Alice: I agree that John the "Signer" was not born in CT. I believe his baptism occurred in Hopewell in 1713. My research indicates his parents were (Capt.) Edward Hart & Martha Furman/Firmin. Edward's parents were (Carpenter) John Hart & Mary Hunt. John the Carpenter's parents were (Shoemaker & Immigrant) John Hart & Mary ?. Mary Hunt's parents were Ralph Hunt and Elizabeth Jessup. A great source is a book by Cleon Hammond, "John Hart, Signer...", Pioneer Press, 1977. It is (or was) available from the Hopewell Museum in Hopewell, NJ (and maybe from Amazon.com???) I have an 18 Pence note dated 1776, signed by the "Signer", as well as a probate inventory of one of the "Stout" relatives, signed by him as Co-Administrator. I am descended from the "Signer" through both his sons, Edward and Daniel (whose offspring, Elijah and Margaret, married), their son, Elijah Montgomery Hart married Sarah Christina Lytle and they produced Creed William Hart, my great grandfather. Rev. Pyle just wrote Vol. III of his series of books on signers of the Declaration of Independence. Vol. III covers the NJ signers. I have ordered it but don't have it yet. If there are a number of John the "Signer's" descendants on this list, perhaps we could chat without boring the others??? Regards, Jack > -----Original Message----- > From: Alice Smith [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Saturday, November 21, 1998 9:45 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: [HART-L] John Hart, the"Signer" > > > Dear Ben Hart: > > The primary source for the "non-Stonington, CT" birth for John[4] Hart, the > "Signer" is an article by one Frederick W. Bailey of 1895, published in the > "New York Genealogical and Biographical Record," vol. 26. Mr. Bailey was at > that time manager of the Bureau of American Anceltry in New Havben, CT, and > was commissioned by an unnamed Hart desc. to do a genealogy of the Signer's > forebears. > > Also: if one studies this Hart family, which can be traced through the > records back to Newtown, Queens County, Long Island, New York, and finds > that John[2] Hart and his 5 sons removed to the (then) Maidenhead/ Trenton > area of Western New Jersey c1703/4; and that Edward[3], son of John[2] and > father of John[4], the "Signer," RETURNED to Newtown to marry Martha Furman > in the Newtown Presbyterian Church (records extant), the sister of Sarah > Furman who married Ralph[3] Hart, Edward's brother, so it would be strange > indeed if he--Edward--would go to Stonington, CT for the birth of his first > son when the whole of the rest of the family--uncles, aunts, brothers, and > cousins--were residing in Western New Jersey. > > The unfortunate mis-location of John[4]'s birthplace is attributed to a > female desc. who recalled that he--John[4]--was called a "Yankee," (not > proved) and illogically deduced that he was born in New England. Why > Stonington, I have no 'idear.' I, personally, have gone through the early > Stonington Town Records--which are remarkable in their fullness--and there > is no reference whatsoever to any Hart in the time frame within which > John[4] was born. But the (probably) innocent remark of one elderly woman > was put into print in the 1800's, and therefore it is "Writ in Stone" and > nothing seems to put the record straight. I keep trying. > > Regards, Alice Smith > > > > > > > >