Nancy Morgan Hart
Revolutionary Heroine
Read at the unveiling of
the Monument to Nancy Morgan Oct. 12, 1930
by Louise Rucker
Trafton...
Ch. Com for Marking Historic Spots, Gen. Samuel Hopkins
Chapter D.A.R.
We stand, today, by the grave of a Revolutionary Heroine of National
note.
We are proud that the soil of our beloved Kentucky and of our
"Pennyrile" Section, holds all that is mortal of Nancy
Morgan Hart .
Georgia, where she lived, in Elbert County, during the Revolution, and
where her brave, patriotic, deeds were performed, has honored her in many ways,
by naming a D.A.R. Chapter for her, a State Highway and other memorials. Her
name is that State is a Synonym for patriotism and courage.
Her last years were spent here in the home of her son, John Hart, on this very farm, in a stone's throw of where
she has so peacefully slept for nearly one hundred years.
Her descendants in the Gen. Samuel Hopkins Chapter D.A.R. have the unique
distinction of being descended, lineally, from a woman patriot; all others in
our chapter are descended lineally from men who performed some patriotic duty
during the Revolution.
Nancy Hart's descendants, thirteen in number, who are or have been members
of this chapter are:-
Mrs. Annie Dennis
Hart and
Miss Elizabeth Dennis,
both of our city.
Miss Mary Dennis,
Georgetown, Ky.
Mrs. Caroline Dennis
Watson, Frankford, Ky.
Mrs. Irene Dixon
Moseley, Louisville, Ky.
Miss. Nannie L.
Dixon, Morganfield, Ky.
Mrs. Kate Butler
Smith, Morganfield, Ky.
Miss Irene Dixon,
Jackson, La.
Mrs. Elizabeth C.
Lane, Nevada.
Mrs. Mary Muncaster
Cummins, Nebraska.
Mrs. Janet Hart
Hollstein, Chicago, Ill.
Mrs. Catherine
Hart Davis, Dennison, Texas.
Mrs. Lalla
Sugg Baker, California.
We have in our city a great granddaughter of Nancy
Hart, in the person of Mrs. Mary Dixon, now,
94 years old. Mrs. Dixon, no doubt, owes her longevity to inheritance from her
heroic great grandmother as Nancy Hart lived to the
good, old age of 95.
Nancy Hart was first cousin of Daniel Boone, and was possessed with the same indomitable,
pioneer spirit.
She was also of the same family as Gen. Daniel
Morgan of N.J., being an own cousin of his.
Gen. Morgan, with his militia, served through
the Revolution. all through the history of the was we read:- "Washington sent for Gen. Morgan
and his militia."
Gen. Morgan received the thanks of the Nation,
and Congress awarded him a gold medal for his brilliant victory at Cowpens, in
which the British were completely routed and pursued for 20 miles.
No doubt, had Nancy Morgan Hart been a man, she
would have been in the front of battle, leading her men to victory or death, but
being a woman she did "her bit" in a different way.
It has been stated that she was crossed-eyed and masculine.
Her grandchildren, who remembered her, indignantly denied that she was
cross-eyed; stating that she had very bright eyes set so close together and
moving about in a quick nervous way, so that a casual observer might receive the
impression that her eyes were cross-eyed.
As to her being masculine, ---We know only, too, well of the danger and
vicissitudes of pioneer life, and know that the times called forth and
cultivated that very trait of character in women of that period. Whether or not
she was masculine we do not know but we do know that she was a brave, heroic
soul imbued with Spartan spirit.
But now, too late ----- "Can Honor's voice provoke the silent dust or
flattery soothe the dull, cold ear of death?"
We, of today, may draw a lesson from this Revolutionary heroine, of
courage and endurance and of loyalty and patriotic devotion to her country.
Submitters Notes:
I transcribed this from a typed written copy that was sent to me by a friend who said he found this in a file in the Henderson County Historical Society. The italic text I have placed here represents hand written notes on the copy of the speech.
The Hart Graveyard today is called, Book Cemetery. Nancy's son John HART, a Henderson Co. resident, is also buried in Book Cemetery. He served in the Revolutionary War with his father Benjamin, brothers, Morgan, and Thomas, and is listed as one of the Soldiers at Kettle Creek, Wilkes Dragoons. Many, if not all, of the descendants listed above, are descendants from the marriage of John HART to Patience LANE.Even though some Historians and descendants would like to be able to call Daniel Boone and Daniel Morgan "kin", there has been no substantial proof found to link these three great American Patriots.
Transcribed & Submitted by: Barbara Johnson
12515 Corliss Ave. N.
Seattle, WA. 98133
[email protected] or [email protected]