I'm following the trail of an Eli Hart, born in Newick, Sussex, 1827-9, featured in the 1841 census as 14 - apprentice bricklayer to his father (which puts DOB as 1827, but there's a possible discrepancy in baptism date, which I can only check when I get to look at the Newick records at my local LDS centre - could be 1829). Thereafter no more records found as yet in England, census or death, although the Newick records may reveal a marriage.
I have found a few records in FamilySearch which could indicate that he immigrated to the US either in 1850 or 1857.
There's this immigration card: Hart... family; age 22; dated 8.1.
1850 (
1 Aug or Jan 8?) (i.e. b.c.1827-8). "United States Index to Passenger Arrivals, Atlantic and Gulf Ports, 1820-1874,"
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD5G-6PY.
US Census,
1880 - Eli is shown as a plasterer, with wife Annie:
Eli Hart Self M 52 England Annie Hart Other F 40 England "United States Census, 1880,"
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6CW-K7M.
US Census,
1900, Washington DC, age 73, widowed, with granddaughter and her son (transctipt here (
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMF7-8HY, image here
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:S3HY-6SZ3-1XZ?i=18&cc=1325221):
Birth Date May 1827
Birthplace England
Immigration Year
1857Death record for an Eli Hart, bricklayer:
Name Eli Hart
Event Type Death
Event Date 20 Feb 1904
Event Place District of Columbia, United States
Gender Male
Age 74
Marital Status Widowed
Occupation Bricklayer
Birth Year (Estimated) 1830
Birthplace England
Burial Date 22 Feb 1904
Cemetery Glenwood Cemetery
(Transcript only
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7YH-R4M )
And then this one is a bit odd:
A death record for a
daughter of an Eli Hart, an Elnora Clark, widowed, died aged 66 in Washington DC, 30 Dec
1924 - recorded as born in England, father Eli Hart, in 25 Aug 1858 - which is later than the other records relating to Eli Hart's supposed immigration though. (No image available.) "District of Columbia Deaths, 1874-1961,"
https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7RP-XTREleanor is a family name, so it is conceivable that this Elnora is a mutation of that, but the only Eleanor Harts born in England between 1857-9 were not born anywhere near Newick (Brighton 1859 is the closest possibility). No Elnoras. So, she's the daughter of a different Eli Hart, or the death record has recorded her POB incorrectly.
There's an Eli Hart cited as father of an English Ethel Hart aged 20 who gets married in Michigan to an Irishman in 1894 - but this must be someone else (or made up for official purposes, who knows?).
I'm not at all familiar with US sources, so if anyone can suggest any other possible leads, I'd be grateful. Why does he not appear in other US Censuses? Perhaps they're not all available? FindMyPast brings up a few entries on the search list for Eli Hart in Washington DC, but no other census records. There are a couple under US marriages, but they're behind the paywall.