Hart family from County Armagh Ireland
This ancestor has so far proven to be a bit of a brick wall. His early life is pretty much non-existent as far as any documentation. What is known is this.
Name:Isaac Hart. There is evidence that his middle name was Walls.
From his naturalization paper-work we 'know' that he was born in ca 1780 in Armagh. Nothing said to tell if County or City.
He immigrated to the U.S. from Belfast in June 1817. He arrived in Baltimore Maryland where he married Mary Carruthers in the Associate Reformed Church (branch of the Presbyterian Church) on June 25, 1819. He and Mary went on to Franklin County Indiana. Reaching there in October 1819.
We also know of one brother, Jacob, and one sister Betty (Elizabeth) that remained in Ireland. It is believed that Isaac and Jacob had gone to Hamilton Scotland to start a Irish Linen Merchant business at some point prior to Isaac's immigration.
That is about all that is known of his early life. This does bring up several questions though.
1) Was he in the Presbyterian Church? I tend to think so as he married Mary in one in Baltimore. After reading several articles on the church going at the time I tend to doubt there would be any records of him in Ireland anuy longer, in the church archives anyway.
2) If he and Jacob did go to Hamilton and try to start a Linen Merchant business I would think that they had to have some background in the business. As Armagh was at the heart of the Irish Linen business and Hamilton, Lanakshire, Scotland was the center of the Scottish linen business that makes sense too. Would there have been any type of trade organization in either place they might have belonged too? There are several Hart's found at PRONI that appear to have been in linen farming.
3) It is currently unknown if Isaac and Mary were known to each other prior to immigrating or met on the boat or in Baltimore. From what I have heard there were several variations of the Carruther name around Armagh.
4) I think the point is begged that the Hart family originated in Scotland and went to Ireland at some point. Froim what I have read even though there was a linen industry in Ireland for quite awhile it really grew large and profitable when Scots were forced to move. Also the tie in with Hamilton Scotland.
5) I also think that Isaac was a younger brother. At least younger than Jacob. I know that in most cultures of the tikme the oldest brother usually got the family farm or business. The oldest son was allowed to marry. Younger sons would stay un-married and help the oldest with the farm or business. If they wanted to marry and raise a family they would have to move away. They would usually immigrate to another country. This makes sense sine Isaac was about 37 when he immigrated and 39 when he married.
Any ideas or assistancegratefully accepted.
Bob