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Elizabeth C. Hart1
F, #3725, b. 9 May 1843
Citations
- [S512] Bob Bridger, "Bridger," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2003.
Fannie Hart
F, #1495, b. 11 August 1875, d. 16 November 1950
Birth* | 11 August 1875 | Fannie Hart was born on 11 August 1875 at Pulaski County, GA.1 |
| | She was the daughter of Seaborn (Seburne or Cebren) Madison Hart and Rebecca (Beckann) Davis. |
MARRIAGE* | 21 March 1897 | She married William Amos (Bill) Floyd, son of Frederick Floyd and Roxy Ann Blount, on 21 March 1897 at GA In addition to the children shown the couple had two more who died as infants.2,1 |
Burial* | 1950 | She was buried in 1950 at Hart Cemetery, Bleckley County, GA.3 |
Death* | 16 November 1950 | She died on 16 November 1950 at Bleckley County, GA, at age 75.1 |
CENSUS1880* | 1880 | She appeared on the Census in 1880 at Pulaski County, GA; Shown living with her parents.4 |
Married Name | 21 March 1897 | As of 21 March 1897,her married name was Floyd.2 |
Citations
- [S23] Doris Floyd Dixon, "Pedigree Chart."
- [S2] Harris, History of Pulaski County.
- [S512] Bob Bridger, "Bridger," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2003.
- [S56] 1880 Census;.
Hardy Hart
M, #2346, b. 24 April 1802, d. 27 February 1882
Birth* | 24 April 1802 | Hardy Hart was born on 24 April 1802 at N.C.1,2 |
| | He was the son of Marmaduke Hart and Mourning Collum. |
MARRIAGE | 18 January 1826 | He married Nancy McClendon on 18 January 1826.2 |
MARRIAGE* | 1 March 1842 | He married Miilly Ann Malone Stokes on 1 March 1842.1,2 |
Death* | 27 February 1882 | He died on 27 February 1882 at GA at age 79.2 |
CENSUS1850* | 1850 | In 1850 Apparently he lived in Twiggs as that is where his father lived. Later he moved to Pulaski.3 CENSUS 1850 HARDY DAVIS |
CENSUS1860* | 1860 | He appeared on the census in 1860 at Pulaski County, GA; The family consisted of Warren, Missouri and Seaborn.1 CENSUS 1860 HARDY DAVIS |
CENSUS1870* | 1870 | In 1870 Hardy Hart had land valued at $500. and personal property at $300. just a few years after the war. He was well off. |
CENSUS1880* | 1880 | In 1880 This family lives just down the road from the Floyd brothers and the Davis family.4 |
Biography* | 2009 | In 1860 Hardy Hart is living with his wife and three children Warren, Missouri and Seaborn in Pulaski County. The value of his real estate is $50 and personal property is $350. Not too shabby. On the census his home is # 697
By 1870 Hardy Hart had land valued at $500. and Personal effects valued at $300. Just three houses away lived John Graham with real estate valued at $1,200 and personal property at $400. This was rather decent considering the war was only four yours previous. On the census Hardy’s home is # 728. Home # 729 is that of his son Seaborn the who is Warren Hart’s brother. House # 731 is a John Graham who lives alone and his real estate valued at 1,200 and property valued at $400. He is age 34. House # 725 belongs to James Holmes $2,000 and $1120. (again not bad for just after the war. (I believe this is the Holmes property that is used to describe the metes and bounds of the property that John Graham buys in 1911.
It appears that Missouri came from a family with better than average net worth and married into an even better financial position.
By 1880 John and Missouri Graham are living with a young son named John age 6.They are shown in house # 452 The are right next door to Hardy Hart in house # 451 who lives there as head of household with his son Warren- (Warren and Sallie and their children William, Lizzie and Nora. I assume this Nora is really Rosa, but wonder why an eleven year old child is listed last when most census show the children in descending order of birth. She is called a daughter.) Since Warren and Sally were living with Hardy Hart and his wife, its possible that they inherited the farm free and clear when Hardy died in 1882.
(Warren Hart is brother to Missouri and Missouri is the mother of John Graham – the killer. Killer Graham killed his own uncle with whom he had grown up living next door.
