Related collections:
sl 379 HARDY SALT COMPANY, RECORDS, 1914-1987
sl 506 HARDY COMPANY ADDENDA, 1914-1985
sl 510 HARDY FAMILY, ADDENDA, 1911-1982
sl 727 HARDY SALT COMPANY, ADDENDA, 1920-1990
Thomas Walter Hardy Jr. donated the Hardy Family papers to the Western Historical Manuscript Collection at the University of Missouri-St. Louis on April 15, 1987.
Thomas Walter Hardy, founder of Hardy Salt Company in St. Louis, was born in Bells, Tennessee on June 23, 1881. In 1911 he married Jane Smith Tillman of Nashville, Tennessee. Hardy held various office jobs before becoming a travelling salesman for Morton Salt Company in 1912.
The Hardy's first son, George Tillman, was born in 1914, the same year Hardy started his own salt business in St. Louis. The Hardy's had two more sons, Thomas Walter Jr. (b.1916) and Lewis Tillman (b.1918.) All three sons attended Country Day School in St. Louis county. George and Lewis Hardy graduated from Washington University in St. Louis. Thomas Walter Hardy Jr. graduated from Harvard University in 1939.
After graduation, both Lewis and Thomas Walter Hardy Jr. went to work with the Hardy Salt Company. The Hardy Salt Company built the Manistee Salt Works in Manistee, Michigan and had grown into a major salt producer and distributor in the eastern United States (See collection 379.)
Thomas Walter Hardy Jr. became president of the Hardy Salt Company after his father retired in 1955. Thomas Walter Hardy died in 1960. Five years later, Jane Hardy donated the family's home, "Wayside", at 415 Bermuda in Florissant, Missouri to the Normandy School District. The District converted the home into a remedial reading clinic. In August 1986, the clinic became the Early Childhood Education Center at Wayside directed by Mary Lynn Skiles.
Jane Tillman Hardy, the only woman in a class of 53, graduated from Washington University Law School in 1929. She served four years as president of the St. Louis County League of Women Voters and one term as president of the Missouri League of Women Voters (See collections 232-234.) Jane Hardy also took an active role in the Clean Election League in St. Louis county during the 1930s.
A strong supporter of the United Nations, Jane Hardy advocated the greater use of the International Court of Justice and urged that it be given broader jurisdiction with power to enforce its decisions. After her long life in political and civic affairs, Jane Hardy died in 1974 at the age of 89.
Thomas Walter Jr. and Lewis Hardy continued the Hardy Salt Company until 1985. Since none of the Hardy heirs took an interest in managing the business, Thomas Walter Hardy Jr. sold the Hardy Salt Company to Diamond Crystal Company of St. Clair, Michigan.
Like his mother, Thomas Hardy Jr. became involved in civic and world affairs. From 1968-1970 he chaired the St. Louis Chapter of Business Executives Move for Vietnam Peace (See collection 441.) He also served as an executive board member of the Center for Defense Information, and the Committee For the East-West Accord both based in Washington, D.C. Thomas Walter Hardy Jr. became an active member of the Kirkwood United Methodist Church in St. Louis. In 1975 Hardy Jr. received the Doctor of Human Letters Degree from Philander Smith College in Arkansas.
SCOPE AND CONTENT
The Hardy Family Papers of 1911-1982 primarily document the political activities of Jane Hardy through her papers and correspondence. It also contains Jane Hardy's writings on art, architecture, and history. The collection includes a paper by Thomas Walter Hardy entitled, "Medicine In Ancient Egypt" and a paper by retired U.S. Calvary Colonel Edwin Hardy entitled,"The Saga of a Horse Called Ugly." The collection also includes family christmas cards, and Thomas Walter Hardy Jr.'s Doctor of Humane Letters Degree. Photographs include family vacations in Mexico and Bermuda and Thomas Hardy Jr.'s college graduation in 1939. Divided into four series: 1. Jane Hardy Papers, 1911-1974 (Folders 1-7); 2. Family Memorabilia, 1939-1982 (Folders 8-9); 3. Research Papers by Family Members, n.d. (Folders 10-11); and 4. Photographs, c. 1915-1960s (Folder 12).
SERIES DESCRIPTION
SERIES 1 - JANE HARDY PAPERS, 1911-1974, FOLDERS, 1-7
Arranged alphabetically. Contains Jane Hardy's papers, speeches, and correspondence, 1911-1974, as well as newsclippings about the donation of the Hardy family home, "Wayside," to the Normandy School District.
