Mark Bernard Hardin (1838-1916) was an American chemist and professor who served as acting president of

Clemson College Clemson University () is a public land-grant research university near Clemson, South Carolina, United States. - The blue-shaded pattern denotes university property. This shows Clemson University is ''outside'' of the Clemson city limits. Founded ...

(now University) in 1897, 1899, and 1902. Hardin was born in 1838 in

Alexandria, Virginia Alexandria is an independent city (United States), independent city in Northern Virginia, United States. It lies on the western bank of the Potomac River approximately south of Washington, D.C., D.C. The city's population of 159,467 at the 2020 ...

. He studied science at the

Virginia Military Institute The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is a public senior military college in Lexington, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1839 as America's first state military college and is the oldest public senior military college in the U.S. In k ...

, and remained there after graduation, becoming assistant commandant of cadets and an adjunct professor of chemistry, mineralogy, and geology. During the

Civil War A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...

, he fought for the

Confederate Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fi ...

in the 33rd and 9th Virginia Infantries, and commanded the 18th Battalion, Virginia Heavy Artillery. From 1865 until 1877, he worked as an analytical chemist in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

, before returning to VMI as a professor. In 1890, Hardin was hired as chemist and professor at the newly founded

. Before students were enrolled in the school, his duties were to oversee the construction of the chemical laboratory, develop the chemistry curriculum, and inspect fertilizers as part of the college's extension system. Hardin was chosen as acting president of the college in 1897 following the resignation of

Edwin Boone Craighead Edwin Boone Craighead (March 3, 1861 – October 22, 1920) was an American academic and school administrator who served as the president of Clemson University, Central Methodist University, Central College, the University of Central Missouri, Tul ...

, serving for one month until Henry Simms Hartzog arrived on campus. He acted as president in 1899 during Hartzog's illness, and for a month in 1902 following Hartzog's resignation. He declined another stint as acting president following Patrick Hues Mell's administration in 1910, citing health concerns, instead supporting professor

Walter Riggs Walter Merritt Riggs (January 24, 1873 – January 22, 1924) was the president of Clemson University from 1910 to 1924 and the "father of Clemson football" coaching the first football team for what was then Clemson College. Riggs was president of ...

as Mell's replacement. McKale, 1998, p. 71–76 Hardin retired in July 1910 and was named Professor

Emeritus ''Emeritus/Emerita'' () is an honorary title granted to someone who retires from a position of distinction, most commonly an academic faculty position, but is allowed to continue using the previous title, as in "professor emeritus". In some c ...

. He died on April 26, 1916. Clemson's original chemistry building (which now houses humanities) was named in his honor, and his home on campus has been maintained for use by visiting trustees.

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Works cited

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hardin, Mark Bernard 1838 births 1916 deaths Scientists from Alexandria, Virginia American chemists Virginia Military Institute alumni Virginia Military Institute faculty Confederate States Army officers Clemson University faculty Presidents of Clemson University