Benjamin Hart (August 10, 1779 – February 27, 1855) was a Canadian businessman,

militia A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

, and

justice of the peace A justice of the peace (JP) is a judicial officer of a lower or ''puisne'' court, elected or appointed by means of a commission ( letters patent) to keep the peace. In past centuries the term commissioner of the peace was often used with the sa ...

Biography

Early life

Benjamin Hart was born in

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

to Aaron Hart, a prominent merchant of

Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières (, – 'Three Rivers') is a city in the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River, Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence River, Saint Lawrence rivers, on the north shore of the Sain ...

, and Dorothea Judah. Benjamin was educated in New York and Philadelphia and by 1798 had returned to

to assist with the family's extensive business. When Aaron died in 1800, Benjamin inherited the family's main store in Trois-Rivières and their Montreal house. In 1806, he married Harriot Judith Hart, daughter of stockbroker

Ephraim Hart Ephraim Hart (1747 - July 16, 1825) was an American merchant who helped to organize the Board of Stock-Brokers, now known as the New York Stock Exchange. Biography Hart was born in Fürth, a city in the region of Franconia which lies now in Bav ...

. They had numerous children. He supported the cause of Jewish civil liberties, and supported his brother

Ezekiel Ezekiel (; he, יְחֶזְקֵאל ''Yəḥezqēʾl'' ; in the Septuagint written in grc-koi, Ἰεζεκιήλ ) is the central protagonist of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible. In Judaism, Christianity, and Islam, Ezekiel is acknow ...

in his thwarted political career. He helped push for a law, passed in 1831, that granted equality of civil liberties to Jews. He was an active member of Montreal's Jewish congregation. With improved civil liberties, he was able to become a

in 1837. He served in the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

as a

private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

under Captain John Ogilvy. He continued a career in the militia for many years after, commanding the 3rd Militia Battalion in Montreal by 1846 with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. He ran the import firm Benjamin Hart and Company, with his son

Theodore Theodore may refer to: Places * Theodore, Alabama, United States * Theodore, Australian Capital Territory * Theodore, Queensland, a town in the Shire of Banana, Australia * Theodore, Saskatchewan, Canada * Theodore Reservoir, a lake in Sask ...

joining as a partner by 1844. However, he declared bankruptcy in 1848. He opposed the

Rebellion Losses Bill The Rebellion Losses Bill (full name: ''An Act to provide for the Indemnification of Parties in Lower Canada whose Property was destroyed during the Rebellion in the years 1837 and 1838'') was a controversial law enacted by the legislature of ...

of 1849, and signed the

Annexation Manifesto The Montreal Annexation Manifesto was a political document dated September 14, 1849, and signed in Montreal, Canada East, calling for the Province of Canada's annexation by the United States. The manifesto was published in two versions (October 11 ...

, advocating economic and political union with the United States. He then moved to New York where he died. Son Henry N. Hart moved to mid west and daughter Frances Hart Schoyer remained in NYC.

References

External links

The ''Canadian Encyclopedia''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hart, Benjamin 1779 births 1855 deaths Businesspeople from Montreal Canadian businesspeople Canadian people of the War of 1812 Canadian people of English-Jewish descent Canadian people of German-Jewish descent Canadian Jews

Benjamin Hart Benjamin Hart (born 17 October 1977) is an English actor best known for his roles as Foz in the British soap opera ''Hollyoaks'', and as Adam Rhodes in the Australian soap opera ''Neighbours''. Biography Acting career Hart attended Rodborough ...

Pre-Confederation Canadian businesspeople 19th-century Canadian Jews