ELIJAH HART, an enterprising farmer of Osceola Township, is
a native of Ohio, born in Muskingum County, December 10, 1833. His father, John
Hart, was a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of Ohio. The mother died
when Elijah was quite small, and his father afterward moved to Morrow County,
where he was reared and educated. In 1853 he came to Iowa and lived in
Muscatine County eighteen months. In the
winter of 1856 he located on Clarke County, on what is known as the old Mormon
Trace, in the southern part of the county, where he lived until after the
breaking out of the war of the Rebellion, when he enlisted in the defense of
his country, and was assigned to Company F, Sixth Iowa Infantry. He was with
his regiment at Shiloh, Corinth, Resaca, New Hope Church, and with Sherman on
his march to the sea, his last battle being at Griswoldsville. He served
faithfully four years and received an honorable discharge in July, 1865. After the war he came again to Iowa, and
engaged in farming in Clarke County. He was married in February, 1866, to Miss
S. E. Wade, and after his marriage located on the farm where he now lives, on
section 1, township 72, range 25, which contains 200 acres of valuable land,
the most of which is now under cultivation. He has given considerable attention
to stock-raising, and has been successful in that industry, having a fine grade
of horses, cattle and hogs. Mr. Hart was elected justice of the peace in 1881
and served four years. He is a member of the Grand Army of the Republic, taking
an interest in everything that pertains to his comrades in arms. He and his
wife are members of the Christian church, which he served as elder. They have
two children – William and Effie E.
SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke County,
Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 428-9
