Ophelia "Birdie" Harwood

Mrs. Harwood was aware of the Suffragist movement and even cited President Wilson’s support for it in her political advertisement in Marble Falls Messenger during her campaign for mayor. The Nineteenth Amendment to the U. S. Constitution affording Women’s Suffrage Rights was not ratified until August 18, 1920. Mrs. Harwood’s service to the community through civic organizations, church, and as the wife a local physician garnered support to be elected by a margin of 79 to 33. She served a one term as Mayor. She ran again for Mayor in 1925 on an all female slate but was not elected. In 1936, Mrs. Harwood was appointed Judge of the Municipal Court of Marble Falls, Texas, by an all male Commission; she served in public office almost 20 years.

Other community and public service endeavors include membership on committees to build Christian Churches in Johnson City and Marble Falls, to develop a Texas exhibit for the World’s Fair at St. Louis, and to raise funds for the Confederate Home at Austin. Mrs. Harwood also served as a director in West Texas Old Settlers Association, as Vice-President in the Association of the Daughters of the Trail Drivers of San Antonio, as a Red Cross volunteer, and as a supporter of the temperance movement.

Mrs. Harwood was born in 1872 and reared in Blanco County, where her father, Charles A. Crosby, lived for 35 years, settling his family on a ranch soon after the Civil War. In addition to ranching, her father served as County Clerk in Blanco County and as Postmaster at one time. Mrs. Harwood’s mother, Ophelia Cleveland Crosby, was a cousin to President Grover Cleveland. Stephen Crosby, the first elected Land Commissioner of Texas, was Mrs. Harwood’s grandfather. Crosby County was named for him. The young Birdie helped her brothers working cattle on the ranch, and she developed into a skilled horsewoman, which she continued throughout her life. During visits to her grandparents in Austin, Texas, she met a variety of people including former Indian fighters, former Confederate soldiers, Texas Rangers, and numerous members of Texas government.

In 1892, Ophelia Crosby married Dr. George Harwood, a physician who emigrated from England and moved to Johnson City, Texas. The young couple lived in Johnson City, Ft. Stockton, then in Marble Falls, moving there in 1907. In the early years, Dr. Harwood made his rounds on horseback. In later years, he used a buggy and was sometimes accompanied by Mrs. Harwood, who would drive the buggy. During World War I, Mrs. Harwood volunteered with local Red Cross efforts, and Dr. Harwood volunteered his services at a state institution to release a younger physician for active duty. Dr. and Mrs. Harwood had four sons, three of whom grew to adulthood. Gerald, George, and Clarence all served in the military during World War I. Gerald served in Germany and France, George served in France, and Clarence was in training camp but did not go over seas. Francis died in infancy.

After Dr. Harwood’s death in 1934, Mrs. Harwood continued her community service. She turned to business and ran a café in her home for a time, and she continued her activities in local clubs and church. In 1936, she was appointed a Municipal Judge in Marble Falls.

She also accepted requests to appear in local celebrations and parades and in those of other cities in Texas, New Mexico, and Wyoming. For these parades, she would ride horseback on a side saddle wearing a black riding habit and black top hat. Mrs. Harwood explained, “I always like for the public to understand that my riding isn’t just a ‘show-off,’ but a replica of the pioneer woman representing the time when she had reached the zenith of her career on the range.” Mrs. Harwood’s side saddle had leather “dressed by the Comanche Indians; the strings were made in the home of Kit Carson in Taos, New Mexico; the third horn and tapadero covering the stirrup were added to the old time saddle by Charles Goodnight, whose wife was one of the first women to ride in the West, and he added those parts to her saddle for safety.” Mrs. Harwood took her own saddle along to the parades, but the horse was provided for her locally.

Later, Mrs. Harwood moved to Kingsville, Texas to live with her son and his family for a short time before moving back to Johnson City. Ophelia Harwood married a childhood sweetheart, Bob Beverly, who had been a writer for Cattlemen’s and a lawman in New Mexico. Mrs. Harwood died in 1954 and is buried in the city cemetery in Marble Falls, Texas beside her mother, her son George, and Dr. George Harwood.

