Jefferson County, NY Pioneers

JEFFERSON COUNTY, NEW YORK

RUBEN HART PIONEER FAMILY

1. REUBEN HART was the son of STEPHEN HART and probably ELIZABETH SKIDMORE. The Town History of Pinckney, begins with a town organization meeting held at the house of STEPHEN HART, in 1808. By 1809 the Hart families were settled in and the first federal census of 1810 lists two Stephen Hart families.--father and son. Stephen Hart (Sr.) was born in 1769 and died in 1859 at Pinckney, NY. (grave not found) He married probably ELIZABETH SKIDMORE, who was born about 1773 and died in 1848. (grave not found) From a Methodist Society Membership listing of Pinckney, several Harts are listed: Stephen, Elizabeth, Richard, Wealthy, Sarah, Alvin, Elizabeth, John and Sally. The Skidmore surname is listed in the portion for Lafargeville, NY. Stephen, born 1769, and wife Elizabeth, born 1773, were the parents of several children.

One of the children was STEPHEN HART (Jr), who was bc 1781 and died 1 Nov 1861 at age 80. His wife was named as "Betsey" on the Civil War enlistment papers for their son, Reuben Hart. Elizabeth (Betsey) was bc 1793 and died 29 Sept. 1861 at 68 years. Both are buried in the Pinckneyville Cemetery. Stephen Hart Jr. and Betsey had several children, but it is their son, REUBEN HART, who gave so much to the Civil War.

REUBEN HART was born 17 Aug 1817 at Pinckney, NY and died 30 Aug 1862 at 45 years. Reuben's occupation was that of tailor and he resided in Adams, Jefferson Co., NY. He was a Civil War soldier, having enlisted in 1861 at age 44. He did not survive the 2nd Battle of Bull Run and his body was left on the field but subsequently was buried in the Adams Cemetery at Honeyville, Jefferson Co.

He married
BETSEY COLE; she was born in 1821 and died 5 March 1893. She is also buried in the Adams Cemetery. Her parents were VALENTINE WIGHTMAN COLE and HANNAH DEWEY. Hannah Cole died February 1832 at 43 years and is also buried in the Adams Cemetery. (See the Benjamin Cole family on this site)

CHILDREN of REUBEN HART and BETSEY COLE:

2    i      AMERICUS VESPUCIUS HART born 16 Nov 1838 at Lafargeville, NY. He was a carpenter and joiner; at 25 years he enlisted at Henderson, NY on 2 Jan 1864 for service in the Civil War. He served in the 10th NY. There is an Americus V. Hart buried in the Roseville cemetery in Cook County, Illinois, probably the military portion of the cemetery.

3   ii      LIBBY HART b c1840 - no information
4    iii   JAMES WILLIAM HART, resident of Henderson, NY; born 1 October 1842 at Tylerville, NY. He was a farmer and also served in the Civil War.

5    iv      STEPHEN VOLENTINI HART, resident of Henderson, NY; born 2 August 1845 at Tylerville, NY. He was wounded at the Battle of the Wilderness, and died in a field hospital in 1865, as a Civil War soldier.

6    v     Unknown daughter HART born August 1850.

Sources: Civil War enlistments; tombstone records; census records; Town Hist. Of Pinckney, NY

Marilyn Sapienza

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