Under the spellings Harden and Hardin this family may be found well distributed over the United States. The Hardins are a noted family in Kentucky and other parts of the south, where they early settled. Both as Harden and Hardin, they were early in Massachusetts, particularly of the towns of Hingham and Bridgewater. A branch of the family settled in Hampton, New Hampshire, and another in Thomaston, Maine. The Hardins of Schenectady county, New York, descend from James Hardin, who was born in Rehoboth, Massachusetts, September 24, 1754. He married Susan Maynard, born in Windham, Connecticut, September 12, 1763, a descendant of William Maynard, of New London, Connecticut, who married Lydia Richards, November 15, 1678. After his marriage, James Hardin settled in Vermont, residing for a time in Bennington. He next appears in the town of Duanesburg, Schenectady county, New York, where he purchased and improved a farm. He became a prosperous farmer of the town, where he died. Children:
- Charles, born August 30, 1784;
- James, May 3, 1787;
- Mary, October, 1789;
- Parthenia, February 11, 1792;
- Benjamin, see forward;
- John, born March 25, 1798.
(II) Benjamin, fifth child and third son of James and Susan (Maynard) Hardin, was born January 30, 1795, died January 3, 1862. He was a farmer of Duanesburg, where he married, January 22, 1816, Phoebe, born August 20, 1796, died August 20, 1851, daughter of Jonathan Tripp, a prominent member of the Society of Friends, and an early settler of the town. Benjamin and his wife were prominent in the church life of the town, where they seem to have been well known and highly respected. Children:
- Jonathan Tripp, see forward.
- James, born April 27, 1820; married, (first) Mary Morse and had issue; (second) Mrs. Sarah Auchenpaugh, who died without issue.
- Henry, January 13, 1822; a farmer of New Baltimore, New York, where he died. He married Hannah Carman and left issue.
- William, September 27, 1823; married Catherine Gage, January 15, 1847.
- Sidney, a prosperous farmer of Glenville, Schenectady county. He married, in Duanesburg, Sarah Frink, both lived to an old age. Children: Everett, Charles and Eugene, of Albany.
- Benjamin, 1833, died 1834.
- Ruth, died unmarried.
- Phoebe Ann, unmarried.
- Delilah.
- Priscilla.
(III) Jonathan Tripp, eldest son of Benjamin and Phoebe (Tripp) Hardin, was born in Duanesburg, Schenectady county, New York, April 27, 1817, died in Schenectady, August 26, 1896. He was reared on the farm, and educated in the public school. In 1861 he married and removed to Glenville, same county, where he purchased a large farm, which he cultivated until 1865, when he retired from active life and moved to a comfortable home in Schenectady. He was reared in his mother's faith (Quaker), but after going to Schenectady worshipped at the Dutch Reformed church. He was an upright, lovable man. quiet and unassuming, but full of life and energy. He voted with the Republican party. but persistently refused office for himself. He married, March 27, 1846, in Duanesburg, New York, Marinda A. Badgley, born in Dutchess county, New York, in 1821, died in Schenectady, April 20, 1893, daughter of Stephen and Joanna (Mott) Badgley, and a descendant of the Badgleys of Long Island and New England. Joanna Mott was a descendant of Adam and Anne Mott, of Cowneck, Hempstead, Long Island. Stephen and Joanna Badgley were married in Columbia county, but shortly after their marriage removed to Oak Hill, Schoharie county, New York. Here they owned a good farm on which both died. They were faithful members of the Methodist church, Their children, George, Stephen, Clara, Elizabeth and Marinda A., are all deceased. Jonathan T. and Marinda A. (Badgley) Hardin had one child, Emmor C. born in Duanesburg, but since the age of thirteen a resident of Schenectady, New York. She is a member of the First Reformed Church, and of the Woman's Club of Schenectady. She is generous and charitable, giving freely and liberally to all good causes.