The Falls on the Colorado Museum hosted Birdie Harwood Day at “Second Saturday” programs before moving to a permanent site. These program were presented on the Saturday before Mother’s Day in 2000-2002.

Transcription from Marble Falls Messenger article immediately preceding March 15, 1917 issue.

WHY I AM RUNNING FOR MAYOR OF MARBLE FALLS

I have before me a letter from President Wilson to Mrs. Catts, president of the Women’s Suffrage Assn. of Dakota. This is what he says, “I congratulate you upon the passage by the Legislature of a bill granting the vote to women, as you know I have very real interest in the extension of the suffrage to the women, and I believe every step in that direction should be applauded.” Citizens please read this again- “I believe every step in this direction should be applauded.” The president of our United States who is recognized all over the world as the grandest man in it today, endorses just this first step I am taking in my home town.

Now we will come right up to our door, “Austin, Texas, Jan. 27th, 1917. The House will reach a vote upon the proposed Equal Suffrage Amendment Feb. 6, it having been made the special order of business for that date.”

So gentlemen you see Equal Suffrage is widely recognized as one of the great principal of Democracy, and in making this step I am backed by every broadminded progressive man in our Lone Star State, and in Marble Falls. In a very short while Texas will be granting the vote to women, then you will have to vote for some of them if you vote at all. Now gentlemen accept this fact with the same courtesy and grace that you owe every good woman who is making an honest effort. There are several Elective Offices by women in the United States and Texas, so do not believe that in voting for women you will establish a precedent. One man actually had the nerve to run against his wife for Mayor, of course you know the result, she just snowed him under. If she had not have beaten him that time she would have come back at him the next time. Just let a woman get it into her head that she is right and you can not stop her.

A woman’s first duty is to her home and children: when she has raised them up to take their place in the world, it is then her duty to turn to her State and there help make and enforce the laws that will make it a fit abiding place for them. No good woman is out of place doing those things which are so vital to the welfare of her children and her home. Another reason I am running for office is because our wealthier citizens don’t want the job, a poor man cannot afford it. It is work that demands one’s undivided attention, and this is where a woman just fits. If elected Mayor, I shall expect every man connected with this office to do his whole duty with this for our goal- ‘A better, bigger, and more progressive Marble Falls.’ Our candidates for City Commissioners are known to everyone. We all three have been among you for many years, and you know we stand for morality, sobriety and, above all, for justice, and if elected our humblest citizens will be treated with the same regard as other others. We want no one so ashamed of being down there that he nearly kills himself trying to get out, and sometimes just dies there. Now I do not expect a calamity like this to strike our Marble Falls citizens, but it is going to take a long strong steady pull, and a pull together if we ever take the place in Texas that we should have. We have everything about us to make her one of the beauty spots of our State. Our citizens are of the best, but how far behind are we? Ten years behind of where we ought to be, and ten years behind of where we were ten years ago. I cannot just figure it out, but it does look to me about time somebody was getting busy.

Throw that little hammer away that you are knocking your town, your best interests and me with and hop on the Band Wagon. It is a Water Wagon, too. That little hammer has been knocking away for lo these many years. We ought to commercialize it and sell it for perpetual motion. However, it does not bother me, I have heard and taken so much of it that I have become immune. The handle has worn thin and the hand that wields it is growing weaker. In a short time we will not even hear the echo, then we will grow and expand.

Let’s welcome the stranger within our gates, but first let us get our house in order. Do not think because a woman urges you to bring forth the best that is in your, that she is out of place. No good woman is out of place anywhere that she is trying to build up her home, her town, and her State. If I am elected Mayor, I will certainly do whatever there is to be done. We are not going to increase the tax rate, only by vote of the people. Just try to use judiciously that we have. We are going to be very careful how we spend the peoples’ money. We are going to try to make two nickels grow where only one grew before. If I am elected Mayor of Marble Falls, our books will always be open for inspection. Semi-annually our receipts and expenditures will be published in the Messenger. It is the peoples’ money and they should know what becomes of it. (The records will be put in the) paper and (then I will be) laying it on the shelf you will always know what is being done. As a candidate for Mayor I have the endorsement of our President and every progressive broad minded citizen all over our State, Marble Falls included.

