Hart an Historic American Name

              Hart an Historic American Name By ELEANOR LEXINGTON."Why Rookery?" queried Aunt Betsey Trotwood.  In like manner, "Why or whence the name Hart as a surname?" - a question not yet answered to the satisfaction of those to whom it belongs.  Has the hart that dwells by cooling springs any connection with the name?  One coat-of-arms displays a hart trippant.  Another family arms emblazons the human heart.The name appears variously in history and old records, as le Hart, Hart, Hartt, Harte, Heart, Hearte and Hert, with the compounds Hartfields, Hartford, Hartfull, Harthill, Hartwell, Hartley, Hartman, Hartson and Hartshorne.In early Norman records, we find the name Nicholas le Hart, and in Burke's "Peerage" that of Stephen Hart, who was living at Lullingstone Castle, Kent county, in the time of Edward III, or about the middle of the fourteenth century.  Sir Percival Hart, of Lullingstone, was M.P. for Kent in Queen Anne's time. The family is prominent in American history, boasting a "signer" - John Hart, of New Jersey, son of Edward, who commanded the New Jersey "Blues" in the French-Canadian war.  "Honest John Hart," as he was called, was a member of the congress of 1774, one of the five elected to fill vacancies caused by the resignation of delegates who were unwilling to assume the responsibility imposed by the resolutions of independence.  He must not be confused with John de Hart, one of those who resigned.  Hart's property was destroyed and his family obliged to flee.  He was a man of public spirit, as well as an ardent patriot, and interested himself in founding schools and promoting laws for good roads. There is a pretty story about Hartford Conn., that it owes its name to a member of this family - Deacon Stephen Hart, born in Essex county, England.  He was in Cambridge, Mass., in 1632, removing soon after to Connecticut, and the story is that, finding a place in the river where it was shallow enough to cross, or ford, he decided that would be the ideal spot to build up a town.  There was already a settlement, called Newtown, but the name was changed to Hartsford - Hartford.  It is a pretty story, but as a matter of fact, it is not true.  The name was originally Hertford, thus named from the English town.  Truth is the most undramatic and unpoetical thing ever heard of, as some one says.  It simply will not keep step with the band at all. Deacon Stephen owned land at Farmington, and near Avon is the place still called Hart's Farm.  His house lot, was "four times as large as any other," and no man was more useful, active and influential.  He was representative to the assembly for fifteen sessions.  The house with the second story projecting over the lower one, still stands on Hart street, Farmington, where the family of Colonial days lived.Another early ancestor in this country was John Hart, who came over with William Penn, of whom he purchased one thousand acres of land.  John was born in Oxfordshire, was a Quaker preacher of note, educated and rich.  He was member of the assembly, and his name is attached to the first charter of government, dated at Philadelphia February 2, 1683.  His wife was a Rush, of the family so distinguished in the history of Pennsylvania.  Others from Oxfordshire were Christopher and Mary, his wife.  They settled in Bucks county, Pennsylvania.In 1630 came Edmund Hart in the Mary and John.  He settled in Massachusetts where John, who was a passenger on the William and Frances, also found a home.  John lived in Boston, and it is on the records that he was fined ten shillings for harboring a stranger - so strict were the laws in those good old days. Immigrants from London in the early part of the seventeenth century were Samuel Hartt, who settled in Lynn, Mass., and John Harte and Nicholas Hart.  Each had his own choice of orthography.  There was a Dersubign Hart.  His first name, we can well imagine, required too much attention for him to try any extra flourishes with his last one.  Major Jonathan, of Kensington, Conn., always wrote himself down Heart. The Harts proved their patriotism when war was abroad in the land.  They suffered much in person and fortune.  General Selah was a prisoner of war for two years - during the revolution; Thomas died in prison of starvation; Job, who enlisted when only sixteen, was captured by the Indians and carried to the British camp, where his sufferings were great.  He escaped the day before Burgoyne's surrender and joined his family at Stockbridge.  Of Elijah, of New Britain, it is recorded that he was speaker of the general assembly, the owner of 2,000 acres and a captain in the Continental army.  Jesse, of Hopewell, N.J., son of "Honest John," was an officer on Washington's staff; Colonel Joseph was also in the confidence of the commander in chief.the commission of Captain Reuben, son of Deacon Thomis, signed by Governor Trumbull, and countersigned by Wyllys, dated 1778, is a precious relic preserved by the captain's descendants.One of the heroines of the revolution was Nancy Hart, of Georgia, a zealous patriot, who supported the cause with many deeds of bravery, and was well known to the Tories, who stood in wholesome awe of her.  Five British soldiers were in her cabin, partaking of a meal, which they had ordered her to prepare.  She contrived to conceal their weapons and then ordered the men to surrender.  One, making a move to escape, she shot him dead, a second attempted to leave the place and he too fell victim to her unerring aim.  Friends appearing upon the scene, found Nancy standing guard with two men dead on the floor, and the others at bay.  Hart County, Georgia, is named for her.  Another historic name is that of Mrs. Emma Hart Willard, one of the most successful educators the world has ever known.  She was the sixteenth child of Captain Samuel Hart, of Kensington.  She is also known as the author of many popular verses - "Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep" being one.  Her sister, Mrs. Lincoln Phelps also made her mark in the world.  Lucretia, daughter of Colonel Thomas Hart, the most prominent man in Lexington, Ky., was the very good wife of a very great statesman, Henry Clay. Authors, sculptors, painters and one governor may be found among the Harts.  The family characteristics are "strict habits, stern virtue and great diligence," if we may take the word of a Hart, how adds that the fortune awaiting Hart heirs in England does not trouble him much - that is, he is not worrying about it, nor how he shall invest his share of it if it ever happens to come his way. The arms reproduced is argent, a bend between three fluer de lis, gules.  Crest, a heart inflamed issuant out of a castle triple-towered, argent.  Motto - Coeur Fidele - faithful heart.  The bend, a bearing of high honor, signifies defense or protection.  It is supposed to represent a knight's shield suspender.  Shakespeare's arms display a bend.  Ardent affection is the meaning, of course, of a flaming heart.  A castle, emblem of grandeur and solidity, was granted to him who had faithfully held one for his king.  Fleur de lis - the lily of France - like all flowers, signifies hope.  Burke gives several arms for the Hart family.  One emblazons three human hearts gules, with a chevron argent.  Another, which may also be called canting, or punning arms, is per chevron argent and gules, three harts trippant or.  Crest, a lion's head ducally crowned.  One Hart motto is Via Una Cor Unum - one way, one heart.  Another is Deo Adjuvante Vincam - God helping me, I will conquer.