Benjamin Hart, Sr.^[1]

1720 - 1806  (86 years)

• Name	Benjamin Hart
  Suffix	Sr.
  Born	1720	Ewing, Mercer County, New Jersey
  Gender	Male
  Died	1806	Ewing, Mercer County, New Jersey
  Buried	First Presbyterian Church of Ewing Ceme. Ewing, Mercer Co., New Jersey
  Person ID	I24352	My Reynolds Line
  Last Modified	12 Dec 2024

  
  

  Family	Hannah Cook,   b. 17 Jul 1723, Lawrence, Mercer Co., NJ ,   d. Ewing, Mercer Co., NJ
  Children	+ 1. Mary Hart,   b. 1751, Cester, Morris Co., New Jersey ,   d. 1830, Cester, Morris Co., New Jersey  (Age 79 years)
  Last Modified	12 Dec 2024
  Family ID	F9371	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Sources

  [S32] Find-A-Grave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/125255921/benjamin_hart. Benjamin Hart Sr. Birth: 1720, Ewing, Mercer County, New Jersey Death: 1806 (aged 85?86), Ewing, Mercer Co., NJ Burial: First Presbyterian Church of Ewing Ceme Ewing, Mercer County, New Jersey Benjamin was born say 1720. He was the son of Major Ralph Hart and Sarah Furman of Trenton Twp., old Hunterdon Co., NJ (in the area now Ewing Twp., Mercer Co.), and is presumed to have been born in that place. He married Hannah Cook in the 1740s. In 1749, he and his brother Samuel were bequeathed half of their father's plantation. This tract was partly in Trenton Twp. and partly in Maidenhead Twp. (i.e., probably straddling the present-day Ewing-Lawrence border). The brothers later mortgaged this land together. Benjamin was as a constable in Trenton Twp. in 1759. He made his own will on 6 May 1801, which was proved 13 November 1806. He is presumed to have died at his residence in present-day Ewing. The Cooleys, in Genealogy of Early Settlers in Trenton and Ewing ... (1883), p. 100, report that Benjamin and Hannah Cook Hart had 17 children, as follows (most of the vital dates below come from other sources): 1. Martha, reportedly married "a Hart or Salathiel Pierson" (perhaps the former, as the latter is incorrect); 2. Jemima, single in 1801 though reported by the Cooleys as having married a "Jehiel Pierson" (this seems unlikely and is probably a confusion with her niece Jemima, who married Joseph Pierson, son of Salathiel); 3. William, born say 1745, married Hannah Laning, died 1818--linked below; 4. Sarah, died after 1816 (then unmarried); 5. Nathaniel, born after 1747 based on militia records, died after 1801; 6. Mary, possibly born 1751--see Mary Larison linked below; 7. Pamela, born about 1752, married Nathaniel Harcourt, died 1827--linked below; 8. Benjamin Jr., born say 1754, died 1813--linked below; 9. Absalom, a Revolutionary War soldier, married Susannah after 1779, died 1826; 10. Ralph, born abt. 1757, died 1830-Stephen, born 30 Apr. 1758, a Revolutionary War soldier, apparently never married, died 1838--linked below; 12. Abigail, born abt. 1759, died unmarried in 1846--linked below; 13. John--no further record; 14. Hannah, died after 1816 (then unmarried); 15. Mercy, died unmarried after 1838; 16. Elijah, born 1 Jan. 1765, married Elizabeth Laning, died 1846--linked below; 17. Elisha--no further record (perhaps confused with Elijah). Of these 17 children, Benjamin Hart mentioned 11 in his 1801 will. Two others (Pamela and Ralph) are documented through gravestones that can be identified with the persons referenced by the Cooleys. The daughter Mary may be the Mary Larison linked below, though documentation of this is needed. No documentation has been found to date relative to John, Mercy, and Elisha. Benjamin Hart provided for his many unmarried daughters in his will, but no married daughters are given bequests (probably because they had already received inheritance at the time of or after their marriages). Note: Benjamin and his siblings were double cousins of John Hart, Signer of the Declaration of Independence. Their father's brother Edward Hart was John's father, and their mother's sister Martha Furman was John's mother. Many descendants of Benjamin and his father Ralph Hart are reported (falsely) as lineal descendants of the Signer, John Hart. They do, however, share John Hart's complete ancestry. Gravesite Details It seems very likely that Benjamin was buried in Ewing Church Cemetery with other family members. Three of his children are known to be buried here. However, no gravestone survives for him. [S32] Find-A-Grave.com, https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/125256472/hannah_hart. Hannah Cook Hart Birth: 17 Jul 1723, Lawrence, Mercer County, NJ Death: unknown, Ewing, Mercer County, New Jersey Burial: First Presbyterian Church of Ewing Ceme Ewing, Mercer County, New Jersey Parents William Cook Sr., 1698 ? unknown Hannah Phillips Cook, 1702 ? unknown Spouse Benjamin Hart Sr., 1720?1806 Siblings Henry Cook, 1724?1786 Wintiah Cook Ketcham, 1726?1789 William Cook Jr., 1732?1802 Abigail Cook? Pierson, 1743?1787 Children William Hart Sr., 1745?1818 Mary Hart Larison, 1751?1830 Pamela Hart Harcourt, 1752?1827 Benjamin Hart Jr., 1754?1813 Absalom Hart, 1755?1826 Ralph Hart, 1757?1830 Stephen Hart, 1758?1838 Abigail "Abba" Hart, 1759?1846 Elijah Hart Sr., 1765?1846 Hannah was the daughter of William Cook and Hannah Phillips of Maidenhead Twp., old Hunterdon Co., NJ (now Lawrence Twp., Mercer Co.). She is presumed to have been born there, where her and her siblings' births are recorded. However, she is also referred to as "Hannah Cook of Trenton." She married Benjamin Hart in the 1740s. See his memorial for details about their children. She died before 6 May 1801, when her husband made his will. They lived in old Trenton Twp., in the area now Ewing, near the present day border with Lawrence. She is presumed to have died there, though the date is unknown. Gravesite Details Hannah might be buried in Ewing Church Cemetery with other family members; however, no gravestone survives there for her.