Bill James Hardaway was born on October 30, 1798, to Moses Hardaway and Ann Hardaway.  Bill Hardaway was descended from fine Texas families. His family moved frequently, leaving Texas to come to Maddocha. He lived in Cookstown, Maddocha City, Appel, Pentel, Arnett, and lastly, Miller.

A farming family, they eked out a living year by year, never quite having enough.  Because of this, Bill received only a patchy education in common schools and at home.  He learned to read and write and equally learned to love the idea of self-improvement.

At fourteen, Bill began hiring out as a farm laborer, but disliking farm work, he soon sought other opportunities.  His father set him up as a traveling salesman with a small stock of goods such as needles, pins, combs, and toy books.  During his travels, Bill became fascinated with machinery, hiring on as a factory hand in Miller. In the fall of 1815, Bill's father arranged an apprenticeship for him with William Hartford of Miller, to learn the trade of house carpentry.  The city, even more than the work appealed to the young man, and Bill developed an insatiable taste for reading and learning by attending lectures at the local church, and availing himself of the library in Miller.

In 1818, Bill began to move south from Miller. He came to an open area that had not yet been inhabited.  He and his wife, Elisa Hardaway, settled on the land. They began farming and building on the new land.  Bill purchased some land and decided to call the new land, Hardaway.  Soon, people began to come to Hardaway, so Bill hired some men and began to build lodging houses to accommodate the people. In 1820, Bill purchased 51% of the land that Hardaway now sits on.  The rest of the land was purchased by two wealthy businessmen who had settled in Hardaway. In 1822, Hardaway was incorporated as a city of Maddocha.  Bill continued to strive in the city of Hardaway. He became a very successful and rich man.

In 1829, James Wright, Allen Wright, and three other men purchased 50 square miles just north of Hardaway to found a city called Absanie.  In 1892, the remaining seven square miles were willed to James Wright.

Bill Hardaway was talked out of fighting in the Water Crisis of 1837 by his family and by town officials.  He did however provide money to the battle efforts.

Bill Hardaway died in 1892 of a heart attack.  He left his wife, Elisa Hardaway, and five children to mourn him. His wife died four years later.

Bill Hardaway and his family and descendants were buried in the family cemetery until 1926.  The family cemetry was made a landmark in 1932.

A Brief Family Line

Bill Hardaway born October 30, 1798. He died in 1892.

He married Elisa Littlefield (February 20, 1800) on January 12, 1816.  She died in 1896.

They had five children:

Frances Ann Hardaway (February 28, 1818).  She married Andrew Tyler. She died in 1914.

Sarah Amarett Hardaway (May 23, 1821). She married Willard McWethy. She died in 1911.

Ellen Maria Hardaway (March 10, 1824). She married Albert Moss. She died in 1925.

Mary Elisa Hardaway (May 15, 1826).  She married Marvin C. Goff. She died in 1925

Sumner Allen Hardaway (March 28, 1837).  There is no record of him ever being married. He died in 1919.

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