In the book's own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1843, Pleasant Ridge township
From Biographical review of Lee County, Iowa; (1905)
GEORGE A. HART.
George A. Hart, who follows the trade of blacksmith and wagonmaker. at Fort Madison, is a native son of Lee county, having been born in Pleasant Ridge township, March 26. 1843. He is the son of John H. and Phoebe (Thurston) Hart, who were married at East Greenwich, Rhode Island, and removed to Lee county in 1839, where the father purchased land and engaged in farming until his retirement. At that time they again removed, going to Denmark, this county, and later to Butler, Missouri, and there John H. Hart died in 1870, at the age of fifty-six years. The demise of his wife preceded his, she having passed to the higher life in the year 185 1, at the age of forty.
Our subject is one of a family of eight brothers and sisters, as follows: Jane, wife of Robert Henry of Mount Ayr, Iowa; Thomas H.. of Fort Madison; Ray S., of Denmark. Lee county; George A.; John T., who died in a military hospital at St. Louis, in 1864; Ariadna, wife of T. F. Whitmark, of Lee county; Lorin. deceased; and Lewis, deceased. After the death of his first wife John H. Hart was again married, this time-to Emily Green, who died in 1891, leaving three children: Phoebe L. (Root), now deceased; Manley D.: and Jessie, wife of Frank Murphy, of Stronghurst, Illinois.
The Hart family originally emigrated to America from Ireland at an early date, and Mr. Hart traces his genealogy through the material line of Thurston as far back as 1640. when two brothers of the name settled in America, coming from England.
[This passage is too damaged in the scanned book to reproduce. See the original book.]
In his political faith, George A. Hart is a stanch and Inynl member of the Republican party. Fraternally, he is connected with the Grand Army of the Republic, and is a charter member of Camp No. 460, Modern Woodmen of America, of Denmark. He owns his place of business and family residence at No. 1005 Second street. By a long career of industry, integrity and just and generous dealing Mr. Hart has made his own way successfully, and has earned for himself the respect of a large circle of friends.
As printed in Biographical review of Lee County, Iowa; (1905). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1905. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.