Eli Hardcastle Sr was born in North Carolina. He had siblings, James, Elisha, Hugh, Elizabeth Hardcastle and 2 half-siblings, John and Polly Calhoun.

His son Elias wrote detailed memoirs about the family's trip from Alabama to Texas in 1851. Several families all traveled together by wagon, horseback and foot. The memoirs published by Marcus Lowthorp were titled "The Life and Times of Elias Hardcastle."

Eli married Susan B PATE December 1840 in Butler county, Alabama. Susan wrote this marriage date on her CSA pension application. They were the parents of 13 children. The first 4: Elias, Alex, Hugh and Offie were born from 1842 - 1850 in Montgomery, Alabama. The remaining 9 children were all born in Milam county, Texas.

Susan was the sister of Amy C Pate who also married Eli's brother James. The Hardcastles, Pates, Fowlers, and others traveled to Texas together in 1851 by wagon.

Eli was a farmer and according to Elias, died from getting overheated stacking hay in the fodder pen at their home in Milam county, TX. There is a grave somewhere possibly marked 7 miles from Milano, TX according to Ima Hardcastle Timmons that her father Dennis Hardcastle (son of Eli Jr and grandson of Eli Sr.) maintained until he could no longer do so. The grave has never been located by the Holders in their cemetery books.

Eli and Susan were parents of 13, the last child Elijah, was actually born after Eli died. All 12 children survived him. In Susan's obituary (1907), it was stated they had 98 grandchildren, 128 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.

Eli and Susan are found on the 1850 Pike, Alabama census and 1860 Nashville, Milam, Texas census.

2019 Update: I have tentatively moved burial location to Liberty Comm. Cem. I was told by Thelma Maddox in 1995 that is where he was buried. I also found a genealogy.com online posting in 2000 by Lawrence Oliver listing that as his burial place. But when I went to that cemetery I did not find a marker. I was told during a road expansion some markers were destroyed and also some markers have been stolen. I have written the association for help.

Bio by Kelly K