THIS pedigree of the Hart family was projected some thirty years since by Deacon Simeon Hart, of Farmington, Conn. He was son of Simeon of Burlington, Conn.; was a graduate of Yale College, and a noted educator-a man every way fitted for the task, having a natural taste for history, and more especially for antiquarian research. His adopted home was also the home of the Harts. Here the progenitor, Dea. Stephen Hart, fixed his residence, raised his family, made his mark in the world, and here be died. Here, also, are found the land records of the Harts for many generations, as well as other town and probate records so that Mr. Hart had the material for starting such a work as this at hand, even at his door.

He spent his leisure hours for several years over the work of corresponding, traveling, and searching the various records, both public and private, until he verily thought he had almost accomplished the object intended. I have been told he began to think of putting the work to press, when he was taken suddenly ill, and died April 30th, 1853, when it was supposed all his labor in this direction was lost. After a delay of some time, and a sad feeling of disappointment on the part of Mrs. Hart, the widow, it was proposed that Rev. Wm. S. Porter, of Farmington, (but later of New Haven,) a friend of the deceased, and a man of much experience in writing up family pedigree, should finish the work and put it to press. But he was poor, and could not work without pay. Mrs. Hart, with her family of little ones, could not advance funds, and here again was a dilemma. Prof. John S. Hart, LL. D., of Philadelphia, was applied to, either to finish and publish, or devise ways and means to have it done. But he declined politely; probably he knew that in all jobs of this kind money went out, but none came in. Well, as "necessity is the mother of invention," the proposition then was to raise, by subscription among the Harts near by, a sum of money, to be deposited in the Farmington Savings Bank, with which Mr. Porter could be paid for his time and expense. The sum of three hundred dollars was raised and deposited, on condition that it be refunded to the donors should the work or book fail of being published. In the meantime, Mr. Porter had so