Henry HART was born on his parent's farm on Red Bank Creek, near Fruit Hill, in what is now the western edge of Saluda County, SC, but which, at the time, was central Edgefield County. The HARTs seem to have been members at the Little Stevens Creek Baptist Church, near their farm. It was likely here, in about 1804, that Henry HART married Nancy RAINEY, who grew up in nearby Laurens County. Rev. Henry KING, probably a relative of the HART family, seems to have been the pastor at Little Stevens Creek, and likely was the one who performed the ceremony.
Henry and Nancy had two sons in their first three years of marriage, while living in South Carolina. But in 1808, Nancy's father, John RAINEY, moved West to what is now southern Bedford County, Tennessee, and Henry and Nancy and several other kinsmen moved with him. These lands had been Cherokee lands until they were ceded by Treaty in 1805, opening up huge tracts of lands in southern Tennessee and northern Alabama.
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HENRY HART in the WAR of 1812
But within three years of this move, the Indian Wars began breaking out in the Indiana Territory, and were in danger of spilling over into the Creek Nation in central Alabama, just a few dozen miles south of Bedford County, TN. About 55 miles north of Bedford County was Smith County, Sumner County, and other older Tennessee counties in the older---and now safer---Cumberland Settlements. Some men from the southern Tennessee counties temporarily moved their families to the Cumberland Settlements in northern Tennessee for safety. While there, in March 1812, many of these men got news of the general call-up for volunteers by Col. Andrew JACKSON; and then in July 1812, they got the official word that America was at war with Britain for the 2nd time in half-a-century.
Henry HART served honorably in the War of 1812, in Tennessee units. It is known he served in 3 different units in at least 3 different service tours or "enlistments"---a very common experience among men his age in Tennessee.
Henry HART served as a Sergeant in Capt. David SMITH's Company in the Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment under Col. John COFFEE. This was early in the War---from December 1812 – April 1813.
He served from January to May of 1814 as a 3rd Sergeant in Capt. Robert CAMPBELL's Company, of Col. Robert STEELE's 4th Regiment of West Tennessee Militia Infantry, in which he served in the Creek War, but in a unit that ended up in a vital but non-combat role.
Then Henry HART served from September 1814 to April 1815 as a Private in Capt. Thomas SCURRY's Company, of Col. Thomas WILLIAMSON's 2nd Regiment of West Tennessee Mounted Gunmen, in which he fought in the Battle of Pensacola and the Battle of New Orleans.
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1.) Henry HART's 1st Term of Military Service
December 1812 - April 1813
Rank: Sergeant; 2nd Sergeant.
Unit: Captain David SMITH's Company, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY, COL. JOHN COFFEE.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Rutherford, Davidson, Dickson, Robertson, Smith, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson Counties.
CAPTAINS: John BASKERVILLE, Thomas BRADLEY, John W. BYRN, Blackman COLEMAN, Robert JETTON, Charles KAVANAUGH, Alexander McKEEN, Michael MOLTON, DAVID SMITH, Frederick STUMP, James TERRILL.
This regiment of cavalry joined JACKSON's forces at Natchez in early 1813. The strength of the regiment was approximately 600 men. While the bulk of JACKSON's troops traveled by boat to Natchez, COFFEE's mounted men went overland after rendezvousing near Franklin, Tennessee in mid-January 1813. The officers of this regiment were considered to be the elite citizens of their counties. John COFFEE was a wealthy landowner in Rutherford County and a one-time business partner of Andrew JACKSON.
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2.) Henry HART's 2nd Term of Military Service
January 1814 - May 1814 (c. 28 Jan – c. 10 May 1814)
Rank: 3rd Sergeant.
Unit: Captain Robert CAMPBELL's Company, 4th Regiment West Tennessee Militia Infantry.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: 4th REGIMENT *WEST TENNESSEE MILITIA INFANTRY; COL. ROBERT STEELE.
*"West Tennessee" was where "Middle Tennessee" is today, and the Militia Company raised in Bedford Co. was in this Regiment.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Jackson, White, Bedford, Giles, Lincoln, and Maury Counties.
CAPTAINS: James BENNETT, ROBERT CAMPBELL, John CHITWOOD, Samuel MAXWELL, James RANDALS, Richard RATTON, James SHINAULT.
Part of the Brigade led by General Thomas JOHNSON, this Regiment was composed of about 450 men. Colonel STEELE and his men were left at Fort Strother while JACKSON marched the rest of his army to Horseshoe Bend where the climactic battle of the Creek War was fought (27 March 1814). STEELE's Regiment served as wagon guards for supplies from Fort Deposit and built boats to transport supplies down the Coosa River to Fort Williams. The overland wagon train supply route from Tennessee began at Camp Blount, Fayetteville, TN; ran south to Huntsville, AL; then south-southeast to Fort Deposit, which sat on the south bank of the Tennessee River. From Fort Deposit, the route continued overland south-southeast to Fort Strother, which sat on the west bank of the Coosa River, on the south side of the mouth of Canoe Creek; this was known as Ten Islands. Fort Deposit and Fort Strother guarded the ferry crossings of these two great rivers, which by their nature were vulnerable to attacks. The Coosa flows south and is a very wide and navigable river; Fort Strother became a base to defend timber felling and a center of boat production, which would become the main supply vehicles for JACKSON's Army in central Alabama during the Creek War. Supplies loaded on the boats built by Col. STEELE's men were floated down to Fort Williams, on the Coosa, which was the primary base for JACKSON and his troops before and after the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. In short, by a twist of fate, Henry seems to have missed the most crucial Battles of the Creek War, though he was in Service from January to May of 1814.
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3.) Henry HART's 3rd Term of Military Service
September 1814 - April 1815
Rank: Private.
Enlisted: 28 Sep 1814 apparently in Sumner Co., TN.
Discharged: 27 Apr 1815 in Nashville, Davidson Co., TN.
Unit: Captain Thomas SCURRY's Company, 2nd Regiment West Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Gunmen.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: 2nd REGIMENT WEST TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER MOUNTED GUNMEN: COL. THOMAS WILLIAMSON.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Bedford, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson, Giles, and Smith Counties.
CAPTAINS: GILES BURDETT, James COOK, John CRANE John DOAK, John DOBBINS, John HUTCHINGS, William MARTIN, Anthony METCALF, Robert MOORE, James NEALY, James PACE, Thomas PORTER, THOMAS SCURRY, Robert STEELE, Richard TATE, Beverly WILLIAMS.
They helped JACKSON take the port of Pensacola from the Spanish on 7 November 1814. Williamson's men then participated in all of the engagements at New Orleans, where they were part of the left line of JACKSON's breastworks. In March 1815 they returned to Tennessee via the Natchez Trace.
[All unit information courtesy of the Tennessee State Libraries & Archives division of the office of the Secretary of State of Tennessee.]
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HENRY HART's WAR of 1812 SERVICE NARRATIVE, including
BATTLES, SKIRMISHES, & ENGAGEMENTS:
Shortly after the U.S. declared war on Great Britain [including Canada] in July of 1812, 1500 Tennessee Militiamen, chiefly of CARROLL's 2nd Tennessee Infantry, and COFFEE's Tennessee Cavalry [Mounted Rifles], were sent to defend New Orleans by order of President MADISON and Tennessee Governor Willie BLOUNT. The Tennesseans were under the command of their own General Andrew JACKSON. However, the anticipated British invasion of Louisiana and the Lower Mississippi Valley would not be attempted until the end of the War.
In 1813, the Creek Indians of Alabama [then part of Mississippi Territory] were British allies, and they directly threatened the southern frontier of Tennessee and the settlements all along the Tennessee, Elk, and Duck Rivers and their watersheds, including the foothills of the Cumberland Plateau in what is now Marion, Grundy, Franklin, Coffee, Moore Lincoln, Bedford, Marshall, and Giles Counties.
Apparently, Henry HART (and others in the south-central regions of the State) either moved his family about 55 miles due north to Sumner County, to protect them from possible Indian attack, or else the HARTs had not yet permanently moved to Bedford County. Henry HART and family may have lived in Sumner Co. earlier---perhaps in mid-1807---as many of the settlers coming from the Carolinas did move first to the Cumberland River settlements at these early dates. It was only in 1805 that the Cherokees ceded the land of the Tennessee River watershed to the U.S. and the State of Tennessee. At this time, many men moved their families to already settled areas just to the north, and then eventually bought land in the new regions and carved homesteads of cabins and farms out of the rolling hills of South Tennessee with the help of older sons, brothers, or other kinsmen. Then they moved their families in. With such short distances between the northern and southern counties of Tennessee, traveling around was fairly easy and quite common. Henry seems to have come to Tennessee in c.1808, and was paying taxes in southern Bedford Co. by 1812. But he may not have permanently settled his family there until just after 1820. During Henry's war service and immediately after, we find him living in Sumner Co.
COFFEE's units of Tennessee Mounted Rifles ["Gunmen"] were dispatched immediately from Fayetteville (in Lincoln Co.) after the Creeks massacred white and Negro settlers in the Alabama country---all of which was part of the Mississippi Territory at the time. COFFEE's troops were successful, but there was a great need to recognize these actions as precipitating a major Indian War. More troops were needed, and many Cherokees and non-warring Creek Indians were recruited along with the whites. COFFEE's "Cavalry" was joined by hundreds of other Tennessee volunteers fresh from the State, and JACKSON arrived from New Orleans to command the Campaign. The large Tennessee Militia force was joined by small contingents from Georgia and the Carolinas, but was massively reinforced by the 39th U.S. Infantry arriving from Knoxville, having been recruited mostly in Central and East Tennessee. After the complete victories over the Creek Indians (who were British allies), JACKSON was promoted to full command in the U.S. Army's 7th [Southern] Military District. But pressure from the British was beginning to bear heavily in the South, especially along the Gulf Coast, where British Naval blockades were severely hindering and eventually cutting off American supplies and commerce. The Chesapeake was invaded by the British, and units of Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, District of Columbia, Delaware, and Pennsylvania Militia and U.S. Regulars could not keep the British from sacking Washington and burning the Capitol. The desperation of the Canadian and Great Lakes Campaigns earlier in the War had provided Americans with fiery experiences that would help them later in the War, but the British invasions of the Southern States shook the country almost to its knees. The possibilities for a campaign in the deep South and the Gulf Coast was more imminent than ever before.
Sure enough, on 15 Sep 1814, the British attacked and captured Ft. Bowyer on Mobile Bay, AL, defended by 120 men from the 2nd U.S. Infantry Regiment. This was the beginning of the Gulf Campaign's land engagements, which was the last British offensive and the last major campaign of the War of 1812. General JACKSON asked Tennessee Governor BLOUNT to send the Tennessee Volunteers back down to the coast, specifically, to New Orleans. Many veterans signed up to fight again, and many more first-timers rallied to the call. In the last two weeks of September, 1814, 3000 Volunteers mobilized for war. Tennessee is the "Volunteer State" indeed.
In October, under the command of Brigadier-General John COFFEE, 3000 Tennessee Militiamen marched south to reinforce General Andrew JACKSON's Southern (7th) District Army, composed of the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 39th, 43rd, & 44th U.S. Infantry Regiments, the 1st Battalion of the 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment, 2 Troops of the 1st U.S. Light Dragoons, 3 U.S. Rifle Companies, and all the State Militia units from Tennessee, Louisiana, and the Territory of Mississippi (which included Alabama). COFFEE's Brigade of Tennessee Mounted Gunmen and detachments of the 3rd, 39th, and 44th U.S. Infantry Regiments converged on Pensacola (technically in Spanish Florida) to deal with the British in the only way that the Tennesseans knew how, which was to whip them.
The BATTLE of PENSACOLA, Escambia Co., FL: 7 Nov 1814
Result: American capture of the town and port, and defeat of the British contingency.
JACKSON then left for New Orleans to rejoin the defenders there (U.S. Regulars; Louisiana, Mississippi, & Tennessee Militias; and Jean LAFITTE and his Barataria Pirates), and he took COFFEE's Brigade of 600 Tennessee Mounted Infantry [a.k.a. "Cavalry"/"Mounted Gunmen"/"Mounted Rifles", etc.]
The BATTLE of NEW ORLEANS, Orleans Parish, LA: 24 Dec 1814, & 1 - 8 Jan 1815
Result: Total defeat of the British.
The appearance of COFFEE's troops in New Orleans was remembered by one observer as "...not very military. In their woolen hunting shirts and copperas dyed pantaloons; with slouched hat or cap made from the skins of raccoons or foxes; with belts of untanned deer-skin and in which were stuck their hunting knives---but [they] were admirable soldiers, remarkable for endurance...." A. Lacarriere LATOUR recorded, in 1816, that "the Tennesseans, on account of their well-known skill at the rifle, were the terror of the British sentinels and advanced-posts. Their uniform, consisting of a brown hunting dress, rendered it difficult to perceive them among the underwood and dry grass," and they were called "the dirty shirts" by the British. Besides hunting shirts, some also had clothing made by the ladies of New Orleans. (Taken from pg. 80-81 of Rene CHARTRAND's book, Uniforms and Equipment of the United States Forces in the War of 1812, Cop. 1992, Old Fort Niagara Association, Inc., Youngstown, NY.)
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HENRY HART's direct descendant, Charles PATTON, USN, wrote an excellent book "CHALMETTE: The Battle for New Orleans and How the British Nearly Stole the Louisiana Territory." It is a great read, and was designed to especially show that the Battle of New Orleans was not a pointless slaughter, but it had real meaning, beyond uniting the Nation and propelling Andrew JACKSON to fame. It also prevented the British from seriously trying to make any more claims that the Louisiana Territory was an illegal purchase by America, and therefore ripe for the taking by Britain.
Cousin Charles PATTON submitted a narrative of his own describing Henry HART's service in the War of 1812, with his research as complete as he could make it at the time. Here it is:
Henry Hart is listed on the muster rolls of Captain Thomas Scurry of the Second Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers Mounted Gunmen commanded by "Col. Thomas Williamson in the service of the United States from the 28th day of September, 1814, to the 27th of April, 1815. These men mostly came from: Bedford, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson, Giles & Smith counties. This regiment was part of General John Coffee's brigade that fought at Pensacola and New Orleans. Marching from Fayetteville to Camp Gaines (30 miles from Fort Montgomery), they helped Jackson take the port of Pensacola from the Spanish on 7 November 1814. Williamson's men then participated in all of the engagements at New Orleans, where they were part of the left line of Jackson's breastworks. In March 1815 they returned to Tennessee via the Natchez Trace." [Tennessee State Archives] National Archive records bear out the fact that a Henry Hart of Bedford County was with this unit.
Also listed is James Pitt [Jr.]. It is fairly certain that these two men knew each other but I'm sure that neither James Pitt nor Henry Hart would realize that 96 years later, James Pitt's great-grandson (Clarence Pitts Ashby) would marry Henry Hart's great-granddaughter (Elma Hart).
Henry applied for and received a land grant for his services in the war. Although he did not use it, his children did. Almost all the Harts, except for Henry and his son Derrel, took this grant and settled in Pope Co., Illinois (Oak, Illinois). This land grant, called the GRANTING BOUNTY, gave land to certain officers and men who had been engaged in military service of the country. Two Henry Harts from Bedford County applied and received land grants from this act. Most of the grants were in Arkansas, Missouri & Illinois. Henry's children probably used this grant when they moved to Illinois. Henry was known to have been in Bedford Co., Tenn., around the 1812-14 time frame. After Henry died, his wife Nancy Rainey Hart, moved to Illinois to live with their daughter Nancy Hart Gossage.