In 1890 William Davis died of Typhoid in June and his wife Lusia died July 10th 1890 in childbirth. Their children were farmed out to relatives: Here is Ed Harmon’s description:
I do not know how much you know about the entire matter, but it is a pretty sordid tale. It all began in 1890 when William "Bill" Davis died of Typhoid in June and his wife Lusia E. "Lu" Sparrow died on July 10, 1890 during child birth. The children were split up and "taken in" by the families of the Zacharias Davis children. As I read the notes, this was the split according to my mother's notes:
Sally Davis and Warren Hart took, Minnie and Willie
Ruben Davis and Ann, took Nancy and Pink
Fannie Davis and Willis took, Fanny
Mary Ann Davis and George Meyer took, George
I do not know where the other children went.
Sometime after the death of the parents Nancy turned up pregnant, Nancy's brother's apparently decided that Ruben had lived way too long and thus Ruben left the country, assuming the alias Lee Johnson. Pink then went to live with Warren & Sally. John Graham was after Pink before she turned 14 and that may have been what the Hart's objected to, John was 26 and Pink 14 when they married. It might also have been that the Hart's did not like the Grahams, period. Daniel Graham, John's grand father looks to have been quite the brigand, with robbery, burglary, theft, murder, etc. to his credit. I do know a Daniel Graham from Georgia, killed his father in-law a Barefoot, in SC and I have found a note that says grandma Barefoot died at near 100 sitting in her rocking chair with her corn cob pipe in her mouth. A pencil note is at the bottom and says related on the Graham side but do not know how. Soooooo it must be the same Daniel. This would also explain my grand mother's comment about the Grahams being the meanest people on the face of the earth.
In 1899 a warrant was issued for the arrest of Reuben Davis on charges of Adultery and Fornication according to item found by Jimmie Lee Davis. I was going thru some books at the court house the other day and came across the following: Criminal Docket, Book 2, Pulaski County, Georgia Attorneys No. Parties Offense Charged Disposition Sol. Gen. 9 Reubin Davis Adultry & Fornication Feb 2 1899 No arrest Aug 99 County Court I assume it was held over for the August 1899 Court, but can't find where it was done. So maybe the story of Pete Davis helping him escape is true. What do you think? Jimmie Lee
Reuben too the name of Lee Johnson and disappeared leaving no trace.
Pink was taken from the home of Reubin and Willie Ann Davis (don’t know why this was necessary if Reuben was gone). She was placed with Warren and Sallie Hart. She married John “Killer” Graham on April 29 1900 – and on the census for 1900 she and John are shown as living with Warren and Sallie. John Graham is listed as a laborer and Pink has the last name of Graham. Her relationship to “head” is shown as “boarder”. The Harts own their property with no mortgage. Pink gave birth to Sam H. Graham just six weeks before the murder on March 6 1908 The murder was widly reported in local newspapers. Here is an example: Hawkinsville dispatch News The horrible tragedy in the Wright settlement in which Mr. Warren Hart and his wife were unmercifully murdered is deplored by everyone. Mr. Hart was found dead at his lot Wednesday morning and Mrs. Hart died Thursday night from injuries received at the hand of the assassins.
Everything indicates that the killing was done at daybreak. It is presumed that robbery was the object as Mr. Hart was a quiet inoffensive citizen liked and respected by everyone who knew him. He generally kept money at his house.
