The Washington herald., 1920-06-13
Nominee is Of Pioneer Stock;
Born on Farm; School Teacher;
And Practical Newspaper Man

Warren G. Harding. United States
Senator from Ohio, 81 years old. was
born on his grandfather's farm, just
outside the village of Blooming
Grove. Marrow County, Ohio. No
vember 2, 1855. He was the eldest
Of eight children. some Of whom
have achieved more than ordinary
distinction; one in medicine. one as
public school instructor. and one
as missionary in a foreign field.
He is the son OF George T. Hard
ing. then the young village doctor.
The Hardings are of old Colonial
stock, coming originally from Scot
land, settling first in Connecticut,
and removing later to the wyoming
Valley. Pa, where some of them
were massacred. and some fought in
the Revolutionary War.
Mother Was Holland Dutch.
The mother of Warren. Phoebe
Dickerson. was descended from an
old-time Holland Dutch family. the
Van Kinks. so that in Warren G.
Harding is found the blending OF
the blood of the hardy Holland
Dutch and the fearless. alert and
liberty-loving Scotch.
The country in the vicinity of
Blooming Grove was mostly wood
land. Harding's grandfather owned
small tract of land and was
neither better nor worse off than
his neighbors. They wero all en-
gagged in cutting away the timber
and Transforming a primitive forest
into cultivated farms.
AS Warren grew up he learned
to fell trees, chop wood, split rails,
plant and hoe cCrn. He early ac-
quired the habit of industry.
A schooIboy Eavorite.
1t was not all work in those days.
however. and Warren delighted in
all the country and village sports.
He loved u haunt the old swim
ming hole in wetstone Creek.
Among his schoolmateS he was a
prime favorite and the leader of
the gang.
He attended the village school un-
til fourteen years old, when he en-
tered the Ohio Central College of
Iberia. and it was there, as editor of
the college paper, that he first dis
played talent for Journalism.
At the age of Il he taught in a
district school. and was a member of
the village brass band" In his odd
hours, he worked in the village
printing office. He seemed to love
the odor of printers ink. and to
have a passion for everything per-
tanning to a newspaper office. even
to the detail of mechanical equip
ment.
StiII Carries Printers Rule
He became an expert hand type
setter and when the linotype was
first introduced. he learned to op-
crate the machine. He is a practi-
cal pressman. job printer and make
up" man. The luck piece" he has
carried as a Senator is the old
printers rule he used when he was
sticking type"
When he was 10. having COM
Ipleted his college course. his father.
DR.. Harding, seeking a wider field,
moved to Marion, Ohio, the county
seat OF the adjoining county, where
he still resides. and despite his IS
years, is in active practice.
The Marion Star. of which Sem
ator Harding is publisher. is his
idol. the pet of his youth and his
present pride.
The Star was a struggling daily
paper. small in size. in a struggling
county seat of 1000. Young Hard
ing yearned TO possess II.
Though it had had a precarious
existence, his fathr, having faith in
the boy, and wishing to crafty his
sons greatest desire. lent his credit
in assisting him to take over the
paper. The county was then Demo-
cratic, and the Star was not even
the official organ of the minority
party.
Made 1t Big Success.
With the enthusiasm of youth,
Harding bent to the task OF making