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SOURCE: 
Centennial Edition of the Lapeer County Press and Lapeer County Clarion
dated Wednesday, August 19, 1931
Commemorating 100 Years of History and Progress
Lapeer  1831 - 1931

Transcribed and submitted by Linda Talbott
for the U.S. Data Repository  http://www.us-data.org/
===========================================================================

                     HART WAS FIRST TO BUILD HERE
                  
                  ----------------------------------
                  
                         He and Companion Cut
                           Own Road to Site
                               of Lapeer
                           
                  ----------------------------------
                    Pioneers who settled in Lapeer
                  and the surrounding countryside in
                  in the first ten years of the County's
                  history were a gallant band of men
                  and women who paved the way for
                  the comforts of life now enjoyed
                  by their decendants in this vicinity.
                    Numbered among this band was
                  Alvin N. Hart who built the first
                  building in this vicinity, a log cabin,
                  and moved into it November 11,
                  1831, with his family, consisting of
                  his wife and child, and Joel M. Palmer.
                  Mr. Hart was born in Cornwall, Conn., 
                  February 11, 1804, and received his
                  education in the academy of Sharon,
                  Conn., and the college of Amherst, Mass.
                  His wife who was formerly Charlotte Ball,
                  daughter of Dr. Benjamin Ball, accompanied
                  her husband to his new home in the
                  wilderness. The last 14 miles of the
                  journey to their new home was through
                  a pathless wilderness, and Messrs. Hart
                  and Palmer were obliged to cut their
                  own road.  It was a toilsome route
                  and the men were well nigh dis-
                  couraged; but weary as Mrs. Hart
                  was and though tenderly reared
                  and totally unused to labor or hard-
                  ships, she was equal to the occa-
                  sion, and by her conversation cheer-
                  ed the men at their task.  This was
                  the spirit of the true pioneer wo-
                  man, and this cheeful Christian
                  courage wa a characteristic  trait
                  of Mrs. Hart.  Their coming to
                  Michigan turned out most success-
                  fully, Mr. Hart becoming quite 
                  prominent in both politics and busi-
                  ness.  He served as judge, State
                  senator and State representative,
                  and was active in the promotion of
                  railroads.  Mr. and Mrs. Hart were
                  the grandparents of Mrs. Fred Lincoln
                  who resides on Main street in this
                  city.
                  
                     IS FIRST CHILD BORN IN COUNTY
                     
                    Rodney G. Hart, son of Mr. and
                  Mrs. Alvin Hart, was born in 1834
                  and was the first white child born
                  in what is now Lapeer City.  He
                  was a banker from 1866 to 1878.
                  After retiring from that business
                  spent a year in Europe.  Was in
                  Paris in 1878 and visited the ex-
                  position in company with former
                  President Grant.
                    Oliver B. Hart, brother of A. N.
                  Hart, first came to Lapeer in the
                  summer of 1831 seeking a location
                  for a future home.  Being pleased
                  with the looks of things here, he
                  returned east for his wife and
                  children and came back with them
                  in March, 1832.
                    Noah H. Hart, a son of Oliver B.
                  Hart came to Lapeer in the spring
                  of 1832 from Litchfield County
                  Conn., where he was born October
                  30, 1813.  In 1841 he began the 
                  practice of law in Lapeer, was
                  justice of peace for 30 years,
                  County clerk and prosecuting
                  attorney.  During the Civil War
                  he raised a company of which he 
                  was the first lieutenant, and re-
                  mained in the army from October,
                  1863, until February, 1865.  He
                  was promoted to the rank of captain.