Henry was with Col Williamson. (Some brief history on Col. Williamson further down the page). In other documents (his war record) it shows that he served under Captain Thomas Scurry who served under Col. Thomas Williamson. I say this because there are two Col. Williamsons (a John & a Thomas). If you go to the Tennessee State Archives (www.state.tn.us/sos/statelib/tslahome.htm ) and go to Tennessee State History & Genealogy Military Records Regimental Histories of Tenn. During the War of 1812, Col. Thomas Williamson, you will find what Henry Hart's unit did. Also if you will type into any search engine - "Henry Hart" War of 1812 - The muster rolls of Sumter County, Tenn., will pop up. Scroll down to Captain Thomas Scurry and see brief history and soldiers names, including, Henry Hart (and my other ggg-great grandfather, James Pitt). It is my understanding that men from many counties around Sumter Co. came to that county to serve with Col. Thomas Williamson. They formed up in Sumter County and were sworn in at Fayetteville, Tenn. From there General John Coffee (Gen. Jackson's best friend) took them to New Orleans to join Jackson.
There is evidence that Henry also fought in the Creek & Indian War during the War of 1812. He got a land grant(s) for both the Creek & Indian Wars and the New Orleans Campaign. Henry, his wife Nancy and their children used the grant and moved to Illinois. Almost all the Harts, except for Henry's son Derrel, took this grant and settled in Pope Co., Illinois (Oak, Illinois). Some descendants think that Henry returned to Bedford County, TN, for business reasons, became ill and died. Thus his burial at the Mt. Herman cemetery. This land grant, called the GRANTING BOUNTY, gave land to certain officers and men who had been engaged in military service of the country. Most of the grants were in Arkansas, Missouri & Illinois.
Pay records for the first of three enlistments for Henry Hart. This regiment of about 600 men joined Andrew Jackson's forces at Natchez in early 1813. While the bulk of Jackson's troops traveled by boat to Natchez, General Coffee's mounted men went overland after rendezvousing near Franklin, Tenn., in mid-January 1813. Henry Hart was a Sergeant for this campaign. For the trip back to Tennessee via the notorious Natchez Trace, he must have been doing his job well because he was promoted to 2nd Sergeant. This was the famous trip where Washington, DC, instructed General Jackson to disband his men while in Louisiana. Jackson was furious, he knew that the men would have a rough time making it back home up the Natchez Trace. Most of his men were young men 18-25 years of age. They were from not only friends of his family but from prominent families of Middle and West Tennessee. At Jackson's own expense he funded the army for the trip back to Nashville. Many men were sick, so Jackson had his officers turn over their horses to the sick. Except for the sick, everyone walked, including Jackson. Jackson constantly walked back and forth among his army, making sure that everyone was all right. His men became so impressed with him that they started calling him "Old Hickory" (one of the toughest things that they knew of). This made Jackson immensely popular in Middle Tennessee because Jackson had taken care of the state's young sons at his own expense when the federal gov't had abandoned them. This was probably the most difficult of all three enlistments for our Henry Hart. Notice how much extra he got paid for providing his own horse. Dec 10, 1812 - Feb 9, 1813 $8.00 per month $28.58 clothing.
Contributed by Charles Patton, Third Great Grandson of Henry Hart
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The most valuable single resource on our HART family is the great Hart history book, ""James Hart and His Descendants", by our late cousin Charles Gerton HART. Here is his invaluable biographical history of Henry HART:
Henry Hart our most elusive ancestor, was the second son of James and Elizabeth Hart. Henry settled in Tennessee in the early 1800's, was a farmer and a man who loved the rolling hills and rich farm land such as is found in Tennessee. He was born December 25, 1783, probably in Edgefield South Carolina. A grandson, John B. Hart, said that his grandfather, was born on the line between North and South Carolina. This is possible as we have no record of where Henry's father, James, was living until 1787 at which time he received a state land grant in Edgefield County, South Carolina.
In 1800 Henry was sixteen years old and still living in the home of his parents since he is included with them in the Edgefield County census record. He was twenty-one years old on December 25, 1804. Somewhere at this time, or early in the year 1805, he was married to Nancy Rainey. She was the daughter of John Rainey, a captain in the Revolutionary War. She was born November 11, 1784. Some records say she was born in Virginia, but it was Laurens County, South Carolina, since John Rainey stated in his pension for service during the Revolution that he lived in Laurens before and after the war.
Henry and Nancy lived in South Carolina for at least two years. James Williamson, was born October 11, 1805 in South Carolina and another son, John Henry, was born March 18, 1807 in South Carolina according to later census records. Two other children, probably girls, were born to Henry and Nancy during the next four years, but we do not know where they were living at this time. Their daughter, Elizabeth, who later became the wife of James Coats, is found in an 1850 census record of Missouri, shows her to be 38 years old (born 1812) and born in Tennessee. So sometime between 1807 and 1812, Henry and Nancy had left South Carolina and were living somewhere in Tennessee, probably migrating there is Rainey and his family in 1808. Henry had evidently spent some time in Bedford County on or before 1812. His name is found on a list of taxpayers for that year. He was No. 43 in John McWilliams Company. The returning Justice was Joshua Hoult Esquire. There were one hundred fifty-six men on this list, many were known to have settled in the area now known as Flat Creek, or New Hermon, all in the twenty-second Civil District of Bedford County. Henry Hart may not have been permanently settled in this area at that time, but there is no doubt that he was here. This is the area in which our Hart ancestors are known to have settled and where they have lived for many years. It is believed that Henry may have "staked out" the land he liked, built a cabin on it, and applied for the grants he later received. The first grant he received gave the information that a house and improvements were already there. This was Grant No. 19178, recorded June 3, 1823, and is found in the Tennessee Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. Indications are that he did not remain in Bedford County at that time. He may have been scouting around to see if he really wanted to settle there. He was somewhere in Tennessee in 1814 as the records show that his daughter, Nancy, was born in 1814 in Tennessee. It is highly probable that he was a soldier in the War of 1812, or the war with the Creek Indians in 1814. If we move ahead several years we find records that an act was passed September 28, 1850 "Granting Bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the United States."
Two different Henry Harts made application for this land. Both of these men were residents of Bedford County when these applications were made for bounty land. We know that in 1850 our ancestor lived in the 22nd Civil District, and another older Henry Hart lived in the 20th District and who later went to Missouri and died there. However, it is said that most Tennesseans who received land for serving in the War of 1812 did receive it in Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois. This writer wonders if Henry Hart could have received a grant in one of these states, Illinois, and planned to move there, or gave the grant to one of his children who later did settle there.
In the next few years, other children were born to Henry and Nancy. From later census records we learn that Nathan was born in 1816, Derrel J. in 1818, Catherine in 1820, and Jesse in 1821. However, the 1820 census of Bedford County shows that no Hart families were living there at the time and we assume that Henry and his family still had not moved into Bedford County permanently, or that the census-taker missed his house altogether. Census takers made many mistakes. But we do know that Henry and Nancy were in Bedford County soon after 1820. In a deed dated March 6, 1823, we learn that Henry Hart of Bedford County paid $200 to Jesse Conwell of Lincoln County, Tennessee, for a tract of land consisting of 27 acres and located on the west waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River.
And then on May 27th of the same year we find that Henry Hart received land grant No. 19178, consisting of 24 acres and was located on the head waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River which included his house and improvements made previous to the date of the entry. The date of entry was March 14, 1811. So it seems that Henry, or someone, had been living on this tract of land at an earlier date than 1823 when the grant was signed by the governor of Tennessee.
The 1850 census of Bedford County shows that another son, Martin, was born in 1826 in South Carolina. It does seem that this should be Tennessee. The census taker or the person giving the information may have made an error. Henry now had 51 acres of land, a house and improvements and, by this time, a good-sized family. In addition, on August 26, 1826 he received two more grants, one consisting of 50 acres and the other consisting of 46 acres and 125 poles, making a total of 147 acres and 125 poles. It is rather doubtful that he would rave moved back to South Carolina even for a short time. This land was all located on the head waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River. It was hilly land, with a creek running nearby. The road running parallel with the creek was known as Rainey's Branch Road. It has changed very little and is now known as Possum Trott Road.
James W. is recorded in the marriage Book, Vol. I, page 59, in White County, Illinois, as married to Sally Gott there on January 26, 1830. John H. is recorded in the 1830 Warren County, Tennessee census as living there with his
Henry now has five sons living at home. And we see that he has four daughters living with him. Elizabeth, now 18, had married James Coats and in a nearby household. Two other daughters, ages approximately 20 and 22. are unaccounted for, but were probably married.
At about this time we begin to find Henry and his wife, Nancy associated with the Mount Hermon Baptist Church which was just a few miles southwest of their home. In fact, up to this time, we had found no records to show that her that her name was Nancy. It is in these records that we find Henry, his wife Nancy, and some of their children — records that tell us much about this church, this family, their neighbors, and their way of life.
The minutes of this church have been recorded by faithful clerks for over 140 years. The present church clerk, Frederick Steed, who is a great-great-grandson of Henry Hart, has in his possession all the minutes from 1830 to the present time, and has been kind enough to lend these books to Mrs. Robert Patterson, our Tennessee genealogist, to extract information concerning Henry Hart and his descendants.
The first minutes were recorded January 9, 1830. On the first membership list we find the name of Henry Hart, Nancy Hart, James Coats, Elizabeth Coats, and Letha Heart. Their daughter, Elizabeth, wife of James Coats, born in 1812, would have been 18 years old by this time. We assume that Letha Heart was their daughter, also. Written beside her name are the words "dismissed by letter." There was no date but since her name was not on the next membership list made in August 1833, we suppose that she left the church sometime between January 1830 and August 14, 1833.
This church became a member of the Duck River Association of Baptists which meets annually with delegates attending from sister churches throughout this area. In 1833 Henry Hart was one of the three delegates sent from the Mt. Hermon Church to the Association which convened at Big Hurricane Church in August of that year. In the next few years we notice that he was church at many of these Associations. In 1841 he was ordained deacon. In reading these old records, one gets the feeling that he was a church member, one who was devoted to his church and who always attended the services with his family.
His daughter Nancy and her husband, George Washington Gossage, were all fist of members but were on an early list of members but were granted a letter of dismissal in June 1835. However in March 1836, we find that Nathan Hart became a member and very soon after he joined we find the name of another son, John H. Hart, whom we have already mentioned as being the second son of Henry and Nancy. Immediately following his that of Malinda Hart with the word "dead" in different writing on the same line. There is no date, but her death probably occurred before 1840 since was not on the new list of members made in April 1840. We assume that Malinda was a daughter of Henry and Nancy, and unless someone finds a family Bible, we may never find any other record concerning her.
We also find the name, Catherine Hart, and on a later list we find her as Catherine Shook along with her husband, James Shook. And before long we find as of Derrel J. Hart and his wife, Rachel, and also N. M. L. H. (Martin) Hart with his wife Mary. Later we find Agnes R. and her husband, William Jasper Morris. And so, in these church records, we find Henry Hart and his Nancy, with the following children:
John H. Hart
Letha Hart
Elizabeth and James Coats
Malinda Hart
Nathan hart
Nancy and Washington Gossage
Catherine and James Shook
Derrel J. and Rachel Hart
Martin and Mary Hart
Agnes R. and William Jasper Morris
It might be added here that the name of Henry's oldest son, James Williamson was not found anywhere in the church records — or the names of any other members of this family.
In 1835, Bedford County was divided into Civil Districts, numbering one twenty-five. As far as we know the majority of our Harts and allied families lived in the 22nd District. In 1836 a tax list was printed giving the name each property owner, the amount of land he owned, its value, number of residence their value, and the amount of tax paid. All males of voting age paid a tax if they wished to vote, with the exception of some land owners who were not required to pay. On this tax list we find Henry Hart with the following record:
Civil District No. 22 ... 68 acres land... value $340.00 .... Tax .34
191 Acres School Land .... Value $570.00.... tax .34
No polls, and no slaves .... Amount Paid .. State Tax .45 1/2 ... State and City Tax
John H. Hart, second son of Henry, is shown in this district with one poll. Washington Gossage also paid one poll. James Coats owned 24 acres of land and 116 acres of School Land and also paid one poll.
In 1840 we find Henry Hart still living in the 22nd Civil District of Bedford County. The census record shows: one male under 5, two males 10-15, on male 50-60; one female 15-20, one female 50-60. Henry and Nancy would be 57 and 56 years old by now. The two males age 10-15 would be Martin and the youngest son. The other male less than five years old would probably be a grandson. The female 15-20 is, more than likely, their daughter born between 1820 and 1825.
On March 29, 1848, Henry Hart sold 61 acres of his land to Joseph Parker. Henry was 64 years old by this time and may not have been able to take care of all his farm. Some of his children had moved away and those now living near him were getting farms of their own. According to the census record of 1850 Henry and Nancy are living alone. Four of their children are living in their own homes just a short distance away.'
On April 15, 1852 Henry sold 55 acres to his son, Martin, and in the same year he sold another tract of land to J. B. Parker consisting of 49 acres and 67 poles. It appears that, even at this time, he may have been making preparations to leave Bedford County and go to Illinois.
On February 22, 1854, he sold another tract of land to his son-in-law and daughter, James and Catherine Shook, and on October 9 of that year he sold 80 acres to his son, Derrel J.
It is said that 1854 was the year of a great drought in Bedford County, and that Martin and his family left that year and moved to Illinois. A record in the Registrar's Office in Bedford County shows that on July 24, 1854, Martin deeded 23 2/3 acres of his land to Joseph Parker. No record of his selling the other 31 1/3 acres has been found, but he probably sold it also, since it is known that he moved to Illinois late that year.
By now Henry was almost 71 years of age. It is thought by some researchers that his wife, Nancy, left Bedford County and went to Pope County, Illinois with her daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and George Washington Gossage in 1854. A descendant, Lee J. Patterson, who has lived most of his life in the area formerly settled by Henry Hart, and who has heard many stories of the early Harts, thinks that both Henry and Nancy moved together with some of their children to Illinois. Then Henry came back to Bedford County to take care of some business. He became ill while there and was not able to return to Illinois. It is believed that he was with his son, Derrel J., at that time. He died October 23, 1857 and is buried in the old Mount Hermon Cemetery in the 22nd Civil District of Bedford County. He was almost 74 years old. His wife, Nancy. remained in Pope County, Illinois, living with her daughter and son-in-law. Nancy and George Washington Gossage. There is little mention of Nancy (Rainey) Hart during her life in Tennessee, although we know she must have been busy and active during the years she spent there if she actually had fourteen children to raise, and it is reported that she was a midwife to over 220 births. These were the days when the chickens had to be fed and eggs gathered: cows fed and milked; hogs fed; water drawn from a well or carried from the spring; clothes boiled in a pot in the yard, scrubbed on a rubbing board; water heated on the stove; clothes ironed with heavy flat irons; house swept with a straw broom; coffee ground for the pot; milk churned for butter; and a lot of hungry people to feed three times a day. She could trim the lamp wicks, fill them with oil; knit; make quilts; make clothes and patch them; and such things as these in her spare time. In those days all housewives had all these and other tasks to do, therefore, there is no question that Nancy Hart was busy and active raring her many years in Tennessee and her later years in Illinois. She died October 17, 1871, and is buried in the Hart-Gossage Cemetery near a small community called Oak, in Pope County, Illinois. The unusual inscription on her gravestone reads: "NANCY wife of Henry Hart and daughter of Capt. John Rainey of the Revolution. Born Nov. 11, 1784, died Oct. 17, 1871. Aged 86 Yrs 11 Mos. 6 days. Member of the Baptist Church for 70 years."
At the time of Henry's death, all the children had left Bedford County and settled in Illinois and Missouri except a son, Derrel J., who remained in Bedford County and now has many descendants there.
Thus ends the lives of our beloved forebears who were among those frontiersmen who pushed the civilization of this great country westward, withstanding the hardships which accompanied carving a home out of the wilderness. It is easy to understand why they chose Bedford County in Tennessee when one understands the love the Harts had for beautiful rolling hills, plenty of streams, and good rich farm land; also, an innate Irish desire for freedom. Many of their descendants have continued to push into the wilderness of the west and are bond in practically every western state in the union.
