William Giles Harding

William Giles Harding
Portrait of William Giles Harding
Born	1808 Belle Meade, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	December 15, 1886 Nashville, Tennessee, U.S.
Nationality	American
Education	University of Nashville Norwich University
Occupation	Planter
Spouses	Mary Selena McNairy Elizabeth Irwin McGavock
Children	John Harding II Selene Harding Mary Elizabeth Harding
Parent	John Harding
Relatives	William Hicks Jackson (son-in-law), Howell Edmunds Jackson (son-in-law)
Military career
Allegiance	Confederate States of America (1861–1865)
Service/branch	Confederate States Army
Years of service	1861–1865
Rank	Brigadier General (CSA)

William Giles Harding (1808 – December 15, 1886) was a Southern planter, attorney, and horse breeder who was made a Brigadier General in the Tennessee militia before the American Civil War. He took over operations of Belle Meade Plantation near Nashville from his father in 1839. During the course of his management, he acquired more property, expanding it from 1300 acres to 5,400 acres (22 km²) in 1860. He specialized in breeding and raising Thoroughbred horses, as well as other purebred livestock. In 1862 after Union forces took over Nashville, Harding was arrested as a leader and imprisoned at Fort Mackinac in northern Michigan on Mackinac Island for six months. He was released on a $20,000 bond. After being imprisoned at Fort Mackinac, he took the oath of allegiance to the Union and did not take an active part in the conflict from 1862 onwards.

Following his daughter Selene's marriage to William Hicks Jackson, Harding collaborated with his son-in-law to co-manage the Belle Meade plantation through much of the late 19th century. It flourished as a center for high-quality racehorses and other livestock. After Jackson's death in 1903, the executor of the estate sold most of the plantation to a land development company in 1906 because of debt. Development from 1938 created a residential suburb known as the independent city of Belle Meade, Tennessee, near Nashville.

Used as a private residence until 1953, the mansion, with 30 acres and associated outbuildings, was bought by the state for preservation. This property is now operated as a museum known as Belle Meade Plantation, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.