Individual Details
John "Signer of Declaration of Independence" Hart
(Abt 21 February 1713 - 11 May 1779)
Sources disagree as to the year and place of Hart's birth. He was perhaps born in 1706 in Stonington, Connecticut or in 1713 in Hopewell Township, Burlington (now part of Mercer) County, New Jersey.
He was a farmer, statesman, miller, Delegate to the Continental Congress, and Signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was the son of Captain Edward Hart, a farmer, public assessor, and Justice of the Peace. His grandfather John Hart was a carpenter from Newtown, Long Island to Hopewell, New Jersey. In 1741, John Hart married Deborah Scudder (1721 – 1776). The couple would have thirteen children: Sarah, Jesse, Martha, Nathaniel, John, Susanna, Mary, Abigail, Edward, Scudder, an infant daughter, Daniel, and Deborah, of whom only Daniel and Deborah were still minor children at the time of John Hart's death in 1779.
DAR Ancestor # A051538
* John Hart has the distinction of having the highest number of DAR members having cited him as their DAR Patriot- more than 600 as of the latest magazine (2015).
John Hart was taught to read, write and do figures, but like most men of his day, had little formal schooling. His spelling was poor, but at the time most people were casual about spelling, if they could read at all. He was well known for his common sense, and may have been well read for his day, and at least later in life knew the law, and was considered informed on money and business matters.
Around 1739-1740 John Hart bought the "homestead plantation" of 193 acres on the north side of what is now the town of Hopewell. In 1747, he donated to the Baptists, who wanted to build a church in a convenient spot in the area, a parcel of ground for a church from his front meadow. He was a Presbyterian, and this endeared him to the Baptists in the area, who may have supported him later when he ran for office. Until well after the revolution, the area was thereafter call Baptist Meeting House.
In 1776, he was designated one of the officials to sign the new Bill of Credit notes issued as money for the state. He signed each of the notes issued for the western NJ division of the treasury-15,583 notes legibly signed. He was paid 12 pounds, 10 shillings and 10 pence which was about the value of 3 muskets. In May he was reelected to the Provincial Congress. On June 22nd he was elected as one of 5 delegate to the 2nd Cont'l Congress-"any one member with full rights to cast a vote" for the state July 4 th 1776 he signed the Declaration of Independence , with the other 4 delegates from NJ. August.13 th elected to the new STATE ,not colony, Assembly. Aug 29 th elected to Speaker of the Assembly. Oct. 5 th he returned home to see his sick wife, a Saturday. On Monday the 7 th he returned to the Assembly, but was called home again. On Tuesday the 8 th, the Assembly adjourned until Nov. 13 th because they could not hold business without the Speaker. That day-Oct.8 th 1776-Deborah Hart died. On November 13 th British invaded the state, and Washington could not stand against them, and retreated across the state. In mid Dec. John Hart has to hide from The British and Hessians who are searching for him, at one point hiding in a natural rock formation call the Rock House, an unpleasant experience in the winter for an elderly man. The Hessians damage his farm, but do not destroy it. In comparison,an associate, Samuel Tucker, President of the Joint meetings of the NJ legislature, signs a loyalty oath to the British crown after excepting amnesty, and so does Richard Stockton, fellow signer, both after being captured and held under deplorable conditions. These were the crisis times of the Revolution.
On January 3, 1777, George Washington won at The Battle of Princeton, and the British and Hessians began to pull out of most of the state. John Hart called for the Assembly to convene at Pittstown on January 22.
From 1777 to 1778 the Assembly met 10 times, in session for 270 days. Twice John Hart was reelected Speaker. In 1778 he was elected to the Council of Safety, who were given 'extraordinary and summary powers" to conduct the most urgent affairs of the state.Also elected as President of Joint meetings of the New Jersey Congress, replacing Samuel Tucker. He served as Treasurer of the Council of Safety, and Commissioner of the New Jersey Loan Office, signing more bill of credit notes in 1777-78.
On June 22, 1778 he invited the American army to encamp on his farm. Washington had lunch with him, then had his famous Council of War at the nearby Hunt House. 12,000 men camped on his fields during the growing season. After resting and preparing for battle the troops left on the 24th. The Battle of Monmouth was fought on June 28.
