Judge John Hawkins Hart was born 3 Nov 1856 in Smith Mills to John Bradford Hart (1819 – 1905) and Gabriella Madison Hawkins (1833 – 1859).
John Hawkins Hart obtained his education in the county schools and Henderson high school. He married Susan Ballard Powell (1860 – 1937) in 1885. In 1892, they moved to their new house at 630 Center Street.
John Hawkins Hart served as county clerk, and in November 1901, was elected county judge, and re-elected in 1905. During this time he took up the study of law, and was admitted to the bar. He then held the position of county judge.
He was a law practice partner of Morris & Hart (B. S. Morris and J. Hawkins Hart). The partnership was entered into in February, 1910, their offices being in the Wise building at the corner of First and Elm streets.
He conducted a well known real estate agency under the name of J. H. Hart & Co. The firm buy, sell and exchange real estate in both the city and county and make a specialty of farm lands of all descriptions.
John Hawkins Hart died 17 May 1938 (aged 81) and was buried in Fernwood Cemetery.
Obituary:
Judge John Hawkins Hart, 81, former county and former city of-ficial, died suddenly at 5:28 o’clock Tuesday morning at his home, 630
Center street.
A member of the Henderson bar for more than half a century, Judge Hart left a long record of public service.
He served as county clerk for 12 years, as county judge for eight years and as a city commissioner for two. Active in civic affairs, he also was a leading member of the First Presbyterian church.
Born Nov. 3, 1856, the son of John Bradford Hart and Gabriella Madison Hawkins, he was married in 1885 to Susan Ballard Powell, who died Sept. 23, 1937. To the union were born two children, John Hawkins Hart, jr., who died in infancy, and Susan Reeve Hart, who survives him.
Funeral services will be held at 2 o’clock Thursday afternoon at at the residence, Dr. R. E. Douglas, pastor of the First Presbyterian church, officiating. Burial will be in Fernwood cemetery
The pallbearers will be: honorary -J. Henry Lyne, Morgan Stan-ley, Judge B. S. Morris, F. J. Pen-tecost, N. Powell Taylor, S. O Heilbronner, L. B. Hicks, J. E Stapp, Dr. Emerson Smith, S. A Banks, E. A. Royster, Dr. Thomas Posey, S. H. Kimmel, Lambert Kimmel, George Lyne, Charles Hopkins, Albert Dade, J. H. Mc-Cullough, Chas. Burbanks, Geo. Barnett, I. O. Griffith, M. M. Levy,
H. B. Hazlewood and Geo. F Priest; active–Arch Clark, Kenneth Lyne, J. W. Brown, Black Eblen, Logan Rapier and W. B Server.
