John Harding was born in England, lived and died there. He was a jeweler by trade. His home was at Ashburton, Devonshire.

(II) Charles, son of John Harding, was born at Ashburton, Devonshire, England. He followed the trade of jeweler also, and died at Ashburton.
Children:
John, Emma, Thirza, Adelaide, Elizabeth and John (mentined below).

(III) John (2), son of Charles Harding, was born in Ashburton, England, about 1840. He received a grammar school education in his native town and served ap apprenticeship at the jeweler's trade, at which his father and grandfather had both worked.
About 1871, after the Franco-Prussian war, he came to America and located at Prescott, Canada, engaging in the jewelry business there. Afterward he removed to Windsor, Canada, where he has since lived.
In politics he is a Conservative; in religion an Episcopalian.
He married (first) about 1860, in England, Anna, born at Ashburton, 1842, died in England, 1868, daughter of John and Elizabeth Giles. He married (second) in 1870, Katherine Revel, also a native of England.
Children of first wife:
1. Charles, born in England, now (1910) living in Cleveland, Ohio, librarian of the Cleveland Mecical Library; married Sarah Downs, born in England; child: Almy.
2. John, mentioned below.
3. William, born in England, now (1910) living at Watertown, N.Y.
4. Elizabeth Ann, born in England, now living in Montreal, Canada.
5. Thirza, lives in Taunton, England; married r. Compton Bishop, a barrister.

(IV) John (3), son of John (2) Harding, was born at Ashburton, Devonshire, England, Oct. 19, 1862. He came with his parents to Canada when a young child. He received his early education at Prescott Academy, Prescott, Canada. He learend the art of telegraphing and in 1878 went to Paul Smith's place in the Adirondacks as telegraph operator, and held this position for ten years, excepting one winter in 1884, when he was clerk of a hotel at Ocala, Florida. He was chief clerk at Paul Smith's when he left to take the management of Hotel Ampersand at Saranac Lake, N.Y. In the spring of 1890 he purchased the Algonquin Hotel on Saranac Lake, a summer hotel with sixty-two acres of land surrounding it, and since then has been occupied mainly in conducting this hotel.
In 1895 he built the Harding Block, a handsome brick structure in the village of Saranac Lake. He established the Book Store in his block soon afterward, in partnership with E. L. Gray, to whom he afterward sold his interests in the business. For four years he managed the Berkeley Hotel on Saranac Lake. He is one of the best-known men in the county, an influential Democrat of independent tendencies. He was appointed postmaster of Saranac Lake during the second administration of President Cleveland, and he was supervisor of Harriettown for four years. He has been president of the incorporated village of Saranac Lake for two years and served for a time on the board of education of the town. He is a member of the local board of trade and was formerly its president. He is vice-president of the local Building and Loan Association; trustee of the Reception Hospital; president of the Saranac Lake Skating Club, and former president of the Pontiac Club.
He is a member of White Face Mountain Lodge, No. 789, Free and Accepted Masons, of Saranac Lake; of Wanneta Chapter, Royal Arch Masons; of Franklin Commandery, Knights Templar, of Malone; and of Karnak Temple, Mystic Shrine, Montreal.

He married, in1887, Emma Thomas, of Plattsburgh, N.Y., daughter of Almon and Rebecca (Moore) Thomas.
Children:
1. Almon Thomas, born at Saranac Lake, December, 1888; graduate of the Saranac Lake high school, now a student in the Polytechnic Institute of Troy, studying mechanical and electrical engineering.
2. John Phelps, born at Saranac Lake, December, 1891; graduate of the Saranac Lake high school, now (1910) a student of architecture in Columbia University.
3. Watson Giles, born in Saranac Lake, 1894, student in the high school there.

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