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(Biography to be continued)
Henry and Nancy had two sons in their first three years of marriage, while living in South Carolina. But in 1808, Nancy's father, John RAINEY, moved West to what is now southern Bedford County, Tennessee, and Henry and Nancy and several other kinsmen moved with him. These lands had been Cherokee lands until they were ceded by Treaty in 1805, opening up huge tracts of lands in southern Tennessee and northern Alabama.
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HENRY HART in the WAR of 1812
But within three years of this move, the Indian Wars began breaking out in the Indiana Territory, and were in danger of spilling over into the Creek Nation in central Alabama, just a few dozen miles south of Bedford County, TN. About 55 miles north of Bedford County was Smith County, Sumner County, and other older Tennessee counties in the older---and now safer---Cumberland Settlements. Some men from the southern Tennessee counties temporarily moved their families to the Cumberland Settlements in northern Tennessee for safety. While there, in March 1812, many of these men got news of the general call-up for volunteers by Col. Andrew JACKSON; and then in July 1812, they got the official word that America was at war with Britain for the 2nd time in half-a-century.
Henry HART served honorably in the War of 1812, in Tennessee units. It is known he served in 3 different units in at least 3 different service tours or "enlistments"---a very common experience among men his age in Tennessee.
Henry HART served as a Sergeant in Capt. David SMITH's Company in the Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment under Col. John COFFEE. This was early in the War---from December 1812 – April 1813.
He served from January to May of 1814 as a 3rd Sergeant in Capt. Robert CAMPBELL's Company, of Col. Robert STEELE's 4th Regiment of West Tennessee Militia Infantry, in which he served in the Creek War, but in a unit that ended up in a vital but non-combat role.
Then Henry HART served from September 1814 to April 1815 as a Private in Capt. Thomas SCURRY's Company, of Col. Thomas WILLIAMSON's 2nd Regiment of West Tennessee Mounted Gunmen, in which he fought in the Battle of Pensacola and the Battle of New Orleans.
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1.) Henry HART's 1st Term of Military Service
December 1812 - April 1813
Rank: Sergeant; 2nd Sergeant.
Unit: Captain David SMITH's Company, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY, COL. JOHN COFFEE.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Rutherford, Davidson, Dickson, Robertson, Smith, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson Counties.
CAPTAINS: John BASKERVILLE, Thomas BRADLEY, John W. BYRN, Blackman COLEMAN, Robert JETTON, Charles KAVANAUGH, Alexander McKEEN, Michael MOLTON, DAVID SMITH, Frederick STUMP, James TERRILL.
This regiment of cavalry joined JACKSON's forces at Natchez in early 1813. The strength of the regiment was approximately 600 men. While the bulk of JACKSON's troops traveled by boat to Natchez, COFFEE's mounted men went overland after rendezvousing near Franklin, Tennessee in mid-January 1813. The officers of this regiment were considered to be the elite citizens of their counties. John COFFEE was a wealthy landowner in Rutherford County and a one-time business partner of Andrew JACKSON.
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2.) Henry HART's 2nd Term of Military Service
January 1814 - May 1814 (c. 28 Jan – c. 10 May 1814)
Rank: 3rd Sergeant.
Unit: Captain Robert CAMPBELL's Company, 4th Regiment West Tennessee Militia Infantry.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: 4th REGIMENT *WEST TENNESSEE MILITIA INFANTRY; COL. ROBERT STEELE.
*"West Tennessee" was where "Middle Tennessee" is today, and the Militia Company raised in Bedford Co. was in this Regiment.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Jackson, White, Bedford, Giles, Lincoln, and Maury Counties.
CAPTAINS: James BENNETT, ROBERT CAMPBELL, John CHITWOOD, Samuel MAXWELL, James RANDALS, Richard RATTON, James SHINAULT.
Part of the Brigade led by General Thomas JOHNSON, this Regiment was composed of about 450 men. Colonel STEELE and his men were left at Fort Strother while JACKSON marched the rest of his army to Horseshoe Bend where the climactic battle of the Creek War was fought (27 March 1814). STEELE's Regiment served as wagon guards for supplies from Fort Deposit and built boats to transport supplies down the Coosa River to Fort Williams. The overland wagon train supply route from Tennessee began at Camp Blount, Fayetteville, TN; ran south to Huntsville, AL; then south-southeast to Fort Deposit, which sat on the south bank of the Tennessee River. From Fort Deposit, the route continued overland south-southeast to Fort Strother, which sat on the west bank of the Coosa River, on the south side of the mouth of Canoe Creek; this was known as Ten Islands. Fort Deposit and Fort Strother guarded the ferry crossings of these two great rivers, which by their nature were vulnerable to attacks. The Coosa flows south and is a very wide and navigable river; Fort Strother became a base to defend timber felling and a center of boat production, which would become the main supply vehicles for JACKSON's Army in central Alabama during the Creek War. Supplies loaded on the boats built by Col. STEELE's men were floated down to Fort Williams, on the Coosa, which was the primary base for JACKSON and his troops before and after the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. In short, by a twist of fate, Henry seems to have missed the most crucial Battles of the Creek War, though he was in Service from January to May of 1814.
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3.) Henry HART's 3rd Term of Military Service
September 1814 - April 1815
Rank: Private.
Enlisted: 28 Sep 1814 apparently in Sumner Co., TN.
Discharged: 27 Apr 1815 in Nashville, Davidson Co., TN.
Unit: Captain Thomas SCURRY's Company, 2nd Regiment West Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Gunmen.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: 2nd REGIMENT WEST TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER MOUNTED GUNMEN: COL. THOMAS WILLIAMSON.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Bedford, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson, Giles, and Smith Counties.
CAPTAINS: GILES BURDETT, James COOK, John CRANE John DOAK, John DOBBINS, John HUTCHINGS, William MARTIN, Anthony METCALF, Robert MOORE, James NEALY, James PACE, Thomas PORTER, THOMAS SCURRY, Robert STEELE, Richard TATE, Beverly WILLIAMS.
They helped JACKSON take the port of Pensacola from the Spanish on 7 November 1814. Williamson's men then participated in all of the engagements at New Orleans, where they were part of the left line of JACKSON's breastworks. In March 1815 they returned to Tennessee via the Natchez Trace.
[All unit information courtesy of the Tennessee State Libraries & Archives division of the office of the Secretary of State of Tennessee.]
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HENRY HART's WAR of 1812 SERVICE NARRATIVE, including
BATTLES, SKIRMISHES, & ENGAGEMENTS:
Shortly after the U.S. declared war on Great Britain [including Canada] in July of 1812, 1500 Tennessee Militiamen, chiefly of CARROLL's 2nd Tennessee Infantry, and COFFEE's Tennessee Cavalry [Mounted Rifles], were sent to defend New Orleans by order of President MADISON and Tennessee Governor Willie BLOUNT. The Tennesseans were under the command of their own General Andrew JACKSON. However, the anticipated British invasion of Louisiana and the Lower Mississippi Valley would not be attempted until the end of the War.
In 1813, the Creek Indians of Alabama [then part of Mississippi Territory] were British allies, and they directly threatened the southern frontier of Tennessee and the settlements all along the Tennessee, Elk, and Duck Rivers and their watersheds, including the foothills of the Cumberland Plateau in what is now Marion, Grundy, Franklin, Coffee, Moore Lincoln, Bedford, Marshall, and Giles Counties.
Apparently, Henry HART (and others in the south-central regions of the State) either moved his family about 55 miles due north to Sumner County, to protect them from possible Indian attack, or else the HARTs had not yet permanently moved to Bedford County. Henry HART and family may have lived in Sumner Co. earlier---perhaps in mid-1807---as many of the settlers coming from the Carolinas did move first to the Cumberland River settlements at these early dates. It was only in 1805 that the Cherokees ceded the land of the Tennessee River watershed to the U.S. and the State of Tennessee. At this time, many men moved their families to already settled areas just to the north, and then eventually bought land in the new regions and carved homesteads of cabins and farms out of the rolling hills of South Tennessee with the help of older sons, brothers, or other kinsmen. Then they moved their families in. With such short distances between the northern and southern counties of Tennessee, traveling around was fairly easy and quite common. Henry seems to have come to Tennessee in c.1808, and was paying taxes in southern Bedford Co. by 1812. But he may not have permanently settled his family there until just after 1820. During Henry's war service and immediately after, we find him living in Sumner Co.
COFFEE's units of Tennessee Mounted Rifles ["Gunmen"] were dispatched immediately from Fayetteville (in Lincoln Co.) after the Creeks massacred white and Negro settlers in the Alabama country---all of which was part of the Mississippi Territory at the time. COFFEE's troops were successful, but there was a great need to recognize these actions as precipitating a major Indian War. More troops were needed, and many Cherokees and non-warring Creek Indians were recruited along with the whites. COFFEE's "Cavalry" was joined by hundreds of other Tennessee volunteers fresh from the State, and JACKSON arrived from New Orleans to command the Campaign. The large Tennessee Militia force was joined by small contingents from Georgia and the Carolinas, but was massively reinforced by the 39th U.S. Infantry arriving from Knoxville, having been recruited mostly in Central and East Tennessee. After the complete victories over the Creek Indians (who were British allies), JACKSON was promoted to full command in the U.S. Army's 7th [Southern] Military District. But pressure from the British was beginning to bear heavily in the South, especially along the Gulf Coast, where British Naval blockades were severely hindering and eventually cutting off American supplies and commerce. The Chesapeake was invaded by the British, and units of Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, District of Columbia, Delaware, and Pennsylvania Militia and U.S. Regulars could not keep the British from sacking Washington and burning the Capitol. The desperation of the Canadian and Great Lakes Campaigns earlier in the War had provided Americans with fiery experiences that would help them later in the War, but the British invasions of the Southern States shook the country almost to its knees. The possibilities for a campaign in the deep South and the Gulf Coast was more imminent than ever before.
Sure enough, on 15 Sep 1814, the British attacked and captured Ft. Bowyer on Mobile Bay, AL, defended by 120 men from the 2nd U.S. Infantry Regiment. This was the beginning of the Gulf Campaign's land engagements, which was the last British offensive and the last major campaign of the War of 1812. General JACKSON asked Tennessee Governor BLOUNT to send the Tennessee Volunteers back down to the coast, specifically, to New Orleans. Many veterans signed up to fight again, and many more first-timers rallied to the call. In the last two weeks of September, 1814, 3000 Volunteers mobilized for war. Tennessee is the "Volunteer State" indeed.
In October, under the command of Brigadier-General John COFFEE, 3000 Tennessee Militiamen marched south to reinforce General Andrew JACKSON's Southern (7th) District Army, composed of the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 39th, 43rd, & 44th U.S. Infantry Regiments, the 1st Battalion of the 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment, 2 Troops of the 1st U.S. Light Dragoons, 3 U.S. Rifle Companies, and all the State Militia units from Tennessee, Louisiana, and the Territory of Mississippi (which included Alabama). COFFEE's Brigade of Tennessee Mounted Gunmen and detachments of the 3rd, 39th, and 44th U.S. Infantry Regiments converged on Pensacola (technically in Spanish Florida) to deal with the British in the only way that the Tennesseans knew how, which was to whip them.
The BATTLE of PENSACOLA, Escambia Co., FL: 7 Nov 1814
Result: American capture of the town and port, and defeat of the British contingency.
JACKSON then left for New Orleans to rejoin the defenders there (U.S. Regulars; Louisiana, Mississippi, & Tennessee Militias; and Jean LAFITTE and his Barataria Pirates), and he took COFFEE's Brigade of 600 Tennessee Mounted Infantry [a.k.a. "Cavalry"/"Mounted Gunmen"/"Mounted Rifles", etc.]
The BATTLE of NEW ORLEANS, Orleans Parish, LA: 24 Dec 1814, & 1 - 8 Jan 1815
Result: Total defeat of the British.
The appearance of COFFEE's troops in New Orleans was remembered by one observer as "...not very military. In their woolen hunting shirts and copperas dyed pantaloons; with slouched hat or cap made from the skins of raccoons or foxes; with belts of untanned deer-skin and in which were stuck their hunting knives---but [they] were admirable soldiers, remarkable for endurance...." A. Lacarriere LATOUR recorded, in 1816, that "the Tennesseans, on account of their well-known skill at the rifle, were the terror of the British sentinels and advanced-posts. Their uniform, consisting of a brown hunting dress, rendered it difficult to perceive them among the underwood and dry grass," and they were called "the dirty shirts" by the British. Besides hunting shirts, some also had clothing made by the ladies of New Orleans. (Taken from pg. 80-81 of Rene CHARTRAND's book, Uniforms and Equipment of the United States Forces in the War of 1812, Cop. 1992, Old Fort Niagara Association, Inc., Youngstown, NY.)
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HENRY HART's direct descendant, Charles PATTON, USN, wrote an excellent book "CHALMETTE: The Battle for New Orleans and How the British Nearly Stole the Louisiana Territory." It is a great read, and was designed to especially show that the Battle of New Orleans was not a pointless slaughter, but it had real meaning, beyond uniting the Nation and propelling Andrew JACKSON to fame. It also prevented the British from seriously trying to make any more claims that the Louisiana Territory was an illegal purchase by America, and therefore ripe for the taking by Britain.
Cousin Charles PATTON submitted a narrative of his own describing Henry HART's service in the War of 1812, with his research as complete as he could make it at the time. Here it is:
Henry Hart is listed on the muster rolls of Captain Thomas Scurry of the Second Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers Mounted Gunmen commanded by "Col. Thomas Williamson in the service of the United States from the 28th day of September, 1814, to the 27th of April, 1815. These men mostly came from: Bedford, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson, Giles & Smith counties. This regiment was part of General John Coffee's brigade that fought at Pensacola and New Orleans. Marching from Fayetteville to Camp Gaines (30 miles from Fort Montgomery), they helped Jackson take the port of Pensacola from the Spanish on 7 November 1814. Williamson's men then participated in all of the engagements at New Orleans, where they were part of the left line of Jackson's breastworks. In March 1815 they returned to Tennessee via the Natchez Trace." [Tennessee State Archives] National Archive records bear out the fact that a Henry Hart of Bedford County was with this unit.
Also listed is James Pitt [Jr.]. It is fairly certain that these two men knew each other but I'm sure that neither James Pitt nor Henry Hart would realize that 96 years later, James Pitt's great-grandson (Clarence Pitts Ashby) would marry Henry Hart's great-granddaughter (Elma Hart).
Henry applied for and received a land grant for his services in the war. Although he did not use it, his children did. Almost all the Harts, except for Henry and his son Derrel, took this grant and settled in Pope Co., Illinois (Oak, Illinois). This land grant, called the GRANTING BOUNTY, gave land to certain officers and men who had been engaged in military service of the country. Two Henry Harts from Bedford County applied and received land grants from this act. Most of the grants were in Arkansas, Missouri & Illinois. Henry's children probably used this grant when they moved to Illinois. Henry was known to have been in Bedford Co., Tenn., around the 1812-14 time frame. After Henry died, his wife Nancy Rainey Hart, moved to Illinois to live with their daughter Nancy Hart Gossage.
Henry was with Col Williamson. (Some brief history on Col. Williamson further down the page). In other documents (his war record) it shows that he served under Captain Thomas Scurry who served under Col. Thomas Williamson. I say this because there are two Col. Williamsons (a John & a Thomas). If you go to the Tennessee State Archives (www.state.tn.us/sos/statelib/tslahome.htm ) and go to Tennessee State History & Genealogy Military Records Regimental Histories of Tenn. During the War of 1812, Col. Thomas Williamson, you will find what Henry Hart's unit did. Also if you will type into any search engine - "Henry Hart" War of 1812 - The muster rolls of Sumter County, Tenn., will pop up. Scroll down to Captain Thomas Scurry and see brief history and soldiers names, including, Henry Hart (and my other ggg-great grandfather, James Pitt). It is my understanding that men from many counties around Sumter Co. came to that county to serve with Col. Thomas Williamson. They formed up in Sumter County and were sworn in at Fayetteville, Tenn. From there General John Coffee (Gen. Jackson's best friend) took them to New Orleans to join Jackson.
