Thursday, October 24, 2013

Pioneering Ancestors

by Len Hart, The Existentialist Cowboy

Some of my long time FB friends may recall that my Great Uncle Lawson "Loss" Hart was the federal marshall who tracked down, outdrew, shot and killed the outlaw --Bill Dalton of the infamous 'Dalton Gang'. (depicted right)I just found some more interesting stories and information about my Great Grandfather --Timothy James Hart.

He fought on the side of the confederacy in the Civil War and later emigrated to Texas. It was in Cooke, County where he was put on trial for killing a man. He was acquitted "...by reason of self-defense." Timothy James Hart was buried in Antelope, Jack County, Texas.

Timothy James Hart is known to have spent some time in California (L.A. area). Given the fact that several "Hart" relations of mine continued westward to Los Angeles, I am now inclined to believe that I may be related to the movie star William S. Hart whose hand prints may be seen in concrete at Graumann's Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. So far, it would appear that the "Harts" were rancher/pioneers, law enforcers, veterans of the Civil War, and movie stars/producers.
note: depicted is Lawson "Loss" Hart, Federal Marshal

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hello Len,

Interesting...the family tree is always an eye opener when you check it out...so is that picture of your great uncle?

BenMerc

Unknown said...

BenMerc,

Yep, that's my great uncle ...the Federal Marshall who outdrew Bill Dalton.

Anonymous said...

Well, he certainly has a no nonsense look to him.....and I would not want to be caught at the business end of his brush gun...

BenMerc

Unknown said...

BenMerc,

Since digging up some info about "Loss" Hart, I have since linked it up with some research that had been conducted by a cousin. I am quite sure that my family were settling in TX quite some time before Stephen F. Austin was colonizing TX, primarily S.E. Texas. My family, it seems, headed straight for the 'staked planes' and before Austin's colony had been dreamed of.