BENJAMIN HART NEW YORK- PARIS-HART MILLIONS

[phillip]

From previous threads on my Anglo Jewish Hart lines and their marriages to various families readers will be aware that one branch of the Hart line left England and established themselves in Lynchburg Virginia before moving to New York and other parts of the US. The publication of further US Newspaper Archives has now given me new information on these lines and this new thread seeks to unravel the relationships. The dramatic heading for this thread particularly the reference to "Hart Millions" was taken from The New York Times article dated January 5, 1911 and concerned the major court dispute regarding the will of Benjamin Hart who died in Paris May 11. 1908. The newspaper article provided me with important data including addresses at the time for my Hart relatives as well as describing the complex life Benjamin Hart lived.
To place Benjamin Hart in the context of his relationship to me he was a son of Michael Hart and Frances Davis- the very brief family tree of this line appears on the American First Jewish Families genealogies which is online. Michael Hart was the son of Benjamin Hart my 4x great grandfather a slop seller and clothier in London and in his latter life in partnership with his son Lewis/Louis Hart at 3 and 7 Holywell St Strand. I have yet to discover the wife of Benjamin particularly her names or when she died. John Hart who married Elizabeth Jacobs ( my 3x great grandparents) was the brother to Michael Hart and uncle to his son Benjamin.
The court case confirmed that Benjamin Hart had been born in Lynchburg Virginia and was aged 69 at his death. He was a clothes dealer but later during the US Civil war had speculated in gold bullion and acquired properties but had domiciled in Paris during the mid 1880s and had died in Paris. He had married Estelle Kitty WRIGHT in London in 1881- I have purchased a copy of the marriage certificate and am awaiting to see who Estelle Wright was.
The London Marriage Banns show that the banns for their wedding were recorded 14 April 1881 Parish Church of Saint James Piccadilly. The Free BMD Marriage Index records show -March qtr 1881 Westminster 1a 705.
In the court case the claims for a share of the very large fortune left by Benjamin Hart revealed that he and Estelle were divorced in 1883. I am currently unaware of any children being born to the couple.

In further posts I will provide data to indicate the marriages of the children of Michael Hart and Francis DAVIS which connects one of the lines to the famous US explorer of ancient Egyptian history JAMES HENRY BREASTED 1865-1935.
Phillip

[phillip]

This post provides US Census data for Michael Hart and Frances Davis and their family. The US census data shows that they moved from Lynchburg to New York between 1850-1860. Michael Hart died 15 Sept 1861 in Louisville but was from New York. He was aged 58. Frances died in 1878. The probate dispute regarding their son Benjamin Hart in 1911 also referred to the Hart family living in Richmond in 1852 and settling in NY in 1859.
1850 US Census- Roll M432 98 1008 204 (Copyright, National Archives US)
Michael Hart 48 M Merchant personal wealth $8000 b England; Francis Hart 36 b England; Henry Hart 18 salesman b Virginia; David Hart 14 b Virginia; Benjamin Hart 12 b Virginia; Lewis Hart 8 b Virginia; Sarah Hart 5 b Virginia; Alfred Hart 2 b Virginia; Alfred MOSES 30 Merchant b England

Nb I suspect that Alfred MOSES maybe a relative of Henry Moses who had married Rosa HART sister of Michael

1860 US Census M653 814 265 266 (Copyright, National Archives US)
NY Ward 18 District 2 NY
Michael Hart 58 Gentleman personal worth $60000 b England; Frances Hart 45 b England; Henry Hart 28 merchant b Virginia;George Hart 25 b Virginia; Sarah Hart 15 b Virginia; Alfred Hart 12 b Virginia

Phillip

[phillip]