There is evidence that Henry also fought in the Creek & Indian War during the War of 1812. He got a land grant(s) for both the Creek & Indian Wars and the New Orleans Campaign. Henry, his wife Nancy and their children used the grant and moved to Illinois. Almost all the Harts, except for Henry's son Derrel, took this grant and settled in Pope Co., Illinois (Oak, Illinois). Some descendants think that Henry returned to Bedford County, TN, for business reasons, became ill and died. Thus his burial at the Mt. Herman cemetery. This land grant, called the GRANTING BOUNTY, gave land to certain officers and men who had been engaged in military service of the country. Most of the grants were in Arkansas, Missouri & Illinois.
Pay records for the first of three enlistments for Henry Hart. This regiment of about 600 men joined Andrew Jackson's forces at Natchez in early 1813. While the bulk of Jackson's troops traveled by boat to Natchez, General Coffee's mounted men went overland after rendezvousing near Franklin, Tenn., in mid-January 1813. Henry Hart was a Sergeant for this campaign. For the trip back to Tennessee via the notorious Natchez Trace, he must have been doing his job well because he was promoted to 2nd Sergeant. This was the famous trip where Washington, DC, instructed General Jackson to disband his men while in Louisiana. Jackson was furious, he knew that the men would have a rough time making it back home up the Natchez Trace. Most of his men were young men 18-25 years of age. They were from not only friends of his family but from prominent families of Middle and West Tennessee. At Jackson's own expense he funded the army for the trip back to Nashville. Many men were sick, so Jackson had his officers turn over their horses to the sick. Except for the sick, everyone walked, including Jackson. Jackson constantly walked back and forth among his army, making sure that everyone was all right. His men became so impressed with him that they started calling him "Old Hickory" (one of the toughest things that they knew of). This made Jackson immensely popular in Middle Tennessee because Jackson had taken care of the state's young sons at his own expense when the federal gov't had abandoned them. This was probably the most difficult of all three enlistments for our Henry Hart. Notice how much extra he got paid for providing his own horse. Dec 10, 1812 - Feb 9, 1813 $8.00 per month $28.58 clothing.
Contributed by Charles Patton, Third Great Grandson of Henry Hart
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The most valuable single resource on our HART family is the great Hart history book, ""James Hart and His Descendants", by our late cousin Charles Gerton HART. Here is his invaluable biographical history of Henry HART:
Henry Hart our most elusive ancestor, was the second son of James and Elizabeth Hart. Henry settled in Tennessee in the early 1800's, was a farmer and a man who loved the rolling hills and rich farm land such as is found in Tennessee. He was born December 25, 1783, probably in Edgefield South Carolina. A grandson, John B. Hart, said that his grandfather, was born on the line between North and South Carolina. This is possible as we have no record of where Henry's father, James, was living until 1787 at which time he received a state land grant in Edgefield County, South Carolina.
In 1800 Henry was sixteen years old and still living in the home of his parents since he is included with them in the Edgefield County census record. He was twenty-one years old on December 25, 1804. Somewhere at this time, or early in the year 1805, he was married to Nancy Rainey. She was the daughter of John Rainey, a captain in the Revolutionary War. She was born November 11, 1784. Some records say she was born in Virginia, but it was Laurens County, South Carolina, since John Rainey stated in his pension for service during the Revolution that he lived in Laurens before and after the war.
Henry and Nancy lived in South Carolina for at least two years. James Williamson, was born October 11, 1805 in South Carolina and another son, John Henry, was born March 18, 1807 in South Carolina according to later census records. Two other children, probably girls, were born to Henry and Nancy during the next four years, but we do not know where they were living at this time. Their daughter, Elizabeth, who later became the wife of James Coats, is found in an 1850 census record of Missouri, shows her to be 38 years old (born 1812) and born in Tennessee. So sometime between 1807 and 1812, Henry and Nancy had left South Carolina and were living somewhere in Tennessee, probably migrating there is Rainey and his family in 1808. Henry had evidently spent some time in Bedford County on or before 1812. His name is found on a list of taxpayers for that year. He was No. 43 in John McWilliams Company. The returning Justice was Joshua Hoult Esquire. There were one hundred fifty-six men on this list, many were known to have settled in the area now known as Flat Creek, or New Hermon, all in the twenty-second Civil District of Bedford County. Henry Hart may not have been permanently settled in this area at that time, but there is no doubt that he was here. This is the area in which our Hart ancestors are known to have settled and where they have lived for many years. It is believed that Henry may have "staked out" the land he liked, built a cabin on it, and applied for the grants he later received. The first grant he received gave the information that a house and improvements were already there. This was Grant No. 19178, recorded June 3, 1823, and is found in the Tennessee Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. Indications are that he did not remain in Bedford County at that time. He may have been scouting around to see if he really wanted to settle there. He was somewhere in Tennessee in 1814 as the records show that his daughter, Nancy, was born in 1814 in Tennessee. It is highly probable that he was a soldier in the War of 1812, or the war with the Creek Indians in 1814. If we move ahead several years we find records that an act was passed September 28, 1850 "Granting Bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the United States."
Two different Henry Harts made application for this land. Both of these men were residents of Bedford County when these applications were made for bounty land. We know that in 1850 our ancestor lived in the 22nd Civil District, and another older Henry Hart lived in the 20th District and who later went to Missouri and died there. However, it is said that most Tennesseans who received land for serving in the War of 1812 did receive it in Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois. This writer wonders if Henry Hart could have received a grant in one of these states, Illinois, and planned to move there, or gave the grant to one of his children who later did settle there.
In the next few years, other children were born to Henry and Nancy. From later census records we learn that Nathan was born in 1816, Derrel J. in 1818, Catherine in 1820, and Jesse in 1821. However, the 1820 census of Bedford County shows that no Hart families were living there at the time and we assume that Henry and his family still had not moved into Bedford County permanently, or that the census-taker missed his house altogether. Census takers made many mistakes. But we do know that Henry and Nancy were in Bedford County soon after 1820. In a deed dated March 6, 1823, we learn that Henry Hart of Bedford County paid $200 to Jesse Conwell of Lincoln County, Tennessee, for a tract of land consisting of 27 acres and located on the west waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River.
And then on May 27th of the same year we find that Henry Hart received land grant No. 19178, consisting of 24 acres and was located on the head waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River which included his house and improvements made previous to the date of the entry. The date of entry was March 14, 1811. So it seems that Henry, or someone, had been living on this tract of land at an earlier date than 1823 when the grant was signed by the governor of Tennessee.
The 1850 census of Bedford County shows that another son, Martin, was born in 1826 in South Carolina. It does seem that this should be Tennessee. The census taker or the person giving the information may have made an error. Henry now had 51 acres of land, a house and improvements and, by this time, a good-sized family. In addition, on August 26, 1826 he received two more grants, one consisting of 50 acres and the other consisting of 46 acres and 125 poles, making a total of 147 acres and 125 poles. It is rather doubtful that he would rave moved back to South Carolina even for a short time. This land was all located on the head waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River. It was hilly land, with a creek running nearby. The road running parallel with the creek was known as Rainey's Branch Road. It has changed very little and is now known as Possum Trott Road.
James W. is recorded in the marriage Book, Vol. I, page 59, in White County, Illinois, as married to Sally Gott there on January 26, 1830. John H. is recorded in the 1830 Warren County, Tennessee census as living there with his
Henry now has five sons living at home. And we see that he has four daughters living with him. Elizabeth, now 18, had married James Coats and in a nearby household. Two other daughters, ages approximately 20 and 22. are unaccounted for, but were probably married.
At about this time we begin to find Henry and his wife, Nancy associated with the Mount Hermon Baptist Church which was just a few miles southwest of their home. In fact, up to this time, we had found no records to show that her that her name was Nancy. It is in these records that we find Henry, his wife Nancy, and some of their children — records that tell us much about this church, this family, their neighbors, and their way of life.
The minutes of this church have been recorded by faithful clerks for over 140 years. The present church clerk, Frederick Steed, who is a great-great-grandson of Henry Hart, has in his possession all the minutes from 1830 to the present time, and has been kind enough to lend these books to Mrs. Robert Patterson, our Tennessee genealogist, to extract information concerning Henry Hart and his descendants.
The first minutes were recorded January 9, 1830. On the first membership list we find the name of Henry Hart, Nancy Hart, James Coats, Elizabeth Coats, and Letha Heart. Their daughter, Elizabeth, wife of James Coats, born in 1812, would have been 18 years old by this time. We assume that Letha Heart was their daughter, also. Written beside her name are the words "dismissed by letter." There was no date but since her name was not on the next membership list made in August 1833, we suppose that she left the church sometime between January 1830 and August 14, 1833.
This church became a member of the Duck River Association of Baptists which meets annually with delegates attending from sister churches throughout this area. In 1833 Henry Hart was one of the three delegates sent from the Mt. Hermon Church to the Association which convened at Big Hurricane Church in August of that year. In the next few years we notice that he was church at many of these Associations. In 1841 he was ordained deacon. In reading these old records, one gets the feeling that he was a church member, one who was devoted to his church and who always attended the services with his family.
His daughter Nancy and her husband, George Washington Gossage, were all fist of members but were on an early list of members but were granted a letter of dismissal in June 1835. However in March 1836, we find that Nathan Hart became a member and very soon after he joined we find the name of another son, John H. Hart, whom we have already mentioned as being the second son of Henry and Nancy. Immediately following his that of Malinda Hart with the word "dead" in different writing on the same line. There is no date, but her death probably occurred before 1840 since was not on the new list of members made in April 1840. We assume that Malinda was a daughter of Henry and Nancy, and unless someone finds a family Bible, we may never find any other record concerning her.
We also find the name, Catherine Hart, and on a later list we find her as Catherine Shook along with her husband, James Shook. And before long we find as of Derrel J. Hart and his wife, Rachel, and also N. M. L. H. (Martin) Hart with his wife Mary. Later we find Agnes R. and her husband, William Jasper Morris. And so, in these church records, we find Henry Hart and his Nancy, with the following children:
John H. Hart
Letha Hart
Elizabeth and James Coats
Malinda Hart
Nathan hart
Nancy and Washington Gossage
Catherine and James Shook
Derrel J. and Rachel Hart
Martin and Mary Hart
Agnes R. and William Jasper Morris
It might be added here that the name of Henry's oldest son, James Williamson was not found anywhere in the church records — or the names of any other members of this family.
In 1835, Bedford County was divided into Civil Districts, numbering one twenty-five. As far as we know the majority of our Harts and allied families lived in the 22nd District. In 1836 a tax list was printed giving the name each property owner, the amount of land he owned, its value, number of residence their value, and the amount of tax paid. All males of voting age paid a tax if they wished to vote, with the exception of some land owners who were not required to pay. On this tax list we find Henry Hart with the following record:
Civil District No. 22 ... 68 acres land... value $340.00 .... Tax .34
191 Acres School Land .... Value $570.00.... tax .34
No polls, and no slaves .... Amount Paid .. State Tax .45 1/2 ... State and City Tax
John H. Hart, second son of Henry, is shown in this district with one poll. Washington Gossage also paid one poll. James Coats owned 24 acres of land and 116 acres of School Land and also paid one poll.
In 1840 we find Henry Hart still living in the 22nd Civil District of Bedford County. The census record shows: one male under 5, two males 10-15, on male 50-60; one female 15-20, one female 50-60. Henry and Nancy would be 57 and 56 years old by now. The two males age 10-15 would be Martin and the youngest son. The other male less than five years old would probably be a grandson. The female 15-20 is, more than likely, their daughter born between 1820 and 1825.
On March 29, 1848, Henry Hart sold 61 acres of his land to Joseph Parker. Henry was 64 years old by this time and may not have been able to take care of all his farm. Some of his children had moved away and those now living near him were getting farms of their own. According to the census record of 1850 Henry and Nancy are living alone. Four of their children are living in their own homes just a short distance away.'
On April 15, 1852 Henry sold 55 acres to his son, Martin, and in the same year he sold another tract of land to J. B. Parker consisting of 49 acres and 67 poles. It appears that, even at this time, he may have been making preparations to leave Bedford County and go to Illinois.
On February 22, 1854, he sold another tract of land to his son-in-law and daughter, James and Catherine Shook, and on October 9 of that year he sold 80 acres to his son, Derrel J.
It is said that 1854 was the year of a great drought in Bedford County, and that Martin and his family left that year and moved to Illinois. A record in the Registrar's Office in Bedford County shows that on July 24, 1854, Martin deeded 23 2/3 acres of his land to Joseph Parker. No record of his selling the other 31 1/3 acres has been found, but he probably sold it also, since it is known that he moved to Illinois late that year.
By now Henry was almost 71 years of age. It is thought by some researchers that his wife, Nancy, left Bedford County and went to Pope County, Illinois with her daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and George Washington Gossage in 1854. A descendant, Lee J. Patterson, who has lived most of his life in the area formerly settled by Henry Hart, and who has heard many stories of the early Harts, thinks that both Henry and Nancy moved together with some of their children to Illinois. Then Henry came back to Bedford County to take care of some business. He became ill while there and was not able to return to Illinois. It is believed that he was with his son, Derrel J., at that time. He died October 23, 1857 and is buried in the old Mount Hermon Cemetery in the 22nd Civil District of Bedford County. He was almost 74 years old. His wife, Nancy. remained in Pope County, Illinois, living with her daughter and son-in-law. Nancy and George Washington Gossage. There is little mention of Nancy (Rainey) Hart during her life in Tennessee, although we know she must have been busy and active during the years she spent there if she actually had fourteen children to raise, and it is reported that she was a midwife to over 220 births. These were the days when the chickens had to be fed and eggs gathered: cows fed and milked; hogs fed; water drawn from a well or carried from the spring; clothes boiled in a pot in the yard, scrubbed on a rubbing board; water heated on the stove; clothes ironed with heavy flat irons; house swept with a straw broom; coffee ground for the pot; milk churned for butter; and a lot of hungry people to feed three times a day. She could trim the lamp wicks, fill them with oil; knit; make quilts; make clothes and patch them; and such things as these in her spare time. In those days all housewives had all these and other tasks to do, therefore, there is no question that Nancy Hart was busy and active raring her many years in Tennessee and her later years in Illinois. She died October 17, 1871, and is buried in the Hart-Gossage Cemetery near a small community called Oak, in Pope County, Illinois. The unusual inscription on her gravestone reads: "NANCY wife of Henry Hart and daughter of Capt. John Rainey of the Revolution. Born Nov. 11, 1784, died Oct. 17, 1871. Aged 86 Yrs 11 Mos. 6 days. Member of the Baptist Church for 70 years."
At the time of Henry's death, all the children had left Bedford County and settled in Illinois and Missouri except a son, Derrel J., who remained in Bedford County and now has many descendants there.
Thus ends the lives of our beloved forebears who were among those frontiersmen who pushed the civilization of this great country westward, withstanding the hardships which accompanied carving a home out of the wilderness. It is easy to understand why they chose Bedford County in Tennessee when one understands the love the Harts had for beautiful rolling hills, plenty of streams, and good rich farm land; also, an innate Irish desire for freedom. Many of their descendants have continued to push into the wilderness of the west and are bond in practically every western state in the union.
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(Biography to be continued)
Henry HART was born on his parent's farm on Red Bank Creek, near Fruit Hill, in what is now the western edge of Saluda County, SC, but which, at the time, was central Edgefield County. The HARTs seem to have been members at the Little Stevens Creek Baptist Church, near their farm. It was likely here, in about 1804, that Henry HART married Nancy RAINEY, who grew up in nearby Laurens County. Rev. Henry KING, probably a relative of the HART family, seems to have been the pastor at Little Stevens Creek, and likely was the one who performed the ceremony.