On Nov 7 th 1778 he returned home. On the 9 th he was too ill from "gravel" or kidney stones, to return to Trenton and the Assembly. He remained too ill to travel until his death on Tuesday, May 11, 1779, age 66, at his home. He is buried in the yard of the First Baptist Church in Hopewell, New Jersey.
May 19, 1779 The New Jersey Gazette said the following: On Tuesday the 11th instant, departed this life at his seat in Hopewell, JOHN HART, Esq. the Representative in General Assembly for the county of Hunterdon, and late Speaker of that House. He had served in the Assembly for many years under the former government, taken an early and active part in the present revolution, and continued to the day he was seized with his last illness to discharge the duties of a faithful and upright patriot in the service of his country in general and the county he represented in particular . The universal approbation of his character and conduct among all ranks of people, is the best testimony of his worth, and as it must make his death regretted and lamented, will ensure lasting respect to his memory.
John Hart died owing money, and due to the shortage of hard money, depreciation of colonial money, and a glut of land on the market as Loyalist land was confiscated and sold, most of his property was sold for a pittance. His sons later moved to the frontiers, his daughters married area men.
Source: Genealogical and Personal History of the Upper Monongahela Valley, West Virginia] Bernard L. Butcher Genealogical Publishing Com, Jan 1, 1999 - Reference - 1037 pages. Page 1060.
He was a farmer, statesman, miller, Delegate to the Continental Congress, and Signer of the Declaration of Independence. He was the son of Captain Edward Hart, a farmer, public assessor, and Justice of the Peace. His grandfather John Hart was a carpenter from Newtown, Long Island to Hopewell, New Jersey. In 1741, John Hart married Deborah Scudder (1721 – 1776). The couple would have thirteen children: Sarah, Jesse, Martha, Nathaniel, John, Susanna, Mary, Abigail, Edward, Scudder, an infant daughter, Daniel, and Deborah, of whom only Daniel and Deborah were still minor children at the time of John Hart's death in 1779.
DAR Ancestor # A051538
* John Hart has the distinction of having the highest number of DAR members having cited him as their DAR Patriot- more than 600 as of the latest magazine (2015).
John Hart was taught to read, write and do figures, but like most men of his day, had little formal schooling. His spelling was poor, but at the time most people were casual about spelling, if they could read at all. He was well known for his common sense, and may have been well read for his day, and at least later in life knew the law, and was considered informed on money and business matters.
Around 1739-1740 John Hart bought the "homestead plantation" of 193 acres on the north side of what is now the town of Hopewell. In 1747, he donated to the Baptists, who wanted to build a church in a convenient spot in the area, a parcel of ground for a church from his front meadow. He was a Presbyterian, and this endeared him to the Baptists in the area, who may have supported him later when he ran for office. Until well after the revolution, the area was thereafter call Baptist Meeting House.
In 1776, he was designated one of the officials to sign the new Bill of Credit notes issued as money for the state. He signed each of the notes issued for the western NJ division of the treasury-15,583 notes legibly signed. He was paid 12 pounds, 10 shillings and 10 pence which was about the value of 3 muskets. In May he was reelected to the Provincial Congress. On June 22nd he was elected as one of 5 delegate to the 2nd Cont'l Congress-"any one member with full rights to cast a vote" for the state July 4 th 1776 he signed the Declaration of Independence , with the other 4 delegates from NJ. August.13 th elected to the new STATE ,not colony, Assembly. Aug 29 th elected to Speaker of the Assembly. Oct. 5 th he returned home to see his sick wife, a Saturday. On Monday the 7 th he returned to the Assembly, but was called home again. On Tuesday the 8 th, the Assembly adjourned until Nov. 13 th because they could not hold business without the Speaker. That day-Oct.8 th 1776-Deborah Hart died. On November 13 th British invaded the state, and Washington could not stand against them, and retreated across the state. In mid Dec. John Hart has to hide from The British and Hessians who are searching for him, at one point hiding in a natural rock formation call the Rock House, an unpleasant experience in the winter for an elderly man. The Hessians damage his farm, but do not destroy it. In comparison,an associate, Samuel Tucker, President of the Joint meetings of the NJ legislature, signs a loyalty oath to the British crown after excepting amnesty, and so does Richard Stockton, fellow signer, both after being captured and held under deplorable conditions. These were the crisis times of the Revolution.
