Description

Elizabeth L. Hart Coats (1812-1859) received land from her father, Henry C. Hart, which the U.S. government granted to him for his military service in the War of 1812. Elizabeth Hart settled in Missouri and married James Coats.

The Harts were enslavers. In 1855, Henry C. Hart and Elizabeth L. Hart emancipated Susan, a 25-year-old woman described as married to George Kibby on December 4, 1855. It is possible, but not confirmed, that a Henry Hart in the 1840 St. Louis census who enslaved one young woman was the same Henry C. Hart. According to the 1860 Census, H. Clay Hart enslaved 14 people in Carondelet: three women ages 60, 30, and 22, four men ages 35, 32, 24, and 21, a 17-year-old youth, four boys ages 13, 10, 6, and 4, and two girls ages 3 and six months.

Bio

Henry Clay Hart (1783-1867) was the father of Elizabeth Hart Coats (1812-1859). They first appeared on a map of current day Tyson land in 1857, and their last appearance of owning land was in 1870. Henry was born in South Carolina, but moved to Tennessee with his wife, Nancy Rainey, in 1808. Elizabeth was born, and Henry soon after fought in the War of 1812. Because of his service, he was eligible to receive a land grant from the government. He was granted land in Arkansas, Illinois, and Missouri, which he gave to his children. Records indicate that Elizabeth settled in Missouri.

Henry’s father was Sgt. James Hart and his mother was Elizabeth Jernigan Hart. He had at least two siblings: Jesse Hart Sr. and Derryl Hart. In addition to Elizabeth, he had several other children: James Williamson Hart, Rev. John Henry Hart, Letha Hart Martin, Nancy Hart Gossage, Nathan T. Hart, Derrel Jesse Hart, Agnes Hart Morris, Martin M Hart, and Malinda Hart. Elizabeth married James Coats and was sometimes known by his last name. Politicians Henry Clay and Thomas Hart Benton may have been related to the family.

The Hart family members were enslavers. Elizabeth and James emancipated James, whom they previously had enslaved, while Henry emancipated an enslaved woman named Susan. In the 1860 Census, they enslaved four men between the ages of 21 and 35, four boys between the ages of 4 and 17, three women ages 22, 30 and 60, and two girls, one three and one under a year old.

Birth Date

1783

Death Date

1867

Sex

Female

Keywords

Tyson landowner

Child of

Henry Clay Hart

Nancy Rainey

Spouse of

James Coats

Enslaver

1860 Census:
Woman age 60
Man age 32
Woman age 30
Man age 24
Woman age 24
Man age 21
Boy age 17
Boy age 13
Boy age 10
Boy age 6
Boy age 4
Girl age 3
Girl age <1
Man age 35

Manumitter

Susan

Dates of Tyson Land Ownership

1857

1870