GENEALOGICAL SOCIETY of OKALOOSA COUNTY
Volume XIII Number 46 Summer 1989


Ruben Hart

by Dr. A. J. McCRARY


Ruben HART came to Conecuh County, Alabama about the same time that the state of Alabama was created 
from the territory of Mississippi (3 March 1817).  His father was named Isaac, and he had at least three brothers: 
Benjamin, Lewis, and Alexander.  Hostile Indians, who were after revenge for their defeat at the "Battle of 
Horseshoe Bend", were still prowling the area at this time.  The Treaty of Fort Jackson, signed 9 August 1814 
gave the region to the United States Government, but much of it was still occupied by the Creek Indians.

Rev. B. F. RILEY, in his "History of Conecuh, Alabama" states that Samuel BUCHANAN was the first white 
man to establish a residence in Conecuh County, Mississippi Territory, in the later part of 1815, and that 
Alexander AUTREY arrived a short time later.  A quote from Mr. RILEYs book says, "Shortly after Mr. 
AUTREY moved to Conecuh there came from North Carolina three gentlemen whose names were Thomas 
MENDENHALL, Eli MENDENHALL, and Reubin HART.  Mr. HART located near the present residence of 
Dr. J. L. SHAW".

As each newcomer would arrive he would look around for the most favorable location to build his future home.  
Fixing title to the land selected was known as the "immigrants claim".  As the early pioneers would select the tract 
or area best suited to their tastes, they would proceed to indicate their title to permanent tenure by griddling a few 
trees with impressions cut into the bark and by laying upon the ground four logs of a homesite.  This was a 
monument of procession and was sacredly respected by the early settlers.  The man who dared disregard this 
asserted claim was branded a rascal and incurred the loss of public confidence and respect.

Mr.  HART was born in North Carolina in 1783.  He was living in Georgia in 1800 as his oldest son, Reuben, Jr. 
was born in that state on 8 September 1800.  He arrived in Conecuh County either late in 1816 or early in 1817.  
His son, Andrew Jackson, was born 22 December 1816, during the family migration through the Creek Indian 
nation from north Georgia to south Alabama.  A friendly Indian tribe that lived in a village near where he was 
born wanted to swap a papoose for him.  Needless to say, the HART family never considered it an even swap.  
Mr. HART settled near the famous Indian trail, then known as the "Old Wolf Trail".  This trail ran from the 
present site of Claiborne on the Alabama River via Bellville to the Chattahoochee River.  At this time, the nearest 
white residences, other than the ones mentioned above, were at Claiborne.

The 1820 census of Conecuh County lists Reuben HART with his wife and ten children under twenty-one years of 
age, nine boys and one girl, along with six slaves.  He stayed in Conecuh County approximately five years.  By 
this time, the county had a population of 5,549, of which 1,934 were slaves.

Mr. HART did not like many close neighbors, and notwithstanding the many difficulties, early in November, 
1821, he, with his older sons and slaves, loaded the rest of his family and chattels on wagons, drawn by oxen, and 
moved into west Florida near the Yellow River just below the Alabama line.  During the last few miles, there was 
not even a trail to follow and the road had to be cleared for the wagons to pass over.  While moving he had his 
chickens in crates on the wagons and drove his cattle and sheep behind the wagons.

After he picked out the location for his new residence in this wild uncivilized region (Florida became a territory 3 
March 1822) he started his house by building a double-pen log house.  This had been done twice before, first in 
Washington County, Georgia, and again in Conecuh County, Alabama.  It was built with hewn logs which rested 
upon sills which in turn were supported by pillars of heart pine.  The cooking area was behind the house, but later 
a kitchen was added about forty yards from the main house.  The family camped out, using a large tent that was 
also used while moving, for the family to sleep in and for storage until the new house was completed enough for 
limited use.  Getting building materials was not a problem as there were plenty of large pine trees nearby, and 
they were available for the taking.  The chimneys were built with stick and mud, which lasted unusually well.

During the last few days, as the family was moving to the Yellow River area, Mr. HART's youngest son, Dennis, 
was born in a wagon.  The census states that he was born in Florida.  This was his tenth son and eleventh child.  
He cleared a few acres of land for his cow pen and garden and fenced them with pine rails on the west side of 
Yellow River.  The cattle and sheep were penned every eight to keep wolves and bears from killing the calves and 
lambs.  Wolves could be heard howling almost every night.  Later he cleared more land for his corn and other 
crops, which he also fenced with pine and cedar rails.

He brought his seed corn, cotton seed, sweet potatoes, sugar cane, and vegetable seeds with him when he came 
from Bellville.  He was never considered a big farmer, growing only enough grain and fiber for his own use and 
enough corn to feed his cattle and sheep during the winter months.  He also had a vegetable garden, sugar cane 
and sweet potato patches.  Keeping a wife, eleven children and six slaves was not a small task as all clothes and 
shoes were homemade.  In his new environment, with plenty of open range, he engaged very extensively in cattle 
raising.  The cattle were driven on foot to Pensacola by boys and men on horseback.  The biggest hazard in 
driving the cattle was 'swimming across the Excambia River.  The cattle were sold in Pensacola, Florida.  There 
were still a few bands of roving Indians in the area at this time, but they caused very little trouble.

It is not known when either he or his wife Nancy (Ann) RIGDON died.  They both lived very near where they first 
settled on the Yellow River when they died.  They are buried in the Old Yellow River Cemetery in unmarked 
graves.  There was a wire fence around the two graves.

[ Ed.  Note: This is now known as the Stewart Cemetery.  An old listing for this cemetery shows their names, but 
the graves have been cleared and no visible markings are found as to the exact location of the graves.  It is thought 
that he died in the 1850's and she died about 1846.]

The HART children were:
1.	Reuben Jr., born 8 September 1800, married Nelly LAMB, died 7 March 1877
2.	John, born 17 January 1802, married Milley____, died ?
3.	William Henry, born 26 March 1804, married Sarah GRANBERIZY HERRINGTON, died 12 February 
1861
4.	Joshua, born 10 February 1806
5.	Isaac, born 11 April 1808, married Mary McARTHUR
6.	Daniel, born 5 February 1810, married Kate McCASKILL
7.	Allen H., born 9 April 1812, married Elizabeth THOMAS CAWTHORN, died 14 March 1891
8.	Polly (Mary), born 21 March 1814
9.	Andrew Jackson, born 22 December 1816, married Elizabeth Ann SMITH
10.	Richard, born 5 June 1819
11.	Dennis, born 11 November 1821, married Margaret McCASKILL


Used by permission of Myrtle HART MEAD, Crestview, Florida

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