The Athenian Sept. 19, 1912: 
    The late W. F. McCarron of Athens, in an article entitled "Big Families of
McMinn County"  gives a brief history of the Cantrell and Hart families.
    Both families were of that heroic band of North Carolina whigs who put a
quietus on the British about the time of the massacre by the Creek Indians at
Frot Mims near Mobile.  The excitement of a threatened invasion thereafter of
this territory by these same Indians was the occasion of the beginning of
General Andrew Jackson's campaign into Alabama in which he commanded a heroic
band of volunteers from Tennessee, ending March 27, 1814, in the celebrated
battle of Tohopeka, or the Horseshoe, on the Tallapoosa, a tributary of the
Alabama, which was defended by a thousand Indians, only about a score of whom
escaped slaughter.

    The elder Hart was one of Jackson's men in this battle, where he was
killed.
    "John Hart Sr. had several children one of whom,  John Hart Jr., was born
in Roane County Jan. 27, 1813, and coming to McMinn County when a boy, settled
on a farm..in the old Third Civil District.
    John Hart Jr. married Mary Spradling, daughter of Richard Spradling, also
of pioneer stock and one of the widely known and substantial families of the
county.  From this union were born five children only one of whom is now
living--John Hart, who for 12 years was a member of the McMinn County Court.

    His second wife was Nancy Ann Womack to whom he was married Oct. 2, 1857,
ant to whom was born six children.
    John Hart Jr. died June 17, 1902, 89 years of age, and is buried at Rogers
Creek Cemetery.  Their mother died in Athens in August, 1910, and is buried by
the side of her husband.
    James Franklin Hart was born on the Hart Homestead in this county Oct. 15,
1899 was married to Miss Tina S. Spradling, the same name as that of his
father's first wife, but of no blood relation to her husband.
    To this union there has been born 13 children.
    Sheriff Hart and family are members of the Baptist Church."
Transcribed by billbigham@juno.com

For more info on the John Hart family contact William L. Bigham.

William L. Bigham
452 County Road 754,
Riceville, TN 37370
 

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