Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

tree, County Essex, England, and came
to this country about 1632. He was a pro-
prietor of Cambridge, Massachusetts, in
1633, and was admitted a freeman, May
14, 1634. In 1635 he sold his Cambridge
property and removed to Hartford with
Rev. Mr. Hooker's company and was one
of the founders of that town. His house
lot was on the west side of what is now
Front street, near Morgan street. He
is said to have been one of a hunting
party that discovered the site of Farm-
ington, of which he became one of the
original proprietors in 1672. He was
deputy to the General Court in 1647, and
for fifteen sessions. In 1653 he was a
commissioner for the town of Farming-
ton to aid in impressing men for the
army. He was first deacon of the Farm-
ington church and one of the seven pil-
lars, as the founders were called. His
house lot, one of the largest in the town,
was on the west side of Main street, oppo-
site the meeting house. This large lot,
containing fifteen acres, was given him
as an inducement to erect a mill. His will
was dated March 16, 1682. He died
in March, 1682-83. His second wife was
Margaret, widow of Arthur Smith. She
died in 1693. Children by first wife:
Sarah, John, Stephen, mentioned below;
Mehitable, Thomas.
Stephen Hart, son of Stephen Hart, was
born in Braintree, England, and settled
with his father in Farmington. His house
was east of the meeting house opposite
John Hooker's. He was made a freeman
in May, 1654; died in 1689. Children:
Stephen, mentioned below ; Thomas, born
1666; John, 1669; Samuel, 1672; Sarah,
1675; Anna, 1678; Mary, 1682.
Stephen Hart, son of Stephen Hart,
was born in Farmington, in 1662 ; mar-
ried, December 28, 1689, Sarah Cowles,
daughter of Samuel and Abigail (Stan-
ley) Cowles. She was born December 25,
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
280
1668, at Tunxis, and was admitted to the
Farmington church, February 2, 1691-92.
His will was dated September 3, 1728, bequeathing
to his wife and children. He
died August 18, 1733. Children: Sarah,
born October 16, 1692 ; Anna, August 18,
1695; Stephen, March 7, 1698; Abigail,
February 25, 1702; Timothy, August 31,
Daniel, mentioned below.
1705 ;
Daniel Hart, son of Stephen Hart, was
born March 20, 1707-08; married (first)
July 18, 1734, Abigail Thompson, born
September 3, 1710, died December 7, 1760,
daughter of Thomas and Abigail (Wood-
ruff) Thompson. His home was at the
north end of Stanley street, at the foot of
Clark Hill, New Britain. He married
(second) May 21, 1761, Comfort (Kelsey)
Stephens, widow of Benjamin Stephens,
and daughter of Kelsey. Children
by first wife: Eldad, born June 6, 1735,
died young; Eldad, March 22, 1737;
Stephen, March 5, 1739-40, died young;
Stephen, mentioned below.
Stephen Hart, son of Daniel Hart, was
born in New Britain, December 8, 1744,
died November 20, 1816. He lived in
Stanley Quarter at the foot of Clark Hill,
inheriting the homestead, one of three
farms owned by his father. He married,
October 8, 1767, Rhoda Stedman, daugh-
ter of Charles and Jemima (Gaines) Stedman,
of Wethersfield. She died March 26,
1832. Children : Ebenezer, born Febru-
ary 8, 1769; Mary, June 25, 1770; Chris-
tina, October 22, 1773
; Stephen, men-
tioned below; Nancy, January 2, 1789.
Stephen Hart, son of Stephen Hart,
was born in New Britain, October 21,
1775 ; married, June 25, 1796, Sail White,
daughter of Ezra and Lucy (Stanliff)
White, of Chatham. Stephen Hart had
the homestead and followed farming. He
died December 9, 1816. His widow died
at the home of her son Philip, September
6, 1859, aged eighty-four years. Children: