John Hardin (October 1, 1753 – May 1792) was an American soldier, scout, and frontiersman. As a young man, he fought in Lord Dunmore's War, in which he was wounded, and gained a reputation as a marksman and "Indian killer." He served in the

Continental Army The Continental Army was the army of the United Colonies (the Thirteen Colonies) in the Revolutionary-era United States. It was formed by the Second Continental Congress after the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War, and was establis ...

during the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, where he played a noteworthy role in the American victory at Saratoga in 1777. After the war, he moved to Kentucky, where he fought against Native Americans in the

Northwest Indian War The Northwest Indian War (1786–1795), also known by other names, was an armed conflict for control of the Northwest Territory fought between the United States and a united group of Native American nations known today as the Northwestern ...

. In 1790, he led a detachment of Kentucky militia in a disastrous defeat known as " Hardin's Defeat." In 1792, he was killed while serving as an emissary to the Natives in the

Northwest Territory The Northwest Territory, also known as the Old Northwest and formally known as the Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, was formed from unorganized western territory of the United States after the American Revolutionary War. Established in 1 ...

Biography

John Hardin was born on October 1, 1753, in

Fauquier County, Virginia Fauquier is a county in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, the population was 72,972. The county seat is Warrenton. Fauquier County is in Northern Virginia and is a part of the Washington metropolitan area. History In 16 ...

, the first son and fifth child of Martin Hardin (1716–1789) and Lydia (Waters) Hardin. His father was a large landowner who moved his family from Fauquier County to

western Pennsylvania Western Pennsylvania is a region in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania, covering the western third of the state. Pittsburgh is the region's principal city, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic ...

when John was twelve years old. Martin Hardin served in the

Pennsylvania militia The Pennsylvania National Guard is one of the oldest and largest National Guards in the United States Department of Defense. It traces its roots to 1747 when Benjamin Franklin established the Associators in Philadelphia. With more than 18,000 per ...

during the American Revolutionary War. Growing up on the frontier, John Hardin became an expert hunter and marksman. He married Jane Daviess; they would have seven children, including

Martin D. Hardin Martin D. Hardin (June 21, 1780October 8, 1823) was a politician and lawyer from Kentucky. Born in Pennsylvania, his family immigrated to Kentucky when he was still young. He studied law under George Nicholas and commenced practice at Richmond ...

, who became a

U.S. Senator The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

from Kentucky. In 1774, Hardin joined a militia company raised by Lord Dunmore, the royal governor of Virginia, as an ensign. In August 1774, at the outset of Lord Dunmore's War, Virginia militiamen led by Angus McDonald invaded the Ohio Country and destroyed several Native towns on the Muskingum River. Hardin took part in this expedition as a private in a company from Monongalia County led by Captain Zackquill Morgan. On August 2, Hardin was wounded in a skirmish at Snake's Town. A musket ball "penetrated his thigh and lodged near his groin." The musket ball remained in him for the rest of his life. While recovering from the wound, he is said to have accompanied Lord Dunmore's subsequent expedition while on crutches. Hardin's frontier exploits gained him a reputation as an "Indian Killer." During the

, John Hardin was a second lieutenant in the

8th Pennsylvania Regiment The 8th Pennsylvania Regiment or Mackay's Battalion was an American infantry unit that became part of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Authorized for frontier defense in July 1776, the eight-company unit was originally ...

. He was one of a select number of riflemen chosen to serve in a Regiment detachment known as the Provisional Rifle Corps (or " Morgan's Rifles"). During this time, he fought at Saratoga serving directly under Colonel

Daniel Morgan Daniel Morgan (1735–1736July 6, 1802) was an American pioneer, soldier, and politician from Virginia. One of the most respected battlefield tacticians of the American Revolutionary War of 1775–1783, he later commanded troops during the sup ...

. His exploits in the battle are commemorated by a historical marker at Saratoga National Historical Park. In 1786, after the war, John Hardin and his family settled on a large parcel of land in Washington County, Virginia (now Washington County, Kentucky), where they farmed and raised livestock. They also joined the

Methodist Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

church in that area. Hardin had some success as a rancher, continually adding acreage to his original tract. As a militia captain in 1786, John Hardin led a attack on a Piankeshaw village near present-day Vincennes, Indiana. This village belonged to a friendly tribe that had been allies with the colonial Americans. In August 1789, he led another militia expedition to Terre Haute, where he attacked a

Shawnee The Shawnee are an Algonquian-speaking indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands. In the 17th century they lived in Pennsylvania, and in the 18th century they were in Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, with some bands in Kentucky a ...

party of twenty-two men, women, and children.Sword, p. 77 Three women, one child, and an infant were killed in the attack. Hardin paraded through Vincennes, but Major

Jean François Hamtramck Jean-François Hamtramck (sometimes called John Francis Hamtramck) (1756–1803) was a Canadian who served as an officer in the US Army during the American Revolutionary War and the Northwest Indian War. In the Revolution, he participated in the ...

lamented that the uneasy peace he had brokered with the Wabash nations would soon end due to the "provocation" of this "Kentucky affair." Hardin returned to Kentucky with twelve scalps. Hardin was promoted to colonel and repeatedly engaged Indians during the

in the

. In 1790, he led a detachment of the

Kentucky County Kentucky County (then alternately spelled Kentucke County) was formed by the Commonwealth of Virginia from the western portion (beyond the Cumberland Mountains) of Fincastle County effective December 31, 1776. The name of the county was taken ...

militia in the disastrous Battle of Heller's Corner (also known as "Hardin's Defeat"). This defeat began a long succession of American losses to a

Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...

chief named Little Turtle. In 1791, Hardin led a force of sixty mounted militiamen, destroying a large

Kickapoo Kickapoo may refer to: People * Kickapoo people, a Native American nation ** Kickapoo language, spoken by that people ** Kickapoo Tribe of Kansas, a federally recognized tribe of Kickapoo people ** Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma, a federally recog ...

village near the mouth of the

Big Pine Creek Big Pine Creek may refer to: * Big Pine Creek (California), Inyo County, California * Big Pine Creek (Indiana) Big Pine Creek is a creek in northwestern Indiana, USA. It begins in Round Grove Township in southwestern White County and flows gene ...

. This was part of General Charles Scott's campaign to conquer Ouiatenon. In May 1792, General

James Wilkinson James Wilkinson (March 24, 1757 – December 28, 1825) was an American soldier, politician, and double agent who was associated with several scandals and controversies. He served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War, b ...

sent Hardin as an emissary to carry American peace terms to the Natives along the Sandusky River. After leaving Fort Washington, Hardin encountered a party of Shawnees, who offered to escort him. While Hardin was sleeping one night, the Shawnees killed him and his servant. Hardin's guide survived.

Legacy

Hardin County, Kentucky; Hardin County, Illinois; and Hardin County, Ohio were named for John Hardin. The town of

Hardin, Ohio Hardin is an unincorporated community in Shelby County, in the U.S. state of Ohio. History Hardin was platted in 1816. The community was named for John Hardin John Hardin (October 1, 1753 – May 1792) was an American soldier, scout, and fron ...

, which is near the location where he was killed, is named for him.

John Hardin High School John Hardin High School is a school located in Radcliff, Kentucky, but served by the post office of neighboring Elizabethtown. Established in 2001, the school is named after the Revolutionary War officer and Native American fighter, John Hardin. ...

in Radcliff, Kentucky, also bears his name. His son

, who married Ann Logan, daughter of General Benjamin Logan. His second-oldest son, Mark, married Mary Adair, daughter of Kentucky governor, John Adair. His grandson, Congressman

John J. Hardin John Jay Hardin (January 6, 1810 – February 23, 1847) was a U.S. Representative and militia general from Illinois. Biography Born in Frankfort, Kentucky, the son of Martin D. Hardin, Hardin pursued classical studies and graduated from Trans ...

, was killed at the Battle of Buena Vista, Mexico. His nephew, Congressman Benjamin Hardin
U.S. Congressional Biography; Hardin, Benjamin was the father in law of Kentucky Governor

John L. Helm John LaRue Helm (July 4, 1802 – September 8, 1867) was the 18th and 24th governor of the U.S. Commonwealth of Kentucky, although his service in that office totaled less than fourteen months. He also represented Hardin County in both houses of ...

and grandfather of General

Benjamin Hardin Helm Benjamin Hardin Helm (June 2, 1831 – September 21, 1863) was an American politician, attorney, and Confederate brigadier general. A son of Kentucky governor John L. Helm, he was born in Bardstown, Kentucky. He attended the Kentucky Military ...

References

Citations

Sources

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External links

John Hardin Memorial
at Saratoga National Historical Park
Site of Hardin's Defeat
former historical marker {{DEFAULTSORT:Hardin, John 1753 births 1792 deaths American military personnel killed in the Northwest Indian War American people of the Northwest Indian War Assassinated American diplomats Continental Army officers from Pennsylvania People from Washington County, Kentucky Hardin family of Kentucky People from Fauquier County, Virginia Kentucky pioneers People in Dunmore's War