Excitement is rife in that part of the county. Two negroes were arrested and brought to Cochran jail but were taken out and carried to the scene of the murder by a large crowd of determined men. One negro resisting arrest ran against a stump and killed himself. It is now reported that a negro from Empire has confessed to a conspiracy of fifteen negroes and say the murder had been planned for some time. Seven of these negroes are under arrest. Mr. Hart was about sixty years old. In the 1910 Census Pink and John are shown living on a farm that they own free and clear. It is house # 139. (Interesting how they could have accumulated enough money for this. House # 141 belongs to Jason Hart (he is the J.C. Hart mentioned in the 1911 deed where John Graham bought 50 acres. House # 142 shows Peter Hart (He is the father of J.C. and also mentioned in the 1911 land purchase. House # 138 belongs to Everett Floyd. On November 11 1911 John Graham bought fifty acres from Warren’s son William E. Hart. The land was described as being in the 21st distrect of Pulaski county and to be better known as the Seab Hart Place. Seaborn died in 1905 so its possible that William Hart bought the land from the estate. However, it does not appear the William Hart ever farmed. His occupation is described as Rail road Section manager and then later as the owner of a saw mill. His sister Lizzie married a James M. Putnal in 1905 who worked at a saw mill so its likely she met him through her brother’s business. He was born in De Soto county Florida, but the couple lived the first three years of their marrage in Pulaski county. They left to go to Florida in 1908. Perhaps this was a result of the horrible murder. The property that John Graham bought was described as being bounded on the north by Thompson, on the East and South by Peter and J.C. (Jason) Hart and on the West by J.W. Holmes. The 1909 Hudgins map of Pulaski county shows the Holmes place as being on the East side of the road that intersects the chicken road at the Floyd Cemetery location. Its in the same LL at the Hart Cemetery. In 1920 Jason C. Hart lived in house # 184 just one house away from John and Pink Graham in house # 186
The Grahams continue to live in Pulaski County and raise their family and appear on each census through 1930. Pink continued to live in Bleckley county (previously called Pulaski) She is shown on the Georgia Death Index. John Graham is not shown on this index so apparently the story that he moved away are true. The SSDI shows two John Grahams with the same birth year. One lives in Alabama and the other in Oklahoma. This could be a clue where to look. My mother, Annette Floyd Kaplan says she knew Pink Graham and certainly knew Aunt Willie Ann. I noticed that my mother’s sister Viola Floyd Berryhill told me in 1990 that she knew of the Hart murder and that it was Walker Davis who told her of the death bed confession. (Walker was the son of Reuben and Willie Ann.) That’s pretty close to the bone so I’m starting to think there was a deathbed confession. Ed Harmon remembers times when the topic was raised, and it was obvious folks knew, but were not interested in telling. (I think this gives a bit more support to the story. I told Annette about all this today and she said she remembered another murder when the people’s house was burned down with them inside. She also remembers vividly the Ku Klux Klan. She told me that she didn’t know if her father was involved, but that there were meetings that he attended. (I guess what she meant here is she never saw him dressed in robes, but that didn’t leave out the possibility that he attended meetings.) I do know that both of my grandparents were very kind to the Negroes.
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Citations
- [S54] 1860 Census;.
- [S512] Bob Bridger, "Bridger," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2003.
- [S52] 1850 Census;.
- [S56] 1880 Census;.
Harty Hart1
M, #2352, b. 1745
Birth* | 1745 | Harty Hart was born in 1745 at North Carolina, NC. |
Citations
- [S23] Doris Floyd Dixon, "Pedigree Chart."
Henry Hart1
M, #4393
| | Henry Hart was the son of Marmaduke Hart and Mourning Collum.1 |
CENSUS1820* | 1820 | He appeared on the census in 1820 at Pulaski County, GA; He appears on the 1820 census as being between 26-25 years old and with a wife in the same age range and two daughters.2 |
Citations
- [S580] Mary McIntyre, "Mary McIntyre," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2006.
- [S49] 1820 Census;.
Hickson S. Hart1,2
M, #4353, b. 1898
Citations
- [S60] 1910 Census;.
- [S59] 1900 Census;.
- [S60] 1910 Census;, This first name probably not right. Very hard to read on the census and couldn't find him in the 1920 to verify.
Jacob Hart1
M, #2401
Citations
- [S23] Doris Floyd Dixon, "Pedigree Chart."
James Hart1
M, #2396
Citations
- [S23] Doris Floyd Dixon, "Pedigree Chart."
Jason C. Hart1
M, #2397, b. 1884, d. 1948
Citations
- [S23] Doris Floyd Dixon, "Pedigree Chart."
- [S61] 1920 Census;.
- [S2] Harris, History of Pulaski County.
Lilla Hart1
F, #2395, b. 1880
Citations
- [S23] Doris Floyd Dixon, "Pedigree Chart."
- [S56] 1880 Census;.
Lucy Hart1
F, #2393, b. 1874, d. 1897
Citations
- [S23] Doris Floyd Dixon, "Pedigree Chart."
- [S56] 1880 Census;.
- [S512] Bob Bridger, "Bridger," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2003.
