Pennsylvania Genealogies & Family Histories,Volumn I-II*Genealogical Family History of the Wyoming Lacawanna Valleys Pennsylvania* The Wyoming Lacawanna Valleys* Harding Family
Page 20
Born 1755,killed with his brother by the Indians-June 30th 1778
"At Fort Jenkins,the uppermost in the valley,and only a
mile above Wintermoot's,there were gathered the families
of the old patriot,John Jenkins,Esq,the Hardings and
Gardiners,distinguished for zeal,with others.Not apprised
of the contiguity of the savages,on the morning of the
30th of June,Benjamin Harding,Stukley Harding,John Harding,
a boy,James Hadsell,James Hadsell Jr.,Daniel Weller,John
Gardiner and Daniel Carr,eight in all,took their arms and
went up about three miles into Exeter,to their labor.Twords
evening,at an hour when aid could not be expected,they were
attacked.That they fought bravely was admitted by the enemy.
Weller and Gardiner and Carr were taken prisoners,James
Hadsell and his son James,Benjamin and Stukley Harding were
killed.John Harding ,the boy,threw himself into the river ,
and lay under the willows,his mouth just above the surface.
He heard with anguishthe dying groans of his friends.Knowing
he was near,the Indians searched carefully for him.At one time
they were so close that he could of touched them.The bodies of
Benjamin and Stukley Harding were found after the massacre,
taken down to the Fort,now West Pittston,and buried near the
fort,in what later became known as the Jenkins Cemetery.In
after years their brother,Elisha Harding,Esq.,raised them a
monument with this inscription.'Sweet be the sleep of those
who prefer Death to Slavery'"-Miner
Pennsylvania Harding information for Our Family Tree