Elizabeth hart coats and henry clay hart

Henry Clay Hart (1783-1867) was the father of Elizabeth Hart Coats (1812-1859). They first appeared on a map of current day Tyson land in 1857, and their last appearance of owning land was in 1870. Henry was born in South Carolina, but moved to Tennessee with his wife, Nancy Rainey, in 1808. Elizabeth was born, and Henry soon after fought in the war of 1812. Because of his service, he was eligible to receive a land grant from the government. He was granted land in Arkansas, Illinois and Missouri, which he gave to his children. Records indicate that Elizabeth settled down in Missouri.  

Henry’s father was Sgt. James Hart and his mother was Elizabeth Jernigan Hart. He had at least two siblings: Jesse Hart Sr. and Derryl Hart. In addition to Elizabeth, he had several other children: James Williamson Hart, Rev. John Henry Hart, Letha Hart Martin, Nancy Hart Gossage, Nathan T. Hart, Derrel Jesse Hart, Agnes Hart Morris, Martin M Hart, and Malinda Hart. Elizabeth married James Coats and was sometimes known by his last name. Politicians Henry Clay and Thomas Hart Benton may have been related to the family.  

The Hart family members were enslavers. Elizabeth and James emancipated James, whom they previously had enslaved, while Henry emancipated an enslaved woman named Susan. In the 1860 Census, they enslaved four men between the ages of 21 and 35, four boys between the ages of 4 and 17, three women ages 22, 30 and 60, and two girls, one three and one under a year old. Notably, Henry C. Hart did not pay the slaveholder tax in order to vote in 1836, paying only the tax on his land. This indicates either tax evasion or a later acquisition of the people he enslaved.