Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...
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ness as a shoemaker. Both he and his<br />
wife were members <strong>of</strong> the church at<br />
Northington, in 175 ,<br />
1 and he was the first<br />
deacon there<strong>of</strong>. He was also magistrate<br />
there. His wife died January 23, 1774-75,<br />
and his death occurred March io, 1777.<br />
The Bible said to have been his, printed<br />
at London in 1585, was exchanged with<br />
the <strong>Connecticut</strong> Historical Society for an<br />
ordinary family Bible by his granddaughter,<br />
Mrs. Rhoda Thompson.<br />
His father, Sergeant Thomas Hart, <strong>of</strong><br />
Nod and Farmington, was born in 1606<br />
at Tunxis. He married, September 18,<br />
1689, Elizabeth Judd, a daughter <strong>of</strong> John<br />
and Mary (Hawkins) Judd, a native <strong>of</strong><br />
Farmington, where she was born in 1670,<br />
and where she united with the church on<br />
February 2, 1691-92. He inherited the<br />
west half <strong>of</strong> his father's house lot, oppo-<br />
site the Female Seminary, where he re-<br />
sided, and in addition to this owned large<br />
tracts <strong>of</strong> land in the region. His death<br />
occurred March 23, 1727-28. and that <strong>of</strong><br />
his wife on March 18, 1743.<br />
His father, Stephen Hart, was second<br />
son <strong>of</strong> the immigrant ancestor, and was<br />
born at Braintree in the County <strong>of</strong> Essex,<br />
F.ngland. On coming to this country<br />
with his parents he located at Farmington,<br />
and had his house east <strong>of</strong> the church<br />
and opposite the residence <strong>of</strong> John<br />
Hooker. He was made a freeman in<br />
May. 1654, and died about 1689, leaving<br />
an estate which was appraised at<br />
i 633. 1 4.0.<br />
His father, Deacon Stephen Hart, was<br />
born about 1605 at Braintree, England,<br />
and came to Massachusetts about 1632,<br />
locating for a time at Newtown, now<br />
Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was one<br />
<strong>of</strong> the fifty-four settlers <strong>of</strong> that town and<br />
was admitted freeman there, May 14,<br />
1634. He was a deacon in the church <strong>of</strong><br />
the Rev. Thomas Hooker, and came to<br />
Hartford with his company in 1635. He<br />
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY<br />
was named as one <strong>of</strong> the proprietors <strong>of</strong><br />
the town in 1639, and his house lot was<br />
located on the west side <strong>of</strong> what is now<br />
Front street, Hartford, near the intersec-<br />
tion <strong>of</strong> Morgan street. He was one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
original settlers <strong>of</strong> the town <strong>of</strong> Farming-<br />
ton in 1645, and became one <strong>of</strong> its eighty-<br />
four proprietors in 1672. He was one <strong>of</strong><br />
the "Seven Pillars" <strong>of</strong> the church and<br />
was chosen their first deacon. He owned<br />
08<br />
a large tract on the border <strong>of</strong> what is<br />
now Avon, and which is known to this<br />
day as Hart's farm. He was one <strong>of</strong> the<br />
first deputies <strong>of</strong> the town to the General<br />
Court <strong>of</strong> <strong>Connecticut</strong>, beginning with the<br />
May session <strong>of</strong> 1647 and continuing for<br />
fifteen sessions until 1655, and again in<br />
1660. No man in the town was more<br />
active, influential and useful. His house<br />
lot, which was four or five times as large<br />
as any other in the community, was on<br />
the west side <strong>of</strong> Main street, opposite the<br />
meeting house, and comprised some fif-<br />
teen acres. It was given to him as an<br />
inducement to build and continue a mill<br />
on the premises. His will was dated<br />
March 16, 1682-83, and his death occurred<br />
in the same month and year.<br />
The origin <strong>of</strong> the name <strong>of</strong> Hart is not<br />
known. In common with most old surnames<br />
it was and is spelled in a variety<br />
<strong>of</strong> ways. The ancient coat-<strong>of</strong>-arms <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Hart family was as follows :<br />
Per chevron<br />
azure and gules three harts trippant or.<br />
Crest, a lion's head couped ermine ducally<br />
crowned gules.<br />
Florence (North) Bishop, wife <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Mr. Bishop <strong>of</strong> this sketch, is descended<br />
from an old and distinguished New Eng-<br />
land family. .She was born on October 8,<br />
1869. a daughter <strong>of</strong> Albert W. and Louisa<br />
M. (Ward) North.<br />
Her father, A. W. North, was born in<br />
New York State, September 1, 1839. and<br />
died April 18, 1909, at Hartford, Con-<br />
necticut. He first came to <strong>Connecticut</strong>