Eli Hart, migrated England to US 1850 or 1857

[lucymags]

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 1857

Death 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-XTR
Eleanor 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.

[*Sandra*]

Two different entries 

1880 census - 1009 11th Street NW Washington, District of Columbia.

Eli Hart   45 Born England. Plasterer.
Ann Hart   40 Born England.
Bertha Hart 4 Born 1876 Washington DC.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6CW-VFG

1880 census - Massachusetts Avenue Washington District of Columbia.

Eli Hart 52 Born England Plasterer.
Annie Hart 40 Born England.

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6CW-K7M

Sandra

[lucymags]

 
That's bizarre! Thanks for that, Sandra. (Not sure how I missed it...) Perhaps two different people gave the census info and it was duplicated?

But that does give me a new lead on the daughter (presumably mother of Bertha Smith who features in 1900), so I will see if I can find anything further on her.

[amondg]

1860 census New York New York, Ward 19 District 3

Eli Hart 38, mason, born England
Mary Hart 28 born England
Emily age3 born England
Ellen age 1 born New York


On 9 May 1871 they arrive back  in New York from a visit to England, ship American Union
Eli Hart 43  Plasterer
Mary Hart 40
Emili 16  (Emily)
Ellen 4  (I think this should be 14)

Has in description -living in the U.S. for 15 years.


Eli Hart married for a second time to Mrs. Lucy M Bryant, she was 36 he was 56 on the 18 February 1886  in Washington D. C.
No image available or I haven't found it yet.

All above on ancestry.

[lucymags]

Oh, thanks amondg! That's great. (I have Ancestry atm but only UK so cannot get to US records.)

This adds to the confusion - wives (3?), ages, children - but I'll work it out when I get back to it later.

I've just been puzzling over some Bertha Hart entries - 2 for Bertha Hart, aged 16, in different towns in NY state in the 1892 census (one says she's a servant - so perhaps her workplace?). Have to take a break now but I'll try to sketch it all out when I get back.

Of course Hart is a fairly common name, but Eli less so and as the dates seem to more or less tally, and the trades of plasterer, brickie and mason seem pretty close, I think it must be the same man. 

[jorose]

Death record for "Elnora" says her husband was Frank A. Clark

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MMFM-HDM
1900: Eleanor Clark as "head of household", born NY, parents born England - husband Frank listed after her, unusual! Only one child in household but she says three born, two living. Married only five years - could there have been an earlier marriage?

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MKL8-L32
1910: Elenor Clark, a widow, with the son Leonard still there
She now says only 1 child, 1 living

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MNLV-13N
1920: Eleanor Clark by herself in another household

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F7TR-2PJ
 - Bertha possibly died in 1905, father born Virginia, mother New York... agrees with 1900 census

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:F756-YXW
 - a child to a James A. Clark and a Eleanor Hart Clark back in 1887...


Now, could this be your same family?
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85025007/1887-02-07/ed-1/seq-1/
Eli Hart, whose trade is mentioned as bricklayer but who had been running a confectionery store with his daughter, was shot by his son-in-law, James A. Clark after an argument about Clark's failure to support his family. It is mentioned that the wife of Eli had been unwell and on being told of the incident fell unconscious, said to be dying. Eli was at this point said to be near death.

https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82000205/1887-02-25/ed-1/seq-4/
- Eli had recovered enough by the end of the month to give evidence  (second column near the bottom)

https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024442/1896-03-27/ed-1/seq-8/
 - interestingly enough Eleanor might have started divorce nearly ten years later, perhaps because she wanted to marry Frank? (bottom of page)
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84024442/1896-05-20/ed-1/seq-7/
 - it looks like (left hand side) James was not around at that time and so the divorce may have been awarded by default

[lucymags]

Well well well, the plot thickens!

Thanks so much, jorose - what a mine of information, which I shall mine further tomorrow. A quick glance tells me that it all fits (Ellen/Elnora/Eleanor being the same person, obviously), although my attempts to find the marriages for Eli's first two partners and births for Emily and Ellen came to nought. But I have a schematic timeline now, with first wife Mary, 2nd Annie and 3rd Lucy.

Interesting that she was shown as head of household. Perhaps he was a useless alcoholic?

[RJ137]

I saw no obits for Eli just a couple of death notices that didn't have much.

[lucymags]

Thanks, RJ.

I am putting this together slowly now, trying to slot in the various relatives and noting things in chronological order, so I may have a few more questions as I go along.

My first one is help in trying to decipher this migration card: https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KD5G-6PY and in particular the attached snip. (I have yet to work out why it's 1850 when later records suggested that he'd only lived in the US from 1857ish.)

Firstly - the date. Is this likely to be the current US style of MM-DD-YYYY, or rest of the world style DD-MM-YYYY?

Secondly - does that destination mean New Holland? And is the vessel Hollandon? 

And lastly, does this card imply a passage on that date, or could this be a preliminary clearance thing and they didn't actually go on that date?