SERIES 2 - FAMILY MEMORABILIA, 1939-1982, FOLDERS, 8-9
Arranged chronologically. Contains newsclippings, a high school graduation program, a family christmas card, and Thomas Walter Hardy Jr.'s Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Philander Smith College.
SERIES 3 - RESEARCH PAPERS BY HARDY FAMILY MEMBERS, n.d., FOLDERS 10-11
Arranged alphabetically. Contains a paper by retired Colonel Edwin N. Hardy of the U.S. Calvary entitled, "The Saga of a Horse Called Ugly," and a paper by Thomas Walter Hardy Sr. entitled, "Medicine in Ancient Egypt."
SERIES 4 - PHOTOGRAPHS 11354-11385, c. 1915-1960s, FOLDER 12
Arranged chronologically. Contains photos of family vacations in Mexico and Bermuda, as well as Thomas Walter Hardy Jr.'s graduation from Harvard.
FOLDER LIST
BOX 1, FOLDERS 1-12
SERIES 1 - JANE HARDY PAPERS, 1911-1974
1. Donation of Hardy family home, "Wayside," to the Normandy School District, 1965
2. Memorial Book, 1974
3. Newsclippings, 1916-1974
4. Papers and Speeches on Political Events, c. 1930s
5. Papers on Art and History, n.d.
6. Personal Correspondence, 1911-1973
7. Political Correspondence, 1939-1964
SERIES 2 - FAMILY MEMORABILIA, 1939-1982
8. Newsclippings, high school graduation program, family christmas card, 1939-1982
9. Thomas Walter Hardy Jr.'s Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Philander Smith College, 1975
SERIES 3 - RESEARCH PAPERS BY FAMILY MEMBERS, n.d.
10. Edwin N. Hardy, retired Colonel, U.S. Calvary, paper entitled, "The Saga of a Horse Called Ugly,"
n.d.
11. Thomas Walter Hardy Sr. paper entitled, "Medicine in Ancient Egypt," n.d.
SERIES 4 - PHOTOGRAPHS, 11354-11385 c. 1915-1960s
12. 11354-11355 Jane Hardy, c. 1910-1915
11356 Thomas Hardy Sr., c. 1910-1915
11357 Thomas Walter Hardy Jr.,(c. age 3?) , c. 1915
11358 Carey Hardy (?) with Jane Hardy (?), c.1920s
11359 Jane Hardy, c. 1920-1930s
11360 Tillman Hardy, 1936
11361 Thomas Walter Hardy Jr. graduating from college, c. 1930s
11362 Thomas Walter Hardy Jr. with mother, Jane Hardy, at graduation, c. 1930s
11363-11372 Jane Hardy, Thomas Walter Hardy Jr., and Thomas Walter Hardy Jr. on vacation in Bermuda, c. 1930s
11373 Jane and Thomas Walter Hardy in Bermuda, c. 1930s
11374-11379 Thomas Walter and Jane Hardy in Mexico, 1938
11380 Thomas Walter Jr. with son (?) and Jane Hardy on beach, c. 1940s
11381-11382 Thomas Walter Hardy Sr. with men on hunting expedition, 1947
11383 Jane Hardy speaking at commencement exercises, c. 1960s
11384-11385 Jane and Thomas Walter Hardy relax outside home (?), c. 1960s
INDEX
Business, f. 1-12
Clean Election League, f. 3
Early Childhood Education Center at Wayside, f. 1, 8
Hardy, George Tillman, f. 3, 6, 8
Hardy, Jane, f. 1-8, 11
Hardy, Lewis Tillman, f. 3, 6, 8
Hardy Salt Company, f. 1-12
Hardy, Thomas Walter, f. 3, 6, 8-9, 11
Hardy, Thomas Walter Jr. f. 1-3, 6-8
League of Women Voters, f. 1-7
Normandy Reading Clinic, Wayside, f. 1-4, 8, 11
Peace, f. 1-7
Politics, f. 1-7
Salt Manufacturing, f. 1-12
United Nations, f. 3-4
Washington University Law School, f. 3
Wayside, f. 1-4, 8, 11
Women Lawyers, f. 1-7
STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF MISSOURI RESEARCH CENTER-ST. LOUIS
222 THOMAS JEFFERSON LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-ST. LOUIS
8001 NATURAL BRIDGE ROAD
ST. LOUIS, MO 63121
(314) 516-5143
whmc@umsl.edu