Henry and Nancy had two sons in their first three years of marriage, while living in South Carolina. But in 1808, Nancy's father, John RAINEY, moved West to what is now southern Bedford County, Tennessee, and Henry and Nancy and several other kinsmen moved with him. These lands had been Cherokee lands until they were ceded by Treaty in 1805, opening up huge tracts of lands in southern Tennessee and northern Alabama.
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HENRY HART in the WAR of 1812
But within three years of this move, the Indian Wars began breaking out in the Indiana Territory, and were in danger of spilling over into the Creek Nation in central Alabama, just a few dozen miles south of Bedford County, TN. About 55 miles north of Bedford County was Smith County, Sumner County, and other older Tennessee counties in the older---and now safer---Cumberland Settlements. Some men from the southern Tennessee counties temporarily moved their families to the Cumberland Settlements in northern Tennessee for safety. While there, in March 1812, many of these men got news of the general call-up for volunteers by Col. Andrew JACKSON; and then in July 1812, they got the official word that America was at war with Britain for the 2nd time in half-a-century.
Henry HART served honorably in the War of 1812, in Tennessee units. It is known he served in 3 different units in at least 3 different service tours or "enlistments"---a very common experience among men his age in Tennessee.
Henry HART served as a Sergeant in Capt. David SMITH's Company in the Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment under Col. John COFFEE. This was early in the War---from December 1812 – April 1813.
He served from January to May of 1814 as a 3rd Sergeant in Capt. Robert CAMPBELL's Company, of Col. Robert STEELE's 4th Regiment of West Tennessee Militia Infantry, in which he served in the Creek War, but in a unit that ended up in a vital but non-combat role.
Then Henry HART served from September 1814 to April 1815 as a Private in Capt. Thomas SCURRY's Company, of Col. Thomas WILLIAMSON's 2nd Regiment of West Tennessee Mounted Gunmen, in which he fought in the Battle of Pensacola and the Battle of New Orleans.
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1.) Henry HART's 1st Term of Military Service
December 1812 - April 1813
Rank: Sergeant; 2nd Sergeant.
Unit: Captain David SMITH's Company, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY, COL. JOHN COFFEE.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Rutherford, Davidson, Dickson, Robertson, Smith, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson Counties.
CAPTAINS: John BASKERVILLE, Thomas BRADLEY, John W. BYRN, Blackman COLEMAN, Robert JETTON, Charles KAVANAUGH, Alexander McKEEN, Michael MOLTON, DAVID SMITH, Frederick STUMP, James TERRILL.
This regiment of cavalry joined JACKSON's forces at Natchez in early 1813. The strength of the regiment was approximately 600 men. While the bulk of JACKSON's troops traveled by boat to Natchez, COFFEE's mounted men went overland after rendezvousing near Franklin, Tennessee in mid-January 1813. The officers of this regiment were considered to be the elite citizens of their counties. John COFFEE was a wealthy landowner in Rutherford County and a one-time business partner of Andrew JACKSON.
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2.) Henry HART's 2nd Term of Military Service
January 1814 - May 1814 (c. 28 Jan – c. 10 May 1814)
Rank: 3rd Sergeant.
Unit: Captain Robert CAMPBELL's Company, 4th Regiment West Tennessee Militia Infantry.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: 4th REGIMENT *WEST TENNESSEE MILITIA INFANTRY; COL. ROBERT STEELE.
*"West Tennessee" was where "Middle Tennessee" is today, and the Militia Company raised in Bedford Co. was in this Regiment.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Jackson, White, Bedford, Giles, Lincoln, and Maury Counties.
CAPTAINS: James BENNETT, ROBERT CAMPBELL, John CHITWOOD, Samuel MAXWELL, James RANDALS, Richard RATTON, James SHINAULT.
Part of the Brigade led by General Thomas JOHNSON, this Regiment was composed of about 450 men. Colonel STEELE and his men were left at Fort Strother while JACKSON marched the rest of his army to Horseshoe Bend where the climactic battle of the Creek War was fought (27 March 1814). STEELE's Regiment served as wagon guards for supplies from Fort Deposit and built boats to transport supplies down the Coosa River to Fort Williams. The overland wagon train supply route from Tennessee began at Camp Blount, Fayetteville, TN; ran south to Huntsville, AL; then south-southeast to Fort Deposit, which sat on the south bank of the Tennessee River. From Fort Deposit, the route continued overland south-southeast to Fort Strother, which sat on the west bank of the Coosa River, on the south side of the mouth of Canoe Creek; this was known as Ten Islands. Fort Deposit and Fort Strother guarded the ferry crossings of these two great rivers, which by their nature were vulnerable to attacks. The Coosa flows south and is a very wide and navigable river; Fort Strother became a base to defend timber felling and a center of boat production, which would become the main supply vehicles for JACKSON's Army in central Alabama during the Creek War. Supplies loaded on the boats built by Col. STEELE's men were floated down to Fort Williams, on the Coosa, which was the primary base for JACKSON and his troops before and after the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. In short, by a twist of fate, Henry seems to have missed the most crucial Battles of the Creek War, though he was in Service from January to May of 1814.
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3.) Henry HART's 3rd Term of Military Service
September 1814 - April 1815
Rank: Private.
Enlisted: 28 Sep 1814 apparently in Sumner Co., TN.
Discharged: 27 Apr 1815 in Nashville, Davidson Co., TN.
Unit: Captain Thomas SCURRY's Company, 2nd Regiment West Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Gunmen.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: 2nd REGIMENT WEST TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER MOUNTED GUNMEN: COL. THOMAS WILLIAMSON.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Bedford, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson, Giles, and Smith Counties.
CAPTAINS: GILES BURDETT, James COOK, John CRANE John DOAK, John DOBBINS, John HUTCHINGS, William MARTIN, Anthony METCALF, Robert MOORE, James NEALY, James PACE, Thomas PORTER, THOMAS SCURRY, Robert STEELE, Richard TATE, Beverly WILLIAMS.
They helped JACKSON take the port of Pensacola from the Spanish on 7 November 1814. Williamson's men then participated in all of the engagements at New Orleans, where they were part of the left line of JACKSON's breastworks. In March 1815 they returned to Tennessee via the Natchez Trace.
[All unit information courtesy of the Tennessee State Libraries & Archives division of the office of the Secretary of State of Tennessee.]
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HENRY HART's WAR of 1812 SERVICE NARRATIVE, including
BATTLES, SKIRMISHES, & ENGAGEMENTS:
Shortly after the U.S. declared war on Great Britain [including Canada] in July of 1812, 1500 Tennessee Militiamen, chiefly of CARROLL's 2nd Tennessee Infantry, and COFFEE's Tennessee Cavalry [Mounted Rifles], were sent to defend New Orleans by order of President MADISON and Tennessee Governor Willie BLOUNT. The Tennesseans were under the command of their own General Andrew JACKSON. However, the anticipated British invasion of Louisiana and the Lower Mississippi Valley would not be attempted until the end of the War.
In 1813, the Creek Indians of Alabama [then part of Mississippi Territory] were British allies, and they directly threatened the southern frontier of Tennessee and the settlements all along the Tennessee, Elk, and Duck Rivers and their watersheds, including the foothills of the Cumberland Plateau in what is now Marion, Grundy, Franklin, Coffee, Moore Lincoln, Bedford, Marshall, and Giles Counties.
Apparently, Henry HART (and others in the south-central regions of the State) either moved his family about 55 miles due north to Sumner County, to protect them from possible Indian attack, or else the HARTs had not yet permanently moved to Bedford County. Henry HART and family may have lived in Sumner Co. earlier---perhaps in mid-1807---as many of the settlers coming from the Carolinas did move first to the Cumberland River settlements at these early dates. It was only in 1805 that the Cherokees ceded the land of the Tennessee River watershed to the U.S. and the State of Tennessee. At this time, many men moved their families to already settled areas just to the north, and then eventually bought land in the new regions and carved homesteads of cabins and farms out of the rolling hills of South Tennessee with the help of older sons, brothers, or other kinsmen. Then they moved their families in. With such short distances between the northern and southern counties of Tennessee, traveling around was fairly easy and quite common. Henry seems to have come to Tennessee in c.1808, and was paying taxes in southern Bedford Co. by 1812. But he may not have permanently settled his family there until just after 1820. During Henry's war service and immediately after, we find him living in Sumner Co.
COFFEE's units of Tennessee Mounted Rifles ["Gunmen"] were dispatched immediately from Fayetteville (in Lincoln Co.) after the Creeks massacred white and Negro settlers in the Alabama country---all of which was part of the Mississippi Territory at the time. COFFEE's troops were successful, but there was a great need to recognize these actions as precipitating a major Indian War. More troops were needed, and many Cherokees and non-warring Creek Indians were recruited along with the whites. COFFEE's "Cavalry" was joined by hundreds of other Tennessee volunteers fresh from the State, and JACKSON arrived from New Orleans to command the Campaign. The large Tennessee Militia force was joined by small contingents from Georgia and the Carolinas, but was massively reinforced by the 39th U.S. Infantry arriving from Knoxville, having been recruited mostly in Central and East Tennessee. After the complete victories over the Creek Indians (who were British allies), JACKSON was promoted to full command in the U.S. Army's 7th [Southern] Military District. But pressure from the British was beginning to bear heavily in the South, especially along the Gulf Coast, where British Naval blockades were severely hindering and eventually cutting off American supplies and commerce. The Chesapeake was invaded by the British, and units of Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, District of Columbia, Delaware, and Pennsylvania Militia and U.S. Regulars could not keep the British from sacking Washington and burning the Capitol. The desperation of the Canadian and Great Lakes Campaigns earlier in the War had provided Americans with fiery experiences that would help them later in the War, but the British invasions of the Southern States shook the country almost to its knees. The possibilities for a campaign in the deep South and the Gulf Coast was more imminent than ever before.
Sure enough, on 15 Sep 1814, the British attacked and captured Ft. Bowyer on Mobile Bay, AL, defended by 120 men from the 2nd U.S. Infantry Regiment. This was the beginning of the Gulf Campaign's land engagements, which was the last British offensive and the last major campaign of the War of 1812. General JACKSON asked Tennessee Governor BLOUNT to send the Tennessee Volunteers back down to the coast, specifically, to New Orleans. Many veterans signed up to fight again, and many more first-timers rallied to the call. In the last two weeks of September, 1814, 3000 Volunteers mobilized for war. Tennessee is the "Volunteer State" indeed.
In October, under the command of Brigadier-General John COFFEE, 3000 Tennessee Militiamen marched south to reinforce General Andrew JACKSON's Southern (7th) District Army, composed of the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 39th, 43rd, & 44th U.S. Infantry Regiments, the 1st Battalion of the 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment, 2 Troops of the 1st U.S. Light Dragoons, 3 U.S. Rifle Companies, and all the State Militia units from Tennessee, Louisiana, and the Territory of Mississippi (which included Alabama). COFFEE's Brigade of Tennessee Mounted Gunmen and detachments of the 3rd, 39th, and 44th U.S. Infantry Regiments converged on Pensacola (technically in Spanish Florida) to deal with the British in the only way that the Tennesseans knew how, which was to whip them.
The BATTLE of PENSACOLA, Escambia Co., FL: 7 Nov 1814
Result: American capture of the town and port, and defeat of the British contingency.
JACKSON then left for New Orleans to rejoin the defenders there (U.S. Regulars; Louisiana, Mississippi, & Tennessee Militias; and Jean LAFITTE and his Barataria Pirates), and he took COFFEE's Brigade of 600 Tennessee Mounted Infantry [a.k.a. "Cavalry"/"Mounted Gunmen"/"Mounted Rifles", etc.]
The BATTLE of NEW ORLEANS, Orleans Parish, LA: 24 Dec 1814, & 1 - 8 Jan 1815
Result: Total defeat of the British.
The appearance of COFFEE's troops in New Orleans was remembered by one observer as "...not very military. In their woolen hunting shirts and copperas dyed pantaloons; with slouched hat or cap made from the skins of raccoons or foxes; with belts of untanned deer-skin and in which were stuck their hunting knives---but [they] were admirable soldiers, remarkable for endurance...." A. Lacarriere LATOUR recorded, in 1816, that "the Tennesseans, on account of their well-known skill at the rifle, were the terror of the British sentinels and advanced-posts. Their uniform, consisting of a brown hunting dress, rendered it difficult to perceive them among the underwood and dry grass," and they were called "the dirty shirts" by the British. Besides hunting shirts, some also had clothing made by the ladies of New Orleans. (Taken from pg. 80-81 of Rene CHARTRAND's book, Uniforms and Equipment of the United States Forces in the War of 1812, Cop. 1992, Old Fort Niagara Association, Inc., Youngstown, NY.)
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HENRY HART's direct descendant, Charles PATTON, USN, wrote an excellent book "CHALMETTE: The Battle for New Orleans and How the British Nearly Stole the Louisiana Territory." It is a great read, and was designed to especially show that the Battle of New Orleans was not a pointless slaughter, but it had real meaning, beyond uniting the Nation and propelling Andrew JACKSON to fame. It also prevented the British from seriously trying to make any more claims that the Louisiana Territory was an illegal purchase by America, and therefore ripe for the taking by Britain.
Cousin Charles PATTON submitted a narrative of his own describing Henry HART's service in the War of 1812, with his research as complete as he could make it at the time. Here it is:
Henry Hart is listed on the muster rolls of Captain Thomas Scurry of the Second Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers Mounted Gunmen commanded by "Col. Thomas Williamson in the service of the United States from the 28th day of September, 1814, to the 27th of April, 1815. These men mostly came from: Bedford, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson, Giles & Smith counties. This regiment was part of General John Coffee's brigade that fought at Pensacola and New Orleans. Marching from Fayetteville to Camp Gaines (30 miles from Fort Montgomery), they helped Jackson take the port of Pensacola from the Spanish on 7 November 1814. Williamson's men then participated in all of the engagements at New Orleans, where they were part of the left line of Jackson's breastworks. In March 1815 they returned to Tennessee via the Natchez Trace." [Tennessee State Archives] National Archive records bear out the fact that a Henry Hart of Bedford County was with this unit.
Also listed is James Pitt [Jr.]. It is fairly certain that these two men knew each other but I'm sure that neither James Pitt nor Henry Hart would realize that 96 years later, James Pitt's great-grandson (Clarence Pitts Ashby) would marry Henry Hart's great-granddaughter (Elma Hart).
Henry applied for and received a land grant for his services in the war. Although he did not use it, his children did. Almost all the Harts, except for Henry and his son Derrel, took this grant and settled in Pope Co., Illinois (Oak, Illinois). This land grant, called the GRANTING BOUNTY, gave land to certain officers and men who had been engaged in military service of the country. Two Henry Harts from Bedford County applied and received land grants from this act. Most of the grants were in Arkansas, Missouri & Illinois. Henry's children probably used this grant when they moved to Illinois. Henry was known to have been in Bedford Co., Tenn., around the 1812-14 time frame. After Henry died, his wife Nancy Rainey Hart, moved to Illinois to live with their daughter Nancy Hart Gossage.
Henry was with Col Williamson. (Some brief history on Col. Williamson further down the page). In other documents (his war record) it shows that he served under Captain Thomas Scurry who served under Col. Thomas Williamson. I say this because there are two Col. Williamsons (a John & a Thomas). If you go to the Tennessee State Archives (www.state.tn.us/sos/statelib/tslahome.htm ) and go to Tennessee State History & Genealogy Military Records Regimental Histories of Tenn. During the War of 1812, Col. Thomas Williamson, you will find what Henry Hart's unit did. Also if you will type into any search engine - "Henry Hart" War of 1812 - The muster rolls of Sumter County, Tenn., will pop up. Scroll down to Captain Thomas Scurry and see brief history and soldiers names, including, Henry Hart (and my other ggg-great grandfather, James Pitt). It is my understanding that men from many counties around Sumter Co. came to that county to serve with Col. Thomas Williamson. They formed up in Sumter County and were sworn in at Fayetteville, Tenn. From there General John Coffee (Gen. Jackson's best friend) took them to New Orleans to join Jackson.
