HISTORY OF THE HARDAWAY FAMILY
For those of us who are not familiar with the fine ancestral background of the Hardaway Family, we would like to present a brief scenario of what we perceive our history to be.
From the bits and pieces of information available, we have been able to ascertain that there were two brothers, COLEMAN and STRETFORD HARDAWAY. COLEMAN was married to BELLA and they were the parents of about 13 children. One of the 13 children was HANSEL. STRETFORD was married to JANE. Their immediate family numbered around 8 children. One of the 8 children was ELIJAH.
The records of the United States Census Bureau indicate that both families were farmers and laborers residing in Alabama until sometime after 1850. It was around this time that the brothers and their families migrated to Georgia.
It is general knowledge that the Civil War ended in 1865. So the end of the war found Hansel (Coleman’s son) around 13 years old and Elijah (Stretford’s son) approximately 18 years old. Both were still residing in Georgia with their families at this time.
A short time after this, for reasons that are still unclear, the families migrated again. It is believed that the two brothers, Coleman and Stretford, moved their families either back to Alabama or on to Mississippi. We are certain, however, that Elijah, as did his cousin Hansel, and a sister, Marthie, remained in Georgia (HarrisCounty).
The two cousins, Hansel and Elijah, were united in holy matrimony to two sisters. Hansel married ELIZA UPSHAW and Elijah married GEORGIA UPSHAW.
These two unions represent a double blessing because they endowed the Hardaway Family with a dual bond of kinship. This bond has endured from generation to generation and from descendant to descendant.
Our need and desire to gather together, to break bread and to fellowship with one another didn’t just happen. It is the result of years, from the days of Hansel and Elijah, of nurturing and caring for one’s family. We have been lovingly taught and trained in the security and assurance of a strong and united family. It should be no surprise, therefore, that the Hardaway men and women of Atlanta, Columbus, Detroit, Chicago, Cleveland, California, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania,Virginia, Washington and all points in between have made every effort to achieve maximum quality in their lives and in the lives of others.
It is to this end, we present the HARDAWAY FAMILY, direct descendants of two cousins,HANSEL and ELIJAH HARDAWAY.
Let the children come to me and do not stop them,
because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.
Luke, 18:16(Good News Bible)
Reprinted with revisions