Biography - Daniel N. Harwood
DANIEL N. HARWOOD, of Shelbyville, is one of the most extensive and
enterprising dealers in this county. He was born in the town of Winfield,
Herkimer County, N. Y. His father, Nathan Harwood, was born in
Massachusetts, and was the son of an Englishman who came to this country and
first settled in that State. He afterward became a resident of New York and
was a pioneer of Herkimer County, buying a tract of timber in Winfield. He
cleared his land and developed it into a good farm, which remained his home
until his demise.
Nathan Harwood was but a boy when he went to New York with his parents and
he was reared to the life of a farmer in their pioneer home. He was married
in early manhood to Abigail J. Burt, by whom he had one child, Amhers J. His
first wife died and he then married again and continued to reside in
Winfield until death closed his career, in 1846, while he was yet in the
prime of life. His second wife survived him many years and finally died at a
ripe age in the home of our subject in Rosamund, Christian County. She
reared these children: Mary, Daniel N., Anna, Charles A., and Lucy M.
Our subject was a lad of fourteen years when he had the misfortune to lose
his father, and from that time he was obliged to care for himself. Being
thus early thrown on his own resources, he became manly and self-reliant and
worked well at whatever his hand found to do. In the summer season he worked
on a farm and the rest of the year devoted himself to obtaining an
education, so that at the age of eighteen he was well qualified to teach. He
engaged in that profession a portion of each year and attended West Winfield
Academy the remainder of the time for three years. Believing that the West,
as this part of the country was then called, possessed superior advantages
for young men of brain and energy, in 1856 he came to Illinois and located
in Knox County. His services were in demand as a teacher and when not thus
engaged he employed his time on a farm. A year later he removed to Christian
County and bought a farm in Rosamund Township, on which he was a resident
until 1864. During that time, in addition to farming, he bought and shipped
hay quite extensively.
In the year mentioned our subject came to Shelbyville to engage in the grain
business, also continuing to buy and ship hay. He carried on both branches
of business some years, but of late has dealt exclusively in hay. He has all
the facilities for carrying on his business to the best advantage, including
large storage accommodations. He has a warehouse in this city with a
capacity of three hundred tons and barracks that hold seven hundred tons. He
also buys at Windsor, Mattoon, and Cowden, and at the latter place has a
warehouse covered with iron, in which can he stored two hundred and fifty
tons of hay, and he has beside barracks there that hold four hundred and
fifty tons. At Mattoon he has the largest and finest barn in the State, with
a capacitys of eight hundred tons.
Mr. Harwood was happily married in 1857 to Miss Ursula E. Moore, who was
born in Anson, Me., in 1836, and theirs is one of the pleasantest homes in
all Shelbyville. They have three children: Eber M., who married Mary C.
Waldon; Florence L. and Clara.
Mr. Harwood possesses a clear, well-balanced, well-trained mind, large
foresight and superior business qualities, which characteristics have placed
him among our leading citizens. In his politics he has always been a true
Republican since he cast his first Presidential vote for John C. Fremont. He
is a popular member of various social organizations, as follows: Jackson
Lodge, No. 53, A. F. & A. M.; Jackson Chapter, No. 55, R. A. M.; Okaw Lodge,
No. 117, I. O. O. F.; Big Four Lodge. No. 436, Order of Tonti; and he is
also a member of the Royal Temple of Templars, K. of H. and Ancient Order of
United Workmen.
Extracted 13 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 433-434.
