Benjamin Harding (1753 - 1778)

Born 16 May 1753 in Colchester, New London, Connecticut

Ancestors

Died 30 Jun 1778 at age 25 in West Pittston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Alexis Nelson [send private message]

Biography

Benjamin Harding, son of Stephen was born in Colchester, CT on 16 May 1753.^{[1] [2]} He died on 30 Jun 1778 and is buried in the Jenkins-Harding Cemetery, West Pittston, Luzerne, Pennsylvania. ^[3]

Benjamin and Stukely Harding were the first victims of the invasion of Wyoming in the summer of 1778. "On June 30, as they were returning from their corn field, some miles up the river from Fort Jenkins, where the family had taken refuge, they were assaulted by an advanced party of Indians, whom they, being armed, fought as long as they could raise a hand, but were overpowered, shot, speared, tomahawked, scalped and had their throats cut. Their bodies were found, taken to the fort, now West Pittston, and buried. In after years their brother, Elisha Harding, erected to their memory a monument with this inscription, 'Sweet be the sleep of those who prefer Death to Slavery.'"^[4]

Sources

1. ↑ Connecticut Town Birth Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection); Colchester Vital Records 1699-1850, page 111 (Ancestry.com)
2. ↑ "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F74J-12N : 11 February 2018), Stephen Harding in entry for Benjamin Harding, 16 May 1753; citing ; FHL microfilm unknown.
3. ↑ Find A Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/25771342 : accessed 03 August 2018), memorial page for Benjamin Harding (16 May 1753–30 Jun 1778), Find A Grave Memorial no. 25771342, citing Jenkins-Harding Cemetery, West Pittston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, USA ; Maintained by Beverly Davis Valcovic (contributor 16915644) .
4. ↑ Kulp, G.B. (1889). Families of the Wyoming Valley, E.B. Yordy Printer, Wilkes Barre, PA. Page 620.

• "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F74J-12F : 7 January 2020), Benjamin Harding, 1753.

• "Connecticut Births and Christenings, 1649-1906", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F74J-YHH : 7 January 2020), Benjamin Harding in entry for Russel Harding, 1781.