Lyndia Ann Hart1
F, #3722, b. 19 January 1837
Citations
- [S512] Bob Bridger, "Bridger," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2003.
Lyndon Hart1
F, #4357, b. 1908
Citations
- [S61] 1920 Census;, Strange that she is not shown on the 1910 census.
Maggie Hart1
F, #4356, b. 1907
Citations
- [S60] 1910 Census;.
Marmaduke Hart
M, #2348, b. 1780, d. 23 September 1852
Birth* | 1780 | Marmaduke Hart was born in 1780 at North Carolina, NC. |
| | He was the son of Harty Hart. |
MARRIAGE* | 23 August 1801 | He married Mourning Collum, daughter of (?) Collum, on 23 August 1801 at Edgefield District, SC.1 |
Burial* | 1852 | In 1852 It is thought that Marmaduke and Mourning are buried in the Old Ridgeland Baptist Church.2 |
Death* | 23 September 1852 | He died on 23 September 1852 at Twiggs County, GA.1 |
MILITARY* | 1812 | He served in the military in 1812 According to his memorial stone he served in the War of 1812. |
CENSUS1850* | 1850 | In 1850 He is shown living with wife and a twelve year old named Abagal.3 |
Note* | 16 July 2003 | The children are: Hardy, Elizabeth, Seaborn, Crofford, Henry, Squire Eldridge, Nancy. I have only included the family of Hardy as he is the father of Warren who married Davis. The family group sheet with grandchildren of Mourning and Marmaduke is in the Davis file.4 |
Citations
- [S579] Ed Harmond, "Harmond," e-mail to MVW, Feb 8 2006.
- [S580] Mary McIntyre, "Mary McIntyre," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2006.
- [S52] 1850 Census;.
- [S512] Bob Bridger, "Bridger," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2003.
Mollie Hart1
F, #2400
Citations
- [S23] Doris Floyd Dixon, "Pedigree Chart."
Nancy Hart1
F, #4394, b. 1818
Citations
- [S580] Mary McIntyre, "Mary McIntyre," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2006.
Nancy Katherine Hart1
F, #3724, b. 1 June 1840
Citations
- [S512] Bob Bridger, "Bridger," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2003.
Nancy Missouri Hart1,2
F, #2351, b. 8 May 1847, d. 16 August 1932
|  Nancy Mazura Hart Graham
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|  MVW at Pink Graham's grave - June 2007 |
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Birth* | 8 May 1847 | Nancy Missouri Hart was born on 8 May 1847 at GA.1,2 |
| | She was the daughter of Hardy Hart and Miilly Ann Malone Stokes. |
MARRIAGE* | 2 January 1873 | She married John Allen (Jack) Graham, son of Daniel Dees Graham and Martha "Patsey" Daniels, on 2 January 1873 at Pulaski County, GA, Missouri married well as husband had $1,200 in land and $400. in personal property just a few years after the Civil War.3 JOHN GRAHAM MAZURA HART MARRIAGE LICENSE |
Burial* | August 1932 | She was buried in August 1932 at Hart Cemetery, Bleckley County, GA, I have not run across the burial information on Jack just yet, but would think he is buried in the Hart Cemetery, Since Mazura would have buried him. I know more about this than I thought, the headstone for Mazura is not original. Her burial bills were paid by the county, I have copies of the bills. Interesting enough, the funeral and burial bills were reimbursed to the county by a Jones well after the event. The bills are for the body prep, grave digging and one for a casket. The county would not have erected a headstone at the time she was buried, someone else did the headstone, I do not know who at this time. Ed Harmon.4,5 Hart Cemetery Bleckley County Georgia |
Death* | 16 August 1932 | She died on 16 August 1932 at age 85.4 |
Married Name | | Her married name was Graham.1 |
Biography* | | From the Bible Records of Hardy Hart (father of Missouri Hart) Nancy Mazury 5-8-1847(known as Mazurie) m John Graham 1-2-1873 Children: 1. John m. Pinkney Davis 4-29-1900 2. Martha m. Charlie Davis 2-4-1900 3. Shadrach m. (first) Cora Giddens 12-11-1904 (second) Inez Grimsley 11-22-1915 4. Sallie m. Jim Bishop 4-7-1918 5. Elizabeth (burned to death while a late teenager) 6. INFANT (died at birth) 7. Jimmie (died abt age 10) 8. Mary m. Jessie Davis 5-29-1910 (she and an Infant died in 1911) 9. Dollie m. Thomas W. Harrell 12-28-1902. |
Name Variation | | Nancy Missouri Hart was also known as Missouri Hart. |
CENSUS1880* | 1880 | In 1880 Missouri and her husband live with their son John age 6 and other children right next door to Warren and Sarah Hart and their children. Both houses are close to the Perkins place which I believe is close to the Floyd Cemetery.1 |
CENSUS1910* | 1910 | In 1910 She was living with her son Shade and her daughter. They lived right next door to the Berryhill family into which Maureen Floyd and Viola Floyd married.6 CENSUS 1910 MAZURA HART |
PENSION* | 24 October 1914 | She was received a pension on 24 October 1914 at Bleckley County, GA. |
CENSUS1920* | 1920 | In 1920 She is shown living with her son Charles A. Davis in the 1920 census.7 |
CENSUS1930* | 1930 | In 1930 She is shown living with her daughter Sallie and son in law James C. Bishop.8 |
Citations
- [S56] 1880 Census;.
