My Genealogy Hound

John S. Hart was born in Armstrong County, Penn., October 8, 1824, and is a son of Jacob and Dorothea (Dice) Hart, natives of Pennsylvania, where the father was born January 8, 1796. He was a garmer, and resided in Armstrong County until the latter part of his life, when he removed to Westmoreland County, where he died February 13, 1872. Of four sons and five daughters who were reared to maturity but four outlived the parents. J. S. was the eldest child, and grew to manhood in Armstrong County. He is a self-educated man, most of his knowledge being acquired after he became of age. He taught school thirteen months in Armstrong and Allegheny Counties, and in October, 1849, went to Davis County, Iowa, where he entered and improved some land. He also taught school there several terms, and was married, August 14, 1853, to Miss Martha Jane Williams, daughter of T. S. and Rebecca (Hale) Williams, natives of North Carolina and Tennessee, respectively. Mr. Hart moved to Missouri in April 1856, and bought some land, slightly improved, in Putnam County upon his present place. He engaged in teaching for about nine terms during the fall and winter seasons, and carried on farming the remainder of the year. He now owns a nice farm of 289 acres, 140 being fenced and cultivated, and lives in a large two-story house. The stabling is good, and he has a nice orchard of about 400 select varieties of fruit trees. He enlisted February 3, 1862, in Company D, First Cavalry, Missouri State Militia, and served until discharged March 17, 1865. He was present at the fight in Marshall, Saline County, and at Castle Rock, and was in numerous skirmishes with Price on the Blue River. He was raised from the position of second sergeant to that of first sergeant, and is now adjutant of the G. A. R. post at Hartford. He is a Republican in politics, and has been connected with the school board for twenty-five years, and was elected public administrator in November, 1882, which office he is now filling. Mr. and Mrs. Hart have reared a family of five sons and four daughters, all of whom are living: Orlando O. (married and in Lawrence County, Dak.), Millard B. (married and a county teacher in Putnam County), Clara R. (wife of Frederick A. Pooles, of Los Angeles, Cal.), Julia, Sarah M. (wife of Levi Johnson of Rollins County, Kas.), Ulysses S., Emma E. (county teacher), Horace L., and Erastus W., who lives in Nebraska.