Will County ILGenWeb Biographies..... 
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File contributed for use by:
Dori Leekly & Margie Glenn

Author: History of Will County, Illinois; Chicago: Wm LeBaron Jr & Co, 186 Dearborn Street, 1878.

Elvis HARWOOD, deceased; Joliet; whose portrait appears in this work, was born in Wilmington, 
Ind., May 17,1824; where he remained until he was sixteen years of age; he then commenced the 
study of law in the office of Alexander C. DOWNEY, at Aurora, Ind., and was admitted to practice 
Dec. 14, 1843; after the end of one year, finding this profession unsuited to his tastes, he 
studied medicine with his brother, John HARWOOD, M. D., and after attending a course of lectures 
in the medical college of Ohio, in the years 1846-47, practiced for three years at Crete and New 
Lenox in this county, and in the year 1850, coming to Joliet, continued the practice of his 
profession up to 1868, from which time, up to the day of his death, Feb. 1, 1870, he was largely 
engaged in the real estate business. In 1861, he went to California returning from there in the 
summer of 1862. The same summer, he was appointed Assistant Surgeon of the 100th Regiment I. V. I., 
being afterward promoted to Surgeon of the "Pioneer Brigade," which position he held until his 
resignation, on account of IL health, in the spring of 1863. He was elected Alderman of the city 
of Joliet, from 1863-67, and Mayor, 1868-69. He married Miss Helen A. CAGWIN (daughter of Abijah 
CAGWIN, of Joliet), Jan. 24, 1850; she was born Oct. 30, 1830; they had five children, three living 
- Alma L., William E. and Bertha H.; and two deceased - Flora A. and George T.