Thomas S. Hardwick is a native of the old Blue Grass state of Kentucky, having been born in Pulaski county and is the son of George W. Hardwick, who was born in that state on October 2, 1823. The family homestead was in Wayne county, Kentucky, for many years, where the members of the family were engaged in general farming. George W. Hardwick was a veteran of the Civil war, having served in the Twelfth Regiment Kentucky Volunteer Infantry, and his death occurred in July, 1876. His wife, who was born in Wayne county, Kentucky, on May 7, 1822, died in 1898. They became the parents of seven children, four sons and three daughters.

The subject of this sketch spent his early years in Wayne county, Kentucky, and received his educational training in the common schools of his neighborhood. At the age of about twenty years he moved to Indiana, and in 1871 he came to Indian Creek township, Lawrence county, Indiana, where he has since made his home. He is here engaged in general farming and is the owner of four hundred and forty acres of splendid land, practically all of which is in cultivation. In addition to the tilling of the soil he gives considerable attention to the breeding and raising of Polled Angus cattle, and is also one of the largest fruit growers in the township. He is thoroughly up to date in all his operations, keeping closely in touch with the most advanced ideas relative to farming, horticulture and stock raising, and gives his undivided attention to the work in hand so that he has justly earned the reputation which he enjoys among his fellow agriculturists.

In April, 1868, Mr. Hardwick married Elizabeth Turpin, to which union have been born eight children, namely: Mrs. Lucile Harnocker, of Indian Creek township; Lethea Ellen, who died at the age of thirteen years, and Martha and two boys in their infancy; Everett is a farmer in Indian Creek township; Walter lives with his parents; Mrs. Charity Short, of Indian Creek township; Homer is a farmer in Indian Creek township; Noble lives with his parents. Mr. Hardwick was married a second time on February 21, 1900 to Susan Whitted, the daughter of Lorenzo D. Whitted, a native of North Carolina, who died in 1889, and his wife, whose maiden mane was Mary A. Ellison and whose death occurred in 1883.

Politically, the subject of this sketch is a staunch supporter of the Prohibition party, believing the temperance question to be the greatest issue now before the American people. His religious connection is with the Baptist church, of which he is a regular attendant and to which he gives earnest support. Mr. Hardwick is a well informed man on current topics, honest and upright in all his relations with his fellow men and but few citizens of his section of the county are better known or more highly respected, for he has sepnt the greater portion of his live within the borders of the county and has always been active in the promotion of the general welfare.

HISTORY OF LAWRENCE AND MONROE COUNTIES, INDIANA, THEIR PEOPLE, INDUSTRIES AND INSTITUTIONS, 1914. B. F. Bowen & Co., Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana. PAGE 694