Details
Title Hart, William Sr.
Date ca. 1815-March 9, 1888
Description William Hart, Sr., a prominent Philadelphia lithographer, was born in England ca. 1815. Immigrating to the United States as a boy with his family, he resided and operated his own lithographic establishment (21 Bank Street) in Philadelphia by ca. 1847. During the mid 1850s, he relocated to his longtime establishment at 25 North Fourth Street (ca. 1858-ca. 1877) before his move in 1878 to the building at 18-20 South Sixth Street owned by paper manufacturer Theodore Megarge. Despite a devastating fire resulting in $20,000 worth of loses for Hart in 1879, he continued in business at North Fourth and Cherry Streets (123-127 North Fourth) with "three spacious and well-lighted rooms", a stock of equipment worth $20,000, 15 employees, and a business income of $25,000 a year as of 1881.
Although most recognized for his plates for a number of John Gould's multi-volume ornithological color-plate books, including "Birds of Asia" (1850-1883) and "Birds of Great Britain" (1862-1873), Hart practiced all branches of the trade. He early advertised the capability to print in colors (1850) and later in his career, received recognition for his card mounts for photographs.
During his first decade in Philadelphia, Hart resided in Kensington (Third Ward) with his wife Grace (b. ca. 1815) and his son William, also a lithographer. By the early 1860s, Hart and his family relocated to West Philadelphia and established a residence at 3703 Spring Garden Street.
Hart died on March 9, 1888 with the reputation as a "pioneer" and "progressive" lithographer. His son William continued the business until ca. 1900.
Is part of Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
Call number Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
Bibliographic citation American Lithographer and Printer, April 28, 1888
Census 1850, 1870, 1880
Edwards, The Industries of Philadelphia (1881)
Last, 192
Pennsylvania, Vol. 138, p. 380, R.G. Dun & Co. Collection, microfilm, Hagley Museum & Library
Philadelphia Inquirer, December 2, 1879
Philadelphia Business and City Directories 1846-1888 (intermittently)