geeky
In 1921, Harding was invited to join the group and he readily agreed. But it wasn't just a trip for the boys; the Vagabonds’ wives were eager to join the party, and some of them made the trek along with some of their children as well. This 1921 excursion was an elaborate tenting tour of Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Maryland. The group numbered 16, and it included seven wives, one bishop, one President of the United States, his secretary and several secret service men. They were followed by another group consisting of chauffeurs, cooks, assistant cooks and assorted attendants. Harvey Firestone enlisted the catering assistance of his Aunt Nannie and the Ladies Aid Society of Columbiana, Ohio. This group of women were tasked with cleaning and dressed 100 chickens and with baking a fabulous assortment of cakes and cookies for the camping party. This was not a trip for hot dogs and baked potatoes. Thomas Edison's contribution was his specialty: electricity. He not only ensured that the campground was well lighted, thanks to a portable power plant, but the group was also accompanied by an electric player piano.
Harding did not spend the entire tour with the group, but during the week of July 21-27, 1921, the vagabonds camped at a site about six miles east of Hancock in Washington County. During the weekend, Harding joined group on the 200-acre farm where they made camp. It was located about one mile north of the National Turnpike along Licking Creek. Today, the campsite lies inside Camp Harding County Park. A plaque memorializes the gathering of the famous campers.
Sometime on the morning on July 23, 1921, Ford, Edison and Firestone left their campsite at Licking Creek and drove west on U.S. Route 40 to Funkstown where they met Harding and his party. The President had left the White House earlier that morning and the trip attracted considerable publicity. Large crowds gathered along the roadside in Hagerstown to watch the long caravan of vehicles rumble by as they headed back to the camp site. Harding's entourage numbered more than 40 people. It included Secret Service personnel and ten white house photographers. The vagabond’s entourage included family members, cooks, truck drivers and maintenance staff. Members of the public stayed to gawk at the celebrities.
Harding and the vagabonds arrived back at Licking Creek at about 1 p.m. Newspaper reporters wrote that the president arrived just in time to help cook for the entire party. Reports say that Harding took off his coat, and according to one contemporary report, he used a “business-like grip” around an ax in order to cut enough firewood to cook food for the entire group.
After lunch, Harding retired to his tent to take a nap. A photographer also captured a shot of Edison napping on the ground under an elm tree. While these two napped, Ford and Firestone partook in a wood-chopping contest for the benefit of the press and onlookers. Harding later emerged rested and refreshed from his hour-long nap and immediately went to the wood pile to chop more firewood. Later Harding and Firestone walked over to Licking Creek, where Harding reminisced about the swimming holes he used to enjoy as a child.
Harding, Firestone, Edison and Ford later went horseback riding. Firestone had shipped six horses from Ohio to the camp site, and Harding went riding twice during his stay. A reporter noted that it was “the first horseback work he (Harding) had done in many years.”
According to Harding biographer Robert Murray (in his book "The Harding Era" at page 119), Harding and Thomas Edison shared a habit which many at the time looked down upon, chewing tobacco. Murray writes:
To many chewing was a filthy habit and Harding drew inevitable censure. But not from Thomas Edison. Harding shared a plug of tobacco with the inventor, causing Edison to remark: "Harding is all right. Any man who chews tobacco is all right."
Two years later in August of 1923, Ford, Edison and Firestone would gather again, this time at Harding's funeral, where they would accompany Harding's father and his widow.