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