Death of Ex-Mayor William Hart

After a long illness, during which he suffered intensely, Capt. William Hart expired last night between nine and ten o'clock. This event had been looked for by the family of deceased for sometime, and therefore, was in a measure stripped of that appalling suddenness which is so frequently met in life. Capt. Hart had been suffering for some time with disease of the heart, which was afterward complicated by dropsey, and the two it became inevitable would result in death.. Capt. Hart was a native of the town of Morrow, Ohio, where he was born in February, 1804, and was therefore at the time of his death a few months past his 69th birthday. From his native town he went to Cincinnati, spending a short time, when, in 1821, he removed to Jeffersonville, where he resided until sometime in 1846, then removing to this city. While residing in Jeffersonville he was engaged in building steamboat cabins for a number of years, and on removal to New Albany formed a copartnership with Peter Stoy and Henry B. Stoy, under the firm of Hart, Stoy & Co. Upon the death of the elder Stoy the business was continued by the firm of Hart & Stoy. For a number of years this firm carried on the most extensive steamboat cabin building in the West, and built many of the cabins for the magnificent steamers which were launched from the yards in this city, Louisville, and Jeffersonville.. Upon retiring from the business as stated above, he invested a portion of his capital in steamboats, several of which he commanded; among the latter the T. C. Twitchell and H. D. Newcomb. Shortly after the opening of the war he was appointed to the command of the steamer Diana, which had been purchased by the Government and fitted out as one of the "tin-clad fleet" in the Western waters, in which capacity he rendered efficient service. With the close of his service on board the Diana, he retired practically from business affairs.. During his residence in the city he served the people for one or two terms in the City Council, and upon the death of the lamented Col. Sanderson, who was the Mayor of the city at that time, Capt. Hart was elected to fill the unexpired term, at the end of which he was re-elected, and served the city with fidelity for an addition term, upon the close of which he finally retired from the active duties of life.. A personal acquaintance with the deceased for a term of nearly thirty years, enables us to bear testimony to his worth as a man, and his character as a citizen. In all the relations of life, his deportment would bear the closest scrutiny. As a parent he was kind, indulgent, and considerate; as a husband loving and faithful; as a business man, of unswerving integrity and liberality; as a citizen, energetic and enterprising; as a friend and neighbor, consistent and wise, winning to him the heart of all with whom he came in contact.. As a christian, his life was an illustration of the Gospel of the Redeemer, and the graces of religions were exhibited to the world in their most attractive guise as they clung to and adorned the character of our departed friend. Let him rest in peace!.... The brothers and sisters of the deceased, who but a few days ago returned to their homes, have been telegraphed the intelligence of his death, and it is expected that they will arrive in time to be present at the funeral services, which take place at Wesley Chapel to-morrow afternoon at half past two o'clock.