Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-11-03
Harding Elected
on Anniversary
of His Birth

States senator from Ohio and repub-
liean president elect, was chosen by
the American people to guide the
destinies Of the nation on his birth
day. He was born Nov. 2. 1865. on the
farm of his grandfather, just out
side the village of Blooming Grove.
Morrow county, Ohio. His father.
then the young doctor OF the village,
lis George L. Harding, who lives to
see the son chosen chief executive OF
the United States and the comman-
der in chief Of its army and it's navy.
The Hardings are Of colonial stock.
Originally they came from Scotland.
settling first in Connecticut and later
in the Wyoming valley. Pennsylva-
lia. where some were massacred by
Indians and others fought In the
revolutionary war. Phoebe Dickerson
was Warren Harding's mother. She
was descended from the Van Kinks.
an old-time Dutch family.
AS the eldest OF eight children,
Warren Harding began to carve his
career on the farm and in the woods,
|chopping wood. splitting rails. plant
ing and hoeing corn, and acquiring in
the beginning Of his life the habit OF
industry. He attended the village
school until he was IA years old,
when he entered the Ohio Central
college Of iberia, from which he was
graduated with high standing in
scholarship. There, too, he was fired
with the spark Of journalism. which
was to be His life work, becoming
early in his college years the editor
OF the school paper.
Teaches School at Seventeen.
Touns Harding was obliged to stop
school occasionally to earn money at
odd Jobs about the village and on
lneighborhood farms, At II he taught
| in the district school. Later he
worked In the village printing office.
where he learned to set type. Years
llater he became an expert on the
linotype.
He would not have it forgotten that
also in this formulative period he
played the big bass horn in the viii
llage band. One Of the boys who
played with Harding in that band
and who has since sat with him on
business boards OF directors In Mar
ion, Ohio, recently recounted how
that village band took a "tooting"
prize at tournament, and said
should Harding become president it
would not cause him half the pride
which he felt on the occasion when
we came home with third prize for
our musical proficiency"
But horn footing was not lucra-
tive, and it was to the printing bust
ness that Warren Harding devoted
himself until he became a practical
pressman, job-printer, makeup man
and later the editor and owner of the
Marion, Ohio, Star, which he still
owns and edits.
Printers Rule His Luck Piece.
The luck piece he carries in his
pocket as United States, senator and
(which will doubtless be resting In his
pocket when he raises his right hand
to take the oath of office under the
dome of the capitol at Washington,
is an old printers rule he used when
| sticking type"
"A great senator you are" a friend
said to him on entering the office of
the star in Marion one New Years
morning. when he found Senator
Harding making up the forms.
I'D he great senator If didn't
know anything else" the senator re-
piled. "You see, this is a holiday. We
want to set to press early and let the
| boys get out. So I'm helping them
OUT
Father Helps Him Buy Paper.
/ DR.. Harding, moved with his family
from Blooming Grove to Marion in
1884 and not long afterward he pur-
chased for his son the Star, a small,
struggling, financially uncertain pap
er. Warren Harding took hold with a
/ will, fired by ambition to succeed. He
worked with the paper day and night,
performing every function from
devil" to editor In chief. Thru many
vicissitudes he piloted the Star until
today it Is prosperous journal that
could not be purchased from Mr..
Harding at any price.
| There has never been a strike in
the office, and after the paper had
been established on firm financial
foundation, Mr.. Harding formed a
stock company, distributing the
I shares among the employees. They are
/ still CO. partners in the enterprise.
AS he grew with his paper in the
Marion community Mr.. Harding
branched out into the business life
of the city and he is today director
| in one Of the Marion banks and di-
rector of several large manufacturing
plants. He is also trustee of the Trim
| ity Baptist church of Marion.
| Enters State Politics.
| The political activity of Senator
Harding began not long after his rise
in Marion journalism En Woc fUin1