Biographical Sketch of Harry C. HART (1893); Chester County, PA Contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by John Morris . Copyright. All Rights Reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ********************************************************* Source: "Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, comprising a historical sketch of the county," by Samuel T. Wiley and edited by Winfield Scott Garner, Gresham Publishing Company, Phila- delphia, PA, 1893, pp. 824-5. "HARRY C. HART, one of the leading merchants of Kenilworth and a useful and highly popular citizen of Chester county, is the fifth son of Simon and Leah (McGrady) Hart, and was born May 12, 1859, in the township of Providence, Lancaster county, Pennsylvania. He was reared on the farm and educated in the common schools of his neighborhood. At the age of twenty-six he entered a general store and for a period of three years was engaged in clerking and as salesman. At the end of that time, in Sep- tember, 1889, he embarked in business on his own account, at Pottstown, Montgomery county, where he remained until the spring of 1891. He then removed to Kenilworth, just opposite Pottstown, where he opened out his present business, and where he conducts a first-class general store. His location is among the best in the borough, and he carries a large and complete stock of all kinds of general merchandise, which is sold at correct prices. Here by industry and enterprise, backed up by a large share of practical ability and good business judgment, he has succeeded in building up an extensive and lucrative trade. He is a stanch republican in politics and a member of the Patriotic Order Sons of America. "Harry C. Hart married Dilla B. Uffelman, of Pottstown, and their union has been blessed by the birth of two daughters, the eldest of whom, Mabel Irene, is now deceased, while the other, Hilda May, is yet an infant, having been born December 22, 1891. "Mrs. Hart's father, Christian Uffelman, is a native of Liebaca, Prussia, Germany, and came to this country when only thirteen years of age. He settled in Lancaster county, this State, from which he removed in 1889 to Pottstown, Montgomery county, where he still resides. He married Barbara Burkholder, by whom he had a family of twelve children, Mrs. Hart being one of its younger members. Others are: Charlotte Ann, married Fred R. Reynolds, a clerk in the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company at Pottstown; John F., lives in Dakota; Christian B., a hotel clerk in Lan- caster city; Mary L., clerking in a millinery store; Tillie B., wife of William H. Colandie, a telegraph operator and despatcher of trains in Lancaster county; Joseph A., deceased; Samuel C., a telegraph operator located in Washington city; Ella B., now dead; Daniel and Elsie M., the two latter living at home with their parents in Pottstown. "The paternal grandfather of the subject of this sketch was Harry Hart, a native of Lancaster county, this State, who was born and reared in Providence township. He was a man of more than ordinary education for that day, and engaged in teaching for many years., becoming widely known. Politically he was an old-line whig and took a rather active part in the politics of his time. He married and reared a family of five children, three sons and two daughters: Amos, Oren (killed in the late civil war), Martha, Susan and Simon. "Simon Hart (father) was born November 19, 1828, in Providence township, Lancaster county, and has always resided there, having never been outside of Pennsylvania. He is a farmer by occupation and has spent his life chiefly in the cultivation of the soil, though he has also been engaged extensively in lime burning at times. In religious faith he is a Methodist and a prominent member and class leader in that denomination, being also trustee of his church. He married Leah McGrady, who was born March 9, 1824, and died August 7, 1888. By this union he had a family of eight children: Emery, foreman in a tobacco warehouse at Lancaster city; Milton, now deceased; Albertis, a prosperous farmer of Conestoga township, Lancaster county; Allen J., deceased; Harry C., the subject of this sketch; Elmer E., a farmer residing at Safe Harbor, Lancaster county; Lilly F., married Benjamin Beach, who lives at Mardic Ford, Lancaster county; and Oren G. Some of the family connection has been noted for longevity. The maternal great-grandfather of Harry C. Hart, Simon Groff, was a blacksmith by occu- pation and lived to be almost ninety-eight years of age. He worked at his trade about sixty years in Lancaster county, where he lived all his life. Mr. Hart's maternal grandmother also attained a remarkable age, dying in her ninety-sixth year."