JOHN G. HARDIN, the well known and wealthy farmer and stockman, in Wichita county, residing at the little station which years ago received the name of Nesterville from the cattlemen, is a fine type of the North Texas men of enterprise. Even in a state whose greatest resources have always been considered to lie in the ability and heroism and sagacity of its citizens, Mr. Harbin is held to be an unusual example of one who began with nothing and acquired great wealth in a legitimate and honorable manner simply from the profits in crops and cattle. Likewise does he deserve mention in this history as one of the earliest exponents of Northwest Texas, of its agricultural and live stock possibilities, and during the past twenty-five years he has been steadily on the rising road of prosperity in all things, not least in the esteem of his fellow citizens.
He was born in Tippah county, Mississippi, in 1854, a son of George W. and Eliza (Bills) Hardin. His father was born and reared in Tennessee, moved to Tippah county, Mississippi, but later in life returned to his native state and lived in Dyer county, in West Tennessee. He was a farmer by occupation. He followed his son John to Texas and located three sections of land here, and he died in Tennessee, where his wife is still living.
Mr. John G. Hardin spent his early years on the farm in Dyer county, where he had moved with the family at the age of three years. He lived there till he came out to this state. His first location in the Lone Star state was in Johnson county, and in the fall of 1879 he went into Wichita county and bought a pre-emption of one hundred and twenty-four acres, which formed the foundation of his fortune. He was a poor man then, young but aspiring, and his ambitions rapidly came to realization. He has never changed form his original location, thirteen miles northwest of Wichita Falls, where for several years he conducted a small store in addition to running his farm. The cowboys who did their trading there gave it the name of Nesterville, by which it is still known. Mr. Hardin’s real estate holdings have increased until he now owns between four and five thousand acres of land, and is among the wealthy farmers and stockmen in this section of the state.
Mr. Hardin has been identified with the public welfare of his county, and for several years served as county commissioner of Wichita county. He has given a large ranch to a young man, Oran L. Clark, whom he took to live with him and who is considered as one of the family. He has also been equally generous with his nephew, Egbert E. Hardin, and his niece, Miss Edna E. Hardin.
Source: B. B. Paddock, History and Biographical Record of North and West Texas (Chicago: Lewis Publishing Co., 1906), Vol. I, p. 326.