MRS. CHARLES HARDIN

Mrs. Hardin is in the portrait style reflective of George Caleb Bingham, but the authenticity of this belief has never been substantiated. She is remembered for her response to a scourge of grasshoppers that inundated the state for an inordinate amount of time. Being a religious woman, she suggested a statewide day of prayer. When the grasshoppers left soon thereafter, she was lauded--and remembered--for having suggested the ultimate solution. After his term, Governor and Mrs. Hardin returned to their home in Mexico, Missouri, where they later founded Hardin College. Mrs. Hardin was a devout Baptist and authored a book, a biography of her husband. There was no music, dancing or alcohol at the governor's inauguration.