Ingham County Biographical Sketches



George Harwood



Among the biographies to be included in this volume, few subjects are more worthy than he whose name is at the head of this sketch. George Harwood was born February 5, 1836, in New York State. His parents, Thomas and Elizabeth (French) Harwood, were natives of England. They came to this country and settled in New York, where they remained until 1838, when they emigrated to Michigan, locating in the township of Onondaga, where the father took up one hundred and sixty acres of land from the government. He was among earliest settlers of the township. They were the parents of ten children, of which the following brief data is given: Cornelius remained in England; Thomas was for many years a resident of Onondaga, township and died at Kinneyville; Manuel lived in Onondaga, now deceased and his widow lives in Eaton Rapids; John is a resident of Onodata township; William resides in Leslie; Edward was a resident of Tompkins Center, Jackson county, now deceased; Becky, the wife of Levi Chapin, resided in Chicago, deceased; Elizabeth, the wife of J. Joles of this township, deceased.

Thomas Harwood never became naturalized. He was an upright and honest man although never a member of a church, was a gerat student of the Bible. Our subject was but fourteen years old when his father died. The property was places in the hands of the oldest brother, John, until the youngest came of age. At the time of the division, George Harwood came into possession of one hundred and twenty acres where he now resides. He has since added ninety acres, across the line in Jackson county. He was united in marriage in 1859 to Miss Lovan, dauther of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Baldwin of Onondaga Township. To this union two children were born: Clara, now the wife of Geroge Strong of Onondaga and they have one child, Mollie, while the second, a babe died in infancy. The wife and mother of these chidren died in 1872.

Mr. Harwood was remarried, to Miss Mary Baldwin, a sister of his first wife and of M. C. Baldwin. The outcome of this union was three children, as follows: Beecher, an industrious famrmer of Onondaga township, married a Miss Conklin; Luvan, now the wife of Melcom Clay, also a resident of Onondaga township and a successful farmer, and a child named George, that died at the age of eighteen monts.

Mr. George Harwood is a representative citizen of his township. His views harmonize with the principles of the Republican party to which he gives his loyal support. He has never beena seeker for office, prefering rather to devote his time to his personal matters. Mr. Harwood has made good use of the legacy left him by his father, adding thereto, until he finds himself, in the decline of life, in very comfortable circumstances.

While neither Mr. or Mrs. Harwood are members of a church still they are living exemplary Christian lives.






Taken from:
"Past and Present of the City of Lansing and Ingham County, Michigan", by Albert E. Cowles.
Published by The Michigan Historical Publishing Association Lansing, MICH., 1905.
Pages 497 - 498






Sondra Higbee

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