The New York Daily Tribune Weds Jan 5,1910 posted the Notice of Summons in the Supreme Court of the State of New York United States by the United States Trust Company of New York as executors of and trustee under the last will and testament of Benjamin Hart deceased , plaintiff, against: Benjamin Hart; Mary P H JONES; Frances BREASTED; Imogene V HART; Michael HART; Ernest Washington HART;Philip Walter HART;Lewis HART; Isabel Luccehesi GUILLEMIN; Estelle Kitty HART; Thomas E DAVIS; Mary Ida BROWN; John CAMPBELL; Armand GENTRY;Jean G?...EZE: "Richard Roe; Jane Doe being fictitious it being intended to delineate the living issues , if any, of Lewis HART; and Gabrielle Juliette Antoinette de BIE ( formerly NATHAN), defendants.
The New York Times Jan 5,1911 reported that during the probate trial the claim on behalf of Estelle Kitty Hart nee WRIGHT against the will of her former husband Benjamin Hart was rejected because their divorce was legal. The adopted daughter of Benjamin Hart - he had adopted her on May 25,1892- she was Gabrielle Josephine Luccesi a daughter of Italian parents. He had called her Isabel Hart and she had married Jean Guillemin of the French diplomatic service. The judge learned that Benjamin Hart became embittered towards his adopted daughter referring to her as a ingrate and describing her and her husband as cormorants. Mme de Bie became Benjamin Hart's housekeeper in 1906 but the judge said she had no undue influence over Benjamin Hart's will.
Although Benjamin Hart lived in Paris he never gave up his domicile in New York. The upshot of the probate dispute was that Mme de Bie received Benjamin Hart's Paris mansion plus $25000 and and annuity of $16000. Michael Hart nephew of Benjamin Hart living at New York Athletic Club received almost $2000000.
Based on the newspaper accounts the addresses of some of the various named parties in the probate dispute were:
Mrs WRIGHT 21 Perry St NY ( she was Estelle Kitty Hart nee Wright and had called herself Mrs Elizabeth Wright) - a newspaper account saide she had died as a charity case in Bellevue Nov 1910; Mary H P JONES 286 Tillou Rd South Orange NJ niece; Benjamin Hart 306 Bush St San Francisco nephew; Imogene V Hart 286 Tillou Rd South Orange NJ niece; Michael Hart 103 West Fifty Fourth St New York City nephew- The New York Times July 15. 1908

I will post on some of the lines. Any data on Michael Hart nephew of New York City would be welcome. Similarly, any data on Lewis Hart brother of Benjamin and Philip Walter Hart appreciated.
Phillip

[phillip]

The American Jewish First Families family tree which relates to my 4x great grandfather Benjamin HART and his son Michael Hart and his wife Francis Davis also lists without any supporting dates or data the children of Michael and Francis and their descendants. One of the sons of Michael and Francis was George Hart who was born in Lynchburg and who married Helen Mary WATKINS. The family tree has the surname of Helen as Little. The children of George and Helen were: Benjamin; Mary m S JONES; Fanny m Breasted; Imogene m Breasted.
Further research has confirmed that Frances married James Henry BREASTED and on the death of Frances James married her younger sister Imogene.
James Henry Breasted 1865-1935 was born Rockford Illinois and his parents were Charles Breasted and Harriet Newell Garrison. I will supply data from the 1900 US Census which shows Harriet living with her son James, his wife Frances and their son Charles.

The Illinois Deaths and Still births index 1916-1947 records- Death Frances H Breasted aka Frances H Hart b 22 Dec 1872 San Francisco California died 15 July 1834 Chicago Cook County Illinois Buried Oakwoods Chicago Cook County Illinois age 61 housewife; father- George Hart b Lynchburg Virginia; mother Helen Watkins b Mendham New Jersey- spouse James Henry Bearsted.
The Boston Passenger and Crew list 10 April 1923 has James Henry Bearsted jnr 14 years 6mths b Chicago Sept 30 1908; Astrid Bearsted 8 years 7mths b Chicago Aug 12 1914; Frances Hart Breasted 50 years 4 mths b 20 Dec 1872 San Francisco- they had sailed from Bombay Calcutta to Boston.
There is a significant range of data online and published on James Henry Bearsted and his research relating to Egyptology.
His sons were Charles Breasted 1897-1980; James Henry Breasted jnr 1909-1983. I have no current data on Astrid but the 1900 US census shows that Frances had 2 children but only one living in 1900 who was Charles.
Phillip

[phillip]

The following data fills in missing information regarding Michael Hart son of David Hart and nephew of Benjamin Hart. Michael Hart was the main beneficiary in the will of his uncle Benjamin Hart as previously posted on. The principle data relating to Michael Hart comes from several US passport applications he made during the early 1900s. The data further confirms his marriage to Marie Leroy and that his father David was born in Lynchburg Virginia.
Currently, I have no data to confirm when or where David Hart died nor that of his wife. In addition, I have no data on the death of Michael Hart or of his wife Marie. Any information would be appreciated. The last data I have for Michael Hart is i14 Sept 1933 when he sailed from Cherbourg on the SS Aquitania arriving New York. His dob was 28 Nov 1865 New York and his address 290 Park Avenue NY. He was age 67 and the letter "D" was written for married or single. In a passport for 1915 he stated that he had left the US Sept 29,1915 and arrived in Paris Oct 12, 1915 -the purpose of the visit was to marry Marie Leroy born Paris, France. He named a cousin Edward Morrison 53 Exchange Place NY in his application.
In other passport information Marie Leroy gave her dob as 19 Nov 1880 born Paris. In other passport applications Michael Hart stated his father was David Hart b Lynchburg Virginia deceased.
Phillip

