Themes: Architectural, Commerce, Community development
This property is listed as 183 North Main Street and 2 Harding St.

Historical significance: Street named for John Harding, a successful merchant with store in basement of Baptist Church. His father, an earlier John Harding, was loyalist and emigrant, who quartered British soldiers in 1812.

John Harding, son of John, was born in 1769 and died on Dec. 28, 1827. John married Sarah Houghton b. 1769, daughter of Thomas Houghton (1730-1797) and Elizabeth Taylor (1737-1800). John and Sarah Harding had eight children; Thomas Houghton b. Feb. 13, 1797, Mary Ann b. Dec. 25, 1798, Sarah Hickson b. Mar. 16, 1800 - d. 1869, Charlotte Stroud b. June 16, 1802, John Jr. b. June 27, 1804 - d. 1893, Catherine b. June 20, 1807- d. 1821 James Friend b. Aug. 12, 1810 and Samuel Houghton b. May 10, 1814 - d. May 31, 1814.

Widow Sarah Harding sold her portion of the estate to her daughter Sarah H. for $1070.33 on Dec. 16, 1842. John's children would later inherit his estate. Thomas Harding and sister Sarah H. Harding owned the property at 6-8 Harding St. the double house. Thomas owned #6 and Sarah owned #8. Sarah was an Abolitionists and a charter member of the Free Christina Church in 1845. The 1850 Valuation Schedule lists Sarah H.: 1/2 Dwelling house $800, 1/4 Old house $700 = $1500 assessment. The 1850 Census; Sarah now 49, lists her real estate value at $1000.

Her niece Josephine Harding age 17, born about 1833 in Conn. is living with her aunt Sarah and attending school. On April 15, 1858 Josephine married Curtis M. Baldwin, age 30 a shoe maker, (cordwainer) at the Free Church. Josephine lists her parents as Thomas & Eliza Harding. Curtis was born in Greenfield, NH, son of Ziba & Chloe Eliza (Morse) Curtis. In 1860 Sarah Harding is living with the Baldwins. In 1865 Mass. Census Sarah had moved in with the Clarks. Sarah died in 1867 and is interred at South Church Cemetery with her parents, two siblings, and the Houghton family.