Hart, John, 1711?-1779

John Hart lived for most of his life in Hopewell Township, New Jersey where he worked as a farmer. The exact date of his birth is unknown, although most sources cite the year as 1711. It is believed that he was born in Stonington, Connecticut and moved to Hopewell with his parents at an early age. His father, Edward Hart, worked as a Justice of the Peace, public assessor, and farmer; he was also a commander of the New Jersey Blues, a corps of volunteers that served in the French-Canadian wars. Father and son worked together to build a successful farm, which John later inherited after his father's death in 1752. In 1739, John Hart married Deborah Scudder, daughter of Lt. Richard Scudder of Scudder's Falls; together the couple had thirteen children. By 1750, he was elected Freeholder for Hunterdon County, the highest elected office in the county. John Hart was becoming a leading member of his community. In 1775, he was appointed to the local Committee of Safety, the Committee of Correspondence, and a judge to the Court of Common Pleas. The following year Hart was elected to the newly formed Provincial Congress of New Jersey, and was sent as one of five delegates to represent the state at the 2nd Continental Congress. On July 4th, he and the other four delegates from New Jersey signed the Declaration of Independence.

From the description of John Hart papers, 1761-1778 1777-1778. (New Jersey Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 53055459

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