Even though I find that I'm mostly writing this to myself, John Hardin's Middle name was really William. He was named after one of his grandfathers: Capt. John W. Hardin, born in Kentucky territory in 1771. I surmise the territory may have been owned by Virginia back then. My grandfather had lots of trouble as he was growing up. Folks connected his name withe outlaw's, John Westley Hardin. A hardin was a Hardin. My John was younger than Wes by about 2 years, and may have looked alot like Wes too. My John W. felt doomed, as long as he stayed in Texas. About 1880 John William went to Chicago,Ill. by one of the first new trains. He met a young gal named Anna Vass(from Kentucky)who was studying business courses. She wanted to be a secretary. Anna was 18 years old then, and unmarried. I believe she had family living in Chicago or nearby. As things go in life, the young couple fell in love. Anna's brother would escort her to meet John when the two got together.
John tried a couple of times in Chicago to marry Anna, but always was dogged by John Wesley Hardin "followers"with wanted posters. In 1883 the couple came by train out to California from Illinois, chaparoned by Anna's brother. Her brother was going to be a gold hunter, come hell or high water! John and Anna married using the surname of: Harder in San Francisco, Ca.,on Jan.13, 1883.Anna used Voss as her maiden name. John changed his middle initial to T.once he began living in California, with his new bride.