Charles Hardcastle was born to William and Maria Hardcastle on 4 June 1857 in Decatur, Macon County, Illinois. Charles grew up on his father’s farm. He moved to Kansas to complete his college education at Wherrell Norman at Paola, Kansas. After college he taught school in Lincolnville, Kansas for six years. He moved from Lincolnville to Marion, Kansas where he was appointed postmaster.
Charles married Miss Elizabeth Yost on 24 June 1884. Elizabeth was raised and educated in Washington, DC. In 1883, she moved to Marion, Kansas where she met and married Charles Hardcastle.
Charles and Elizabeth had six children; Carrie, Helen, Emma, Dallas, Frank and Robert.
Charles and Elizabeth moved from Marion, Kansas to Bridgeport, Texas on 1 May 1893. Charles had accepted a position of Town Agent for the Rock Island Railroad. The railroad was selling parcels of land to form the city of Bridgeport. He assisted in surveying the town, and erected the first building in Bridgeport-a two-room structure for a town lot office. The sale of town lots was held on 3 June 1893. A few years later the School Board elected him superintendent of the Bridgeport Grade School. Mr. Hardcastle served two terms in that capacity. He was appointed postmaster of Bridgeport under the Democratic administration. He was followed by his wife, Mrs. Elizabeth Hardcastle, under the McKinley administration. Later he became claim agent for the Rock Island and held that position for twenty-five years. Mr. and Mrs. Hardcastle and children moved to Oklahoma in 1908 and remained there about thirty years. In later life he and his wife returned to Bridgeport. He died March 1, 1942.
