Copyright USGenNet Inc., 2017 All Rights Reserved USGenNet Data Repository Please read USGenNet Copyright Statement on this page: Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott for the USGenNet Data Repository http://www.us-data.org/ =========================================================================== Formatted by USGenNet Data Repository Chief Archivist, Linda Talbott All of the above information must remain when copied or downloaded. =========================================================================== The Chicago Tribune Wednesday, July 11, 1883 CAPT. CHARLES HARDING, an Old Lake Captain, Nearing the Haven of Rest. The Doctors Abandon All Hope for CAPT. HARDING'S Recovery. The death of CAPT. HARDING is hourly ex- pected, the doctors having abandoned all hope. He has been suffering for a lengthened period with Bright's disease and complications of the heart and liver, and for some time has been completely prostrated. He has frequent paroxysms which render breathing difficult, and has to sit propped up in bed all the time. There are few men connected with the marine interests of the inland lakes that are better known or more uni- versally respected than CAPT. HARDING. Although long since retired from active life as a navi- gator, he has always retained a deep interest in the events transpiring in marince circles, and his many friends include all of the old lake Captains of years ago, many of whom are now living in retirement. CHARLES HARDING was born in Gorham, Me., in the year 1816, being now 67 years old. His father, CAPT. ROBERT HARDING, who had been a Captain in the merchant service for a number of years, lost his life in a storm on the Baltic Sea when CHARLES was but 8 years old. CHARLES began his career as a seaman at the early age of 13, when he joined a merchant vessel at Port- land, Me. The greater part of the next seven years he spent on the ocean, sailing during that period to almost every port in the world. When about 20 years old he came West to take a position as mate on a grain-carrying vessel on the lakes, and was made master before reaching his 21st year. For the following ten years he was engaged as Captain on various lake vessels - the brig Belle and two or three others - plying mainly between Chicago and Buffalo. In 1846 the bark Utica was built under his superintendence at Milwaukee, Wis., and about this period he made the acquaintance of a family named WHEELER, natives of New Haven, Conn., who had settled at Geneva Lake, Wis. When the Utica, which was built for the grain-carrying trade between Chi- cago and Buffalo, was launched HENRY J. WHEELER, a young member of the family, joined the vessel under CAPT. HARDING'S command. In 1848 young WHEELER unfortunately lost his life off the bark, and in 1849 CAPT. HARDING was married to MISS WHEELER, the young man's sister. In 1852 he joined with L. P. HILLIARD, an old Chicago settler, who resides at present at Washington Heights, Ill., in the purchase of the C. P. Blair, and ran her in the grain trade for the next three years. Then he went into the service of the Board of Underwriters and superintended the building of the wrecking-tug N. P. Dorr. This tug was lost by a collision before she reached Chicago, and a second one, the Salvor, was built under his direction. He worked in the employ of the board as Captain of the Sal- vor for the following two years, and gave that up to go into the ship-chandlery business in Chicago in partnership with Z. M. HALL, the firm being known as HARDING & HALL, and having stores on South Water street. In September, 1860, he met with a terrible accident, from the results which he never fully recovered. He had been invited with some other gentlemen, one of whom was CAPT. JOHN PRINDIVILLE, to inspect a new system of reoiling apparatus on a schooner. The visitors went out on the tug-boat Union, and on their way the boiler of the tug exploded, killing three persons and severely injuring many others, one of whom was CAPT. HARDING. He was confined to bed for five months and obliged to use crutches for the following two years. On account of these injuries he gave up business in 1862, and has done no active work since. At the time of the dissolution of partnership the firm owned two vessels, the Goldhunter and the Harparian, and MR. HALL retained the former and CAPT. HARDING the latter. He also owned the Gallatin, which was lost about eighteen months ago. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marine Record July 19, 1883 DEATH OF CAPT. CHAS. HARDING From the Chicago Inter-Ocean Last evening another death occurred which will cause widespread regret and sorrow. It was that of CAPTAIN CHARLES HARDING, a re- tired shipowner and navigator, and a citi- zen of prominence who was everywhere held in the highest esteem. CAPTAIN HARDING had been ill for several months, and for some time past had lingered at death's door. He passed away from this life last evening as quietly and peacefully as if falling asleep. He has indeed fallen asleep to the cares of this life. The old captain's career was well rounded out, and he "crosses the bay" with a good record behind him. Commencing in his boy- hood on salt water, CAPTAIN HARDING was a navigator who could safely guide his ship to any port in the world. He was a success- ful man, became a shipowner, and after years of active life retired from all business to enjoy his fortune. And now the old captain has run into his final haven of rest - his snug harbor "across the bay," in eternity. Hosts of old friends in Chicago and in all the lake cities will bid CAPTAIN CHARLES a sad "bon voyage," and say a kind word for him. CAPTAIN HARDING owned and sailed the bark C. P. Blair on the lakes. He also built and sailed the bark Utica. The schooners Gold Hunter, Gallatin, and other lake craft were afterward owned by him. While in the service of the Board of Underwriters he superintended the construction and fit-out of the wrecking tugs E. P. Dorr and Salvor. For several years he was in the shipchandlery business in Chi- cago. Along about 1862 or '63 the (then) new bark S. V. R. Watson took on her first cargo of grain in Chicago and a party of prominent merchants and vessel-owners went out on the tug Union, which towed her out, to "see her off." The old "south channel" was the route out of the harbor then. CAPTAIN HARDING, CAPTAIN JOHN PRINDIVILLE, CAPTAIN DAVID DALL, and others still here were of the party. The tug was just about letting go of the Watson's line and the master of latter, CAPTAIN BRANDT, was shouting "Goodbye!" when the tug's boiler exploded. Several of her crew were killed, and every one on board was more or less in- jured. Among the latter was CAPTAIN HARDING. His injuries were so severe that at first his life was despaired of, but his giant consti- tution carried him through and he recovered. He was crippled, however, and always after- ward walked lame, compelling him to carry a stout stick, something he very much disliked to do. The Captain leaves a handsome fortune in real estate and other property. Within a few years a number of Chicago's old vessel owners have passed away, among them ALEX ENGLISH, MR. DOYLE, H. S. HALSTED, CAPTAIN THOMAS L. PARKER and others, and now CAPTAIN HARDING.