Stephen Carhart (1816 - 1895)

Ancestors Descendants

Biography

Stephen Carhart was born on 3 Feb 1816^[1] in St Ervan parish, Cornwall, England, and baptized at St Ervan Chapel 3 days later, on 6 Feb.^[2][3] He was the son of John Carhart and Mary Bond.

Like most young men and women of large families in England, Stephen went off to work as a servant in another household. In 1841 he was working at the farm of Samuel Gilbert in St Mawgan at Pydar.^[4] Also working there was Eliza Rundell. She was the oldest of 14 children and was 5 years older than the 25-year-old Stephen. A parish marriage record has not been found for Stephen and Eliza, but their family Bible gives the marriage date as 20 Nov 1841.^[1] Stephen's youngest son, George William Carhart, told his son Arthur about Stephen and Eliza coming to America. Arthur made these notes:^[5]

"3 months grandfather and grandmother in sail boat come over. Stephen was digging a ditch and struck a bar of gold. Man with him said half shares, forced to divide. This gold staked them to America. They had acquaintance who went from Cornwall to Iowa. He wrote to someone in England to send a man and wife to work. Sail to New York. Then Canal and lakes in Chicago. Wagon to Iowa. They then found man was fixed for help. Elizabeth stayed. Stephen walked to Platteville, then sent for grandmother. Worked storehouse and side road near brick schoolhouse."

An unknown niece or nephew of Stephen and Eliza wrote the following:

"In 1842, Uncle Stephen and Aunt Eliza came to America, the first of their people to leave their native land to make their home in a foreign country. They left the port of Padstow on 8 April 1842, and landed at the town of Lewiston, New York, in the same year. From Lewiston they made their way overland to Iowa, near Iowa City. After a time they removed to Wisconsin and settled on a farm three miles sourtheast of the small village of Platteville. At that time, much of the country was unoccupied, consisting of open prairie and virgin forest. They soon fell in love with their new home and surroundings and wrote glowing accounts to their relatives and friends back in England. Within a few years most of Aunt Eliza's family (comprised of both Rundells and Biddicks) left England for homes in southwest Wisconsin."

Stephen and Eliza began their own family right away. Their first child, James Rundell, was born in 1843, followed by Stephen Herculese, Sarah Mary, Betsy Ann, John Samuel, Fanny Eliza (who died just after her second birthday), and George William, born in 1853.

In Feb 1846, Stephen and Eliza wrote a long letter to his father:

Dear Parents,

"We now take the pleasure of writing you but we must confess we feel rather ashamed of leaving it so long. We hope you will pardon our neglect as we hope to write oftener in the future. We are happy to inform you that we are still in the enjoyment of good health. This is a fine country for increasing in number. When we came here we were but 2 now we are twice 2 which makes 4. We have another son he was born the 30 of October last. He is a fine little boy and very good humored. We have never needed to light a candle on his account since he was born. He is not baptized yet. Eliza named him John Samuel soon after he was born but James Rundell always said “call the baby Stephen, mama, call the baby Stephen”, so we are calling him Stephen Hercules at present. When you write send is over a name for him.

"The last letter we sent home we sent to Elisa’s Mother soon after Mr. Nicholls left us. On that letter we mentioned that I had bought 40 acres of land. Since that time I have bout 40 acres more so that now we have 80 acres. It joins altogether. It is very good land and will make a very pretty farm. It was in a state of nature when I bought it. It had never been broke up and had no fence around it nor no building on it. I had 20 acres broke up last summer which if all is well I shall put in the spring crops as soon as the winter breaks up. I shall commence fencing it and I hope to get it all under fence this next summer and get some more broke up. I believe I shall have a sod fence or what you call in England a turf hedge. Fences are generally made of rails in this country. We are not living on it yet. I am still working at the mill. We are keeping on our horses and cattle and hogs and things so to be ready to go on to our own farm as soon as we can afford to build a house on it. I am hoping to be able to do that some time of the summer. It will cost us a considerable sum of money to fence it and get it under cultivation but we must do it little and little as we are able.

..........

