A Rare Document on James H. Hart: Mormon Pioneer

James H. Hart (1825 – 1906)

Preface: The document below is an important description of the life of James H. Hart, and is one of the few documents that describes his early conversion experience to Mormonism. My mother, Jocelyn Hart Faux, retyped the document below from a very faded original typescript. The document is accurate, but some major errors have been identified in the text. For clarification, comments by S.Faux and Jocelyn Hart Faux have been provided in brackets. Parentheses are from the original.

The document is undated, but my mother guesses from the various references and allusions that the document was written in the mid-1950s. The author, Vella Hart Wetzel was the daughter of James E. Hart (1857 – 1955), who was the son of James H. Hart (1825 – 1906).

For background, I recommend reviewing "Five Brushes with History: James H. Hart," also from this blog.

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SKETCH OF THE LIFE OF JAMES H. HART [undated]

By [granddaughter] Vella Hart Wetzel [1900 – 1982]

Someone has written:

"When a thing is finished,
Time folds it up
And locks it in eternity;
There lie the tasks,
The experiences,
The faith, the dreams,
The smiles, the tears-
Time keeps them safe;
We have but the memories."

This might well have been said of our noble progenitors, who have all gone on to other work and glory: Time has folded away their thoughts, their desires, their deeds; with us have remained the memories of their love their devotion to truth, their struggles and their accomplishments. It remains for us to review and cherish those recollections, that they who have gone before may still be helpful to those of us who are here.

So much should be said and written of the long, rich, and abundant life of our loved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, James Henry Hart; yet, I for one, know so little of his life-work when I might have learned much, for I knew him for twenty-two years. [The author was a child when James H. Hart died. The reference to "twenty-two years" could be a carry-over from some other document being used as reference, or is simply an error]. All I have is a brief biography, and a fragmentary memory. I knew him, yes, but what does youth comprehend of age?

As to the written history of James H. Hart, many of you are acquainted with the data I will present, and you may know much more than I about him. I feel that all we know should be brought together and reviewed for the benefit of those who did not know him, as well as for our own good pleasure.


James H. was one of a family of ten children born to Thomas Hart and his wife, Elizabeth Marriott. He was born, as he often reminded us, "on the longest day of the year," the 21st of June, 1825, at Hemingford, Huntingtonshire, England. He was brought up a member of the Episcopal Church, but in his early teens he became dissatisfied with the teachings of that sect, and affiliated himself with the Gospel Baptists. This change did not bring the desired satisfaction, for he felt there was something lacking, and from that time forward he began an earnest search for greater light and truth. He believed with Milton, that-

"Though all the winds of doctrine were let loose to play upon the earth, so Truth be in the field … . Let her and Falsehood grapple; whoever knew the Truth put to the worse, in a free and open encounter." [John Milton, Areopagitica, 1644]

I cannot tell the story of his introduction to "Mormonism," but I understand that he was at first very much opposed to it. He says in a little poem which he wrote later: "This singular creed was a trouble to me; it vexed me by day and by night." He made a close and painstaking study of the teachings, principles, organization and general working of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, until he knew to his own satisfaction that he had found the truth. I quote his own words: "I now knew that it was not the work of man which I had assailed so vigorously, but it was the work of God."

James H. Hart was baptized the 17th day of December, 1847, at the age of twenty-two years, and in February he was ordained a priest and one week later he became an elder and was called into active missionary service. That he was successful as a missionary is evidenced by the fact that he baptized two hundred persons, and organized branches at Brixton, Kennington, Chapman, Ordett and Croydon, and presided over each of those branches until 1850, when he was sent to Birmingham; he labored in that city until 1851 when he was called by Apostles John Taylor, Lorenzo and Erastus Snow, and Franklin D. Richards, who were presiding in England at that time, to accompany John Taylor and others to France to open up that mission.

He spent the next three or more years in France. While there he was ordained a seventy by John Pack, July 31, 1851, and sometime later was ordained a high priest by John Taylor, and set apart as second counselor to President Curtis E. Bolton of the French Mission. When Andrew L. Lameron [actually spelled Lamoreaux] became president, James H. was named first counselor. From the time of his baptism until he was released from the French Mission, James H. had served continuously as a missionary; he was released in 1854, at the end of seven years of active work.

As soon as his release was official, James H. and his wife, Emily Ellingham Hart, sailed for America. They crossed the ocean on the SS Germanious, and were twelve weeks on the way before they reached St. Louis, Missouri. Here another mission awaited him. He was chosen as a member of the Stake High Council and given charge of a church publication, The St. Louis Luminary, as its editor and business manager.

