| Dundy County Nebraska Genealogy Trails |
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Thomas M. Hardwick
Printed
in the Benkelman Post in September, 1945Thomas M. Hardwick "It was with deep sorrow that the sad news was received Sunday morning of the passing of T. M. Hardwick at Mercy Hospital in Denver where he had been taken several days before for treatment of a heart and kidney involvement which had threatened his life for more than two weeks to the point where physicians in charge could hold out but little hope for his recovery and his death was not unexpected, especially during the last few days when his condition grew so serious that he was kept under oxygen continuously. His wife and all the children save Omar and Master Sgt. Wilford Hardwick were at his bedside when the death angel beckoned him across. The body was returned to Benkelman Monday morning by Joe Laughlin and was at the Laughlin Funeral Home until funeral services were held Thursday afternoon at the Methodist Church, with Rev. Paul E. Boyles officiating. Funeral direction was by Mr. Laughlin and members of the A.F. & A.M. Lodge were in charge of the services at the grave. Interment was in the Benkelman cemetery. The life story of Tommie Hardwick and the history of Dundy county follow each other to a very marked degree since he was but seven years old when he came here with his parents 57 years ago to locate in the section which has since been his home. What school privileges that were here then provided the limit of his educational opportunities, but these, along with the school of experience, broadened his young mind and he continued a student until the day of his death and became well informed and broadminded to a remarkable degree and his thoughts and talents were given freely to the community he loved and the community that so appreciated and esteemed him. Mr. Hardwick's boyhood days were largely given to the cattle business, and for many years, outside of such times as he was in school, he rode the range. Regardless of his youth he soon established himself as conscientious and trustworthy and different cattlemen who annually grazed large herds in the northwest part of the county entrusted him to the duty of looking after their herds during the grazing season here. Later, as he grew older he interested himself in farming to whatever extent possible and eventually became one of the foremost corn farmers of his region. Then he purchased land south of Haigler in Cheyenne county and his success as a wheat grower equaled that of his corn and cattle successes but when the war broke out and the labor shortage gradually became more acute, he gave more and more of his own energies to his farming projects, reaching the peak the past summer when he labored almost night and day to keep things going, and this, along with the fact that he worried terribly over the fate of his country and that of the millions of boys that were so abruptly drawn into the hurricane of destruction in World War II. Two of his own sons were in the armed services, one having been wounded in combat and others of his sons were engaged in different types of work essential to the war effort, and there were times when he was all alone in carrying on at his farms and all of these things no doubt contributed in bringing about the illness that eventually claimed his life. Aside from the work and effort involved in the management of his personal enterprises, he likewise spent much time during his life in public service in whatever way he could. He felt a keen interest in schools and did everything he could in bringing a better school system to Dundy county. He served as county commissioner from the Second District from January, 1935 to January 1939, years that will long be remembered in our county's history for they were years when we were in the depth of the depression, years of delinquent taxes and of deficits in practically every fund in the court house. It was likewise years when the finances of some of our people had been reduced to the point where help was imperative. In fact never before had our board of county commissioners faced more complex problems than did the Commissioner Board with which Tommie served. But in these problems, as in everything else, he gave the very best he had, worked faithfully in whatever way he could to make the load a trifle lighter for those who were so sorely burdened by the depression and the difficulties that it had brought them. Then, when in the early days of 1934 there appeared in the distance a small but hopeful light on the horizon of the farmers who so much needed to see a ray of hope, he gave freely of his time and talents in helping to organize the county for such government projects as the Triple A, hog-corn programs and the various other agencies that were whipped into shape in a short period of time. And he stayed on the job there too until the success of each undertaking with which he was associated had proven a success. At the time of his death he was a member of the Dundy County Selective Service Board. He was a man of high purposes, determined courage, with a burning desire looking to the ever increased up-building of his community and county, and was one of the finest citizens having to do with its development and he was likewise a devoted and loving husband, kind and considerate, and the community extends its tenderest sympathies to them now in the sudden bereavement and great sorrow and loss. T. M. Hardwick, son of Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Hardwick, was born July 29, 1882, at Greenwood county, Kansas, and passed away at Mercy hospital in Denver on September 16 at the age of 63 years, 1 month and 19 days. He moved to Dundy county with his parents in 1888 when he was 7 years old and remained a resident until his death. There were nine children in the family. One daughter and one son died in infancy and John died in 1895 and Mark, who was employed in Wyoming as a railroad brakeman, was killed in an accident in 1917. Those surviving are Waldo, Reese, Mrs. Fannie Foster and Mrs. Verde Baney. The mother passed away in 1906 and the father in 1923. Besides his wife, Mr. Hardwick is survived by ten children as follows: Mrs. Opal Perkins, Yoncalla, Oregon; Percy of Benkelman, Omar of Hastings, Master Sgt. Wilford of the armed services, Mrs. Oscar Samler of Haigler, and Wade, Mrs. Howard Schrader, Mrs. Alvin Schrader, Billie and Merle of the immediate section, and he will be missed far beyond the family circle for his was a useful and helpful life to his county and local community." --Transcribed and Contributed by Bill Hardwick |
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