OBIT: Barbara (SMITH) HART, 1918, Hollidaysburg, Blair County, PA

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AGED LADY PASSES.

  Mrs. Barbara Hart, widow of Joseph Hart, and one of the oldest 
residents of the county, died yesterday morning at 10:30 o'clock at her 
home on Walnut street of diseases resultant from old age.  Although not 
having been in good health for the past two years, she had a remarkable 
constitution and was able to go about the house daily.  Four days ago 
she was taken very ill and sank steadily to the end which came 
peacefully, the aged lady passing away as though in a gentle sleep.  
Mrs. Hart was the daughter of Martin and Mary Smith and was born in 
Germany near Meintz on July 11, 1829, coming to this country with her 
parents when between 10 and 11 years of age.  She came directly to 
Hollidaysburg, where she has resided ever since, with the exception of 
a short time spent in another part of Blair county and at the time of 
her demise was one of the few octogenarians residing in town.  Thus she 
was one of the early residents and saw Hollidaysburg grow from a small 
village into a flourishing town and lived through many great historical 
periods, seeing the can boat give way to the steam engine, the advent 
of electricity as a motive power and all other modern improvements.  
She was a remarkable woman both mentally and physically, retaining all 
her faculties until the end and was possessed of a perfect memory, 
being able to relate with the greatest correctness many incidents that 
occurred in her childhood days.  Ever a great reader, she kept posted 
on all of the events of the day, daily perusing the newspapers 
carefully and was a most entertaining conversationalist.  The aged 
woman loved to have her friends about her, of which she had a great 
number owing to her attractive personality.  She was a devoted wife and 
mother, and a good Christian woman in the completest sense of the word.  
In her girlhood she became affiliated with the church, and had been a 
member of St. Mary's Catholic church of Hollidaysburg since its 
organization.  Before that time she walked to Newry every Sunday to 
attend church and walked all the way to Loretto, Cambria county, to 
make her first communion, returning on foot the next day.  Hers was a 
life well and fruitfully spent and she has now gone to the Master to 
receive her just reward.  Her husband, Joseph Hart, a leading brick 
manufacturer of the town and county, preceded her to the grave on Jan. 
13, 1900.  She is survived by these children: Martin, William, John, 
Mary and Mrs. John O'Brien of Hollidaysburg and Mrs. Edward Nolan of 
Pittsburgh; also by 27 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.  Two 
sisters also survive: Mrs. Mary Vogel of Dent, Minn., and Mrs. James 
McFadden of Duncansville.  The funeral services will be held at St. 
Mary's church on Wednesday morning at 9 o'clock.  Interment will be 
made in St. Mary's cemetery on Spruce street.

Altoona Times, Altoona, Pa., Tuesday Morning, April 9, 1918