On October 31, 1867, George W. Harding married Eliza Ellis in Fulton County.  Eliza, born about 1842, was the daughter of Solomon H. Ellis and Rebecca Logan, who married in White County, Illinois, in 1825.

George and Eliza had two children:

i.

Malinda M. Harding, born January 8, 1869, in Fulton County.  She died October 20, 1908, burial at Majorville Cemetery, Hancock County, Illinois.

ii.

William Officer Harding, probably born in Fulton County about 1871. Counted in Ft. Madison, Iowa, in 1900, was "W. A." Harding, born in May of 1871 in Illinois, occupation - bridge carpenter, with his wife, Mary A., and their baby daughter, "Isabel". There were items published in both The LaHarper (March 29, 1901) and The Quill (April 2, 1901) about the death of this little one, named as Isabelle and Isabella, the daughter of W. O. Harding. Named as "W. C." and said to be living in Burlington, Iowa, when Malinda died in 1908. In 1910 W. O. Harding, bridge builder, wife Mary A. (mother of 4 children, 3 living), children Helen, Merle and Kenneth were in Burlington, Iowa. In the 1918 Prairie Farmer Directory listing for George and Sarah Harding, William O. was named as a son not living with them. As of January 1, 1920, "Wm. A." Harding, wife Mary A., Helen, Merle C., Kenneth C., and new baby William O. Jr. were in Des Moines Township, Van Buren County, Iowa.  W. O. Sr. had taken up farming. W. O. and Mary were divorced between 1920 and 1930.  By 1930 Mary A. had married Frank Emil Cederburg (September 2, 1874 - June 11, 1947).  Frank, Mary A. and 10 year old William O. Jr. were residing in the village of Alpha, Henry County, Illinois, where Frank was the proprietor of a restaurant. In early 1943 both W. O. and Mary signed quit claim deeds for some property in Tennessee Township, McDonough County.  At her death in 1908, Malinda Harding Callihan left as heirs her husband (William E. Callihan, who died in 1929) and W. O.  The quit claim deeds were required to clear titles so the land could be sold.  In fact, there was another heir when Malinda died, George W. Harding, but William Callihan's sister, Maud Bowles, testified that Malinda and W. O.'s parents had both predeceased Malinda.  It's an interesting little quirk that leaves a couple of unanswered questions. Mary Cederburg died after February 1943.  William O. Harding Sr. died at Plymouth, Hancock County, Illinois, on March 19, 1948; burial location undetermined.

Eliza Ellis Harding died or she and George parted company.  On January 10, 1878, George, 31, married Sarah Hickson, the 15 or 16 year old daughter of George Hickson, a native of England.  In 1880 George and Sarah were in Harris Township, Fulton County.  Malinda was in the home of her paternal grandparents in Lamoine Township, McDonough County; we have not located William in 1880.

According to Malinda's obituary, she had resided with her parents in the White Flock area (in McDonough County, south of Tennessee and between Colmar and Fandon) until 1887, at which time they moved to Hancock County.

In 1900 George and Sarah were farming in Fountain Green Township.  Sarah reported no children. Published in The Quill on April 23, 1901, was a news item about the birth and death of a daughter born to George Harding.  About 1903 they had a daughter who survived: Edna.  In 1910 Sarah reported three children, one living.

The Hardings remained in Fountain Green Township at least through January 1, 1920.  In 1930 they were in Hancock Township.

Sarah Hickson Harding died February 20, 1935, in Hancock Township.  A news item regarding her death stated that funeral services were held at the Presbyterian Church in Fountain Green and that she was buried at Fountain Green Cemetery.  We have as yet found no marker for her, nor have we found a record of George's death.

