The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-11-04
OLDEST MAN IN TROY
John Hart, 1o5, is Veteran Of Two
Wars


Wars
At 397 Fourth avenue, Lansing
burgh, is a small cottage, painted red
white and blue and with a star over
the door The painting was done re-
Gently by John Hart, the sole occu-
pant, and the Oldest man in Troy. He
is los years old. Living alone and
not where anybody would know him,
anyway, the old man is in a world all
his own, and so there was no means
of his coming before the public until
recently, when drawn for the grand
jury he wrote to Sheriff William Cot
trell the reasons why he could not
serve. The matter of his age was
only a secondary factor. Mr. Harris
chief reason for asking to be excused
is because of his religion and gener.
al attitude toward things. He is an
agnostic. In other words, he asks
for positive proof of everything be-
fore he believes it. Hence he rea-
sons that he would be too slow to Of
fer Judgment. His second reason is
that he is alone and must do his own
work and that when his chores are
done, it is too late for the opening
OF the days session at court. Lastly.
he mentions his age.
Mr.. Hart. bears the scars of two
wars, in which he took part in every
battle. In 1S47 when the Mexican
war broke out, Mr. Hart was living
in New York, and he attempted to
enlist in the Ninth New York Volun-
teers. Asked his age, the recruiting
officer expected him to answer thirty
but he was then forty-one. already
too old to fight, in the opinion of I'm.
Gle Sam. So he could not enlist but
went along with the Ninth anyway
When the Civil war broke out he had
gained by the experience of the past
and when asked his age he said thir.
ty, although then well over fifty. All
questioned his statement, but it was
allowed to stand.
He was born on Houston street
New York April IA, 1906. His mother
was a Baptist and his father an ath.
eist He had no early education ex-
cept short term at Sunday school.
and he was expelled from the Sunday
school at five years because he ask
ed the teacher, who is God?" He
learned the trade of machinist In
1884 he married and went with his
wife to Richmond, Va, where in
three years stay he learned enough
about slavery to become thoroughly
disguised with it. Just after he left
New York the entire lower half of
the city was destroyed by fire. In
1887 he returned to New York and
started a fancy goods store at Is
Main street, Brooklyn. He remained
In business there until the Mexican
war broke out After the Mexican
war he came to New York and EN-.
parked In the grocery business. He
sold out in the late fifties. and he
then came to Schenectady where he
became connected with large ma.
chinery concern. When Company c.
OF Schenectady formed to go to the
civil war he enlisted again as
private, and knew so much about
war tactics that he drilled his officers
at the Albany armory.
HIS memory Is perfect. He tells
OF the times when slaves were sold in
New York state. Old enough to be
Interested when the country was fe
vered by the War of 1912, he has its
facts and its anecdotes ready to tell
to anybody as accurately as the abb
lest historian. His early lack of ed.
ucation fails to handicap him. be-
cause love Of reading has made his
knowledge broad. He can tell the
history of politics in the United
States as well as relate perfectly the
line of the American tariff from its
origin. The flag Of his country at
the time Of his birth. a flag with IL
stars and thirteen stripes, still hangs
above his chamber door, and he is
proud to say that he has done his
best to bring II forward. He ia
fast losing his sight. and may soon
have to grope his way about alone.
He can no longer read only larger
type.
Sometime after coming back from
the Civil war he bought farm in
West Saratoga and operated il until
nine years ago, when he came to live
in Lansingburgh. He has great great
grand children all OF whom have man.
aged to forget their old ancestor be.
cause they are so 'toney,' the vet.
eran says. His nearest relative is
daughter who lives at Lake George.