There is evidence that Henry also fought in the Creek & Indian War during the War of 1812. He got a land grant(s) for both the Creek & Indian Wars and the New Orleans Campaign. Henry, his wife Nancy and their children used the grant and moved to Illinois. Almost all the Harts, except for Henry's son Derrel, took this grant and settled in Pope Co., Illinois (Oak, Illinois). Some descendants think that Henry returned to Bedford County, TN, for business reasons, became ill and died. Thus his burial at the Mt. Herman cemetery. This land grant, called the GRANTING BOUNTY, gave land to certain officers and men who had been engaged in military service of the country. Most of the grants were in Arkansas, Missouri & Illinois.
Pay records for the first of three enlistments for Henry Hart. This regiment of about 600 men joined Andrew Jackson's forces at Natchez in early 1813. While the bulk of Jackson's troops traveled by boat to Natchez, General Coffee's mounted men went overland after rendezvousing near Franklin, Tenn., in mid-January 1813. Henry Hart was a Sergeant for this campaign. For the trip back to Tennessee via the notorious Natchez Trace, he must have been doing his job well because he was promoted to 2nd Sergeant. This was the famous trip where Washington, DC, instructed General Jackson to disband his men while in Louisiana. Jackson was furious, he knew that the men would have a rough time making it back home up the Natchez Trace. Most of his men were young men 18-25 years of age. They were from not only friends of his family but from prominent families of Middle and West Tennessee. At Jackson's own expense he funded the army for the trip back to Nashville. Many men were sick, so Jackson had his officers turn over their horses to the sick. Except for the sick, everyone walked, including Jackson. Jackson constantly walked back and forth among his army, making sure that everyone was all right. His men became so impressed with him that they started calling him "Old Hickory" (one of the toughest things that they knew of). This made Jackson immensely popular in Middle Tennessee because Jackson had taken care of the state's young sons at his own expense when the federal gov't had abandoned them. This was probably the most difficult of all three enlistments for our Henry Hart. Notice how much extra he got paid for providing his own horse. Dec 10, 1812 - Feb 9, 1813 $8.00 per month $28.58 clothing.
Contributed by Charles Patton, Third Great Grandson of Henry Hart
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The most valuable single resource on our HART family is the great Hart history book, ""James Hart and His Descendants", by our late cousin Charles Gerton HART. Here is his invaluable biographical history of Henry HART:
Henry Hart our most elusive ancestor, was the second son of James and Elizabeth Hart. Henry settled in Tennessee in the early 1800's, was a farmer and a man who loved the rolling hills and rich farm land such as is found in Tennessee. He was born December 25, 1783, probably in Edgefield South Carolina. A grandson, John B. Hart, said that his grandfather, was born on the line between North and South Carolina. This is possible as we have no record of where Henry's father, James, was living until 1787 at which time he received a state land grant in Edgefield County, South Carolina.
In 1800 Henry was sixteen years old and still living in the home of his parents since he is included with them in the Edgefield County census record. He was twenty-one years old on December 25, 1804. Somewhere at this time, or early in the year 1805, he was married to Nancy Rainey. She was the daughter of John Rainey, a captain in the Revolutionary War. She was born November 11, 1784. Some records say she was born in Virginia, but it was Laurens County, South Carolina, since John Rainey stated in his pension for service during the Revolution that he lived in Laurens before and after the war.
Henry and Nancy lived in South Carolina for at least two years. James Williamson, was born October 11, 1805 in South Carolina and another son, John Henry, was born March 18, 1807 in South Carolina according to later census records. Two other children, probably girls, were born to Henry and Nancy during the next four years, but we do not know where they were living at this time. Their daughter, Elizabeth, who later became the wife of James Coats, is found in an 1850 census record of Missouri, shows her to be 38 years old (born 1812) and born in Tennessee. So sometime between 1807 and 1812, Henry and Nancy had left South Carolina and were living somewhere in Tennessee, probably migrating there is Rainey and his family in 1808. Henry had evidently spent some time in Bedford County on or before 1812. His name is found on a list of taxpayers for that year. He was No. 43 in John McWilliams Company. The returning Justice was Joshua Hoult Esquire. There were one hundred fifty-six men on this list, many were known to have settled in the area now known as Flat Creek, or New Hermon, all in the twenty-second Civil District of Bedford County. Henry Hart may not have been permanently settled in this area at that time, but there is no doubt that he was here. This is the area in which our Hart ancestors are known to have settled and where they have lived for many years. It is believed that Henry may have "staked out" the land he liked, built a cabin on it, and applied for the grants he later received. The first grant he received gave the information that a house and improvements were already there. This was Grant No. 19178, recorded June 3, 1823, and is found in the Tennessee Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. Indications are that he did not remain in Bedford County at that time. He may have been scouting around to see if he really wanted to settle there. He was somewhere in Tennessee in 1814 as the records show that his daughter, Nancy, was born in 1814 in Tennessee. It is highly probable that he was a soldier in the War of 1812, or the war with the Creek Indians in 1814. If we move ahead several years we find records that an act was passed September 28, 1850 "Granting Bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the United States."
Two different Henry Harts made application for this land. Both of these men were residents of Bedford County when these applications were made for bounty land. We know that in 1850 our ancestor lived in the 22nd Civil District, and another older Henry Hart lived in the 20th District and who later went to Missouri and died there. However, it is said that most Tennesseans who received land for serving in the War of 1812 did receive it in Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois. This writer wonders if Henry Hart could have received a grant in one of these states, Illinois, and planned to move there, or gave the grant to one of his children who later did settle there.
In the next few years, other children were born to Henry and Nancy. From later census records we learn that Nathan was born in 1816, Derrel J. in 1818, Catherine in 1820, and Jesse in 1821. However, the 1820 census of Bedford County shows that no Hart families were living there at the time and we assume that Henry and his family still had not moved into Bedford County permanently, or that the census-taker missed his house altogether. Census takers made many mistakes. But we do know that Henry and Nancy were in Bedford County soon after 1820. In a deed dated March 6, 1823, we learn that Henry Hart of Bedford County paid $200 to Jesse Conwell of Lincoln County, Tennessee, for a tract of land consisting of 27 acres and located on the west waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River.
And then on May 27th of the same year we find that Henry Hart received land grant No. 19178, consisting of 24 acres and was located on the head waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River which included his house and improvements made previous to the date of the entry. The date of entry was March 14, 1811. So it seems that Henry, or someone, had been living on this tract of land at an earlier date than 1823 when the grant was signed by the governor of Tennessee.
The 1850 census of Bedford County shows that another son, Martin, was born in 1826 in South Carolina. It does seem that this should be Tennessee. The census taker or the person giving the information may have made an error. Henry now had 51 acres of land, a house and improvements and, by this time, a good-sized family. In addition, on August 26, 1826 he received two more grants, one consisting of 50 acres and the other consisting of 46 acres and 125 poles, making a total of 147 acres and 125 poles. It is rather doubtful that he would rave moved back to South Carolina even for a short time. This land was all located on the head waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River. It was hilly land, with a creek running nearby. The road running parallel with the creek was known as Rainey's Branch Road. It has changed very little and is now known as Possum Trott Road.
James W. is recorded in the marriage Book, Vol. I, page 59, in White County, Illinois, as married to Sally Gott there on January 26, 1830. John H. is recorded in the 1830 Warren County, Tennessee census as living there with his
Henry now has five sons living at home. And we see that he has four daughters living with him. Elizabeth, now 18, had married James Coats and in a nearby household. Two other daughters, ages approximately 20 and 22. are unaccounted for, but were probably married.
At about this time we begin to find Henry and his wife, Nancy associated with the Mount Hermon Baptist Church which was just a few miles southwest of their home. In fact, up to this time, we had found no records to show that her that her name was Nancy. It is in these records that we find Henry, his wife Nancy, and some of their children — records that tell us much about this church, this family, their neighbors, and their way of life.
The minutes of this church have been recorded by faithful clerks for over 140 years. The present church clerk, Frederick Steed, who is a great-great-grandson of Henry Hart, has in his possession all the minutes from 1830 to the present time, and has been kind enough to lend these books to Mrs. Robert Patterson, our Tennessee genealogist, to extract information concerning Henry Hart and his descendants.
The first minutes were recorded January 9, 1830. On the first membership list we find the name of Henry Hart, Nancy Hart, James Coats, Elizabeth Coats, and Letha Heart. Their daughter, Elizabeth, wife of James Coats, born in 1812, would have been 18 years old by this time. We assume that Letha Heart was their daughter, also. Written beside her name are the words "dismissed by letter." There was no date but since her name was not on the next membership list made in August 1833, we suppose that she left the church sometime between January 1830 and August 14, 1833.
This church became a member of the Duck River Association of Baptists which meets annually with delegates attending from sister churches throughout this area. In 1833 Henry Hart was one of the three delegates sent from the Mt. Hermon Church to the Association which convened at Big Hurricane Church in August of that year. In the next few years we notice that he was church at many of these Associations. In 1841 he was ordained deacon. In reading these old records, one gets the feeling that he was a church member, one who was devoted to his church and who always attended the services with his family.
His daughter Nancy and her husband, George Washington Gossage, were all fist of members but were on an early list of members but were granted a letter of dismissal in June 1835. However in March 1836, we find that Nathan Hart became a member and very soon after he joined we find the name of another son, John H. Hart, whom we have already mentioned as being the second son of Henry and Nancy. Immediately following his that of Malinda Hart with the word "dead" in different writing on the same line. There is no date, but her death probably occurred before 1840 since was not on the new list of members made in April 1840. We assume that Malinda was a daughter of Henry and Nancy, and unless someone finds a family Bible, we may never find any other record concerning her.
We also find the name, Catherine Hart, and on a later list we find her as Catherine Shook along with her husband, James Shook. And before long we find as of Derrel J. Hart and his wife, Rachel, and also N. M. L. H. (Martin) Hart with his wife Mary. Later we find Agnes R. and her husband, William Jasper Morris. And so, in these church records, we find Henry Hart and his Nancy, with the following children:
John H. Hart
Letha Hart
Elizabeth and James Coats
Malinda Hart
Nathan hart
Nancy and Washington Gossage
Catherine and James Shook
Derrel J. and Rachel Hart
Martin and Mary Hart
Agnes R. and William Jasper Morris
It might be added here that the name of Henry's oldest son, James Williamson was not found anywhere in the church records — or the names of any other members of this family.
In 1835, Bedford County was divided into Civil Districts, numbering one twenty-five. As far as we know the majority of our Harts and allied families lived in the 22nd District. In 1836 a tax list was printed giving the name each property owner, the amount of land he owned, its value, number of residence their value, and the amount of tax paid. All males of voting age paid a tax if they wished to vote, with the exception of some land owners who were not required to pay. On this tax list we find Henry Hart with the following record:
Civil District No. 22 ... 68 acres land... value $340.00 .... Tax .34
191 Acres School Land .... Value $570.00.... tax .34
No polls, and no slaves .... Amount Paid .. State Tax .45 1/2 ... State and City Tax
John H. Hart, second son of Henry, is shown in this district with one poll. Washington Gossage also paid one poll. James Coats owned 24 acres of land and 116 acres of School Land and also paid one poll.
In 1840 we find Henry Hart still living in the 22nd Civil District of Bedford County. The census record shows: one male under 5, two males 10-15, on male 50-60; one female 15-20, one female 50-60. Henry and Nancy would be 57 and 56 years old by now. The two males age 10-15 would be Martin and the youngest son. The other male less than five years old would probably be a grandson. The female 15-20 is, more than likely, their daughter born between 1820 and 1825.
On March 29, 1848, Henry Hart sold 61 acres of his land to Joseph Parker. Henry was 64 years old by this time and may not have been able to take care of all his farm. Some of his children had moved away and those now living near him were getting farms of their own. According to the census record of 1850 Henry and Nancy are living alone. Four of their children are living in their own homes just a short distance away.'
On April 15, 1852 Henry sold 55 acres to his son, Martin, and in the same year he sold another tract of land to J. B. Parker consisting of 49 acres and 67 poles. It appears that, even at this time, he may have been making preparations to leave Bedford County and go to Illinois.
On February 22, 1854, he sold another tract of land to his son-in-law and daughter, James and Catherine Shook, and on October 9 of that year he sold 80 acres to his son, Derrel J.
It is said that 1854 was the year of a great drought in Bedford County, and that Martin and his family left that year and moved to Illinois. A record in the Registrar's Office in Bedford County shows that on July 24, 1854, Martin deeded 23 2/3 acres of his land to Joseph Parker. No record of his selling the other 31 1/3 acres has been found, but he probably sold it also, since it is known that he moved to Illinois late that year.
By now Henry was almost 71 years of age. It is thought by some researchers that his wife, Nancy, left Bedford County and went to Pope County, Illinois with her daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and George Washington Gossage in 1854. A descendant, Lee J. Patterson, who has lived most of his life in the area formerly settled by Henry Hart, and who has heard many stories of the early Harts, thinks that both Henry and Nancy moved together with some of their children to Illinois. Then Henry came back to Bedford County to take care of some business. He became ill while there and was not able to return to Illinois. It is believed that he was with his son, Derrel J., at that time. He died October 23, 1857 and is buried in the old Mount Hermon Cemetery in the 22nd Civil District of Bedford County. He was almost 74 years old. His wife, Nancy. remained in Pope County, Illinois, living with her daughter and son-in-law. Nancy and George Washington Gossage. There is little mention of Nancy (Rainey) Hart during her life in Tennessee, although we know she must have been busy and active during the years she spent there if she actually had fourteen children to raise, and it is reported that she was a midwife to over 220 births. These were the days when the chickens had to be fed and eggs gathered: cows fed and milked; hogs fed; water drawn from a well or carried from the spring; clothes boiled in a pot in the yard, scrubbed on a rubbing board; water heated on the stove; clothes ironed with heavy flat irons; house swept with a straw broom; coffee ground for the pot; milk churned for butter; and a lot of hungry people to feed three times a day. She could trim the lamp wicks, fill them with oil; knit; make quilts; make clothes and patch them; and such things as these in her spare time. In those days all housewives had all these and other tasks to do, therefore, there is no question that Nancy Hart was busy and active raring her many years in Tennessee and her later years in Illinois. She died October 17, 1871, and is buried in the Hart-Gossage Cemetery near a small community called Oak, in Pope County, Illinois. The unusual inscription on her gravestone reads: "NANCY wife of Henry Hart and daughter of Capt. John Rainey of the Revolution. Born Nov. 11, 1784, died Oct. 17, 1871. Aged 86 Yrs 11 Mos. 6 days. Member of the Baptist Church for 70 years."
At the time of Henry's death, all the children had left Bedford County and settled in Illinois and Missouri except a son, Derrel J., who remained in Bedford County and now has many descendants there.
Thus ends the lives of our beloved forebears who were among those frontiersmen who pushed the civilization of this great country westward, withstanding the hardships which accompanied carving a home out of the wilderness. It is easy to understand why they chose Bedford County in Tennessee when one understands the love the Harts had for beautiful rolling hills, plenty of streams, and good rich farm land; also, an innate Irish desire for freedom. Many of their descendants have continued to push into the wilderness of the west and are bond in practically every western state in the union.
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(Biography to be continued)
Henry and Nancy had two sons in their first three years of marriage, while living in South Carolina. But in 1808, Nancy's father, John RAINEY, moved West to what is now southern Bedford County, Tennessee, and Henry and Nancy and several other kinsmen moved with him. These lands had been Cherokee lands until they were ceded by Treaty in 1805, opening up huge tracts of lands in southern Tennessee and northern Alabama.
