Hart, Moses (d. 1891)

HART

Posted By: Audubon Coordinator (email)
Date: 11/1/2021 at 12:58:32

Audubon County Republican, May 21, 1891, pg. 4:

FOUND DEAD.

Moses Hart Found Dead in a Meadow, -- Heart Disease.

The community was startled about 11 o'clock Wednesday forenoon by the announcement that a man had been found dead in a meadow about a mile and a half south east of town, which information was brought by a son of Wm. Owens. The body had been discovered by Wm. Parrott, who had been working in a field and his notice was attracted to a white object lying in the adjoining meadow of Wm. B. Davis, and upon investigation it proved that that object was a grain sack which had been carried over the shoulder of the man lying dead. The county Coroner, Dr. A. L. Brooks, and Dr. Miller, Undertaker Scott, and enough others to make up a company of about twenty went immediately to the scene, presuming that the body was that of one who had been struck by lightning during the storm of Wednesday morning. But it was quickly discovered that the body was that of Moses Hart, a man seventy-four years of age, who has been an inmate of the county home since its establishment in the spring of 1889. The coroner made an examination of the body, and gave the opinion that Hart came to his death by heart disease which was corroborated by Dr. Miller. And in the presence of some twenty witnesses and the very obvious facts in the case, the formality of an inquest was dispensed with, and the body removed to the poor farm for preparation for burial, which took place yesterday afternoon.

Hart and his aged wife went to the county farm from Melville township, in 1889. Since the completion of the new house they have lived together and at their own pleasure in the south-east room of the second floor, where she did her own cooking, so that they were absolutely at their own command as to hours for meals, etc. They also had the key to the room, locking it during any temporary absence so that they lived quite independently. Hart has spent many days away from the place, returning at his pleasure. Of late he has wandered more frequently, and expressed a desire to visit friends in the northern part of the county, threatening to run away if he were not granted that privilege. After consulting others interested in the management of the place, Steward Walkup granted the old gentleman the privilege last week, and Sunday afternoon he departed on foot to make the visit. The Steward attempted to dissuade him from making the journey in his enfeebled condition, but all to no purpose. Placing a few personal effects in a grain sack, and throwing it over his shoulder he left the place. Nothing further was seen of him until the body was discovered yesterday within a mile of the starting point. He had evidently fallen dead, as the body was lying upon the side, one hand reached out, the hat joggled down the eyes, and the sack upon the shoulder undisturbed, so that there was no struggle. Tracks on the creek bank showed that he had crossed some distance north, and the position of the body indicated that he was traveling in a southeasterly direction when overtaken.

The widow was greatly overcome when told of the death of her husband. Hart was a unique character, quite well known in town, and when speaking of building or field work on the county farm always expressed a proprietary interest.

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