Victor Hart 
Feb. 5, 1907-Dec. 10, 1944

Niles Daily Star, Monday, December 11, 1944, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

HART, NATIVE OF GALIEN DIES HERE

Victor Hart, 37, of route 4, Dowagiac, died at 9:20 p.m. Sunday in Pawating hospital.

He was born in Galien, Feb. 5, 1907, and had lived in the Niles vicinity most of his life.

Surviving are his parents, Clarence Hart of Joliet, Ill., and Mrs. Fannie Chamberlain, Niles, the widow, Mrs. Amanda Hart; two children, Robert and Caroline Hart, at home; a brother, Cecil Hart, and a sister, Mrs. Ethel Petersen, both of Niles.

Friends may call at the Price and Kiger Funeral Home where services will be conducted Wednesday at 2 p.m. by the Rev. O.H. Gerstenkorn. Burial will be at Silverbrook.

Russell T. Hart, M.D.
Aug. 1, 1904 - March 9, 1999

Russell Thoreau Hart, M.D., 94, of Lewis Drive, Niles, Mich., died following a brief illness at 6:09 p.m. on Tuesday, March 9, in Lakeland Medical Center, Niles.

Dr. Hart was born on August 1, 1904 in Fergus Falls, Minn. to Alva M. and Nellie Ray (McMahan) Hart. With his family, they moved to Oregon in 1919 and then came to Niles in 1921. His undergraduate degree was earned at the University of Notre Dame (Indiana), and he was graduated from the University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor in 1930. He completed his internship at Saint Joseph Hospital, South Bend, Ind., and began his practice in Niles, at the Star building in 1931.

In 1944, Dr. Hart enlisted in the U. S. Army. His military service included Medical Officers training school, and a domestic post before being given command of the Medical Hospital Platoon. He traveled on ship relief missions, returning wounded servicemen to the U. S., serving as a Ship's Surgeon. He was discharged in 1946 with the rank of Captain.

He returned to Niles to open a practice in Obstetrics and Pediatrics, and purchased a farm on White Street. His medical career ended in 1962 when his right hand was severely injured in a farming accident. He and Mrs. Hart then moved to a cattle farm in Decatur, Mich., returning to Niles in 1974. His interest in animal breeding and showing lead to memberships in the American Brahma Club, the American Poultry Association, and licensure as a Rabbit Judge. He also founded the Niles Horse Riding Club.

His other memberships include the People for the American Way, and the American Civil Liberties Association and the National Organization for Women. His interest in all of these areas was secondary to his interest in the people involved. He was well-known for his acute and accurate memories of Pawating Hospital in the original Castle Rest mansion, and the people who staffed it; and he was pleased to meet people whose birth he had attended, and recall the circumstances of the birth and all of their siblings. He also was pleased to discuss various agricultural issues, and remained an avid reader of current political and cultural magazines.

On April 17, 1928, in South Bend, he was married to the former Frances Huff, who preceded him in death on May 16, 1995.

Dr. Hart is survived by their children, Richard Hart of LaFayette, Ind., Virginia ''Jean'' Spranger of Howell, Mich., Wayne Hart of Elkhart, Ind. and Bruce Hart and LouAnn DeVall, both of Niles; and by seventeen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.

Funeral services for Dr. Russell Hart will be at 10 a.m. on Friday at the Halbritter Funeral Home, Niles, with the Reverend Nolan R. Williams officiating. Committal services will follow at Silverbrook Cemetery, Niles.

Friends may call from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the funeral home.

Contributions in memory of Dr. Hart may be made to the Lakeland Health Foundation, Niles, for scholarships.

 Submitted by family member; publication details unknown.

Nettie B.  Hart
1857-Oct. 22, 1942

Niles Daily Star, Friday, October 23, 1942, page 2, col. 5, microfilm Niles District Library

Nettie Hart, 85, Niles Resident 65 years, dead

Miss Nettie B. Hart, 85, who lived in Niles more than 65 years, died Thursday in the Fergus Falls, Minn., home of her sister, Mrs. W. R. Smith.

Coming with her family to Niles from Saratoga County, N.Y, on St. Patrick ’s Day 1869, Miss Hart first lived west of the city near the home of Dr. Clarence Gillette.

Later the family lived at 1327 Oak Street and finally moved to the home just south of the First Presbyterian church on north Fourth Street. There Miss Hart lived 40 years until she left Niles six years ago to join her sister in Fergus Falls.

