May Louise Harding (Louise) was born May 4, 1911 near Ogilville, Indiana in Southwest Bartholomew county. 

She lived her entire life at the family farm with her parents Charles William Henry Harding and Elva L. Shroyer Harding.   Louise was an only child and never married.  The Harding house, however, was far from empty.  Sometime after Louise’s grandfather died in 1912, her grandmother came to live with her parents.  Louise’s aunts, Mary and Pearl also lived with Louise and her parents.  Like Louise, Mary and Pearl never married.  They lived with the Harding's until their deaths in 1946 and 1968.  Grandmother Lydia died in 1923.  




Louise’s grandmother, Lydia Ann Stout Harding was born August 20, 1844.  She married Hiram Harding on September 3, 1860.  The Rose of Sharon appliqué quilt included in this collection is Lydia’s wedding quilt.  It is likely that Lydia’s mother and possibly grand-mother helped make this quilt.  Lydia and Hiram had seven children:  Mary, Anna, Emma, Laura, Ella, Pearl, and Charles (Louise's father). 

Charles married Louise’s mother, Elva Shroyer Harding April 3, 1907.  Their only child, Louise, was born in 1911. 



Louise was very close to her father and often told stories of time spent with Daddy on the farm.  She told of going to the fields with Daddy and using his coat as a blanket to rest on when she got tired.  Louise's beloved father died in 1963 and her mother in 1968.

Louise was accomplished in various needlecrafts.  She talked about quilting with her mother.  If the stitches were not right mother would make Louise take the stitches out and redo.   She chuckled when telling how her aunt would sit next to Louise at the quilting frame with her elbow on the quilt.  Louise’s stitches would be straight until her aunt moved her elbow.   That aggravated her so.  Louise also enjoyed crocheting and often gave afghans as special gifts.  Even though Louise enjoyed needlecraft and she came from a long line of quilters, her fondest memories were not of quilting or crocheting but of tending the farm fields and animals with her father.   She reminisced about riding in the wagon to grandma’s house and grandma giving her a gift in a brown paper bag.   Grandma told Louise not to open it until she got home.   To her delight it was a baby chick.  This was the only gift she remembered her Grandmother giving her.  This may explain why Louise enjoyed raising not only chickens but geese, turkeys, ducks, and guineas.  

The family was creative and thrifty.   They made many wonderful quilts, aprons, and doilies for themselves and also quilted for others.  The family garden included not only vegetables but many flowers.  They saved everything, farm and home magazines, newspaper patterns, recipes and of course those colorful feed sacks from the 1930-1950s which were used to make many of those wonderful quilts, dresses, aprons. 

In addition to helping tend the farm and house.  Louise and her aunts Mary and Pearl worked outside the home.   They each worked at Arvin’s in Columbus, Indiana until they reached retirement.   Louise retired at age 62 after 44 years of service (1929-1973).   After retiring she continued to do needlecraft and tend her lawn and garden.    It was not unusual to see Louise in her bonnet push mowing the lawn on a hot summer day when she was well into her 80's. 

With her family gone and as she grew older Louise relied on close friends for companionship and support.  Louise and her good friend Vernie sometimes lived together through the cold Winter months.  Vernie's niece Cheryl helped the ladies from time to time and was the one they called on when they needed a home perm.    Cheryl's husband, Lucky, rented Louise's farm ground.  Lucky and Cheryl became Louise's trusted friends and possibly the children she never had.   They helped her stay independent in her home until age 92.  When she needed to move to the nursing home, they remained close and visited daily.


Louise also belonged to the Ohio Township Home Economic Club and was active in her Church.    

Louise joined Ogilville United Methodist Church November 21, 1937; she was baptized on July 10, 1938.  Louise's faith was very important to her.   She attended church nearly every Sunday and lived her life  in a way that reflected her faith.  She remained a faithful Christian until her death on December 13, 2004.

The Harding family tree is recorded in the family Bible which was passed on to Lucky and Cheryl.

Click on the links below to view details about some of the Harding family quilts.

     Rose of Sharon - Lydia Stout Harding's Wedding Quilt
     Pomegranate - red, green and gold appliqué
Pine Tree - Indigo and White
Patriotic Stars
Morning Star
 Album