Warren G. Harding

Harding c. 1920, Harris & Ewing collection at the Library of Congress

Birth Name: Warren Gamaliel Harding

Date of Birth: November 2, 1865

Place of Birth: Blooming Grove, Ohio, U.S.

Date of Death: August 2, 1923

Place of Death: San Francisco, California, U.S.

Ethnicity: English, some Scottish, distant Dutch and Welsh

Warren G. Harding was an American politician. A Republican, he served as the 23rd President of the United States, from March 4, 1921 to August 2, 1923. He was elected to the position in 1920. He served as president until his death. He was previously a Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, from January 11, 1904 to January 8, 1906, and a U.S. Senator from Ohio, from March 4, 1915 to January 13, 1921.

President Harding was the son of Phoebe Elizabeth (Dickerson) and Tryon Harding (George Tryon/Tyron Harding), who was a physician and businessperson. He was married to Florence Mabel (Kling), until his death. He had a daughter with his mistress Nan Britton.

President Harding’s paternal grandfather was Charles Alexander Harding (the son of George Tryon/Tyron Harding and Elizabeth Madison). Charles was born in Clifford, Susquehanna, Pennsylvania. George was the son of Amos Harding and Phoebe Tripp. Elizabeth was possibly the daughter of William Madison and Mary Hooper.

President Harding’s paternal grandmother was Mary Ann/Anne Crawford (the daughter of Joshua Crawford and Sophia Stevens). Mary Ann/Anne was born in Pennsylvania, likely in Washington County. Joshua was the son of John Crawford and Lydia Stapleton, who was born in Midlothian, Scotland. Sophia was the daughter of Benjamin Stevens and Sarah Ann.

President Harding’s maternal grandfather was Isaac Haines Dickerson (the son of Joseph Dickerson and Abigail Hines/Hinds). Isaac was born in Virginia. Joseph was the son of Joshua Dickerson and Abigail. President Harding’s great-grandmother Abigail Hinds was the daughter of Benjamin Hinds and Mary Breese.

President Harding’s maternal grandmother was Charity Malvina van Kirk (the daughter of William van Kirk and Deborah Watters). Charity was born in Pennsylvania, likely in Washington County. William was the son of Henry Van Kirk, Jr. and Sarah Johnson. Deborah was the daughter of Thomas Watters and Priscilla Wadden.

Warren G. Harding has been rumored to have African-American ancestry to some degree, dating back to his election campaigns. However, no documented African-American ancestry has ever been produced in President Harding’s detailed family tree. President Harding’s only documented post-1600 roots are English, with a smaller amount of Scottish, and more distant Dutch and Welsh. A DNA test taken around 2015 on a few of President Harding’s relatives indicated “no detectable genetic signatures of sub-Saharan African heritage in any of the three cousins.”

Sources: Genealogies of President Warren G. Harding – http://www.geni.com
http://famouskin.com
http://www.wikitree.com

President Harding on the 1880 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org

Death record of President Harding’s brother, George Tryon Harding – https://www.familysearch.org