Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens
Lawrence County Pennsylvania 1897
[p. 117] 
whose
portrait we publish on the opposite page, for
many years an honored and highly respected
citizen of this county was born in Yorkshire,
England, nine miles from the city of Leeds, Feb.
4, 1815. He departed this life at his residence
at No. 35 Croton Avenue, New Castle, April 14,
1897. He died suddenly of apoplexy, and, although
he was eighty-two years of age at his
decease, he carried his years well, and was
active and vigorous up to the day of his death.
Before his retirement from active business
pursuits he was well-known in mercantile circles
as a substantial citizen, whose industry, strict
integrity, pleasant manners, and honorable character
entitled him to a high place in the esteem
of the community.
His father, Richard Hardaker, was a skilled mechanic in the manufacture of machinery in his native country of England, where he lived until his death. Our subject's mother, Sarah (Burnley) Hardaker, died only eight days after Joseph B. was born, and she surrendered him to the care of her father, Joseph Burnley, who reared him, and with him, in 1832, came to America in the ship General Williams, sailing on the 1st of August, and arriving at New York on Sept. 10, 1832. They settled in Erie, Erie Co., Pa., but later removed to East Brook in this county, and there our subject's grandfather became interested in the manufacture of woolen fabrics, having been a manufacturer in that line, when a resident of England. He lived to be eighty-eight years old.
Joseph B. Hardaker early in life entered into mercantile business, being located at East Brook fourteen years, and then sixteen years in New Castle; after this he was engaged for nine years in the banking business, and the last fifteen years of his life were spent in retirement. He acquired an enviable reputation as an upright, conscientious and obliging merchant, and with this reputation also accumulated a comfortable fortune. He was vice-president of the First National Bank of New Castle for nine years until 1880, when feeling that he would like to retire from business and enjoy the years remaining to him, he closed out all those business interests that required his constant personal attention, and took an extended tour through Great Britain, visiting especially his native home Eccleshill, which from a small village, as he left it to come to the New World, had grown to a large and prosperous town, being altered almost beyond his recognition. The following year, in company with his wife, Mrs. Lizzie Hardaker, he made another visit to Great Britain, spending eight months abroad. After this tour he returned to New Castle, where he was very highly respected and where he enjoyed the comforts of a pleasant home, and the rest which he had so fully earned by a long and active business life. In his later years he managed with great care and good judgment the means and property he had accumulated in business. He was naturally of a social and friendly disposition and greatly enjoyed the company and conversation of his neighbors and acquaintances.
Mr. Hardaker married Miss Frances Glover, daughter of James Glover, who came from England to America in the same ship as our subject. Mrs. Hardaker died in February, 1859. Several years afterward Mr. Hardaker was joined in marriage with his second wife, Miss Elizabeth Robinson, daughter of Thomas Robinson of Erie, Pa., who survives him and still resides in New Castle. Mrs. Hardaker is of English descent. She is a genial, pleasant lady and has acquired a large circle of friends in the county.
In church affairs she is a Methodist and takes great interest in church work. She has broad and liberal views toward other denominations and any deserving charity will find in her a friend.
Biographical Sketches of Leading Citizens Lawrence County Pennsylvania
Biographical Publishing Company, Buffalo, N.Y., 1897
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Updated: 28 Apr 2001