Page:Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography volume 4.djvu/597

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VIRGINIA BIOGRAPHY


447


Colonel John Stubblefield Harwood. The late Colonel John Stuljhlefield llarwood, of Richmoiul, X'irs^inia, was a man of such many-sided ability that it becomes a matter of no ordinary difficulty to determine in which field he excelled. The beneficial in- fluence he exerted will long be felt, not only in the immediate vicinity of his home, but throughout the state of Virginia. As a busi- ness man his methods were unexception- able ; as a statesman he possessed powers of diplomacy which would have enabled him to fill the highest positions with credit and honor to himself and his country. In social and in private life Colonel Harwood made friends by reason of the many sterling quali- ties he possessed, and his death was deeply and sincerely deplored. The admirable traits which distinguished him were a direct heritage from a long and honorable ances- try, members of which had come to Amer- ica in the first quarter of the seventeenth century.

Captain Thomas Harwood, who came to V^irginia about 1620, was appointed a mem- ber of the council on June 28, of that year, and is described as "the Chief of Martins Hundred." June 24, 1621, he was again appointed to the council. In 1629-30-33 and 1642 he was burgess for Mulberry Island; in 1644-45-48-49, for Warwick ; speaker of the house in 1648-49, and member of council in 1652. He was for many years one of the leading men of the colony. In Warwick and York his descendants are numerous, and the Harwood families of Charles City county and King William county are also supposed to be his descendants.

Humphrey Harwood, son of Captain Thomas Harwood, patented two thousand acres of land in Warwick, Virginia, in 1650. Captain Humphrey Harwood was burgess for Warwick in 1685, and Major Humphrey Harwood, doubtless the same man, in 1692. Humphrey Harwood was sheriff of War- wick in 1721. Major \\'illiam Harwood, of Warwick, for many years justice and bur- gess, died June 2, 1737. Colonel William Harwood was a member of the house of bur- gesses from Warwick in various sessions from 1744 to 1774 ; a member of the commit- tee of safety in 1775-76; a member of the convention of 1776 and of the house of dele- gates in the same year. Edward Harwood was a justice of Warwick in 1770; county


lieutenant, 1778; member of the house of delegates, 1780; and later was advanced to the rank of colonel.

I'he first of the name to appear in Charles Cit\' county were Captain Joseph and Cap- tain Samuel Harwood, the first mentioned a justice of Charles City in 1705, married Agnes, a daughter of Captain Thomas Cocke, Sr., of Henrico county. Captain Samuel Harwood was a justice of Charles City in 1710; he married, in 1694, Temper- ance Cocke, also a daughter of Captain Thomas Cocke, Sr. Samuel Harwood was burgess for Charles City in 1723. Samuel Harwood. Jr.. was a justice of Cliarles City in 1719. and was for a time out of commis- sion, as in 1725 the governor and council ordered him to be restored to business. Samuel Harwood, probably the same, was sheriff of the county in 1730-31 and 1737. He was a member of the Charles City com- mittee of safety in 1775 and 1776 and' of the convention of 1776. He was appointed major in the Virginia troops raised in 1775. In York county, Virginia, Thomas Harwood was a justice in 1653. He was the first of three Thomas Harwoods, father, son and grandson.

Richard Henry Harwood was a resident of Charles City county. \\'illiam Franklin Harwood, his son, was a prosperous oil mer- chant of Charles City county, and became prominent in county life. He took the deep- est interest in the welfare of young men, and contributed willingly and freely of his time and means to assist them in the battle of life. He married \'irginia, daughter of Colonel John Stubblefield.

Colonel John Stubblefield Harwood, son of William Franklin and X'irginia (Stubble- field) Harwood, was born in Charles City county. Virginia, October 21, 1859, died at the Johnston-Willis Sanitorium in Rich- mond, X'irginia, September 23, 1913. His earl\- years were spent in pleasant and care- free surroundings. He received his elemen- tar}- education in the jireparatory school of Mrs. Lewis, then entered l>ethel ^Military Academy, where his career was marked with honor. His personal preference being for a business life, he became associated with his father in the wholesale oil business in 1883, and later became the senior member of the firm of Harwood Brothers, his partner being his brother, R. Henrv Harwood. The firm