Paul Hardin Junior. was born November 7, 1903, in Chester, South Carolina. He was the son of Paul and Harriet Wannamaker Hardin. He married Dorothy (Dot) Elizabeth Reel, who died in 1992.
She was later buried at the Garrett-Hillcrest Cemetery/Memorial Gardens.
They had three children, a daughter named Betsy Reel Hardin, and two sons, Paul III and Edward.
He attended Wofford College in 1920, where he studied law and then to Candler School of Theology, Emory University in 1924, where he received his divinity degree in 1927.
Hardin was ordained Deacon in 1929 and Elder in 1931. He was assigned to pastorates in North Carolina and in 1949 he was appointed to Birmingham, Alabama First Methodist Church. Hardin was elected bishop on July 15, 1960, at the Southeastern Jurisdictional conference.
Foreign many years he was the resident bishop of the Columbia (South Carolina) area.
From 1961 to 1964 he also had charge of the Alabama-West Florida Conference following the death of Bishop Bachman Gladstone Hodge. He was a delegate to the General Conference and Jurisdictional Conference of 1960.
Bishop Hardin died in 1996. Paul Hardin Junior. died Saturday June 22, 1996, at the age of 92.
His service was held on June 25, 1996, at the First Methodist Church in Waynesville, North Carolina.
President of the Council on World Service and Finance Delegate to the General Conference and Jurisdictional Conference of 1960 Trustee of Emory University.
Member of the Western North Carolina Conference for 20 years. 1949–1960—minister of the First Church in Birmingham, Alabama. Resident bishop of South Carolina (Columbia) in the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference for 12 years. During that time, he also served as relief bishop to the Alabama-West Florida Conference and was President of the Council of Bishops, 1971–1972. Member of the Rotary Club of Emory University for life. Former Vice-Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Emory University.
Bishop Hardin was a member of the General Board of Education. Of the General Board of Christian Social Concerns. And president of the Council on World Service and Finance.
He was a member of the Lake Junaluska Assembly and a trustee of Emory University.
Member of the Western North Carolina Conference for 20 years. Member of the Rotary Club of Emory University for life.
Member of the General Board of Education
Member of the General Board of Christian Social Concerns
Member of the Lake Junaluska Assembly.