Early in 1855 he was sustained as Stake President of the St. Louis Stake, which position he held until 1857. While acting as Stake President, a young couple, both of them in their teens, came to him asking that he unite them in marriage [married: July 1855]. He did not know then that the lives of these two young people would be closely linked with his for the remainder of his life; this couple was George Osmond and Georgina Huckvale, and the young bride had come to America to meet her sweetheart who had come ahead of her several months.

At his release as president in St. Louis, James H. and wife, Emily turned their faces westward once more. He captained a company [in spring of 1857] with twenty-two ox-drawn wagons. Enroute this company passed Johnston's army; they too, were Utah-bound.

In 1858 James H. was appointed adjutant of a battalion under Major Munro, and assisted in recruiting men to march to the Mormon settlements on the Salmon River in Idaho to protect the colonists from the raiding Indians. This was known as the Lemhi Mission.

On the 4th of May, 1861, James H. was married in the old Endowment House, in Salt Lake City to his second wife, Sabina Scheib, (maternal grandmother). They were the parents of nine children. One survives-our much loved Uncle Alfred Hart. [Note: however, Uncle Alf died in 1955].

The Hart families were called by Brigham Young [in 1864] to assist Apostle Charles C. Rich in the colonization of the Bear Lake Valley in Idaho. Here they endured many privations and hardships incident to the settlement of a new county, especially was this true of Bear Lake because of the rigorous climate. James H. was the first bishop of the Bloomington Ward, and at the organization of the stake was chosen as first counselor to President William Budge. George Osmond was named as second counselor. The organization remained thus for twenty years, when George Osmond was released to act as president of the newly-created Star Valley Stake in Wyoming. James H. continued to serve as first counselor for another ten or more years [30 altogether] being released only about three years before his death.

While still acting as counselor to President Budge, James H. was appointed as Church Emigration Agent, with offices in New York to take care of the business connected with emigration to Utah. He held this office for more than ten years, being released when the headquarters moved to Salt Lake City. In connection with this work he crossed the ocean a number of times.

He lost no opportunity to carry on missionary work in New York. At one time he challenged the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher to an open debate, which was accepted. Later Rev. Beecher said, "Mormonism is one of the gigantic problems of the nineteenth century, and as such must be met by the people of this country. They say the Mormons do not believe in the Bible, but I know they do and they believe in it like thunder."

James H. Hart was active in civic affairs as well as religious activities. At different times he served as legislator, prosecuting attorney, probate judge and in other capacities. In 1874 he married Elizabeth Thomas Keene, as his third wife. She had no children, but adopted three, one of whom grew to maturity. He married and had a family. For a number of years he lived in Ogden, where he died a few years ago.

It might well be said of James H. that he was a self-made man. I have heard him say that he had but little formal education, yet he was an educated man in every sense of the word. He was an avid reader, and a writer of no mean ability. His writing consisted of poems, political and religious articles, many of which were published in the newspapers and magazines of the day. He had a large, well-selected library of choice books of literature, science, law, history and religious works. He was for many years a subscriber to Harper's Magazine, Scribner's, the Atlantic Monthly and other choice magazines. He had many fine friends, among them Governor Stunenburg of Idaho, and Joaquin Miller, the poet, and hosts of others. He was a lawyer by profession and maintained an office until his last illness. My father died two years before grandfather and grandfather took charge of probating father's estate. [This statement "My father died two years before grandfather" does NOT apply to James E. Hart, the father of the author, Vella Hart Wetzel. None of James H. Harts sons died two years prior to his death. This statement appears to be an unattributed quotation from another document].

I have many choice memories of my grandfather. At one time I used to think his sermons were long and dry, but as I gained more understanding I learned to appreciate his excellent analysis of his beliefs, and to admire his choice of words, and his wide learning. He was as staunch and abiding as the granite of the mountains about him. As the cedars, which are torn and twisted by the gales, sink their roots firmly in the earth, and meet each new onslaught with increased resistance, so did this great man meet his many trials and difficulties. He was uncompromising with error and evil. He was a clear, logical thinker, and a wise counselor. He was faithful to each trust. In his labors in the Bear Lake Stake, he traveled many hundreds of miles with a horse and little buggy, except in the very early days when a wagon was the only means of conveyance. I remember he always wore a tan or gray duster to protect his clothing from the dust, or mud as the case might be.

I remember the Christmas parties the family held at the home of Aunt Lizzie. Grandfather would play the violin and sing to us. I fancy I can hear him singing, "Wait till the clouds roll by, Jennie, wait till the clouds roll by." Or perhaps it was, "Gather ye rosebuds while ye may. Old Time is still a flying; gather ye rosebuds while ye may, tomorrow they may be dying." We children liked the one about "the hog tub and the [pickling] tub, and the tub behind the door; she tumbled me into the hog tub and I never went there any more." And "John, John, the gray goose is gone," etc. At these gatherings there was delightful conversation. Grandfather, like Uncle James E. had many stories. He loved good jokes, and had a rich supply of them. Although I loved to listen to the grown-ups, I could not resist being with the younger group and watching the colored slides form the Magic Lantern, a new and wonderful discovery; and McGhinty, a grotesque skeleton that glowed in the dark and danced vigorously when wound up.

