Gen. James Harding was born in Boston, Mass., February 13, 1830, and is a son of Chester and Caroline M. (Woodruff) Harding, both natives of Massachusetts and of English and Scotch descent. The grandfathers both served in the Revolution, and came west as far as New York state, where they died. Chester Harding was a distinguished artist, whose works are familiarly known all over the United States, his paintings being on exhibition in nearly all parts of this country; many also being in England and Scotland. In 1818 he removed to Missouri, and was an early settler of St. Louis, and also lived in Howard County until 1820; but he made his home mostly in Boston, Mass., spending a few years in Scotland and England. He died in Boston in 1866, and his wife died in 1845, in Springfield, Mass. They were the parents of ten children, seven of whom are now living, viz.: Mrs. John M. Krum, of St. Louis; Mrs. M. E. White, of Brookline, Mass.; William, in Wichita, Kan.; Horace, of Alabama; Gen. James; Edward, of Nevada, Mo., and Frank, of Chicago. The subject of our sketch was reared in Massachusetts until fourteen years of age, when he went to St. Louis, where he had a sister living. He was employed in a wholesale boot and shoe house a short time, but in 1844 he returned East and entered Phillips Academy, Exeter, N. H. The following year he went to sea, but one voyage satisfied him, and in 1847 he again, went to St. Louis and entered the same boot and shoe store he had previously been employed in. In the fall of the same year he went to La Fayette, Ind., where a brother was engaged in the grain and milling business, with whom he remained until 1848, at that time returning to Springfield, Mass. In January, 1849, he sailed from Boston, via Cape Horn, to California, arriving there in June, 1849, and was there engaged in mining and other employments until 1851. In the spring of 1851, in company with three others, he followed the coast as far south as Mazatlan, Mexico, and from there rode horseback through the country to Vera Cruz, a journey of about three months, and thence by river to St. Louis. From St. Louis he went to La Fayette, Ind., and until January, 1852, was engaged in civil engineering on the La Fayette & Indianapolis Railroad. Returning to St. Louis in February he entered the service of the Missouri Pacific Railroad Company on surveys, and had charge of the construction of the Missouri Pacific Railroad from the Osage River east to L'Ours Creek, and was also on the surveys and in charge of construction west of Jefferson City, which position he occupied six years. In 1855 he married Miss Christine A. Cordell, daughter of Dr. L. C. Cordell, of Charlestown, Va., and in 1858 went to Charlestown, where he remained one year, and then returned to Missouri. In 1860 he was appointed chief clerk of the State auditor's office, and in January, 1861, was appointed by Gov. C. F. Jackson  uartermaster-general of the State of Missouri. At the outbreak of the war he laid down his pen in the auditor's office, and served as quartermaster- general of the Missouri State Guard until March, 1862, resigning at Van Buren, Ark. He was then appointed by Gen. Price as division quartermaster in the Confederate service, in which capacity he only served a short time, his resignation taking effect at Corinth, Miss. He was then appointed captain of artillery, and was afterward promoted to major, which position he held until the close of the struggle. The most of his time was spent in Charleston, S. C., on ordnance duty. He participated in nearly all the engagements around Charleston while on duty there, and in 1864 he was ordered to Columbus, Ga., where he had charge of the Confederate States armory and pistol factory. At the close of the war he went with his family to Pensacola, Fla., where he was extensively engaged in the lumber business and surveying until December, 1870. In February, 1871, he returned to Jefferson City, Mo., and shortly afterward was made chief engineer of the Jefferson City, Lebanon & Southwestern Railroad, in which capacity he was employed over two years. He then accepted the position of clerk in the auditor's office, and in 1875 was appointed architect and superintendent of improvements of the State prison. He held this position and also that of book-keeper at the prison until January, 1877, when, having been elected railroad commissioner in 1876, he resigned his duties at the prison. He was re-elected railroad commissioner in 1882, and served until January, 1889, when he was made secretary of the commission, which position he still holds. The General is a public-spirited and prominent citizen of Jefferson City. He is the father of nine children, eight of whom are living, viz.: Margaret, Chester, Eugene, Virginia, Christine, Stanley, Phillip and James. Gen. Harding is a charter member of the A. O. U. W.

Transcribed from:
History of Cole, Moniteau, Morgan, Benton, Miller, Maries, and Osage Counties, Missouri, Goodspeed Publishing Company (1889).