- [S512] Bob Bridger, "Bridger," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2003.
- [S2] Harris, History of Pulaski County.
- [S502] June Adams, Betsy Smith Robin Mullis, Bleckley County, Georgia Cemeteries.
- [S579] Ed Harmond, "Harmond," e-mail to MVW, Feb 8 2006.
- [S60] 1910 Census;.
- [S61] 1920 Census;.
- [S518] 1930 Census;.
Nora Hart1
F, #3690, b. 1869
Citations
- [S56] 1880 Census;.
Peter Hart
M, #1212, b. 30 March 1871, d. 9 March 1947
Pruitt A Hart1
M, #4354, b. 1901
Birth* | 1901 | Pruitt A Hart was born in 1901.1 |
| | He was the son of Willie E. Hart and Nancy E. Allen.1 |
MILITARY* | 1920 | In 1920 He was shown in the military outside Atlanta Georgia. Presume this was for WW1.2 |
Citations
- [S60] 1910 Census;.
- [S61] 1920 Census;.
Sarah Hart1
F, #4390, b. 1807
Citations
- [S580] Mary McIntyre, "Mary McIntyre," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2006.
Seaborn Hart1
M, #4391, b. 1807
Citations
- [S580] Mary McIntyre, "Mary McIntyre," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2006.
Seaborn (Seburne or Cebren) Madison Hart1,2
M, #1174, b. 19 March 1850, d. 1905
Birth* | 19 March 1850 | Seaborn (Seburne or Cebren) Madison Hart was born on 19 March 1850.3,4 |
| | He was the son of Hardy Hart and Miilly Ann Malone Stokes. |
MARRIAGE* | 9 August 1868 | He married Rebecca (Beckann) Davis, daughter of Zacharias Davis and Elizabeth King, on 9 August 1868 at Pulaski County, GA, Married by Shade Graham, J.P. ( I suspect he also was a neighbor.)5 |
Death* | 1905 | He died in 1905 at Hart Cemetery, Cochran, Bleckley County, GA, While in the Hawkinsville area, I visited the Hart Cemetery off the Cochran Road. In the cemetery, were the graves of Rebecca (Beckann) Davis Hart (b-1854, d-2 Jun 1896) and Seaborn Madison Hart (b-18 Mar 1854 d-1905). Bob Bridger.6 |
Note* | 1880 | In 1880 This family lived next door to the Floyd brothers.7 |
CENSUS1880* | 1880 | In 1880 This was a large family in which eight of the children do not appear on the 1880 census so were likely born after it. Looks like a total of fifteen children. In 1880 the family lived next door to his parents, two doors from his brother Warren and three doors from the Graham family.7 |
Citations
- Middle name of Madison shown.
- [S470] Doris Dixon, "La Verne papers."
- [S23] Doris Floyd Dixon, "Pedigree Chart."
- [S54] 1860 Census;.
- [S2] Harris, History of Pulaski County.
- [S512] Bob Bridger, "Bridger," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2003.
