Genealogical and family history of central New York : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the building of a nation, Volume II, Part 55

Author: Cutter, William Richard, 1847-1918
Publication date: 1912
Publisher: New York, Lewis historical publishing company
Number of Pages: 646


USA > New York > Genealogical and family history of central New York : a record of the achievements of her people in the making of a commonwealth and the building of a nation, Volume II > Part 55


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114


(XII) Ross Pier, youngest son of Reuben G. and Cora (Pierce) Wright, was born at Westfield, New York, August 22, 1874. He is associated with his brothers in the owner- ship and management of the Reed Manufac- turing Company, at Erie, Pennsylvania, and is secretary and treasurer of that concern. June 19, 1903, he married Mabel Eliza Wood- ward, who was born May 5, 1879. and they


reside at Erie. Children : Theron Woodward, born August 2, 1905; Allyn Seymour, born December 26, 1907; and Robert Pier, born September 4, 1909.


(The Pierce Line).


There is a tradition extant in this family that the earliest settler in America was named John, and that he came hither about 1660 from Wales. In the proceedings of the town meeting held in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, July 5, 1666, is the following record: "John Pearce, admitted this day a free inhabitant of this town." (The name was subsequently changed by some of the lineal descendants of John to "Pierce," the early spelling having been "Pearce.") John Pearce may have been one of the Baptist congregation of John Myles, of Swansea, Wales, these people having come from Wales to Rehoboth, Massachusetts, in 1666-67, as a result of religious persecution. In his testimony given May 7, 1673, as to the death of Mrs. Rebecca Cornell, he calls him- self forty-one years of age, therefore he was born in 1632. His trade was that of a mason, but he was not identified by that designation until John Pearce, son of Richard, had come of age, in 1668. Therefore there were two of the name "John Pearce," inhabitants of the town. The following public records have been found concerning him. April 14, 1668, John Pearce ( Mason) bought a dwelling house and thirty-eight acres of land of William Corry (Corey). September 29, 1668, John Pearce (Mason) took a lease of William Corey of sixty-eight acres for a period of seven years. May 4, 1675, John Pearce (mason) was made a freeman of the colony, from Portsmouth. October 31, 1677, John Pearce (mason) was included by the general assembly in the list of grantees of the lands at East Greenwich. June 12, 1678, John Pearce (mason) was allowed by the general assembly to dispose of his East. Greenwich rights to Henry Matthewson. March 16, 1685, John Pearce (mason) and John Pearce, probably his eldest son, drawn on jury of "Tryalls" at Newport. After John Pearce, son of Richard, went to Pocasset or .Tiverton, about 1683, John Pearce (mason) seems to have been styled John Pearce Sr. March 5. 1686, John Pearce Sr., a member of a coroner's inquest held at the house of James Sweet Jr., on Prudence Island. February 23. 1691, Major John Green deeds land in Natick to "John Pearce (mason), inhabitant of Prud-


797


NEW YORK.


ence Island." August 20, 1691, John Pearce and Mary, his wife, deed this land to their loving son Daniel. John Pearce Sr. made his will September 23, 1689, and it was proved in Portsmouth, April 26, 1692. In this will he styles himself John Pearce Sr., of Prud- ence Island, makes his wife Mary sole execu- trix and residuary legatee, after dividing small legacies between his three children-John Pearce Jr., Daniel Pearce, and Mary, wife of Robert Hill. The widow Mary Pearce made her will September 17, 1711, and the same was proved October 15, 1711. She left first "forty shillings to the poor brethren of the Church of Christ to whom I doe belong." The re- mainder she divided amongst her three chil- dren, John Pearce, Daniel Pearce and Mary Sweet. Children of John Pearce (mason ( and his wife, as far as known: 1. John, born about 1658; married Martha Brayton. 2. Daniel, mentioned below. 3. Mary, born about 1666; married (first) Robert Hill, ( second) James Sweet. The father died about 1692, and his wife Mary passed away in 171I.


