Leedon Hart was born on March 4, 1838 in Gallatin, Sumner County, Tennessee, to Anderson Hart and Parthena Jefferson. During the Civil War, he served in Company B, 60th Infantry of the U.S. Colored Troops. He married Juda Hart, his first wife, on April 14, 1866 in Sumner County, Tennessee.
The Harts were one of the first African American families to settle in Davenport, first appearing in the Davenport City Directory in 1873. One of the reasons for selecting Davenport may have been because William, Leedon’s brother, had settled in Davenport around 1867.
This City Directory page shows Leedon’s brother James’ employment and residency, Davenport, Iowa, City Directory, 1873
The couple had three children: William (1869 – 20 Sep 1927), Jenette/Genevieve/Mrs. James Christenia/Mrs. Bates (Feb 1874 – 16 May 1953), and Arthur (25 Dec 1875 – 03 Aug 1953). As the family was adjusting to their new life in Davenport, Juda died sometime between 1876 and 1880.
The census record below shows Leedon with his children after Juda passed away.
Year: 1880; Census Place: Davenport, Scott, Iowa; Roll: 364; Page: 562B; Enumeration District: 274
Leedon Hart married Katie Dodge on March 17, 1881 in Rock Island, Illinois. Catherine “Katie” Dodge was born in April 1866 in Mineral Point, Iowa County, Wisconsin, to Toby Dodge and Eliza Walters Jones. Mineral Point was the territorial capital of the Wisconsin Territory. The couple had 9 children:
Anna Belle/Mrs. Abraham Mitchell (17 Dec 1888 – 23 Nov 1967)
Eva/Mrs. Addison Wilson (05 Nov 1888 – 01 Jun 1967)
LeRoy (19 Mar 1893 – 11 Dec 1951)
Raymond (18 Dec 1894 – 11 Sep 1952)
Florence/Mrs. Walter Harvell/Mrs. Charles Scott/Mrs. Fred Acosta (02 Jun 1899 – 21 Feb 1968)
Dorothy/Myrtle/Mrs. Charles Robinson (13 Oct 1902 – 19 Jun 1932)
Albert (ca.1903 – 24 Mar 1951).
Leedon and his family remained residents of Davenport. On July 15, 1910, Leedon died in Davenport, Scott County, Iowa. Seven years later, Katie passed away on January 27, 1917 in Davenport. They are both buried at Oakdale Cemetery.
The Daily Times 24, no. 189 July 16, 1910): 6
The Daily Times 31, no. 36 January 27, 1917): 7
(posted by Cristina)
Thank you so much for this! Leedon was my great-great-grandfather. My paternal grandmother’s grandfather. Any information I can find about my ancestors is awesome, but just to know Leedon’s story, or a little bit of it, makes me incredibly proud to be his great-great-granddaughter. Thank you again ❤️