Dr. Harding’s native place was Sturbridge, Mass where he was born to John and Vashti Harding. His father was a farmer. I have not been able to procure much information in regard to the subject of my sketch prior to his 18th year (note: this would have been during the Rev. War years) He shared the educational and other narrow advantages of his day.
I find by Dr. Harding’s memorandum books and other papers that he concluded to adopt the profession of medicine for his life work at about the age of eighteen years. His preceptor was Dr. Jacob Corey of Sturbridge, Mass. Having obtained the medical education of the period he takes leave of his preceptor and fellow pupils in a farewell address at the request of the former. It was given June 16th 1788 so our young physician was a little over 21 years of age. “I am going forth into the world to obtain subsistence by the practice of medicine, expect to meet with troubles, trials, opposition; but be that as it may, I am determined to do for my fellow beings whenever opportunity offers, all that lies in my power in assisting nature in the restoration of health.”
Next we find our young physician moved by a spirit of enterprise and a desire to better his condition in company with his faithful life partner (Jemima Morse of Medfield, Mass ) and probably a few more friends in the year 1790, journeying
through and across the valleys and hills of our beautiful New England to the wilds of Vermont, more than 100 miles to the North.. Finally the chosen home is reached in Hartland. Very soon the young Doctor finds ample employment in attending
to the sick and caring for his family of children. His residence for the most part was at the George Marcy homestead one mile south of our West village. (still standing at the corner of County and Brownsville Roads ) Harding’s medical practice, I gather from his papers and hearsay, was partly old school or Allopathic, partly Botanic, with leaning to the latter as being the safer. He used the medicinal plants of this vicinity.
He was pleasant, lively and agreeable with a fair share of the lively wit and quick sense of humor that characterizes the sons and daughters of New England. I will here give an anecdote from an aged friend of the doctor and his little boys. He is just ready to start out on his horse to a patient, calls the boys and requests them to do a little piece of work, perhaps to hoe a small potato patch, something that looked rather formidable to the little fellows,” Oh no, couldn’t do it, didn’t feel well , were sick.” The doctor says nothing, rides away over the hill but very soon returns and finds the boys having a very good time for sick boys. He only says he concluded they ought to have some medicine and forthwith mixes the most nauseating and villainous preparation he could compound and duly administers the same. We know the medicines of that day were bad enough at best, and it is safe to say the boys were not sick again soon unless obliged to be.
He was afflicted with a lingering sickness in his last years and often visited the sick when he was really not able to do so. He was some relieved in his last years by his oldest sons studying and practicing medicine with him. (John Harding, Jr. was also a physician in Hartland, building and living in the house now occupied by Peter Gordon.)
Dr. Harding is buried in the Walker cemetery, near where he lived. The epitaph on his stone says “He was ever more solicitous of his patients, then for medical fee or reward.” By all appearances, a life well lived.
This was taken from a biographical sketch prepared by a grandson , E.B. Harding in Hartland in 1877.
Extracted from the Spring 2006 Hartland Historical Society Newsletter.