(II) Daniel, son of John and Mary Pearce, was born about 1662, and there are reasons for believing that he did not die until after 1744. Few family records can be found of him, and the names of his children have been recovered from deeds and other legal papers. The records of his public services are quite full and cover the period from 1694 to 1731. He was made freeman of the town of Ports- mouth June 6, 1692. He resided in that place up to 1720, and for the two years following was more or less at Kingston, but took up a permanent residence at North Kingstown in the summer of 1723. In 1694-5-7 he was con- stable in Portsmouth; 1698-1701-5-10-II-20- 23-31, he was deputy to general assembly from Portsmouth. In 1700, Daniel Pearce Sr., of Prudence Island, bought of Benjamin and Jonathan Viall and John Thomas, of Swan- zey, seven hundred and sixty acres of land at Aquidnesitt. In 1707-8-11-20 he was jus- tice of the peace in Portsmouth. In 1720 he was grand juryman and deputy for Kingston. In 1721 he and his wife conveyed by deed of gift to their two sons, Daniel Pearce Jr. and John Pearce, of Portsmouth, in common, four hundred acres of land at Aquidnesitt. July 8, 1722. Daniel Pearce, of Kingston, sold to his son and daughter a mulatto man, by name Ephraim Smith. March 17, 1723, Daniel Pearce Jr. and wife Patience, and John Pearce


and wife Martha, sold to their honored father, Daniel Pearce, of Kingston, four hundred acres of land conveyed to them in 1721. In 1724 Daniel Pearce was grand juryman and overseer of the poor in North Kingstown. August II, 1724, Daniel Pearce, of North Kingstown, executed a free deed of gift to the town of land for a road from Fones Bridge to the sea, for a drift way for public use. March 16, 1726, Daniel Pearce, of North Kingstown, and Elizabeth, sold lands to sons Daniel and John, of Prudence Island. March 17, 1726, Daniel and John Pearce gave a bond to their brothers, Nathan and William Pearce, that they would give them a part of their father's estate when they came of age. No- vember 12, 1736, Daniel Pearce, before the town council of North Kingstown, agreed to bring a certificate from Portsmouth concern- ing his daughter and her two children. (This was his daughter Mary.) Daniel Pearce was twice married, but the name of his first wife is unknown. His second wife was Elizabeth Tucker, of Prudence Island, and the marriage occurred December 13, 1733. Children by first wife: I. Daniel Jr., mentioned below. 2. Margaret, born about 1689; married (first) Ephraim Smith, (second) Immanuel Clark. 3. John, born about 1691; married Martha Sweet. 4. Mary, born about 1693; married John Moss, in 1715. Children by second wife : I. Benoni, born about 1704; married Sarah Rhodes. 2. Nathan, born 1706; married Abi- gail Spink. 3. William, born about 1709.


(III) Daniel Pearce Jr., son of Daniel Pearce Sr., by his first wife, was born about 1687, and died probably in 1758. He was made a freeman of the town of Portsmouth, June 6, 1715, and resided on Prudence Island. In February, 1724, he was made a freeman of the colony from Portsmouth. After 1737 he seems to have lived in North Kingstown. In February, 1727, Daniel Pearce Jr. and Pa- tience, his wife, sold lands in North Kings- town to John Pearce, of Prudence Island. About the same time he sold lands in North Kingstown to Nathan Pearce for the sum of one thousand pounds. In 1722-3 Daniel Pearce Jr. was deputy to the general assem- bly for Portsmouth. August 30, 1737, he was petit jouryman for Portsmouth. April 17, 1738, he deeded to his son, Daniel Pearce, glazier, eighty acres of land in North Kingstown. In January, 1739, he sold land to Nathaniel Pearce, of North Kings-


798


NEW YORK.


town, the same being bound easterly by land of Daniel Pearce (3). June 26, 1744, Daniel Pearce Jr. and Nathaniel Pearce assisted in taking inventory of estate of John Pearce, of Prudence Island. In October, 1705, Daniel Pearce Jr. married Patience Hill. Chil- dren: 1. Sarah, born March 6, 1710. 2. Nathaniel, born January 20, 1715; - married


Meribah 3. Daniel, born October 22, 1717; married Mary 4. Jonathan, born April 6, 1719. 5. Deliverance, born Sep- tember 20, 1720; married Elisha Tillinghast. 6. Thomas, born May 31, 1723; married Mar- tha Pearce (first cousin). 7. William, born May 8, 1725; married Meribah Pearce (Nathaniel's widow ). 8. Patience, born No- vember 21, 1728; married a Mr. Wall. 9. Ebenezer, mentioned below.