I am a Democrat, and a product of Texas, born in an adjoining county. Have roughed it here for forty-five years, and my record in public work upbuilding of the towns in which I have lived, my part in improving such places, and my stand for morality, progressiveness and justice is open to all who doubt my sincerity or ability.

For everything that is progressive, for everthing that is moral, for everything that is spiritual, for everything that is just I am ready to serve as you as Mayor of Marble Falls.

Mrs. George Harwood.
(Political Adv.)

Campaign Platform

“a bigger town, a better town, a cleaner town, and a more progressive town.”

A bond issue ($40,000) with which to purchase the water and light plant, and secure for her city, “one of the finest water powers in the South” with an assurance of a pure water supply for all time to come. This deal included a 20 acre tract of land fronting Marble Falls Lake, containing beautiful pecan groves and shady driveways.

Graded and lighted streets. (The public park was lighted “by electricity” and the first concrete driveway in this country was imbedded in a once impassable bed of quicksand leading to the public park and cemetery.)

Throwing camping in the park open to the public. Popular resort area for hunting and fishing vacations.

Open records. Budget and expenditures published in the newspaper. (Publicity Act was being debated in the Texas Legislature. It required all legal notices to be published in a newspaper 30 days before an action was taken. At that time, the sheriff only had to post notices in 3 places in the county.

Accomplishments as Mayor

Election April 3, 1917- Results counted on April 5th
Birdie Harwood 79Tom Jay 33

A summary of municipal activity was published in the Marble Falls Messenger one year after she took office.

Improvements carried out:

• Broadway & Ave. I-ditching, grading, graveling extending from from the college (MFISD Bldg.) up to and on the other side of the river bridge
  Johnson City and depot roads-ditching, grading, graveling
• Erection of a bridge
• Bridge repair
• Ditching, grubbing, grading and graveling other roads
• Brush removal
• Cleaning public park
• Painting park pavilion
• Lighting business streets
• Purchase of new fire hose and chemicals
• Elevated status of Marble Falls from town to city
• Leased 19 acres of park land
• Turned 4 acres of farm land over to Boy Scouts

Sources

• Wharton, Clarence R. Texas Under Many Flags. 5 vols., Vol. V. Texas Biography. American Historical Society, Inc.: Chicago and New York, 1930, pgs. 271-272.
• Davis, Ellis Arthur, Ed., The Historical Encyclopedia of Texas, The Texas Historical Society, pgs. 1159-1160.
• Hunter, J. Marvin. “One of Our Texas Queens.”, Frontier Times, Vol. 21 No. 4, Jan. 1944, Cover and pgs. 139-140.
• Marble Falls Messenger, Vol. XVIII., Jan. 25, 1916, “Mrs. George Harwood Candidate for Mayor”.
• Marble Falls Messenger, undated fragment immediately preceding Marble Falls Messenger, Mar. 15, 1917, “Why I Am Running for Mayor”.
• Marble Falls Messenger, Vol. XIX, April 5, 1917, “The City Election”.
• The Highlander, April 8, 1965, “Old –Timers Remember Marble Falls Woman Was First Mayor in Texas”.
  
• The Highlander, July 23, 1981, “Local Woman mayor…”
• The Highlander, Special Centennial Edition of The Highlander, “100 Pages of Marble Falls History 1887-1987, Oct. 22, 1987, “All woman slate of candidates run for seats” p. 43.
• The Picayune, Vol. 3, Number 15, July 20, 1993. “Birdie Harwood Day Saturday celebration fit for a queen”
• McSpadden, Frances. Personal interview with Crosby Harwood and Lillie Belle Harwood, Oct. 29, 2004.