"It was as if somebody was trying to hide something."
Actually, it's nothing of the kind.
http://genforum.genealogy.com/me/messages/18714.html
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~nnnotables/zwgh.html
http://www3.dcs.hull.ac.uk/cgi-bin/gedlkup/n=presidents?presidents2095
http://www.burkes-peerage.net/sites/contents/book/america/fhp/apf/fhp-APF-HARDING-29-BIO.asp