James Hart Made His Mark In Early Warren County

Sometime ago I wrote about an early resident of the area of Hopkinsville, Col. John Hopkins. Another resident of the area that made his mark in early Warren County was James Hart.
James Hart was born in Northern Ireland to a family that was Scotch-Irish. (This term does not imply a breeding of the two bloods, but merely means the Scots resided in Ireland.)
James' father was a resident of Antrim County. He was a weaver by trade and owned what was called a "bleach-green," or a meadow on which linen fabrics were exposed to the sunlight for bleaching.
James was subject to ill-treatment by his stepmother and subsequently ran away from home. He had one full-blooded brother named John, and four half-brothers. Apparently all the brothers immigrated to this country, James being the first.
James was a mere youngster when he arrived in America. He for some time lived in Philadelphia where he worked at the peddler's trade. He seems to have evolved into quite a businessman having traveled in several parts of Pennsylvania.
A vocational relationship was struck with Andrew Gibson in the peddling venture which seems to have been quite successful. Hart and Gibson eventually married into the Hopkins family, some of whom later resided in Hopkinsville, outside of Morrow.
James Harts's many residences in Pennsylvania and the time spent in the State is unknown. He later moved to Rockbridge County, Virginia, where he became a soldier in the Revolutionary War. (Sometime before the war he married Elizabeth Hopkins either in Pennsylvania or Virginia.)
He was said to have been a private in the war and took part in the final victory at Yorktown in 1781.
His home for many years was in Rockbridge County. His next move was to Kentucky, and about 1803 moved to Warren County, Ohio, where he lived until his death.
(There is a possibility that James Hopkins, father of Col. John Hopkins, and James Hart had been neighbors in Virginia and Kentucky for they arrived in Warren County about the same time.) Land at this time was $1.00 per acre on the east side of the Little Miami which was an enticement to buy and settle in the neighborhood of where Hopkinsville would later be located.
James Hopkins bought of William Lytle in 1807, 260 acres for $260. In 1811, Lytle sold 200 acres to James Hart for $200, and in 1817 to Samuel Hart, son of James, 125 acres for $125. There is a possibility these lands may have been purchased at an earlier time, settled upon, and in use before the recording of the deeds.
The Hart family in Ireland appears to have been Scotch Covenantors. In America James became a member of the small branch of Presbyterians called Associate Reformed. There were churches in Rockbridge County, Va., of this sect in which the Hart and Hopkins families probably belonged. In Warren County James Hart was a member of the Sycamore Church.
Hart died about 1822 at an advanced age and was buried in the graveyard at Deerfield. No tombstone has ever been found. His will was signed July 15, 1820, and was probated October 19, 1822. Before his death, he sold his farm in two tracts of 100 acres each to his sons, John and George. His will mentioned only personal property such as household goods, cattle, horses, sheep and hogs, his farming implements, and his loom and fishing apparatus.
His son John Hart and nephew John Hopkins were executors of his will.
All twelve of James and Elizabeth Hopkins Hart's children were born before their arrival in Ohio. There were seven sons and five daughters.
The birth-years of the children range from 1774 to 1799.
1. John, married Jane Farquer in 1811; lived and died in Warren County; had four sons and two daughters.
2. James, married Mary Tilford and had ten children.
3. Hugh, married Elizabeth Tilford, and died at Georgetown, Ky., leaving two daughters.
4. David, died of Cold Plague in 1814 after serving in the war with England. He was the second man in Warren County who died of the disease. He was unmarried.
5. Nancy, married James Bone of the vicinity of Lebanon and had 12 children.
6. William, died unmarried at Deerfield, Ohio.
7. Samuel, married Jane Bigham in 1812 and had three daughters: Elizabeth (Mrs. Zebulon Davis); Mary (Mrs. John McCready); and Sarah (Mrs. Thompson).
8. Sarah, married Absalom Runion in 1812 and had two sons.
9. Margaret, died in childhood.
10. Mary, married William Heston (?) and had one daughter.
11. Elizabeth, married William Haney and had two sons and two daughters.
12. George, married Martha Sleasman in 1823.

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This page created 3 August 2004 and last updated 28 September, 2008
© 2004 Arne H Trelvik  All rights reserved