Person:Edmund Hart (1)

New England

Edmund first appeared in New England when he was granted a lot at Dorchester 16 January 1632/3. He became a freeman at Dorchester 1634, but went soon to Weymouth where he was granted land in 1636. He had three parcels there by 1643, which he sold in 1664 to move to Weymouth. He held no offices, and otherwise appeared rarely in records.

Estate

30 September 1672: "Edmund Hart of Westfield dying suddenly this sennight past inquiry was made by a jury of 12 men concerning his death who found it to be by the immediate hand of God in thunder & lightning as they conceive; their verdict is on file. And the said Edmund Hart dying intestate the inventory of his estate was presented to this Court and power of administration upon is granted to George Phelps which he accepted of. Also Elisha Hart son of Edm[un]d Hart being weak to manage his own matters chose his uncle the said Geo[rge] Phelps for his guardian whom the court approved of for that end" [ HamPR 1:147].

The inventory of the estate of "Edmund Hart late of Westfield deceased" was signed 25 July 1673 and totalled £68 16s. 6d. including real estate valued at £96 1s.: "eleven acres of meadow £55"; "twenty acres of land in the woods £40"; "a homelot Fortside four acres land not taken up £1 1s." There was a debt due to Aaron Cooke from "Edmund Hart ... his son-in-law John Scone can testify to it." "There is also a cow John Scone hath not inventoried which is said to be given to Scone's wife: Also Edward Neale hath one acre of land: Also John Greet hath one acre of land not inventoried" [ HamPR 1:148].

On 31 March 1674 the court further ordered that the distribution of the estate of Edmund Hart of Westfield be "that Elisha Hart (for that he is very weak for abilities of his mind ... being crazy in his body) shall have £15 of the said estate"; "Edm: Hart's daughters shall have the rest of the estate in equal portion: and if any of the daughters shall die before distribution of the estate be made such portion shall go to the children of such daughters if they have any; and Elisha Hart having at the last court at Springfield chosen his Uncle George Phelps for his guardian whom that court allowed of, this court declares that no person shall trade or bargain with said Elisha without consent of his said guardian" [ HamPR 1:154].

1. ↑ Edmund Hart, in Anderson, Robert Charles. The Great Migration Begins: Immigrants to New England, 1620-1633. (Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1995).

   ORIGIN: Unknown MIGRATION: 1632 FIRST RESIDENCE: Dorchester REMOVES: Weymouth 1636, Westfield 1664
   BIRTH: By about 1610 based on receipt of land grant early in 1633.
   DEATH: Westfield about 23 September 1672, "by the immediate hand of God in thunder and lightning" [HamPR 1:147].
   MARRIAGE: By about 1638 _____ _____; she died Weymouth 20 August 1659.

2.   Savage, James. A Genealogical Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England: Showing Three Generations of Those Who Came Before May, 1692, on the Basis of Farmer's Register. (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1860-1862)
   2:367.

   HART, EDMUND, Dorchester, came prob. in the Mary and John, 1630, rem. to Weymouth, was freem. 14 May 1634, was liv. in 1664, and may be the man of Westfield, k. by lightning 1673, whose s. Elisha d. 1683, infirm in mind, and whose ds. were Sarah, w. of John Score; Martha, b. 12 Oct. 1640, w. of Edward Neale; and one, w. of John Greet.

3. ↑ Great Migration Begins lists his origins as unknown, and does not acknowledge any respected speculation to the contrary. The Ancestral File lists his parents as Family:Stephen Hart and Mehitable Hart (1).