(IV) Ebenezer, son of Daniel and Patience (Hill) Pearce, was born February 17, 1731. He was a farmer and revolutionary soldier, and is supposed to have spent his early life at Prudence Island. Rhode Island. In the cen- sus of 1774 he had in his family at North Kingstown, Rhode Island, one male and two females over sixteen years of age, and two females under sixteen. This would appear to indicate himself, wife, twin boys, two daugh- ters, and perhaps his mother. În 1790 he had in his family in Hancock, Massachusetts, three males and one female over sixteen years of age. This would indicate himself, wife, and sons Daniel and Benjamin, the other three children having married. He constructed roads for the commonwealth of Massachusetts, and in 1801 received some land in payment for work; for this land he also remitted a few dollars. The land was mortgaged and in the latter part of 1803 he sold it. Early in 1804 he removed with his sons to Fabius, New York. He and his wife Elizabeth, whose last name is not known, had five children : I. Daniel, mentioned below. 2. Caleb, born Jan- uary 29, 1768 ( twin of Daniel), married (first ) Zeviah Chase, (second) Lucy Wadsworth. 3. Catherine, married Robert Ellis. 4. Phoebe, married Eben Williams. 5. Benjamin, born after 1774.


(\') Daniel Pierce, son of Ebenezer and Elizabeth Pearce, was born at Prudence Is- land or North Kingstown, Rhode Island, Jan- uary 29, 1768, and died December 2, 1847. He moved in his youth with his parents from Rhode Island to Hancock, Massachusetts, where he married. In the early part of 1804


his family, his brothers, and perhaps his par- ents and sisters, moved from Hancock to Fabius, New York. His father seems to have spelled the name either "Pearce" or "Pierce," but Daniel and his brother Caleb adopted the spelling "Pierce." Daniel and Caleb were twin brother. The climate at Fabius was malarial, and Caleb removed to Rice, now Ischua, Cat- taraugus county, New York. Daniel was a very active and robust man, quick tempered, above medium height, a Democrat, very jolly and fond of horses. He lived in the eastern part of the town of Fabius until his death, but was a helpless invalid for twenty years. He purchased a farm of ninety acres in the vicinity of Fabius. It adjoined the estate of his brother Caleb, was considered the best farm in the town, and was fenced with cedar rails. His niece, Zeviah, tells that he had one blue eye and one brown. Near Hancock, Massachusetts, he married Betsey ( Elizabeth ) Coats, born December 9, 1775, died April 22, 1850. Daniel and wife are buried at Delphi Falls, New York. Children : 1. Caleb D., born June 3, 1793; married Lucia Beach. 2. Rob- ert E., born October 11, 1795; married Annis Hammond. 3. Benjamin, born December 15, 1797 ; married Minerva Weaver. 4. Eliza, born March 6, 1800; married John Snyder. 5. Anna, born February 26, 1802 ; married Daniel Lansing. 6. Hiram, born February 27, 1804, died August 22, 1824, unmarried. 7. Esther, born February 27, 1806; married Almon Fox. 8. Lyman, born February 8, 1808; married Phebe Dean. 9. Alzina, born January 23, 1810; married Humphrey Fosmer. 10. Elisha C., mentioned below. 11. Lucy, born Decem- ber 1, 1814; married (first) Jacob Fosmer, (second) Nathaniel Waters.


(VI) Elisha C., son of Daniel and Betsey (Coats) Pierce, was born on a farm near Fabius, New York, February 17, 1812, and died at Phelps, New York, August 17, 1896; he is buried at Phelps. Elisha Pierce, although descended from a long line of farmers, was apparently born with an antipathy toward anything connected with a farm. In his youth he learned the harness business, and subse- quently was employed as a traveling salesman for a hardware firm in Syracuse, New York. Eventually he located at Phelps, New York, where he owned and operated a hardware store until his death. He was fond of music and had a fine tenor voice. In his youth he sometimes taught an evening singing class


799


NEW YORK.