- [S56] 1880 Census;.
Squire Eldridge Hart1
M, #4388, b. 1815
Citations
- [S580] Mary McIntyre, "Mary McIntyre," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2006.
Unamed Twins Hart
M, #1209
Warren Hart
M, #2350, b. 26 February 1845, d. 5 March 1908
Birth* | 26 February 1845 | Warren Hart was born on 26 February 1845 at GA.1,2 |
| | He was the son of Hardy Hart and Miilly Ann Malone Stokes. |
MARRIAGE* | 10 May 1867 | On 10 May 1867 at Pulaski County, GA, They were married by Shade Graham. Shade was the uncle of John Graham who confessed to murdering Sallie and Warren Hart in 1908.3 |
Burial* | 1908 | He was buried in 1908 at Hart Cemetery, Bleckley County, GA, The Hart Cemetery is on land given to the Hart family for a cemetery by Dave Reeves, a black man, with the provision that he and his wife be buried with the Harts. After Reeves' burial the fence was changed to leave their graves outside. The ceder tree ooutside the cemetery is at the head of the Reeves' grave. Annie Hart Thompson (Seaborn Hart's daughter) said Hardy Hart gave Hannah Hart (Dave Reeves' wife) a one horse farm.2,4 |
Death* | 5 March 1908 | He died on 5 March 1908 at age 63 "On March 5 a robbery resulted in the gruesome axe deaths of Warren Hart and his wife at Frazier near the Dodge County line. The sheriff and constables arrested two black suspects, Curry Roberson and John Henry. (Ironically, Currey Roberson is shown on the 1900 census as living lnoy a few homes away from the Davis family as well as the Floyd family. This means that he was not a stranger, but rather a neighbor. According to the census of 1900 Curry had a wife named Jane.) A mob seized the two from the officers, shot them to death, and burned the bodies. ... Ironically, if local rumors are true, a relative of the Harts made a deathbed confession that he killed the Harts for money missing after the murders."5 |
Note | | He Regards the murders (Sallie and Warren Hart), you will note that the information follows what I told you right down the line. My grandmother, who died at 96 said that many blacks were killed and the indication in the story is pretty much that situation. Interesting is that in the notes I find a refrence to a black man and his wife known as Aunt Miranda, who lived on the Charles Aaron Davis place. They were both well regarded and she was the wet nurse for the family as Martha Graham Davis, Charlie's wife was not always capable of nursing her girls as they were born! When Miranda's husband died, the whites for miles around came and sat by his casket and stood outside in a show of respect. A whites only water fountain dosen't exactly go with that picture, does it? Ed Harmon. |
Name Variation | | Warren Hart was also known as Warren Hart. |
CENSUS1870* | 1870 | He appeared on the census in 1870.6 |
CENSUS1880* | 1880 | He appeared on the Census in 1880 at GA; Census shows also a Nora (This could be Rosa) Hart age 11 born in Ga whom I did not have from Doris Dixon.1 CENSUS 1880 WARREN AND SALLIE HART |
CENSUS1900* | 1900 | He appeared on the census in 1900; The census shows Warren Hart and wife living with John Graham, laborer, Pinkey Graham, Boarder and Daughter Lizzie age 26.7 CENSUS 1900 WARREN AND SALLIE HART |
NEWSPAPER* | 19 March 1908 | He was mentioned in a newspaper I just ran across another account of the Warren Hart & wife murders in the Times-Journal newspaper dated Thursday, March 19, 1908in Eastman, Dodge County, GA.
RANK FOOLISHNESS.
$1,000 In Home of Aged Couple Who Were Murdered in Pulaski.
