Harvey W. Hardy attended public schools until age seventeen and later graduated from Genesee Community College. He held educational leadership roles, including superintendent of schools in Gainesville and Wyoming county. Hardy operated furniture businesses in Aurora and Lincoln, showcasing entrepreneurial acumen. He transitioned into public service, serving as mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska, where he implemented notable policies such as a $1,000 liquor license fee and donated his municipal salary to fund the Lincoln Public Library.

Harvey W. Hardy's political journey reveals a distinctive ideological fluidity, switching from the Whig Party to the Republican Party and eventually the Prohibition Party, showcasing an adaptive approach to aligning with movements that resonate with his evolving principles. His economic policy of imposing a steep liquor license fee as mayor of Lincoln, Nebraska, juxtaposes his later affiliation with the Prohibition Party, hinting at a nuanced stance on temperance that balances local governance with broader moral agendas. Hardy's rhetorical style likely emphasizes moral imperatives and regional pragmatism, compelling observers to question how he reconciles these seemingly disparate elements.