and dancing school. In appearance he was about medium height, thin and spare, with small hands and feet, and gray eyes. He was lithe and active until eighty years of age. He married (first) at Victor, New York, Decem- ber 31, 1834, Georgiana Charters Campbell, born August 23, 1812, died at Victor, June 7, 1841, and is buried at Westfield, New York ; she was a great-granddaughter of Thomas and Jane (Davidson) Campbell, who are men- tioned elsewhere. For his second wife Mr. Pierce married, December 9, 1848, Nancy Yale, born in 1824, died February II, 1907. Children by first wife: I. Emmet Butler, born in Victor, New York, September 20, 1836, died November 8, 1839. 2. Emma Cora, men- tioned below. Children by second wife: I. Ida Gertrude, born in Delphi, New York, in 1851, died in August, 1868. 2. George Mc- Clellan, born in Delphi, New York, December 9, 1863; married Lillian White; they reside in Washington, D. C .; have no children.


(VII) Emma Cora, daughter of Elisha C. Pierce by his first wife, was born at Victor, New York, November 26, 1840. Her mother having died, from the after effects of scarlet fever, when Emma Cora was six months old, she was taken into the family of her mother's brother, Nathaniel Campbell, who had lived near her home in Victor, New York. He later removed to Valparaiso, Indiana, where he died after a few years. She was then sent east to live with her paternal aunt, Dolly (Coats) Hill, in Fabius, New York, where she went to public school and later pursued a three-year course of study in Cazenovia Sem- inary. After completing her education she taught for one year in Hamilton, Ohio, and for one year at Valparaiso, Indiana. In the spring of 1865 she came to Westfield, New York, where she taught for three years in the family of her cousin, Mrs. Harriet Tay- lor, and for two years in the public school, from which she resigned in order to marry. She is a member of the Presbyterian church at Westfield, and for a number of years she served as superintendent of the primary de- partment of the Sunday school. She is still living (1912) at Westfield, New York, where she has resided ever since her marriage. She married, June 22, 1870, Reuben Gridley Wright, who was born July 1, 1824, and who died January 12, 1906. Children : Paul Darl- ing Wright, born March 9, 1872; married (first) Lillian Gillen, (second) Charlotte


Mehl. 2. Ralph Glenn Wright, born February 20, 1873, is unmarried, in 1912. 3. Ross Pier Wright, born August 22, 1874, married Eliza Woodward.


HART The surname Hart seems to be common to several nationalities, England, Scotland and Ireland all having families of that name. The origin of the name is not known ; perhaps from David's beautiful animal. that panted for the water brooks. The variety in spelling is not great, the prevailing form being Hart, occasionally Hartt, Harte, Heart and Hearte. The patriot- ism of the family is shown by the great num- ber found in the ranks of the armies in the wars of the revolution, of 1812, and the great rebellion, or civil war. John Hart was a signer of the Declaration of Independence from New Jersey, and a member of the con- tinental congress.


(I) Deacon Stephen, founder of the Hart family of Connecticut, was born in Braintree, Essex county, England, about 1605, died 1683. He came to Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1632, and to Hartford, Connecticut, with Rev. Thomas Hooker's company, in 1635, and was one of the original proprietors. He had been a deacon of Rev. Hooker's church in New- town (Cambridge), Massachusetts, and natur- ally accompanied his friend and pastor to Hartford. Later he settled in the fertile val- ley of Farmington, where he purchased large tracts of land from the Indians. He continued active in the church there, also holding the of- fice of deacon. He was deputy to the general court fifteen years. His eldest son, John, built a house at Farmington that was burned by the Indians and his entire family destroyed except a son John (2), who was absent ; John (2) had three sons who married three Hooker sisters, great-granddaughters of Rev. Thomas Hooker.


(II) Captain Thomas Hart, son of Deacon Stephen Hart, was born in Connecticut, in 1644, died August 27, 1727. He was captain, speaker of the general court, commissioner, member of council, representative from Farm- ington in the general court twenty-nine ses- sions, and a man of wealth and usefulness. He owned an estate of two thousand acres, and was buried with military honors. He married Ruth Hawkins.


(III) Deacon Thomas (2) Hart, son of Captain Thomas (1) Hart, was born April,


800


NEW YORK.


1680, died at Kensington, Connecticut, Janu- ary 29, 1773. He was a man of influence and wealth, was representative six sessions, and deacon of the church at Kensington. He mar- ried Sarah, daughter of John Thompson.