[phillip]

The GRO Marriage Certificate for Benjamin Hart and Estelle Kitty Wright shows:
March 16,1881 Marriage Solemnized at the Church in the Parish of St.James's Westminster Middlesex
BENJAMIN HART full age bachelor Gentleman residence St James-father MANSELL HART gentleman deceased
ESTELLE KITTY WRIGHT full age spinster no rank/profession St James residence -father WILLIAM WRIGHT deceased Surgeon
Witnesses: Walter R Bacon; Walter B Whiting
The couple's banns had been previously recorded.
What is interesting about this record is the use of Mansell as a first name for Benjamin's father which was Michael and the fact that the marriage was non Jewish and the marriage appears to have been done quickly while Benjamin was in the UK.
I have yet to trace William Wright surgeon because there are numbers of that name in the US and UK. There is no specific age to confirm Estelle's dob and Benjamin was 12 in the 1850 US census and 34 on the NY passenger list of 1872 when he, his mother and sister Sarah visited the UK.
The New York Times Sept 30,1908 contains an article in which Michael Hart, Benjamin's nephew claimed on behalf of Benjamin in his probate trial that his uncle had served divorce papers on Estelle in Paris in 1883 at her home. The affidavit showed she had failed to appear at the hearings and Benjamin Hart obtained a decree of divorce at the Supreme Court in New York in 1883. This divorce was agreed upon by the probate trial judge who stated Estelle Kitty Wright had no claim on the estate because she had been divorced.
Phillip

[phillip]

The records for Lewis Hart son of Michael Hart and Francis Davis are very limited. He appears in the 1850 US Census age 8 with his parents and siblings at Lynchburg Virginia. He is not with his parents in the 1860 US Census New York. It is possible he may have been in partnership with his brother David in New York as clothing traders. There is a NY Directory Record for 1868 for David Hart and Lewis Hart -clothing- 70 Leonard NY. In the probate trial for Lewis's brother Benjamin Hart reported in The New York Times 13 Jan 1915 a Mrs Margaret Henderson Hart of 218 West Twenty First Street NY had obtained letters of administration on the estate of Lewis Hart. The article stated that Lewis Hart had been missing since 1878 and had never appeared to claim his share of his brother's estate of more than $30000. " Mrs Hart asserted that he was drowned near Staten Island on June 11 1914.." She was seeking to claim the bequest from his brother Benjamin. However, her claim was opposed by Benjamin Hart Jnr of 2 East Fifty sixth Street who claimed Mrs Hart was mistaken in the identity of the beneficiary and that his uncle may have still been alive.

As yet I have no records to indicate what actually happened to Lewis Hart or why Benjamin Hart Jnr nephew of both Lewis and Benjamin.
Phillip

[Maxjak]

Hi, I have some information about Marie Leroy. She was married with my great father in first wedding, divorced and then left France to USA in 1914 to get married with Michael Hart. In 1922 they divorced again and had a quick marriage with the son of Carl Shurz who died in 1924. She had a son with my great father named BERNARD, and apparently Michael Hart adopted him, as he taken the name of BERNARD HART.

[phillip]

Many thanks for this update which is the first from any of my USA Hart relatives. I would appreciate it if you could explain more who Carl Shurz was. Is Bernard Shurz your great grandfather or is he another person? Did Michael Hart then name Bernard Shurz, Bernard Hart? Are these people American or from another country?

What happened to Bernard?

Do you have any more information on Michael Hart and the Hart family?
Many thanks again for posting

Phillip

[phillip]

The 1930 US Census shows Paul SHURZ and Marie born France as husband and wife:
1930 US Federal Census Cook Illinois, Chicago City ( Copyright US Bureau of Census) Page 16B; District 0228
East 62nd Street 6th Part Block 36 House no 1374 Dwelling 20 Rented

Paul SHURZ H M 55 b Illinois Father b Germany Mother b Russia-Labourer City of Chicago
Marie SHURZ wife 47 b France parents b France
+2 lodgers

I will post more once I have located further records.
Maxjak- Do you know when/where Michael Hart; Marie; Paul died?

Phillip