Who are Abraham Philander Hart’s parents

Profile manager: Leslie Duszynski [send private message]

The Wish

Searching for the parents of Abraham Philander Hart (1842-1919) Hart-11927. Secret Santa request #285 2023, by Beverly (Van_Pelt-528):

• As you know, it can be hard to break through a brick wall. If there is any way an Elf or Angel can help me, I would be so grateful. I can't find the parents of Abraham Philander Hart (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Hart-11927) Civil War Veteran.  Born: 26 Feb 1842 in Fulton County, New York. Died: 9 Mar 1919 at age 77 in Broadalbin, Fulton, New York.

Research Notes

(From Secret Santa 2023)

• Search for birth record: An online search for his birth record unsurprisingly turned up nothing.
• Search for death certificate: There is proof that AP Hart died in Broadalbin, NY (New York, State Death Index, 1880-1956, , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGKB-Y8D5 : accessed 31 Dec 2023), Entry for A Philander Hart, 9 Mar 1919.). NYS death certificates at that time definitely requested the informant to provide the decedent’s parents’ names and birthplaces, so I called the Broadalbin Town Clerk on 28 December 2023 to request his death certificate. The clerk was very helpful, but was unable to locate him in the town’s death registry (she stated that individual death certificates were not kept in the town record in 1919). A genealogy copy of the death certificate can be requested from the NYS Department of Health (https://www.health.ny.gov/forms/doh-4384.pdf). It takes up to several months for this service.
• Census Searches: I made lists of all Hart households in Fulton County, New York, found on the 1850 and 1860 US Censuses, as well as the 1855 NYS Census.
  • 1850 US Census
    • Abraham Philander Hart would be 8 years old.
    • Eleven Hart households identified in Fulton County, NY. Only two of these have children close to AP’s age: Orren (or Aaron), male, 7 years old; and Abby, female, 8 years old.
    • To ensure that Abby wasn’t a nickname for Abraham, I followed this person forward for a few decades. Abby was actually Abigail, who was indeed female.
  • 1855 NYS Census
    • APH would be 13 years old.
    • Thirteen Hart households identified in Fulton County, none of which has a male of approximately 13 years (other than Orren Hart, age 12, as mentioned above).
    • There were two Hart households in New York State — one in Brooklyn with an Abraham Hart, age 14, one in Syracuse with an Abram Hart, age 10 — that are likely long shots, but could warrant further investigation.
  • 1860 US Census
    • APH would be 18 years old.
    • Philander Hart, age 18, is found living in Mayfield, Fulton County, New York, in the household of Isaac and Angeline George. It appears he is a laborer on their farm.
    • There is a Lucius Hart, male, age 7, living in the household of John and Emily McGregor, who are in their 50s with grown children. In future Census records, he appears to have been adopted by the McGregors, leading me to wonder if he could be a brother of Abraham Philander Hart. Could their parents have died, leaving them to be adopted or fend for themselves? Something to consider exploring, if the brick wall remains intact.