(IV) Elijah, son of Deacon Thomas (2) Hart, was born at Kensington, Connecticut, January 18, 1711, baptized August 12, 1711, died in New Britain, Connecticut, August 3. 1772. He settled in New Britain, in the "Hart quarter," a near neighbor of Judah Hart (I). He was an industrious, prosperous farmer and land owner, very strong, yet in carrying a piece of fencing timber on his shoulder he stepped in a hole in the ground, the weight crushing and injuring him so greatly that death resulted. The record says: "Sergeant Elijah Hart was chosen and appointed deacon at a meeting of the church soon after its in- corporation." His epitaph reads: "In mem- ory of Deacon Elijah Hart, who provided for his own and served his generations with great diligence and fidelity even to the last day of his life; was taken suddenly to the inheri- tance above on the 3rd day of August, 1772, in the 61st year of his age." He married, December 26, 1734, Abigail Goodrich, born December 14, 1714, died January 21, 1809, at Simsbury, Connecticut, aged ninety-five years, daughter of Allen and Elizabeth Goodrich. They had nine children.


(V) Joseph, seventh child of Deacon Elijah Hart, was born May 17, 1750, died in New Durham, Greene county, New York. He built a home in the "Hart quarter" near his father, which he later sold to Oliver Gridley, and moved to New York state. There is a "Hart's Village" in Dutchess county, New York, where several families of Harts from Rhode Island and Connecticut settled, and it is very prob- able that Joseph settled here for a time. He is next found in New Durham, Greene county, New York, where he died. He was a farmer. He married, November 5, 1772, Huldah Smith, born January 4, 1749, daughter of Jedediah and Susanna (Cogswell) Smith. Children : Joseph (2), of whom further; Luther, Hul- dah, and Selah, all baptized September II, 1785 ; a daughter, name unknown, who accom- panied the family to Durham.


(VI) Deacon Joseph (2) Hart, son of Jo- seph (1) Hart, was born in Berlin, Connecti- cut, November 20, 1773, died in Albion, Or- leans county, New York, July 22, 1853. In 1779 his parents, with their three sons and


two daughters, moved from Connecticut to Durham, Greene county, New York. Here Joseph lived until after his marriage at the age of twenty-five. He then moved with his bride to Phelps, Ontario, where he remained six years. In 1812 he settled in what was then Genesee, now Orleans county, New York, then an almost untrodden wilderness. He pur- chased two hundred and forty acres from the Holland Land Company, paying three dollars and twenty-five cents per acre. On this tract he built a log house and began clearing a farm. Here he resided until his death, seeing the forest give way before the fields and a thriving village springing up on the borders of his farm, a part of which is now included within the village limits of Albion. He pros- pered and became one of the prominent men of his town. He served in the war of 1812, and was one of the founders of the Presby- terian church of Albion, always being known as "Deacon Joseph," or "Deacon Hart." Part of the tract which he purchased from the Holland Land Company and brought under cultivation has since changed hands at eight hundred dollars per acre. He was a thrifty, industrious and energetic pioneer, founding a family that has numbered some of the fore- most men in civil and political life in Orleans county. He married, May 3, 1798, Lucy Kirt- land, born in Saybrook, Connecticut, Novem- ber II, 1778, died at Albion, January 4, 1867; she came with her parents and their family to Greene county, New York, where they set- tled at Windham, a village not far from Dur- liam. Children : 1. William, of whom further. 2. Elizur, (q. v.). 3. John I., born April 8, 1805, died May 24, 1818. 4. Benjamin K., July 2, 1807, died August 30, 1864. 5. Chris- topher, October 25, 1809, died January 28, 1810. 6. Lovica L. (or Louise), April 27, ISII, died April 9, 1892. 7. Lucy K., January 22, 1814, died July 18, 1904 ; married Ambrose Berry. 8. Mary A., June 2, 1817, died March 8, 1849; married Langford Berry. 9. Joseph S., (q. v.). 10. Samuel E., August 13, 1823, died October 22, 1893.


