Benjamin Hart

Benjamin Hart, businessman (b at Montréal 10 Aug 1779; d at New York, NY 27 Feb 1855). Brother of Moses Hart and son of Aaron Hart, a prominent Trois-Rivières merchant, Benjamin followed his father's occupation, first at Trois-Rivières and Montréal, then almost exclusively in Montréal. A persistent advocate of Jewish civil liberties, in 1833 he was offered an appointment as a Montréal justice of the peace, as were Samuel B. Hart and Moses Hayes; he and Hayes refused the appointment until 1837 when legislation was passed enabling Jews to take an oath of office which was not repugnant to their religion. Benjamin Hart was also a leading advocate of the revival and restoration of Montréal's Shearith Israel Synagogue. A wealthy merchant, a generous patron of charitable organizations, an outspoken opponent of the Patriote cause and a member of the militia, in 1849 Hart signed the Annexation Manifesto. Shortly thereafter he moved to New York.