"Dear Parents I often think of you and feel concerned as to how you will get along when you are past working. Should it please God to spare you to see old age, it cannot be expected that you will be able to work hard much longer. When you write us again please to let us know if you have any prospects of support without coming to the hands of other people. We would be very glad if you were here and if you will come here. I will insure you will do everything in our power to make you comfortable.

..........

".... we have built a small house near the mill and are living there. Times are very brisk here. Wheat sells at 26 per bushel. Port has sold higher this season then any other since we have been here.

..........

"My Dear Parents whatever you do or leave undone be sure to get a preparation for Eternity. We shall soon have done with this world and if we lose our soul we lose our all. Seek the Lord while in health and he will be your friend in sickness and in death and to all Eternity. We feel determined by the help of the Lord to go all the way to heaven. May you meet us there Amen.

Your ever dutiful Son and Daughter S and E Carhart"

In Oct 1846, Eliza wrote to her mother-in-law:

"We are now living on our own land. We have we have got 80 acres very excellent of land it is fenced and we are farming 30 acres of it this year. Next year if all is well we shall have 40 or 50 acres of it under cultivation. The house we have built is small and inconvenient but it is dry and warm. Next spring if all is well we shall build an addition to it. We have had a good spring of water very near our house just as though you would run over to the barn to get water. It drys nor freezes. We have plenty of poultry and we intend to get ducks geese and turkeys."

Within a few years most of Eliza's family (including her mother, Betsy Paynter Rundell) had left England to join them. Stephen and Eliza, being the first settlers, provided a temporary home to the new family immigrants. But they were unable to persuade Stephen's parents to leave Cornwall.

In Oct 1857, Stephen was granted U.S. Citizenship.

Stephen Carhart's Naturalization Certificate.

On 9 Feb 1866, Stephen purchased a flour mill on the Little Platte River, northwest of the city of Platteville, at a total cost of $14,000. The mill was variously known first as the Augustine, then the Carhart, and finally the Jacobs Mill. It was built of Galena limestone and was sometimes informally called the Rock Mill. On account of heavy rains and high waters, he had a lot of trouble with his dam, and he finally sold the mill property on 12 Dec 1867 for $18,000.^[5] In 1869, Stephen bought the Genesee Mill, located on the Little Platte River, two miles from the city of Platteville, for $10,000. Stephen ran the mill for a year and then sold it to Burley Jacobs.^[6] He also sold his 120-acre farm to Mr. Frank Rowe for $6,000^[7] and bought a farm in Scott Township, Hamilton County, Iowa. In 1870 his farm was valued at $20,300 and his personal property at $2,150.^[8] At that time, Stephen and Eliza still had 3 children living at home - Stephen, Bessie, and George. James and Sarah were married; John Samuel had left home but was not yet married.

We don't know if Stephen had sold his farm, but in 1880 he and Eliza were living in Colo, Story County, Iowa,^[9] about 25 miles southeast of Scott Township and 7 miles east of Nevada, Iowa, where his sons Stephen and George were in the grocery business.^[10] Stephen still listed his occupation as a farmer.

In 1883, their son Stephen Herculese moved to Mapleton, Monona County, Iowa. In 1885, Stephen and Eliza were living in Nevada, Iowa^[11]. About this time, Stephen and Eliza gathered their family and had a portrait taken:

Stephen and Eliza Carhart with their family.

We know that Stephen and Eliza spent the latter part of their lives in Mapleton, near their son and 2 grandchildren. Stephen passed away on 5 Jan 1895 in Mapleton^[12] at the age of 79. Eliza lived for another 7 years; both are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Mapleton.

Obituary

DIED.

CARHART – Stephen Carhart, at his home in Mapleton, Iowa, January 5, 1895, aged 78 years, 11 months and 2 days.

Father Carhart was born in the Parish of St. Ervan, Co. Cornwall, England, and was early led to God. He united with the Bible Christians, a branch of the Wesleyan Methodist church, at the age of sixteen. He filled the office of local preacher several years before coming to America. On November 20, 1841, he was united in marriage with Eliza Rundell. Of this union was born seven children, five of which, four sons and one daughter with the wife and mother, remain to cherish his very precious memory.

Mr. Carhart came to America in 1842, settling at Plattville, Wis., where he united with the Primitive Methodist church, in which he became a local preacher and class leader.

