Biography of Thomas W. Harwood, pages 664/665.  History of DeKalb 
County, Indiana; B. F. Bowen & Company, Inc., Indianapolis, 1914.



Thomas W. Harwood

It is a pleasure to investigate the career of a successful self-made 
man. Peculiar honor attaches to that individual who, beginning the 
great struggle of life alone and unaided, gradually overcomes 
unfavorable environment, removes one by one the obstacles from the 
pathway of success in forging his way to the front and winning for 
himself a competency and a position of esteem and influence among his 
fellow men. Such is the record of the popular citizen of Wilmington 
township to a brief synopsis of whose life and character the following 
pages are devoted. Thomas W. Harwood, a substantial and influential 
citizen of Wilmington township, a veteran of the great Civil war, and a 
man who enjoys the confidence and respect of all who know him, was born 
on February 24, 1841, in Rockridge, Vermont, and is the son of Asa and 
Cynthia (Stockwell) Harwood, the former a native of Massachusetts and 
the latter of Vermont. These parents moved from the New England states 
to Ohio in 1842 and in 1857 came to DeKalb county, settling in Franklin 
township, where they spent the remainder of their days.  They were the 
parents of five children, namely: Henry, a farmer in Michigan; Thomas 
W., the subject of this sketch; Mrs. Ellen Ball, deceased; Mrs. 
Clarinda Barnhart, deceased, and Emmett, who lives in Montana. 	The 
subject received his education in the public schools of DeKalb county, 
having been brought here in his youth by his parents.  He was reared to 
the life of a farmer, which vocation he has consistently and 
successfully followed throughout his life.  He is now the owner of a 
fine farm of ninety-three acres, on which he has lived for more than a 
quarter of a century and which he has improved and developed into one 
of the best agricultural estates in this locality. During the troublous 
days of the early sixties, when the integrity of the national Union 
hung in the balance, Mr. Harwood volunteered his services in defense of 
his country, enlisting as a private in Company B, Fifty-third Regiment 
Indiana Volunteer Infantry, in which he served for about ten months, 
taking part in all campaigns, marches and battles in which the regiment 
participated.  He proved a valiant and faithful soldier and at the end 
of his service received an honorable discharge. In 1866 Mr. Harwood 
married Julia A. Smurr, the daughter of G. N. and Rebecca (Kinsley) 
Smurr, native of Ohio.  To this union were born six children, namely: 
Albert, who lives in Garrett, this county; George, of Auburn, this 
county; Mrs. Isabel Pifer, of Butler, this county; Clement, deceased; 
Cecil, who lives on the home farm, and Mrs. Ona Treman, who lives on a 
farm in this county.  Politically, Mr. Harwood is an earnest supporter 
of the Republican party and takes proper interest in local affairs, 
especially as affecting the welfare of the community.  The record of 
testimony is ample that Mr. Harwood is a good citizen in the full sense 
of the term, worthy of public trust, ever doing worthily and well all 
work to which he has applied himself.  In all that constitutes true 
manhood and good citizenship he is a worthy example and none stands 
higher than he in the esteem and confidence of the circles in which he 
moves.



Submitted by:

Arlene Goodwin

Auburn, Indiana

Agoodwin@ctlnet.com