George and Sarah's daughter:

Hillery Harding, 31, male, farmer, born PA
Mary, 23, female, born PA, could not read or write
Susanna, 7, female, born VA
George W, 3,male, born MO
Mary J, 1, female, born IL

Solomon H Ellis, 45, male, farmer, value of real estate 500, born Germany
Rebecca, 48, female, born SC, could not read or write
Isaac, 22, male, farmer, born IL
Mary C, 19, female, born IL
Matilda, 17, female, born IL
William, 15, male, farmer, born IL
Susan, 13, female, born IL, attended school within the year
James, 11, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Eliza, 8, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Elizabeth Mays, 68, female, born SC

James McLaughlin, 29, male, laborer, born OH
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Hilliary Harden, 41, male, farmer, value of real estate 300, value of personal estate 125, born PA
Mary, 34, female, born PA
Susannah, 17, female, born VA
George, 13, male, born VA, attended school within the year
Mary J, 11, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Louisa, 9, female, born IL, attended school within the year
John H, 6, male, born IL
Cassey A, 3, female, born IL
James H, 10/12, male, born IL

Soliman Ellis, 55, male, farmer, value of real estate 2000, value of personal estate 800, born GA
Rebecca, 58, female, born SC
James, 22, male, farmer, value of personal estate 200, born IL
Nancy, 20, female, born IL
Eliza, 18, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Elisabeth Mays, 78, female, born SC

Harden, G W, 22, male, white, farmer, value of personal estate 250, born MO, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
E A, 28, female, white, keeping house, born IL
M M, 1, female, white, born IL

Hickson, Geo, 45, male, white, farming, value of real estate 800, value of personal estate 500, born England, both parents foreign born, male citizen of the U.S. aged 21 or more
Elvan, 32, female, white, keeping house, born OH
C O, 11, male, white, born IL, father foreign born
S A, 7, female, white, born IL, father foreign born, attended school within the year
Hershel, 6, male, white, born IL, father foreign born, attended school within the year
Stephen, 1, male, white, born IL, father foreign born

Hardin, George, white, male, 33, married, farmer, born MO, father born OH, mother born VA
Sarah, white, female, 18, wife, married, keep house, born IL, father born England, mother born OH

Harding, George [middle initial maybe W, obscured by enumerator's notations], head, white, male, Mar 1847, 53, married for 22 years, born MO, father born PA, mother born VA, farmer, months not employed - 0, could read, write and speak English, paying on a mortgage on his farm home, farm schedule 106

Seria M, wife, white, female, Feb 1863, 37, married for 22 years, mother of 0 children, born IL, father born England, mother born OH, could read, write and speak English

Hardin, George W, head, male, white, 63, married (2nd) for 30 years, born at sea, father born Scotland [ another word, perhaps Scotch, was also entered], mother born Ireland - Irish, year of immigration to the U.S. - 1847, naturalized, spoke English, farmer, general farm, employer, could read and write, rented his farm home, farm schedule 183

Sara A, wife, female, white, 47, married (1st) for 30 years; mother of 3 children, 1 living; born IL, father born England - English, mother born IL, spoke English, could read and write

Edna M, daughter, female, white, 7, single, born IL, father born at sea, mother born IL, attended school after Sept. 1, 1909

Cox, Henry F, hired hand, male, white, 30, single, born VA, both parents born VA, spoke English, laborer, farm, employee, whether out of work on April 15, 1910 - [no entry], number of weeks out of work during 1909 - [no entry], could read and write

Harding, George, head, paying on a mortgage, male, white, 72, married, could read and write, born IL; father born Scotland - native tongue Scotch; mother born Ireland - native tongue Irish; spoke English, farmer, general farming, working on own account, farm schedule 155

Sarah, wife, female, white, 68, married, could read and write, born IL; father born England - native tongue English; mother born OH, spoke English

Edna, daughter, female, white, 17, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1919, could read and write, born IL, both parents born IL, spoke English

Harding, George, head, renter, monthly rental 3, did not own a radio, lived on a farm, male, white, 83, married, age at first marriage - 20, could not read or write, born at sea, father born Scotland, mother born Northern Ireland; native tongue - English; year of immigration to the U.S. - 1847, naturalized, spoke English, whether a veteran of the U.S. military or naval forces mobilized for any war or expedition - no

Sarah, wife, female, white, 67, married, age at first marriage - 16, could read and write, born IL, father born England, mother born OH, spoke English

Humes, Glen, grandson, male, white, 8, single, attended school after Sept. 1, 1929, could read and write, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, spoke English