nancy are residents of Morgan Township, this county, and the others have been attracted by business interests to different places in Missouri and Kansas. While John Hall Rardin was still an infant, his father settled in Kentucky, remaining there with his family until their removal to Coles County in 1842. The death of his parents occurred soon after their arrival here; the father dying in July, 1843, while John was away from home in Kentucky, and the mother two years later, in 1845. Our subject in 1844 purchased forty-four acres of land and was married March 6, 1845, to Miss Melinda Clark, of Coles County. Mrs. Rardin was the daughter of Benjamin and Sarah (Hammonds) Clark, natives of Kentucky, whence they removed to Illinois in 1831, and were among the earliest settlers of this county. They located in what afterward became Morgan Township, and here passed the remainder of their lives. There were eight children in Mr. Clark’s family at the time of his daughter’s marriage, all of whom settled in Coles County, with the exception of his son, William, who is a resident of Kansas. Mr. and Mrs. Rardin became the parents of six children, of whom the record is as follows: Mary Ann was born Feb. 13, 1846, became the wife of Porter Johnson, and is now deceased; Benjamin, born June 28, 1848, died Aug. 17, 1860; Samuel was born Jan. 2, 1850; James K., June 28, 1851; Willie W., born May 19, 1853, died Aug. 17, 1882; and Robert Bruce, born June 2, 1855, died Dec. 13, 1871. Mrs. Melinda (Clark) Rardin died March 13, 1857. The second wife of our subject was Mrs. Rebecca A. Hurst. She was born April 17, 1825, and died April 17, 1865. Of this marriage there was one child, Melinda Jane, born May 15, 1862; she is now the wife of John Calhoun, a resident of Morgan Township, and is the mother of two children. The present wife of our subject, to whom he was married Dec. 18, 1873, was formerly Mrs. Nancy Campbell. By this marriage one son was born, Feb. 3, 1875, and was named John Hall, after his father. Mr. Rardin added to his first purchase of land until he now owns a fine farm of 440 acres. He has always been an active and influential citizen, and was the founder of the town which bears his name. Rardin has a population of 150 inhabitants, and contains a church, two stores, a doctor’s office, a blacksmith and saddler’s shop, and an elevator. Mr. Rardin has rented his farm and retired from the cares of active business, and is passing the closing years of a busy and useful life in the ease and enjoyment justly his due. Miss Alma Callahan is a member of their family. She is the daughter of Frank and Mary Ellen Callahan, and was born May 9, 1875. She has received a home in Mr. Rardin’s family since her father’s death. Her widowed mother resides in Clark County, Ill. Mrs. Rardin is a member of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, and is actively interested in promoting its welfare. We place the portrait of Mr. Rardin in this volume, among those of other representative men of Coles County. |
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