(VII) William, eldest son of Deacon Jo- seph (2) Hart, was born in Durham, Greene county, New York, February 23, 1801. died in Albion, New York, December 30, 1879. He was educated in the public schools and grew up a farmer, an occupation he followed all his life. After coming to Orleans county he purchased a farm of his father, which now


801


NEW YORK.


lies within the corporate limits of Albion, now owned by his son, John W. He was an at- tendant of the Presbyterian church and a liberal contributor to its support and charities. Politically he was a Democrat. He married Pamelia Wells, of Wethersfield, Connecticut, born 1807, died January 25, 1865. Child, John W., of whom further.


(VIII) John Wells, only child of William Hart, was born on the original Hart home- stead, Albion, New York, September 11, 1836. He was educated in the public schools and Al- bion Academy. He was associated with his father in farm management until 1892, when he retired from active life, having from the age of twenty-one years been in charge of the homestead farm which he inherited upon the death of his father. He was one of the in- corporators of the Albion Shoe Company in 1890, and one of the principal stockholders of the Blanchard Vinegar Company, also being actively connected with other Albion enter- prises. He has been a lifelong member of the Presbyterian church, and one of its most zeal- ous, liberal members, and for many years served on the board of trustees. He lends his support and influence to every good cause, and is rated one of the prominent, substantial and influential men of his town and county. Politically he is an Independent and has served as trustee of the village corporation of Al- bion.


He married, October 28, 1869, at Albion, Sarah, daughter of Russell Smith, a farmer of Gaines, Orleans county, New York, who came to the county from Heath, Massachu- setts, son of Moses Smith. Russell Smith married Lydia Warren. Children of John Wells and Sarah L. Hart : I. Pamelia Wells, born September 26, 1870; married Au- gustus W. Behrend; children : Marion H., born June 30, 1894; Fredericka, January 16, 1898; Maynard, March 19, 1900; Sarah L., June 10, 1906. 2. Grace, born March 30, 1874 ; married (as second wife) John J. Larwood, whose first wife was her sister Gertrude L. 3. Gertrude L., born June 27, 1882, died April 20, 1908; married John J. Larwood ; children : John Hart, born March 10, 1905; Gertrude Jane, April 1, 1908.


(VII) Elizur Hart, second son of HART Deacon Joseph (2) Hart (q. v.), was born in Durham, Greene county, New York, May 22, 1803, died while


on a visit to his relatives at Jonesville, Sara- toga county, New York, August 13, 1870. He acquired such education as advantages at that early day and locality afforded, which at the best were very limited. He assisted in clearing the farm, developing a robust con- stitution and acquiring habits of industry and frugality. In 1827 he was elected constable, an office he held two years, and was often nec- essarily called to the village of Albion on of- ficial business. Here he first began to invest in good promissory notes, using his own small capital and a like sum placed in his hands by his brother William. He sold his one hundred acres deeded him by his father, to his brother, William Hart, and with the proceeds con- tinued his investments in local securities, also in bonds, mortgages and articles issued by the Holland Company for land. In 1852 he was appointed receiver of the Orleans Insurance Company, and upon the failure of the old Bank of Orleans was appointed receiver of that institution. He closed up the affairs of these two concerns with such general satis- faction that his reputation as a sound, able financier was fully established. February 17, 1859, he organized the Orleans County Bank with himself as president and Joseph M. Cor- nell as cashier. They began business in Feb- ruary, 1860, with a capital of $50,000, which was soon increased to $100,000. August 9, 1865, this bank was reorganized as the Or- leans County National Bank, of which Mr. Hart was president and principal stockholder until his death. He was a most successful business man, and from an humble beginning became one of the wealthiest bankers of his day. He was widely known and highly re- spected for his unquestioned integrity. He was an active member of the First Presbyte- rian Church of Albion, and in his will gave $50,000 to that society to erect a house of wor- ship, and $5,000 as an endowment to the Sun- day school. This bequest was used in the erection of a most beautiful church in the vil- lage, a fitting monument to the memory of a good man. He took no part in public af- fairs officially, being essentially the man of business. He married, May II, 1835, Lor- raine A. Field, who died February 11, 1847. He married (second) October 16, 1849, Cor- nelia King, who died February 2, 1907, in Albion. Children : Frances E., married Oliver C. Day; Jennie K., married Henry L. Smith ; E. Kirke, of whom further.




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.