At Belle Meade he began to specialize in breeding and racing thoroughbred horses, and registered his silks with the Nashville Jockey Club.

[1] His son William Giles Harding acquired additional lands to enlarge Belle Mead to 5400 acres by the late 19th century, and began to breed purebred cattle, sheep, cashmere goats and other livestock.

Due to debt, in 1906 most of the property was sold to a land development company, and later suburban housing was built, and the independent city of Belle Meade, Tennessee was founded.

Belle Meade Plantation, which was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in the late 20th century, now consists of the 1853 mansion, and outbuildings on 30 acres.

It is operated as a museum and event space John Harding was born in Goochland County, Virginia on November 2, 1777.