Eastman, Ga., March 5th---Warren Hart and wife were murdered at their home, two miles from Empire, between 5 and 6 o'clock yesterday morning. It is reported that a nephew of the murdered couple reached the home shortly after the homicide and found the body of Hart lying in the horse stable with his skull broken in and Mrs. Hart was found in the house with her entire skull crushed. It is supposed that Hart was attacked while feeding his horses, and that the murderer was frightened away by the approach of the nephew. on 19 March 1908.8 |
Anecdote* | 1990 | In 1990 Here is the account of the Hart murders according to Viola Floyd Berryhill who was born in 1900. This account is a direct quote from a letter she wrote to MVW in 1990 when asked about the murders: Friday March 30, 1990 This is what I know about the Hart murders. The were murdered early one morning, Sally was cooking breakfast, still had fork in her hand when they were found, Warren was at barn doing chores that had to be done everyday. They were struck on their heads from behind by I believe two Negroes, who were hanged later that day. I remember going to their house and seeing the rope and tree where the hanging took place. I was 8 years old. I was told by Walker Davis a few years ago that John Graham who later married Pink Davis (Sallie's niece) who went to live with them when her parents both died within a few days of each other confessed on his deathbed that he was the one who did the murders. Sallie and Warren were forbidding Pink going with John and that was the reason he killed them. They (she means Pink and John) lived together many years and reared a family and I doubt that Pink ever knew that John did it. She died first, but I understand he threatened to kill her. He was a very mean man and tried to go with Mama (Annie Jane Holland Floyd) and she wouldn't go with him thank the Lord. Love, Aunt Shug
In 2006 the story was confirmed by Ed Harmon: Margot, The story you related, is the Gospel. It is the same story told by my grandmother, Mamie Davis Jones to me. I heard the story as a child growing up, in the early 1950s. It was later changed to include the confession. Apparently after John died. I can add some details for you. Warren was killed while feeding the mules and Sally while frying bacon. Actually the story is much worse from the stand point of John Graham; According to my grandmother the bloody axe was hidden in the wood pile, where the farm hand had been chopping wood the day before, outside the back door. Then apparently the scene was set up so to make to look like it was a robbery by turning the kitchen upside down, going through the flower, etc. John left and the black farm hands then discovered the murders and ran off, knowing that with two murdered white people they would be in trouble. A mob consisting of the neighbors was formed and they went after the two. My grandmother said that every time a black would run, the black was shot dead on the spot. When the mob finally caught up with the blacks that were "guilty of the murders," they were captured, returned to the house, hung, then shot and their bodies were covered in pine pitch, set afire and burned, while hanging. The tree was in the yard or very near the home place. My grandmother said that grass would never grow under the tree where the hanging took place. The ropes were left in the tree for a long time. One can only surmise that John Graham was a participant or leader of the mob. I understood that he killed his uncle and aunt for money that people said they had hidden in the house. But that may be just part of the original story. In any case, either story about the motive seems logical. Your time line is right, I was told about the confession sometime in the late 1970s or the 1980s as I recall. As a young man hearing the story, it would be easier for my grandmother to say that the murder was over money rather than relations with a first cousin. But, at first telling, it was without the confession, so the story would not include the confession details. I do not think the motive was that important to her, but of course it does play an important part in the family history. Once it became known that John did the murders, it became a family "secret" that wasn't much of a secret, due to the prior telling. But, I did hear a family member tell the story one time, after I knew about the confession, and I knew that they knew about the confession, and they left out the end. So there are some in the family that consider the confession something to be at least, "left out", of the tale. Besides, for true, if so many folks ended up dead for something they had no part in, it is not something of which one should be proud.4
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Note* | 2002 | In 2002 at Bleckely County, GA, On June 27, 2002 I was shown the site of both the murder and the hanging by Wayne Floyd. The home is recently gone, but a shade tree remains. Across the street the hanging tree is gone. Wayne was shown the site by his father, Arthur Floyd. MVW.9  |
Family | Sarah Jane (Sallie) Davis b. 10 October 1845, d. 4 April 1908 |
MARRIAGE* | 10 May 1867 | On 10 May 1867 at GA They were married by Shade Graham. Shade was the uncle of John Graham who confessed to murdering Sallie and Warren Hart in 1908.3 |
Children | |
Citations
- [S56] 1880 Census;.
- [S512] Bob Bridger, "Bridger," e-mail to Margot Woodrough, March 2003.
- [S2] Harris, History of Pulaski County.
- [S579] Ed Harmond, "Harmond," e-mail to MVW, Feb 8 2006.
- [S493] Bernadette Kuehn Loftin, Cochran Community Development.
- [S55] 1870 Census;.
- [S59] 1900 Census;.
- [S608] Jimmie Lee Davis, "unknown short title," e-mail to MVW.
- [S8] Family information.
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