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HENRY HART in the WAR of 1812
But within three years of this move, the Indian Wars began breaking out in the Indiana Territory, and were in danger of spilling over into the Creek Nation in central Alabama, just a few dozen miles south of Bedford County, TN. About 55 miles north of Bedford County was Smith County, Sumner County, and other older Tennessee counties in the older---and now safer---Cumberland Settlements. Some men from the southern Tennessee counties temporarily moved their families to the Cumberland Settlements in northern Tennessee for safety. While there, in March 1812, many of these men got news of the general call-up for volunteers by Col. Andrew JACKSON; and then in July 1812, they got the official word that America was at war with Britain for the 2nd time in half-a-century.
Henry HART served honorably in the War of 1812, in Tennessee units. It is known he served in 3 different units in at least 3 different service tours or "enlistments"---a very common experience among men his age in Tennessee.
Henry HART served as a Sergeant in Capt. David SMITH's Company in the Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment under Col. John COFFEE. This was early in the War---from December 1812 – April 1813.
He served from January to May of 1814 as a 3rd Sergeant in Capt. Robert CAMPBELL's Company, of Col. Robert STEELE's 4th Regiment of West Tennessee Militia Infantry, in which he served in the Creek War, but in a unit that ended up in a vital but non-combat role.
Then Henry HART served from September 1814 to April 1815 as a Private in Capt. Thomas SCURRY's Company, of Col. Thomas WILLIAMSON's 2nd Regiment of West Tennessee Mounted Gunmen, in which he fought in the Battle of Pensacola and the Battle of New Orleans.
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1.) Henry HART's 1st Term of Military Service
December 1812 - April 1813
Rank: Sergeant; 2nd Sergeant.
Unit: Captain David SMITH's Company, Tennessee Volunteer Cavalry Regiment.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER CAVALRY, COL. JOHN COFFEE.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Rutherford, Davidson, Dickson, Robertson, Smith, Sumner, Williamson, and Wilson Counties.
CAPTAINS: John BASKERVILLE, Thomas BRADLEY, John W. BYRN, Blackman COLEMAN, Robert JETTON, Charles KAVANAUGH, Alexander McKEEN, Michael MOLTON, DAVID SMITH, Frederick STUMP, James TERRILL.
This regiment of cavalry joined JACKSON's forces at Natchez in early 1813. The strength of the regiment was approximately 600 men. While the bulk of JACKSON's troops traveled by boat to Natchez, COFFEE's mounted men went overland after rendezvousing near Franklin, Tennessee in mid-January 1813. The officers of this regiment were considered to be the elite citizens of their counties. John COFFEE was a wealthy landowner in Rutherford County and a one-time business partner of Andrew JACKSON.
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2.) Henry HART's 2nd Term of Military Service
January 1814 - May 1814 (c. 28 Jan – c. 10 May 1814)
Rank: 3rd Sergeant.
Unit: Captain Robert CAMPBELL's Company, 4th Regiment West Tennessee Militia Infantry.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: 4th REGIMENT *WEST TENNESSEE MILITIA INFANTRY; COL. ROBERT STEELE.
*"West Tennessee" was where "Middle Tennessee" is today, and the Militia Company raised in Bedford Co. was in this Regiment.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Jackson, White, Bedford, Giles, Lincoln, and Maury Counties.
CAPTAINS: James BENNETT, ROBERT CAMPBELL, John CHITWOOD, Samuel MAXWELL, James RANDALS, Richard RATTON, James SHINAULT.
Part of the Brigade led by General Thomas JOHNSON, this Regiment was composed of about 450 men. Colonel STEELE and his men were left at Fort Strother while JACKSON marched the rest of his army to Horseshoe Bend where the climactic battle of the Creek War was fought (27 March 1814). STEELE's Regiment served as wagon guards for supplies from Fort Deposit and built boats to transport supplies down the Coosa River to Fort Williams. The overland wagon train supply route from Tennessee began at Camp Blount, Fayetteville, TN; ran south to Huntsville, AL; then south-southeast to Fort Deposit, which sat on the south bank of the Tennessee River. From Fort Deposit, the route continued overland south-southeast to Fort Strother, which sat on the west bank of the Coosa River, on the south side of the mouth of Canoe Creek; this was known as Ten Islands. Fort Deposit and Fort Strother guarded the ferry crossings of these two great rivers, which by their nature were vulnerable to attacks. The Coosa flows south and is a very wide and navigable river; Fort Strother became a base to defend timber felling and a center of boat production, which would become the main supply vehicles for JACKSON's Army in central Alabama during the Creek War. Supplies loaded on the boats built by Col. STEELE's men were floated down to Fort Williams, on the Coosa, which was the primary base for JACKSON and his troops before and after the Battle of Horseshoe Bend. In short, by a twist of fate, Henry seems to have missed the most crucial Battles of the Creek War, though he was in Service from January to May of 1814.
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3.) Henry HART's 3rd Term of Military Service
September 1814 - April 1815
Rank: Private.
Enlisted: 28 Sep 1814 apparently in Sumner Co., TN.
Discharged: 27 Apr 1815 in Nashville, Davidson Co., TN.
Unit: Captain Thomas SCURRY's Company, 2nd Regiment West Tennessee Volunteer Mounted Gunmen.
Brief Unit History & Officer Roster: 2nd REGIMENT WEST TENNESSEE VOLUNTEER MOUNTED GUNMEN: COL. THOMAS WILLIAMSON.
MEN MOSTLY FROM: Bedford, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson, Giles, and Smith Counties.
CAPTAINS: GILES BURDETT, James COOK, John CRANE John DOAK, John DOBBINS, John HUTCHINGS, William MARTIN, Anthony METCALF, Robert MOORE, James NEALY, James PACE, Thomas PORTER, THOMAS SCURRY, Robert STEELE, Richard TATE, Beverly WILLIAMS.
They helped JACKSON take the port of Pensacola from the Spanish on 7 November 1814. Williamson's men then participated in all of the engagements at New Orleans, where they were part of the left line of JACKSON's breastworks. In March 1815 they returned to Tennessee via the Natchez Trace.
[All unit information courtesy of the Tennessee State Libraries & Archives division of the office of the Secretary of State of Tennessee.]
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HENRY HART's WAR of 1812 SERVICE NARRATIVE, including
BATTLES, SKIRMISHES, & ENGAGEMENTS:
Shortly after the U.S. declared war on Great Britain [including Canada] in July of 1812, 1500 Tennessee Militiamen, chiefly of CARROLL's 2nd Tennessee Infantry, and COFFEE's Tennessee Cavalry [Mounted Rifles], were sent to defend New Orleans by order of President MADISON and Tennessee Governor Willie BLOUNT. The Tennesseans were under the command of their own General Andrew JACKSON. However, the anticipated British invasion of Louisiana and the Lower Mississippi Valley would not be attempted until the end of the War.
In 1813, the Creek Indians of Alabama [then part of Mississippi Territory] were British allies, and they directly threatened the southern frontier of Tennessee and the settlements all along the Tennessee, Elk, and Duck Rivers and their watersheds, including the foothills of the Cumberland Plateau in what is now Marion, Grundy, Franklin, Coffee, Moore Lincoln, Bedford, Marshall, and Giles Counties.
Apparently, Henry HART (and others in the south-central regions of the State) either moved his family about 55 miles due north to Sumner County, to protect them from possible Indian attack, or else the HARTs had not yet permanently moved to Bedford County. Henry HART and family may have lived in Sumner Co. earlier---perhaps in mid-1807---as many of the settlers coming from the Carolinas did move first to the Cumberland River settlements at these early dates. It was only in 1805 that the Cherokees ceded the land of the Tennessee River watershed to the U.S. and the State of Tennessee. At this time, many men moved their families to already settled areas just to the north, and then eventually bought land in the new regions and carved homesteads of cabins and farms out of the rolling hills of South Tennessee with the help of older sons, brothers, or other kinsmen. Then they moved their families in. With such short distances between the northern and southern counties of Tennessee, traveling around was fairly easy and quite common. Henry seems to have come to Tennessee in c.1808, and was paying taxes in southern Bedford Co. by 1812. But he may not have permanently settled his family there until just after 1820. During Henry's war service and immediately after, we find him living in Sumner Co.
COFFEE's units of Tennessee Mounted Rifles ["Gunmen"] were dispatched immediately from Fayetteville (in Lincoln Co.) after the Creeks massacred white and Negro settlers in the Alabama country---all of which was part of the Mississippi Territory at the time. COFFEE's troops were successful, but there was a great need to recognize these actions as precipitating a major Indian War. More troops were needed, and many Cherokees and non-warring Creek Indians were recruited along with the whites. COFFEE's "Cavalry" was joined by hundreds of other Tennessee volunteers fresh from the State, and JACKSON arrived from New Orleans to command the Campaign. The large Tennessee Militia force was joined by small contingents from Georgia and the Carolinas, but was massively reinforced by the 39th U.S. Infantry arriving from Knoxville, having been recruited mostly in Central and East Tennessee. After the complete victories over the Creek Indians (who were British allies), JACKSON was promoted to full command in the U.S. Army's 7th [Southern] Military District. But pressure from the British was beginning to bear heavily in the South, especially along the Gulf Coast, where British Naval blockades were severely hindering and eventually cutting off American supplies and commerce. The Chesapeake was invaded by the British, and units of Virginia, North Carolina, Maryland, District of Columbia, Delaware, and Pennsylvania Militia and U.S. Regulars could not keep the British from sacking Washington and burning the Capitol. The desperation of the Canadian and Great Lakes Campaigns earlier in the War had provided Americans with fiery experiences that would help them later in the War, but the British invasions of the Southern States shook the country almost to its knees. The possibilities for a campaign in the deep South and the Gulf Coast was more imminent than ever before.
Sure enough, on 15 Sep 1814, the British attacked and captured Ft. Bowyer on Mobile Bay, AL, defended by 120 men from the 2nd U.S. Infantry Regiment. This was the beginning of the Gulf Campaign's land engagements, which was the last British offensive and the last major campaign of the War of 1812. General JACKSON asked Tennessee Governor BLOUNT to send the Tennessee Volunteers back down to the coast, specifically, to New Orleans. Many veterans signed up to fight again, and many more first-timers rallied to the call. In the last two weeks of September, 1814, 3000 Volunteers mobilized for war. Tennessee is the "Volunteer State" indeed.
In October, under the command of Brigadier-General John COFFEE, 3000 Tennessee Militiamen marched south to reinforce General Andrew JACKSON's Southern (7th) District Army, composed of the 2nd, 3rd, 7th, 39th, 43rd, & 44th U.S. Infantry Regiments, the 1st Battalion of the 1st U.S. Artillery Regiment, 2 Troops of the 1st U.S. Light Dragoons, 3 U.S. Rifle Companies, and all the State Militia units from Tennessee, Louisiana, and the Territory of Mississippi (which included Alabama). COFFEE's Brigade of Tennessee Mounted Gunmen and detachments of the 3rd, 39th, and 44th U.S. Infantry Regiments converged on Pensacola (technically in Spanish Florida) to deal with the British in the only way that the Tennesseans knew how, which was to whip them.
The BATTLE of PENSACOLA, Escambia Co., FL: 7 Nov 1814
Result: American capture of the town and port, and defeat of the British contingency.
JACKSON then left for New Orleans to rejoin the defenders there (U.S. Regulars; Louisiana, Mississippi, & Tennessee Militias; and Jean LAFITTE and his Barataria Pirates), and he took COFFEE's Brigade of 600 Tennessee Mounted Infantry [a.k.a. "Cavalry"/"Mounted Gunmen"/"Mounted Rifles", etc.]
The BATTLE of NEW ORLEANS, Orleans Parish, LA: 24 Dec 1814, & 1 - 8 Jan 1815
Result: Total defeat of the British.
The appearance of COFFEE's troops in New Orleans was remembered by one observer as "...not very military. In their woolen hunting shirts and copperas dyed pantaloons; with slouched hat or cap made from the skins of raccoons or foxes; with belts of untanned deer-skin and in which were stuck their hunting knives---but [they] were admirable soldiers, remarkable for endurance...." A. Lacarriere LATOUR recorded, in 1816, that "the Tennesseans, on account of their well-known skill at the rifle, were the terror of the British sentinels and advanced-posts. Their uniform, consisting of a brown hunting dress, rendered it difficult to perceive them among the underwood and dry grass," and they were called "the dirty shirts" by the British. Besides hunting shirts, some also had clothing made by the ladies of New Orleans. (Taken from pg. 80-81 of Rene CHARTRAND's book, Uniforms and Equipment of the United States Forces in the War of 1812, Cop. 1992, Old Fort Niagara Association, Inc., Youngstown, NY.)
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HENRY HART's direct descendant, Charles PATTON, USN, wrote an excellent book "CHALMETTE: The Battle for New Orleans and How the British Nearly Stole the Louisiana Territory." It is a great read, and was designed to especially show that the Battle of New Orleans was not a pointless slaughter, but it had real meaning, beyond uniting the Nation and propelling Andrew JACKSON to fame. It also prevented the British from seriously trying to make any more claims that the Louisiana Territory was an illegal purchase by America, and therefore ripe for the taking by Britain.
Cousin Charles PATTON submitted a narrative of his own describing Henry HART's service in the War of 1812, with his research as complete as he could make it at the time. Here it is:
Henry Hart is listed on the muster rolls of Captain Thomas Scurry of the Second Regiment, Tennessee Volunteers Mounted Gunmen commanded by "Col. Thomas Williamson in the service of the United States from the 28th day of September, 1814, to the 27th of April, 1815. These men mostly came from: Bedford, Davidson, Robertson, Rutherford, Sumner, Williamson, Wilson, Giles & Smith counties. This regiment was part of General John Coffee's brigade that fought at Pensacola and New Orleans. Marching from Fayetteville to Camp Gaines (30 miles from Fort Montgomery), they helped Jackson take the port of Pensacola from the Spanish on 7 November 1814. Williamson's men then participated in all of the engagements at New Orleans, where they were part of the left line of Jackson's breastworks. In March 1815 they returned to Tennessee via the Natchez Trace." [Tennessee State Archives] National Archive records bear out the fact that a Henry Hart of Bedford County was with this unit.
Also listed is James Pitt [Jr.]. It is fairly certain that these two men knew each other but I'm sure that neither James Pitt nor Henry Hart would realize that 96 years later, James Pitt's great-grandson (Clarence Pitts Ashby) would marry Henry Hart's great-granddaughter (Elma Hart).
Henry applied for and received a land grant for his services in the war. Although he did not use it, his children did. Almost all the Harts, except for Henry and his son Derrel, took this grant and settled in Pope Co., Illinois (Oak, Illinois). This land grant, called the GRANTING BOUNTY, gave land to certain officers and men who had been engaged in military service of the country. Two Henry Harts from Bedford County applied and received land grants from this act. Most of the grants were in Arkansas, Missouri & Illinois. Henry's children probably used this grant when they moved to Illinois. Henry was known to have been in Bedford Co., Tenn., around the 1812-14 time frame. After Henry died, his wife Nancy Rainey Hart, moved to Illinois to live with their daughter Nancy Hart Gossage.
Henry was with Col Williamson. (Some brief history on Col. Williamson further down the page). In other documents (his war record) it shows that he served under Captain Thomas Scurry who served under Col. Thomas Williamson. I say this because there are two Col. Williamsons (a John & a Thomas). If you go to the Tennessee State Archives (www.state.tn.us/sos/statelib/tslahome.htm ) and go to Tennessee State History & Genealogy Military Records Regimental Histories of Tenn. During the War of 1812, Col. Thomas Williamson, you will find what Henry Hart's unit did. Also if you will type into any search engine - "Henry Hart" War of 1812 - The muster rolls of Sumter County, Tenn., will pop up. Scroll down to Captain Thomas Scurry and see brief history and soldiers names, including, Henry Hart (and my other ggg-great grandfather, James Pitt). It is my understanding that men from many counties around Sumter Co. came to that county to serve with Col. Thomas Williamson. They formed up in Sumter County and were sworn in at Fayetteville, Tenn. From there General John Coffee (Gen. Jackson's best friend) took them to New Orleans to join Jackson.
