Thomas W. Hardwick

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Thomas William Hardwick (December 9, 1872January 31, 1944) was an American politician from the U.S. state of Georgia.

Hardwick was born in Thomasville, Georgia. He graduated from Mercer University with a bachelor of arts degree in 1892 and received a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Georgia in 1893. While at UGA, he was a member of the Phi Kappa Literary Society.

Hardwick practiced law and then entered politics. Hardwick was the prosecutor of Washington County, Georgia from 1895 to 1897; a member of the Georgia House of Representatives from 1898 to 1902; and a member of the United States House of Representatives representing Georgia's 10th district from 1903 to 1914. In 1914 he ran for a seat in the United States Senate in a special election for the unexpired term of Augustus O. Bacon who had died in office. Hardwick won, and served in the Senate from 1915 to 1919. He was defeated in the Democratic primary for reelection in 1918 by William J. Harris. Hardwick then served as Governor of Georgia from 1921 to 1923. He ran unsuccessfully for election to the Senate in 1922 and 1924, and then retired from politics. He spent the rest of his life practicing law, with offices in Washington, D.C., Atlanta, Georgia and Sandersville, Georgia. He died in Sandersville.

One of Hardwick's most notable actions as governor of Georgia was his appointment of Rebecca Latimer Felton to the United States Senate as a temporary replacement for Thomas E. Watson who had died. Though Felton only served for one day, she was the first woman to serve in the Senate.

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Preceded by
William H. Fleming
U.S. Representative of Georgia's 10th Congressional District
1903 – 1914
Succeeded by
Carl Vinson
Preceded by
William S. West
U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Georgia
1915 – 1919
Succeeded by
William J. Harris
Preceded by
Hugh M. Dorsey
Governor of Georgia
1921 – 1923
Succeeded by
Clifford Walker
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