James married Sarah Ann Yager in Adams County, Illinois, about February 16, 1860.  Sarah, born May 13, 1837, in Hancock County, Illinois, was from the large family of Francis E. Yager and Elizabeth Sims or Simms, both originally from Kentucky.

Francis and two of his brothers, James and John Baptiste Yager, were early settlers in Hancock County.  All three men bought land in Hancock County from the Military Tract in 1840, and then in 1842, moved on to Missouri.  Francis chose to remain there but James and John returned to Hancock County.  In 1850 Francis' and Elizabeth's children numbered 11; they had lost one son, two more daughters would be born to them.

So how did Sarah Ann Yager come to marry James Hardy some 18 years after her family left Illinois, when James' family didn't leave Hancock County as far as we know?  It would be an interesting detail.

James and Sarah were living with James' family, we believe, just after they married.  Their whereabouts in 1870 have not been determined.  By 1880 they were living in Walnut Grove Township, McDonough County, Illinois, and by 1900 they had moved to Clay Township, Adair County, Missouri.

Sarah died October 16, 1895.  James survived her by a little over 10 years, died July 31, 1906. Both are buried at St. Mary's Cemetery in Clay Township.

Household of Ivo Hardy
Males 0 thru 4 - 2   [Henry, Ivo B]
Males 5 thru 9 - 2   [William, James]
Males 40 thru 49 - 1   [Ivo]
Females 0 thru 4 - 1   [Matilda]
Females 10 thru 14 - 2   [Ann and Amelia]
Females 30 thru 39 - 1   [Mary]
Total - 9
Persons employed in agriculture - 1
No. of white persons over 20 years of age in each family who cannot read and write - 2

Household of F E Yager
Males 0 thru 4 - 1   [Philip]
Males 5 thru 9 - 1   [Benedict]
Males 10 thru 14 - 2   [Nicholas and William]
Males 30 thru 39 - 1   [Francis]
Females 0 thru 4 - 1   [Sarah Ann]
Females 5 thru 9 - 2   [Mary and Elizabeth]
Females 30 thru 39 - 1   [Elizabeth]
Total - 9
Persons employed in agriculture - 1

Ivo Hardy, 50, male, farmer, value of real estate 2000, born MD
Marian, 40, female, born KY
Ann, 18, female, born KY
William M, 17, male, farmer, born KY
James, 15, male, born KY
Henry, 13, male, born KY, attended school within the year
Ivo B, 10, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Matilda, 8, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Mary, 7, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Angeline, 5, female, born IL
Eveline, 5, female, born IL

Francis E Yager, 43, male, farmer, value of real estate 3500, born KY
Elizabeth Yager, 42, female, born KY
Nicholas J Yager, 21, male, farmer, born KY
William F Yager, 19, male, farmer, born KY, attended school within the year
Benedict J Yager, 18, male, farmer, born KY, attended school within the year
Mary E Yager, 16, female, born KY, attended school within the year
Elizabeth Yager, 15, female, born KY, attended school within the year
Sarah Yager, 13, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Philip H Yager, 11, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Samuel Yager, 9, male, born IL, attended school within the year
Bernard Yager, 6, male, born MO
Susan F Yager, 4, female, born MO
Rosey J Yager, 1, female, born MO

John Hardy, 60, male, farmer, value of real estate 4000, value of personal estate 1200, born MD
Riley, 53, female, born KY
Elizabeth, 32, female, born KY
Ann, 30, female, born KY
William, 20, male, farmer, born KY
James, 27, male, farmer, born KY*
[continued on next page]
John, 23, male, farmer, born IL
Matilda, 21, female, born IL
Mary, 18, female, born IL
Louisa, 15, female, born IL, attended school within the year
Angeline, 15, female, born IL, attended school within the year, deaf and dumb
James, 27, male, farmer, born KY, married within the year*

Hardy, James, white, male, 46, married, farmer, born KY, father born MD, mother born KY
Sarah A, white, female, 41, wife, married, keeps house, born IL, both parents born KY
Martha A, white, female, 10, daughter, single, at home, born IL, father born MD, mother born KY
Mary M, white, female, 8, daughter, at home, born IL, father born MD, mother born KY
Agnes M, white, female, 6, daughter, at home, born IL, father born MD, mother born KY
Ivo S, white, male, 3, son, at home, born IL, father born MD, mother born KY
Andrew J, white, male, 6/12, son, at home, born IL, father born MD, mother born KY

Hardy, James, head, white, male, born June 1834, 66, widower, born KY, father born MD, mother born KY, farmer, could read, write and speak English, owned his farm free of mortgage, farm schedule 87

Andrew, son, white, male, born Sept 1879, 20, single, born IL, father born KY, mother born IL, farm hand, could read, write and speak English

Malone, Margaret, niece, white, female, born Apr 1881, 19, single, born MO, both parents born IL, domestic, could read, write and speak English