There is evidence that Henry also fought in the Creek & Indian War during the War of 1812. He got a land grant(s) for both the Creek & Indian Wars and the New Orleans Campaign. Henry, his wife Nancy and their children used the grant and moved to Illinois. Almost all the Harts, except for Henry's son Derrel, took this grant and settled in Pope Co., Illinois (Oak, Illinois). Some descendants think that Henry returned to Bedford County, TN, for business reasons, became ill and died. Thus his burial at the Mt. Herman cemetery. This land grant, called the GRANTING BOUNTY, gave land to certain officers and men who had been engaged in military service of the country. Most of the grants were in Arkansas, Missouri & Illinois.
Pay records for the first of three enlistments for Henry Hart. This regiment of about 600 men joined Andrew Jackson's forces at Natchez in early 1813. While the bulk of Jackson's troops traveled by boat to Natchez, General Coffee's mounted men went overland after rendezvousing near Franklin, Tenn., in mid-January 1813. Henry Hart was a Sergeant for this campaign. For the trip back to Tennessee via the notorious Natchez Trace, he must have been doing his job well because he was promoted to 2nd Sergeant. This was the famous trip where Washington, DC, instructed General Jackson to disband his men while in Louisiana. Jackson was furious, he knew that the men would have a rough time making it back home up the Natchez Trace. Most of his men were young men 18-25 years of age. They were from not only friends of his family but from prominent families of Middle and West Tennessee. At Jackson's own expense he funded the army for the trip back to Nashville. Many men were sick, so Jackson had his officers turn over their horses to the sick. Except for the sick, everyone walked, including Jackson. Jackson constantly walked back and forth among his army, making sure that everyone was all right. His men became so impressed with him that they started calling him "Old Hickory" (one of the toughest things that they knew of). This made Jackson immensely popular in Middle Tennessee because Jackson had taken care of the state's young sons at his own expense when the federal gov't had abandoned them. This was probably the most difficult of all three enlistments for our Henry Hart. Notice how much extra he got paid for providing his own horse. Dec 10, 1812 - Feb 9, 1813 $8.00 per month $28.58 clothing.
Contributed by Charles Patton, Third Great Grandson of Henry Hart
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The most valuable single resource on our HART family is the great Hart history book, ""James Hart and His Descendants", by our late cousin Charles Gerton HART. Here is his invaluable biographical history of Henry HART:
Henry Hart our most elusive ancestor, was the second son of James and Elizabeth Hart. Henry settled in Tennessee in the early 1800's, was a farmer and a man who loved the rolling hills and rich farm land such as is found in Tennessee. He was born December 25, 1783, probably in Edgefield South Carolina. A grandson, John B. Hart, said that his grandfather, was born on the line between North and South Carolina. This is possible as we have no record of where Henry's father, James, was living until 1787 at which time he received a state land grant in Edgefield County, South Carolina.
In 1800 Henry was sixteen years old and still living in the home of his parents since he is included with them in the Edgefield County census record. He was twenty-one years old on December 25, 1804. Somewhere at this time, or early in the year 1805, he was married to Nancy Rainey. She was the daughter of John Rainey, a captain in the Revolutionary War. She was born November 11, 1784. Some records say she was born in Virginia, but it was Laurens County, South Carolina, since John Rainey stated in his pension for service during the Revolution that he lived in Laurens before and after the war.
Henry and Nancy lived in South Carolina for at least two years. James Williamson, was born October 11, 1805 in South Carolina and another son, John Henry, was born March 18, 1807 in South Carolina according to later census records. Two other children, probably girls, were born to Henry and Nancy during the next four years, but we do not know where they were living at this time. Their daughter, Elizabeth, who later became the wife of James Coats, is found in an 1850 census record of Missouri, shows her to be 38 years old (born 1812) and born in Tennessee. So sometime between 1807 and 1812, Henry and Nancy had left South Carolina and were living somewhere in Tennessee, probably migrating there is Rainey and his family in 1808. Henry had evidently spent some time in Bedford County on or before 1812. His name is found on a list of taxpayers for that year. He was No. 43 in John McWilliams Company. The returning Justice was Joshua Hoult Esquire. There were one hundred fifty-six men on this list, many were known to have settled in the area now known as Flat Creek, or New Hermon, all in the twenty-second Civil District of Bedford County. Henry Hart may not have been permanently settled in this area at that time, but there is no doubt that he was here. This is the area in which our Hart ancestors are known to have settled and where they have lived for many years. It is believed that Henry may have "staked out" the land he liked, built a cabin on it, and applied for the grants he later received. The first grant he received gave the information that a house and improvements were already there. This was Grant No. 19178, recorded June 3, 1823, and is found in the Tennessee Archives, Nashville, Tennessee. Indications are that he did not remain in Bedford County at that time. He may have been scouting around to see if he really wanted to settle there. He was somewhere in Tennessee in 1814 as the records show that his daughter, Nancy, was born in 1814 in Tennessee. It is highly probable that he was a soldier in the War of 1812, or the war with the Creek Indians in 1814. If we move ahead several years we find records that an act was passed September 28, 1850 "Granting Bounty land to certain officers and soldiers who have been engaged in the military service of the United States."
Two different Henry Harts made application for this land. Both of these men were residents of Bedford County when these applications were made for bounty land. We know that in 1850 our ancestor lived in the 22nd Civil District, and another older Henry Hart lived in the 20th District and who later went to Missouri and died there. However, it is said that most Tennesseans who received land for serving in the War of 1812 did receive it in Arkansas, Missouri, and Illinois. This writer wonders if Henry Hart could have received a grant in one of these states, Illinois, and planned to move there, or gave the grant to one of his children who later did settle there.
In the next few years, other children were born to Henry and Nancy. From later census records we learn that Nathan was born in 1816, Derrel J. in 1818, Catherine in 1820, and Jesse in 1821. However, the 1820 census of Bedford County shows that no Hart families were living there at the time and we assume that Henry and his family still had not moved into Bedford County permanently, or that the census-taker missed his house altogether. Census takers made many mistakes. But we do know that Henry and Nancy were in Bedford County soon after 1820. In a deed dated March 6, 1823, we learn that Henry Hart of Bedford County paid $200 to Jesse Conwell of Lincoln County, Tennessee, for a tract of land consisting of 27 acres and located on the west waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River.
And then on May 27th of the same year we find that Henry Hart received land grant No. 19178, consisting of 24 acres and was located on the head waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River which included his house and improvements made previous to the date of the entry. The date of entry was March 14, 1811. So it seems that Henry, or someone, had been living on this tract of land at an earlier date than 1823 when the grant was signed by the governor of Tennessee.
The 1850 census of Bedford County shows that another son, Martin, was born in 1826 in South Carolina. It does seem that this should be Tennessee. The census taker or the person giving the information may have made an error. Henry now had 51 acres of land, a house and improvements and, by this time, a good-sized family. In addition, on August 26, 1826 he received two more grants, one consisting of 50 acres and the other consisting of 46 acres and 125 poles, making a total of 147 acres and 125 poles. It is rather doubtful that he would rave moved back to South Carolina even for a short time. This land was all located on the head waters of Big Flat Creek, a south branch of Duck River. It was hilly land, with a creek running nearby. The road running parallel with the creek was known as Rainey's Branch Road. It has changed very little and is now known as Possum Trott Road.
James W. is recorded in the marriage Book, Vol. I, page 59, in White County, Illinois, as married to Sally Gott there on January 26, 1830. John H. is recorded in the 1830 Warren County, Tennessee census as living there with his
Henry now has five sons living at home. And we see that he has four daughters living with him. Elizabeth, now 18, had married James Coats and in a nearby household. Two other daughters, ages approximately 20 and 22. are unaccounted for, but were probably married.
At about this time we begin to find Henry and his wife, Nancy associated with the Mount Hermon Baptist Church which was just a few miles southwest of their home. In fact, up to this time, we had found no records to show that her that her name was Nancy. It is in these records that we find Henry, his wife Nancy, and some of their children — records that tell us much about this church, this family, their neighbors, and their way of life.
The minutes of this church have been recorded by faithful clerks for over 140 years. The present church clerk, Frederick Steed, who is a great-great-grandson of Henry Hart, has in his possession all the minutes from 1830 to the present time, and has been kind enough to lend these books to Mrs. Robert Patterson, our Tennessee genealogist, to extract information concerning Henry Hart and his descendants.
The first minutes were recorded January 9, 1830. On the first membership list we find the name of Henry Hart, Nancy Hart, James Coats, Elizabeth Coats, and Letha Heart. Their daughter, Elizabeth, wife of James Coats, born in 1812, would have been 18 years old by this time. We assume that Letha Heart was their daughter, also. Written beside her name are the words "dismissed by letter." There was no date but since her name was not on the next membership list made in August 1833, we suppose that she left the church sometime between January 1830 and August 14, 1833.
This church became a member of the Duck River Association of Baptists which meets annually with delegates attending from sister churches throughout this area. In 1833 Henry Hart was one of the three delegates sent from the Mt. Hermon Church to the Association which convened at Big Hurricane Church in August of that year. In the next few years we notice that he was church at many of these Associations. In 1841 he was ordained deacon. In reading these old records, one gets the feeling that he was a church member, one who was devoted to his church and who always attended the services with his family.
His daughter Nancy and her husband, George Washington Gossage, were all fist of members but were on an early list of members but were granted a letter of dismissal in June 1835. However in March 1836, we find that Nathan Hart became a member and very soon after he joined we find the name of another son, John H. Hart, whom we have already mentioned as being the second son of Henry and Nancy. Immediately following his that of Malinda Hart with the word "dead" in different writing on the same line. There is no date, but her death probably occurred before 1840 since was not on the new list of members made in April 1840. We assume that Malinda was a daughter of Henry and Nancy, and unless someone finds a family Bible, we may never find any other record concerning her.
We also find the name, Catherine Hart, and on a later list we find her as Catherine Shook along with her husband, James Shook. And before long we find as of Derrel J. Hart and his wife, Rachel, and also N. M. L. H. (Martin) Hart with his wife Mary. Later we find Agnes R. and her husband, William Jasper Morris. And so, in these church records, we find Henry Hart and his Nancy, with the following children:
John H. Hart
Letha Hart
Elizabeth and James Coats
Malinda Hart
Nathan hart
Nancy and Washington Gossage
Catherine and James Shook
Derrel J. and Rachel Hart
Martin and Mary Hart
Agnes R. and William Jasper Morris
It might be added here that the name of Henry's oldest son, James Williamson was not found anywhere in the church records — or the names of any other members of this family.
In 1835, Bedford County was divided into Civil Districts, numbering one twenty-five. As far as we know the majority of our Harts and allied families lived in the 22nd District. In 1836 a tax list was printed giving the name each property owner, the amount of land he owned, its value, number of residence their value, and the amount of tax paid. All males of voting age paid a tax if they wished to vote, with the exception of some land owners who were not required to pay. On this tax list we find Henry Hart with the following record:
Civil District No. 22 ... 68 acres land... value $340.00 .... Tax .34
191 Acres School Land .... Value $570.00.... tax .34
No polls, and no slaves .... Amount Paid .. State Tax .45 1/2 ... State and City Tax
John H. Hart, second son of Henry, is shown in this district with one poll. Washington Gossage also paid one poll. James Coats owned 24 acres of land and 116 acres of School Land and also paid one poll.
In 1840 we find Henry Hart still living in the 22nd Civil District of Bedford County. The census record shows: one male under 5, two males 10-15, on male 50-60; one female 15-20, one female 50-60. Henry and Nancy would be 57 and 56 years old by now. The two males age 10-15 would be Martin and the youngest son. The other male less than five years old would probably be a grandson. The female 15-20 is, more than likely, their daughter born between 1820 and 1825.
On March 29, 1848, Henry Hart sold 61 acres of his land to Joseph Parker. Henry was 64 years old by this time and may not have been able to take care of all his farm. Some of his children had moved away and those now living near him were getting farms of their own. According to the census record of 1850 Henry and Nancy are living alone. Four of their children are living in their own homes just a short distance away.'
On April 15, 1852 Henry sold 55 acres to his son, Martin, and in the same year he sold another tract of land to J. B. Parker consisting of 49 acres and 67 poles. It appears that, even at this time, he may have been making preparations to leave Bedford County and go to Illinois.
On February 22, 1854, he sold another tract of land to his son-in-law and daughter, James and Catherine Shook, and on October 9 of that year he sold 80 acres to his son, Derrel J.
It is said that 1854 was the year of a great drought in Bedford County, and that Martin and his family left that year and moved to Illinois. A record in the Registrar's Office in Bedford County shows that on July 24, 1854, Martin deeded 23 2/3 acres of his land to Joseph Parker. No record of his selling the other 31 1/3 acres has been found, but he probably sold it also, since it is known that he moved to Illinois late that year.
By now Henry was almost 71 years of age. It is thought by some researchers that his wife, Nancy, left Bedford County and went to Pope County, Illinois with her daughter and son-in-law, Nancy and George Washington Gossage in 1854. A descendant, Lee J. Patterson, who has lived most of his life in the area formerly settled by Henry Hart, and who has heard many stories of the early Harts, thinks that both Henry and Nancy moved together with some of their children to Illinois. Then Henry came back to Bedford County to take care of some business. He became ill while there and was not able to return to Illinois. It is believed that he was with his son, Derrel J., at that time. He died October 23, 1857 and is buried in the old Mount Hermon Cemetery in the 22nd Civil District of Bedford County. He was almost 74 years old. His wife, Nancy. remained in Pope County, Illinois, living with her daughter and son-in-law. Nancy and George Washington Gossage. There is little mention of Nancy (Rainey) Hart during her life in Tennessee, although we know she must have been busy and active during the years she spent there if she actually had fourteen children to raise, and it is reported that she was a midwife to over 220 births. These were the days when the chickens had to be fed and eggs gathered: cows fed and milked; hogs fed; water drawn from a well or carried from the spring; clothes boiled in a pot in the yard, scrubbed on a rubbing board; water heated on the stove; clothes ironed with heavy flat irons; house swept with a straw broom; coffee ground for the pot; milk churned for butter; and a lot of hungry people to feed three times a day. She could trim the lamp wicks, fill them with oil; knit; make quilts; make clothes and patch them; and such things as these in her spare time. In those days all housewives had all these and other tasks to do, therefore, there is no question that Nancy Hart was busy and active raring her many years in Tennessee and her later years in Illinois. She died October 17, 1871, and is buried in the Hart-Gossage Cemetery near a small community called Oak, in Pope County, Illinois. The unusual inscription on her gravestone reads: "NANCY wife of Henry Hart and daughter of Capt. John Rainey of the Revolution. Born Nov. 11, 1784, died Oct. 17, 1871. Aged 86 Yrs 11 Mos. 6 days. Member of the Baptist Church for 70 years."
At the time of Henry's death, all the children had left Bedford County and settled in Illinois and Missouri except a son, Derrel J., who remained in Bedford County and now has many descendants there.
Thus ends the lives of our beloved forebears who were among those frontiersmen who pushed the civilization of this great country westward, withstanding the hardships which accompanied carving a home out of the wilderness. It is easy to understand why they chose Bedford County in Tennessee when one understands the love the Harts had for beautiful rolling hills, plenty of streams, and good rich farm land; also, an innate Irish desire for freedom. Many of their descendants have continued to push into the wilderness of the west and are bond in practically every western state in the union.
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(Biography to be continued)
Inscription
HENRY HART
was born
Dec. 25th, 1783
& died
Oct. 23rd, 1857
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