At one time grandfather operated a furniture store in Paris [Idaho]. I well remember going there to look at some perfectly lovely doll buggies and cradles. One of each later mysteriously appeared beside my stocking one Christmas morning.


I was privileged to ride with grandfather each morning when I attended the Bear Lake Academy, now the Fielding High at Paris, Idaho. Grandfather would tuck me in carefully, and the prancing horse made the drive to Paris from Bloomington, a short one. I greatly admired the shining cutter and jingling bells.

Grandfather always drove high-spirited horses. At one of the last Christmas parties I recall that Uncle James E., Uncle Charles, and others urged that their father was getting well along in years, he should no longer drive such horses, but should sell them for a gentler team. To this he replied, "It's a pack of rubbish, I can handle those horses as well as I ever could." I do not know how long it was after this that the tragedy occurred, but one day in February, of 1903, I believe was the date, as grandfather and Aunt Lizzie were returning home from Montpelier, they had just crossed the railroad tracks when a train whistle startled the horses and they bolted and dashed madly down the highway. A short distance away the road curved, at this point both were thrown from the sleigh on to the icy ground. Aunt Lizzie was killed instantly and grandfather never completely recovered from the injuries and shock, although he lived about three years longer.

I was present at the home of my grandmother when grandfather passed away. We saw him gradually cease breathing and pass without a struggle. He was 81 years and five months old. During his last illness when we would inquire as to how he felt, he would reply, "I am better today than I was yesterday, thank you." There was never a word of complaint, always a note of cheer.

I know now, though I did not realize it then, that grandfather loved us all very much. Almost without fail he would call at our home each morning on his way to his office in Paris, to inquire as to our health and well-being, and he always kissed us. As long as I knew him, grandfather's hair and beard were white. He was dark complexioned, however, as my grandmother told me. He might be said to be rather "blocky", that is he was not tall, but was well-built and sturdy. He spoke rather slowly and deliberately, never appeared to be ruffled or upset. He was a true English gentleman-polite, refined, and well-adjusted. He was wise in counsel, and kindly in his bearing, though he had a quiet dignity that was difficult to break through, and we children felt this and did not get as close to him, as he probably desired us to.

He wrote much poetry. I have not read much of it, as I have copies of but two of his poems. One "An interview with David Whitmer"; and one written to be sung to an old familiar tune is as follows: A Luminous Theme

"A luminous theme was presented to me,
When I was scarce sixteen years old;
And though its defenders unlearned might be,
I thought them transcendently bold.
The faith of a Christian I held with delight,
And viewed it with innocent pride.
But the faith of the "Mormons" quite dazzled my sight,
I scarcely my anger could hide.
This singular creed was a trouble to me,
It vexed me by day and by night;
Its verdant expounders were bold as could be,
I fought them with vigor and might.
I listened and wondered and listened again,
They were always prepared for the fight,
Defending the faith of my father was vain,
They sent it as high as a kite.



The green mountain boys and their singular creed,
Have made quite a stir in the land;
'Mongst modern reformers they're taking the lead,
From under them knocking the sand.
Demoralized priests are all howling with rage,
And loudly for vengeance they call,
But vain is their clamor for this is the age,
When systems and nations will fall.



This singular creed is a wonderful theme,
The earth from its center is shaken;
Its mighty achievements appear like a dream,
Yes, quite a commotion it makes.
Let the Gentiles assemble, our time we'll abide,
And watch as in snares they are caught;
The arm of the Lord is our shield and our guide,
Who else could the battles have fought."

You will note that in this poem, grandfather mentions that he was 'scarcely sixteen "when he heard first of the Mormons" therefore it was six years before his mind was made up, but once made nothing could change it.

Ernest Thompson Seton tells us that the Indians have a prayer that says-- "O God, show me the way to wisdom, and [give] me the strength to follow without fear."

Such a prayer could well have been uttered by James H. Hart, for surely his life and his good works were guided by wisdom, and he was fearless in the right, possessing always the courage to defend his convictions.

All honor to the memory of this great and good man, may we keep his memory sacred, and carry forward the work he so valiantly served and loved.

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Copyright 2009 S.Faux (Email: foxgoku54 [at] gmail [d0t] c0m; URL: http://mormoninsights.blogspot.com). Readers may distribute this post for noncommercial purposes provided such distributing is of the entire post, including author's copyright and contact information. All other rights reserved.




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