Col. Henry Hardman was born in Harrison county, Va., in March, 1801; died at his home in Rochester township, Cedar county, Iowa, Nov. 14, 1879. He was one of the first settlers of Cedar county, having located on the farm which he died, July 6, 1836 – a little more than forty-three years before his death. His house was the first preaching place, and the organization of the first class in the M. E. church in Cedar county, he and his wife being among the first members. Here, too, has held the first quarterly meeting ever held in Cedar county, at which Bro. H. and his wife entertained and fed seventy persons with their teams. He was appointed the first justice of the peace in the county, which office he held for twenty consecutive years; took the census of the county for government in 1840, and was colonel of the militia several years. Bro. H. married Mary Searl in 1821, who shared with him the hardships of a pioneer life, and who preceded him to rest Sept. 15, 1872. He was married again in 1873 to Mrs. Mary Perkey, who survives. Bro. H. was fully prepared for his demise, both as to this and the future world; he had his house “set in order,” and welcomed death with calmness and even cheerfulness. His remains were followed to the church, where his funeral sermon was preached by the writer of this sketch (I. W. Kynett) at his request, and thence to the grave, by a procession about one mile in length, showing the esteem in which he was held by a large circle of friends and neighbors.

From the Northwestern Christian Advocate: Wednesday, June 30, 1880