Surviving with the sister are two nephews and a niece, Dr. Russell T. Hart and Mrs. W.C. Huff, Niles, and Floyd Smith, Fergus Falls.

Niles Daily Star, Saturday, October 24, 1942, page 2, col. 2, microfilm Niles District Library

Miss Nettie Hart to Be Buried Here

Committal services for Miss Nettie B. Hart, who died Thursday in Fergus Falls, Minn., will be conducted at the family lot in Silverbrook cemetery, Monday morning at 10:30.

The Rev. J. Kenneth Hoffmaster, pastor of the Methodist church of which she was a member, will officiate.  Miss Hart, 85, had lived in Niles 65 years before leaving here for Fergus Falls six years ago.

Elsie Hart (Tuttle)  Death Claims Mrs. John Hart   Was pioneer resident of Niles   The funeral will be held Saturday. Mrs. John H. Hart a pioneer and highly esteemed resident of Niles and a sister of Joseph S. Tuttle, died at an early hour this morning (March 12, 1920) at her home in South Fourth street after a prolonged illness from complications arising from her advanced age. Mrs. Hart having attained the age of 87 years.Mrs. Hart was born in Pennsylvania. When a young woman she came to Niles where the greater part of the remaining years of her life were spent. She was married in Niles to Mr. Hart and had she lived until the 27 instant, Mr. and Mrs. Hart would have observed her 60^th wedding anniversary. The children born of their union have preceded their mother in death.Besides her husband, and brother, Mrs.

 Hart is survived b another brother, Amos T. Ball of Benton Harbor and a sister, Mrs. Alice J. Hamilton of Battle Creek.The funeral services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock from the home. Rev. J.R. T. Lathrop pastor of the Methodist church of which both Mr. and Mrs. Hart have been identified for many years, will officiate. Burial will occur at Silverbrook Cemetery. 

Deborah Hart
June 13, 1841-Aug. 30, 1932

Mrs. Deborah Hart, Niles Resident for past sixty years, dies.

      Mrs. Deborah Hart, 92, a resident of Niles for over 60 years, died this morning Aug. 30, 1932, at 1:15 in her home, 39 S. Fourth Street.  She had lived in the house for more than 40 years.  Her death followed one month of illness.

      Mrs. Hart’s maiden name was Deborah Barber. She was born in Saratoga County, N.Y., on June 13, 1841. She was married to Charles B. Hart in Saratoga County on November 4, 1855.  Four children were born to them of whom three survive their mother. They are Miss Nettie Hart and Alvin Hart of Niles, and Mrs. W. R. Smith of Fergus Falls, Minn.  Another son, Elmer E. Hart, died in Niles in 1870. Mrs. Smith has been in Niles for two weeks on account of her mother’s illness. Mrs. Hart was the last member of her family. Of her grandchildren two reside in Niles. They are Dr. Russell Hart and Mrs. William Huff.

      Mrs. and Mrs. Hart after first coming to Michigan lived for about a years in a farm house located opposite the home of Dr. Clarence Gillette on the Chicago Road. Mr. Hart, died while on a trip to Union, NH in 1891.

      Mrs. Hart had been a member of the Methodist church in Niles ever since she moved here. The funeral services will be held on Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock in the home. The Rev. Robert Madder, pastor of the Methodist church will officiate. Burial will be made in Silverbrook Cemetery. 

Cecil S. Hart
April 23, 1903-June 28, 1969 

BUCHANAN – Cecil S. Hart, 64, of 1074 Bame Ave., died Saturday June 28, 1969, at 11:50 p.m. in the Buchanan Community Hospital where he had been a patient for one year. Mr. Hart was born April 23, 1903 in Galien. He married Bessie Fulkerth Aug. 15, 1925 in Cassopolis.

He is survived by four sons, Cecil Jr., Niles, William, Niles, Richard, Niles and John, Niles; his mother, Mrs. Robert Taylor, Niles; three daughters, Mrs. George Weiser, Niles, Mrs. Samuel Weiser Jr., Niles and Mrs. Robert Gross, Niles; a brother, Irvin Hart, Joliet, Ill; a sister, Mrs. Neil Peterson, Niles.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the Pifer funeral Home with the Rev. A.J. Martin, former pastor of Coulters Chapel, officiating. Burial will be in the Silverbrook cemetery.Friends may call at the funeral home after 7 p.m. tonight.