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Even though Milledge Alfonso Hart came from Georgia via Louisiana to New Boston, Texas; then a very small community on the new Texas and Pacific Railroad Line, to sell fruit trees to the new settlers; his real love was animals and horse and mule trading would eventually be his basic forte.
He was a dogmatic personality of great character and his integrity played a major role in the very good success that he had in dealign with his customers. His word was his bond and his hand shake closed a solid deal. Anytime a customer bought an animal that was not satisfactory, he could bring it back to the sale barn and pick another for exchange. This stability and good salesmanship brought success and success brought a large new home, pasture land, farm land and eventually a huge barn and feed lot where numerous carloads of mules were brought in from Kansas City, Missouri, Fort Worth, Texas and other areas. Every farmer in Bowie County and surrounding areas knew that they could get a good team from M.A. Hart and most of them did. He became a mastre at matching mules up into teams and rarely forgot any mule he ever sold.
He was to later, after World War 1, take in his namesake son as a partner in the flourishing business. some time after this, his prime interest became cotton; cotton futures to be exact, and for a while it was good to him financially. Later, however, as the market deteriorated, he took serious financial losses.
In the meantime he had built another home south of the railroad in about 1917, where he had room for a new barn of tremendous size, a large double garage, smoke house, sweet potatoe kiln and servant quarters.
All of this time, his wife, Lou Barrow Hart, had made him a wonderful wife and provided stability iin the home and raised their family within the guidance of the Baptist teachings and Holy Bible.
His home was his castle and it was always his pleasure to have as many of the family members present as possible for a big SUnday dinner, after which everyone gathered in the front gallery for conversation and to receive Sunday afternoon visitors. One of his delights later in the afternoon was to go over to his huge cistern and pull up a sack full of watermelon that he had been cooling to be served for refreshments.
In the spring and summer he would sit out on the gallery with the family and any visitors for good conversation. When it became 9 p.m. however, he would excuse himself and go to bed and nothing seemed important enough for him to change this routine. "Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise', seemed to be his life style.
To further illustrate his love for animals, at one time or another, he had numerous pet squirrels, a pet monkey, guineas, turkeys, chickens, cows, sheep, goats and dogs around the home place. He later had deer trapped and put in the Bowie County Fairgrounds area where he trained them to eat from his hand for theenjoyment of the townspeople.
In 1932 he bought a new Model B Ford coupe which was to lat him the remainder of his lifetime. Everyone recognized him for years when they saw that car and his pleasure in later years was to drive around the county to see his old friends at their places and stop infor a visit. He never was one to think and talk of the past very much. He was an optimist that was interested in the day at hand and the future potential of tomorrow. Everyone appeared to enjoy visiting with him, whether to talk politics, watermelons or the good that could come from drinking the mineral water he pushed which came froma well underground on the main street of New Boston.
The days dimmed for him considerably with the loss of his lifetime mate in the early thirities, and later the loss of his namesake and previous partner in February 1936. He never seemed to have the vigor of life that he had prior to these loving losses.
Well, he once said, "Boy, always keep a good woman and a good horse and everything else will work out right." He practiced what he preached and when he passed away in 1944 there were scores of mourners, both white and black. He treated the needs of all people he knew as his personal obligation to help them through their despair - What a gentleman - What a man's man - What a Forefather!
From the Mildred Carl Hart Book
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