Richard HART and his wife, Mary Theresa O'CONNELL HART, both natives of Ireland, were married in Quebec, Canada in 1843.

They farmed in New York for 25 years, and all their children were born there. In 1868 they started west, and after short stops in Illinois and Columbus Junction, Iowa, they settled on a farm northwest of Maloy in 1870.

Richard died in 1871 and Mary Theresa in 1883.

They were the parents of six children: Elizabeth, Michael N., Catherine, Mary Ellen, John G., Anna Margaret and William Richard.

Elizabeth married James JORDAN in New York in 1866. They and James' mother came with the HARTS to Iowa. The JORDANS stayed in Ringgold County only a short time, moving to Maryville, Missouri. In 1900 they migrated to Oklahoma Territory where they made their home. Many of their descendants live in or near Woodward, Oklahoma.

Michael married Margaret Ellen SHAY in 1873, and Anna married William Henry (Doug) SHAY in 1877. Mary Ellen married William LAMBERT in 1881. John G. and Mary MULLIN were also married in 1881. The four families lived in or near Maloy for the rest of their lives and were an active part of the community.

The youngest child William R. and his wife Mary Elizabeth GRIFFIN lived in Maloy for a time where he owned and operated the Mercantile. In 1903 the family left Maloy. They moved to Iowa City where William operated a shoe store while attending the University of Iowa College of Law. He practiced law with his son William Jr. until his death in 1925.

William and Mary had five children, all born in Maloy. Mary died in infancy and Vincent died in 1900 at age 4. Ellen became a Dominican nun and teacher. Beryl taught at various colleges in the east including Smith, Wellesley and Rutgers University. William Jr. practiced law in Iowa City.

NOTES: Richard HART was born in County Corke, Ireland March 10, 1818, and died November 21, 1871. He was the son of Michael and Catherine (NAGEL) HART. Richard and Mary Theresa O'CONNELL were married at St. Regis, Qubec, Canada on February 13, 1843. Mary Theresa, the daughter of John and Mary Theresa (O'KEEFE) O'CONNELL, was born September 10, 1823 in Munster, Ireland, and died May 2, 1883, Maloy. They were interred at St. Mary's Cemetery near Maloy.

Elizabeth Ellen HART was born March 12, 1844, Ft. Covington, New York, and died November 24, 1918, Woodward County, Oklahoma. She marred in 1866 William James JORDAN.

Michael N. HART was born in Franklin County, New York February 22, 1847, and died May 18, 1909. He married in 1875 Margaret Ellen SHAY, the daughter of Luke and Julia (WHELAN) SHAY. Margaret Ellen was born in Clarke County, Iowa on November 12, 1857, and died in St. Louis, Missouri May 31, 1940. They were interred at St. Mary's Cemetery near Maloy.

Mary Ellen HART was born in New York April 6, 1853, and died in Maloy August 3, 1920. She married William "Bill" LAMBERT who was born in 1837, and died in 1907. They were interred at St. Mary's Cemtery near Maloy.

John Gerard HART was born in Franklin County, New York April 11, 1855, and died in Clearfield, Iowa on August 16, 1907. He married circa 1880 Mary MULLIN, the daughter of Dennis and Margaret (HOULIHAN) MULLIN. She was born in Fairfield, Ohio December 29, 1857, and died in Maloy October 9, 1944. They were interred at St. Mary's Cemetery near Maloy.

William R. HART Sr. practiced law in Iowa City from around 1907 through 1925 with his son, William Jr. The firm was known from 1912 to 1925 as HART & HART, Attorneys at Law. After William Sr.'s death in 1925, William Jr. continued in a solo practice. After serving a term as the U.S. District Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa, William Jr. joined Louis SHULMAN and William V. PHELAN, forming the firm of HART, SHULMAN & PHELEN.

SOURCE: Maloy, Iowa Centennial History: 1887 - 1987 p. 134.

Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library

Transcription and Notes by Sharon R. Becker, August of 2011