Benjamin Hart

As printed in 1908

BENJAMIN HART, a representative citizen of Springfield Township, where he owns a fine, well-improved farm of-eighty acres, has been a resident of the village of Mogadore since 1902. Mr. Hart was born June 5, 1832, and is a son of Jesse and Freelove (Ive.s) Hart.

Mr. Hart belongs to an old and honorable pioneer family of New England stock, his ancestors having been among the first settlers of Springfield Township and among the very early residents of Summit County, coming here a few years after the admission of Ohio as a.state.

Jesse Hart, father of Benjamin, was born in Connecticut, in 1773, and died in Summit County, Ohio, July 18, 1868, aged ninety-four years. When twenty-eight years of age he married Esther Warner, in Connecticut, and they had the following children: Worthy, who wa born March 12, 1808; Amy, who was born January 29, 1805; Esther, who was born Tanuary 15, 1808; Patience, who was born April 10, 1809; and Welcome, who was born February 19, 1811. The mother of these children died March 28, 1811. Jesse Hart was married (second) also in Connecticut to Freelove Ives, September 15, 1811. She wa.s born in Vermont and died in Summit Countv. Ohio. November 7, 1863, The children of Je.sse and Freelove Hart were: Louisa, who was born August 2, 1812, married Homer Root; Jesse, who was born April 27, 1813, married Rachel Richards; Phoebe, who was born September 17, 1816, married Otis Merriman; George, who was born October 22, 1818, married (first) Eliza Nelson, and (second) Mrs. Lizzie (Hile) Bean; Elizabeth, who was born October 18, 1821, married John Hixon; Amos, who was born April 28, 1824, died from an accident, when two years of age; Harriet, who was born August 27, 1826, married (first) William Chapman, and (second) John Smith; Sarah, who was born August 1, 1828, married (first) Joseph Conrad, and (second) Robert Fisher; and Benjamin, who was born June 5, 1832, the youngest of a family of fourteen children.

"In 1812, Jesse Hart left Conecticut with his family and made the journey to Summit County, Ohio, in covered wagons, bringing along many household treasures, and probably, as did many other early settlers, his cows and horses. He settled on what became known as the Hart homestead, in Springfield Township, west of Logtown, where the remainder of his life was pa.ssed. He found only a small portion of the land cleared, heavy timber covering the balance, and it required years for himself and sons to cut down this timber, blacken and then grub out the stumps and I)lace it all under cultivation. His experience was that of other pioneer settlers, a little easier in his case because he possessed more ample means than many others. His older children, however, were all daughters and years I)passed before his sons could materially assist in the heavy labor. He first erected a log house of fair dimensions, and in this the family lived and increa.sed for ten years. About 1822. he erected a.substantial brick house, in which he lived until he died and which still remains on the farm in habitable condition. In all that went to promote the civilization of this section and to advance the welfare of the community in which he had been an early pioneer. -lease Hart was a man to be def>ended upon. He lived to witness wonderful changes in the country to which he had come so early, and on which he left an imj)ress on account of his sterling character. The Hart connections are found all over this section, almost all of his children having married and left descendants.

Benjamin Hart was born in the brick house above mentioned and resided in it until 1892. His education was obtained in the early district schools near his home and he enjoyed one term's instruction at a private school in Mogadore. He continued to cultivate the matrimonial farm until 1892, when he passed it on to his children and grandchildren and at last the old place was sold, but it is still called the old Hart homestead. In 1892, Mr. Hart moved from the old farm, which contained 150 acres, to a farm of eighty acres, which he purchased of R. L. Ewart, and that farm he occupied and operated until he moved to Mogadore, in 1902.

On November 15, 1855, Benjamin Hart was married to Mary L. Meacham, who is a daughter of Benjamin and Prudence (Force) Meacham. Benjamin Meacham was born in Connecticut, came as an early settler to Summit County, and lived in both Tallmadge and Springfield Townships. The mother of Mrs. Hart died when she was two years old, but her father survived some forty years. The children born to Benjamin and Mary L, Hart were the following: Alice, Clara, Mary L., Sarah L., Wilbur Judd, and Raymond, Alice, who married Clark Woolf, resides in Springfield Township, and they have three children. May, Mahlon and Bessie. Clara, deceased, married Edward Daugherty, and at death, December 12. 1886, left two sons, James Benjamin, who has become a prominent citizen of New Berlin, and Irvin Garfield, who is a successful dentist residing at New Berlin. May L., who married Homer L. Hudson, October 7, 1882, died September 7, 1888, leaving one daughter. Clara Louise; Sarah L., was married August 27, 1885, to Amos K. Douglas and they have four children, Rosamond. Ray Hayes, Ethel and Helen. Wilbur,Tudd Hart was married.Tune 3. 1890, to Viola Funt, and they have eight children, Jennie, James, Edith, Clara, Gertrude. Trvin (deceased), Elwood. and Florence V, Wilbur

Judd Hart is engaged in farming in Tallmadge Township, Raymond Hart, the youngest member of the family, conducts a meat-market at Mogadore, On October 14, 1900, he married Mrs., Maggie (Flick) Kline.

Benjamin Hart has been a life-long Republican and was a strong supporter of the policies of the late Governor Pattison. He has always been a vigorous fighter for the cause of temperance and lives up to his convictions. He has never used intoxicants nor tobacco, and in the vigor of his seventy-five years may be read an excellent and convincing temperance lecture.

Mr. Hart is one of the prominent and substantial men of this part of Summit County, not only on account of his material possessions, but for the sturdy qualities and sterling attributes which have marked the family name. The years have touched him kindly, silvering his hair but leaving his heart young. In the friendly class of his hand and the hearty sound of his voice is a cheer that speaks of a well regulated life, a clear past and a hopeful future.

As printed in Centennial history of Summit County, Ohio and representative citizens (1908). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.