He removed to Iowa in 1869, living successively in Hardin, Hamilton and Story counties. At Nevada, Story county he first met the saintly Josiah Reed and joined his Holiness church at that place. He came to Mapleton in 1890, where all soon came to know and love him. His breezy, cherry greeting was like an added burst of sunshine to all whom he met. He was indeed as all might see, “happy on the way,” and the world was brighter and better for his having lived. He was one of God’s noblemen, full of love and truth.

Funeral services were conducted from the M. P. Church, of which he was a honored member. A large concourse of friends and neighbors gathers to pay parting honors to the sainted dead. “Blessed are the dead who lie in the Lord,” and “May our last end be like his.” ^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Family Bible: Carhart Family Bible, copy provided by JeanAnn Carhart [see image]
2. ↑ Baptism: "England, Cornwall Parish Registers, 1538-2010," database with images, (FamilySearch Record: QGLK-VSLL : 9 March 2021), Stephen Carhart, 06 Feb 1816; citing Baptism, St Ervan, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom, Cornwall Records Office, Truro.
3. ↑ Baptism: Cornwall OPC Baptisms Database. Day Month 06-FEB; Year 1816; Parish Circuit or Chapel ERVAN, ST.; Forename STEPHEN; Surname CARHART; Sex SON; Father Forename JOHN; Mother Forename MARY; Residence DOWNS; Status or Occupation THATCHER. https://cornwall-opc-database.org/search-database/baptisms/
4. ↑ 1841 Census: "England and Wales Census, 1841," database with images, (FamilySearch Record: MQB3-554 : 5 March 2021), Stephen Carhart in household of Samuel Gilbert, Mawgan-in-Meneage, Cornwall, England, United Kingdom; from "1841 England, Scotland and Wales census," database and images, findmypast (http://www.findmypast.com : n.d.); citing PRO HO 107, The National Archives, Kew, Surrey.
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1} Stephen Mosier, as told and given to him by Arthur H. Carhart, son of George William Carhart and grandson of Stephen Carhart, 1973, 1974, 1975
6. ↑ Book: History of Grant County Wisconsin, Western Historical Company, Chicago, 1881, Chapter IX: Platteville. http://genealogytrails.com/wis/grant/platteville.html.
7. ↑ Newspaper: Grant County Witness (Platteville, WI) - Thurs, 17 Dec 1868, Page 4
8. ↑ 1870 Census: "United States Census, 1870", database with images, FamilySearch Record: MDVQ-F95 : 2 January 2021), Stephen Carhart, 1870.
9. ↑ 1880 Census: "United States Census, 1880," database with images, (FamilySearch Record: MDLN-RJP : 19 February 2021), Stephen Carhart, Colo, Story, Iowa, United States; citing enumeration district ED 205, sheet 310D, NARA microfilm publication T9 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), FHL microfilm 1,254,365.
10. ↑ Newspaper: The Story County Watchman, Fri, 8 Aug 1879, page 3, col. 1. https://nevada.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?t=33673&i=t&by=1879&bdd=1870&bm=8&bd=8&d=08081879-08081879&fn=story_county_watchman_usa_iowa_nevada_18790808_english_3&df=1&dt=4
11. ↑ 1885 Census: "Iowa State Census, 1885," database with images, FamilySearch Record: H48G-D6Z : 2 March 2021), Stephen Carhart, Nevada, Nevada, Story, Iowa; citing p. 5, 1885, State Historical Society, Des Moines; FHL microfilm 1,020,184.
12. ↑ Memorial: Find a Grave, database and images (Find A Grave: Memorial #29540632: accessed 05 June 2023), memorial page for Stephen Carhart (1816–5 Jan 1895), Find a Grave Memorial ID 29540632, citing Mount Hope Cemetery, Mapleton, Monona County, Iowa, USA; Maintained by One 2 Wander ღ (contributor 47038231).
13. ↑ Newspaper: The Peoples Press, Mapleton, Iowa, Sat, 12 Jan 1895, page 5, col. 3. https://mapleton.advantage-preservation.com/viewer/?t=1510&i=t&by=1895&bdd=1890&bm=1&bd=12&d=01121895-01121895&fn=scan_18950105_18961225_0010a&df=1&dt=10