Caldwell County MO Archives History .....DORT FAMILY IN HAMILTON 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Karen Walker khw4@yahoo.com September 4, 2008, 6:01 pm

THE DORT FAMILY IN HAMILTON
	Narrator:  Kate Crawford, Hamilton

     The Dort family is important to us because J.D. Dort and family came to 
Hamilton 1861, long before most people thought of coming here, when the town 
was small, much smaller than Kidder.  J.D. Dort was born 1816 in New 
Hampshire, moved to Pennsylvania as a pioneer, then on to Hamilton.  His 
family consisted then of a daughter, of a son Ben, and his wife.  He was a 
drayman and he and his son continued for several decades in that business.  He 
also built a shack north of the railroad on Broadway where he sold coal and 
wood.  He and family lived on the farm south end of Main street in what is 
called now the Kate Crawford house.  There his daughter died and his wife 
became an invalid.  To have a house keeper, he hired the widow Crawford, 
mother of Kate, the narrator, who came into the home with her two children, to 
care for Mrs. Dort and keep house.  They stayed there long after her death.  
Now it is their home by purchase.  J.D. Dort died from the result of being 
struck by a train while unloading freight.
     The wife and daughter were buried in the old cemetery west of town, the 
only one in town then.  The elder Mr. Dort dying 1891 was also interred there.
     Ben Dort's whole life from a young fellow was spent here, helping his 
parents.  Dick Ervin said that when he went into the drug business here in 
1867, Ben Dort delivered his first stock.  He was constant in duty to his 
invalid women folks.  Every one says that, and he never married.  They tell of 
his going to the Sunday school at the Congregational church, and other 
organizations.
     Sometime about 1900 when the Congregational church was building a new 
brick, their money ran low.  They were going to put the north wall (which did 
not show much) of a cheaper grade of brick to fit their pocketbook.  Ben Dort 
heard of their plan.  He paid out of his own pocket book for the additional 
brick, which he was supplying to them from his stock.  If a family was in 
need, he helped them.  As old age and disease came on him, he could work but 
little and his cash failed.  He entered the Odd Fellows home at Liberty, but 
he could not stand the rules of living.  He then went to the County Poor Farm 
at Kingston where he ended his days.
     After his death, friends of other days had him buried in the New 
(Highland) cemetery in the perpetually endowed part, they had his parents and 
sister removed there, and had fitting stones set up for each.  These last were 
done by George Moore, the Monument man, who in his boyhood had reason to be 
thankful for Ben Dort's big heart.
     Interview  1933.


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