On January 3, 1777, George Washington won at The Battle of Princeton, and the British and Hessians began to pull out of most of the state. John Hart called for the Assembly to convene at Pittstown on January 22.
From 1777 to 1778 the Assembly met 10 times, in session for 270 days. Twice John Hart was reelected Speaker. In 1778 he was elected to the Council of Safety, who were given 'extraordinary and summary powers" to conduct the most urgent affairs of the state.Also elected as President of Joint meetings of the New Jersey Congress, replacing Samuel Tucker. He served as Treasurer of the Council of Safety, and Commissioner of the New Jersey Loan Office, signing more bill of credit notes in 1777-78.
On June 22, 1778 he invited the American army to encamp on his farm. Washington had lunch with him, then had his famous Council of War at the nearby Hunt House. 12,000 men camped on his fields during the growing season. After resting and preparing for battle the troops left on the 24th. The Battle of Monmouth was fought on June 28.
On Nov 7 th 1778 he returned home. On the 9 th he was too ill from "gravel" or kidney stones, to return to Trenton and the Assembly. He remained too ill to travel until his death on Tuesday, May 11, 1779, age 66, at his home. He is buried in the yard of the First Baptist Church in Hopewell, New Jersey.
May 19, 1779 The New Jersey Gazette said the following: On Tuesday the 11th instant, departed this life at his seat in Hopewell, JOHN HART, Esq. the Representative in General Assembly for the county of Hunterdon, and late Speaker of that House. He had served in the Assembly for many years under the former government, taken an early and active part in the present revolution, and continued to the day he was seized with his last illness to discharge the duties of a faithful and upright patriot in the service of his country in general and the county he represented in particular . The universal approbation of his character and conduct among all ranks of people, is the best testimony of his worth, and as it must make his death regretted and lamented, will ensure lasting respect to his memory.
John Hart died owing money, and due to the shortage of hard money, depreciation of colonial money, and a glut of land on the market as Loyalist land was confiscated and sold, most of his property was sold for a pittance. His sons later moved to the frontiers, his daughters married area men.
Source: Genealogical and Personal History of the Upper Monongahela Valley, West Virginia] Bernard L. Butcher Genealogical Publishing Com, Jan 1, 1999 - Reference - 1037 pages. Page 1060.
Events
| Baptism | 21 February 1713 | ||||
| Birth | Abt 21 February 1713 | ||||
| Marriage | Abt 1739 | Deborah Scudder | |||
| Death | 11 May 1779 | Hopewell, New Jersey | |||
| Burial | Aft 11 May 1779 | 1st Baptist Church Courtyard |
Families
| Spouse | Deborah Scudder (1723 - 1776) |
| Child | Sarah Hart (1741 - 1821) |
| Child | Jesse Hart (1742 - 1815) |
| Child | Martha Hart (1746 - 1815) |
| Child | Nathaniel Hart (1747 - 1825) |
| Child | John R. Hart Jr. (1748 - 1790) |
| Child | Susannah Hart (1750 - 1832) |
| Child | Mary Midridge Hart (1752 - 1782) |
| Child | Abigail Hart (1754 - 1833) |
| Child | Edward Scudder Hart (1755 - 1812) |
| Child | Scudder Hart (1757 - 1758) |
| Child | Baby Girl Hart (1761 - 1761) |
| Child | Daniel Scudder Hart (1762 - 1848) |
| Child | Deborah Hart (1765 - 1848) |
| Father | Captain Edward Hart (1685 - 1752) |
| Mother | Martha Furman (1691 - 1752) |
| Sibling | Edward Hart (1712 - ) |
| Sibling | Daniel Hart (1716 - ) |
| Sibling | Martha Hart (1718 - ) |
| Sibling | Sarah Hart (1720 - ) |
| Sibling | Moses Hart ( - ) |