Hart Family - Ourfolk

Albert Thomas Hart was a high school basketball player who became a produce wholesaler in Chicago, and later in Pompano Beach, Florida.

He lived in a time when hard work, coupled with a growing economy at the end of WWII and with low land prices enabled him to live a life of relative leisure in retirement.

Compiled the HART + DOUGLASS Family genealogy 1972 which is the basis for this Our Folk website.

Moved from Elmwood, Ill to Peoria with her family in 1901. Graduated from Franklin School in Peoria in 1910 and from Peoria High School.

Norma is remembered for a demeanor which made her a beloved mother and grandmother. Norma - Grandma Hart - ran the great Log Summer Home in Shorewood Hills Mich. until she and Albert T. Hart moved to Pompano Beach, Fl. about 1970.
Her sister Imogene lived with her and Albert until Norma's death in 1989. Norma never drove a car - the story is that she had a bad accident while learning to drive and decided never to try again.

Her grandchildren always remembered her cookie jar filled with homemade cookies whenever they went to visit her during the summers at her home in Shorewood Hills, MI

(Woody Hart - 2013)

Miss Norma E. Douglas, daughter of Mrs. W. H. Douglas and Albert T. Hart, son of Mrs. N. F. Hart, were married yesterday at high noon at the Grace M. E. church by the Rec. Walter Atkin and left immediately for a short honeymoon to Chicago. They will be at home to their many friends after May 1st at 102 north street, Peoria.

(Compiled by Albert Douglass Hart, Sr.)

Attended Lincoln and White Public Schools and Peoria High School.

Married Norma Elizabeth Douglass in 1915. Had two sons, Albert Douglass Hart and Norwood Albert Hart.

Following graduation was employed by Wabash and Pennsylvania railroads in Peoria.

He was transferred to St. Louis, Pennsylvania RR. Vice-President's Office in 1920, then returned to Peoria in 1923 in the Fruit and Vegetable Brokerage business.

They were members of the Universalist Church in Peoria, but joined Trinity Methodist in Chicago,
because that's where his son, Albert D., decided to join the Boy Scouts in 1930.

He first retired to an apartment on Chicago's Gold Coast.

Lived on the beach in Pompano Beach Florida (The Kensington), until he, Norma and Imogene moved into
the John Knox Village in 1980.

Affiliations:

Masonic Lodge Temple #46 and Boulevard #882, A. F. & A. M.
Abbas Grotto, Peoria.
Scottish Rite bodies, Valley of Chicago.
Medinah Temple, A. A. O. N. M. S., Chicago.
Gold Coast Shrine Club, Deerfield Beach, Fla.

First Methodist Church, Pompano Beach, Fla.
Resided in John Knox Village since September of 1980.

Listed in 1920 Census with her father - William Henry Douglass:

Census: 1920 Census, City of Peoria, Illinois, 501 Illinois Ave
Name	Rel	age	born in	father born in	mother born in	occupation	type of company
William Douglas:	Head	66	Canada	New York	New York	Special Agent	Insurance Co.
Blanch A. Douglas:	wife	52	Arkansas	Pennsylvania	Ohio	none
Imogene W. Douglas:	daughter	21	Illinois	Canada	Arkansas	Clerk, office	Insurance
Arthur W. Reich:	son in law	30	Illinois	Germany	Germany	Tinsmith	Railroad
Naomi M. Reich:	daughter	26	Illinois	Canada	Arkansas	none
Albert T. Hart:	son in law	24	Illinois	Illinois	Illinois	clerk	Railroad
Norma W. Hart:	daughter	24	Illinois	Canada	Arkansas	none
Hugh D. Hart:	grandson	3 1/2	Illinois	Illinois	Illinois	none
Emeline Morris:	mother in law	76	Ohio	Virginia	Ohio	none
Courtesy Our Folk - Hart Family Genealogy - ourfolkgen.com

Albert T. Hart;head;34;Ill;Ill;Pa;Broker - produce house
Norma E. Hart;wife;34;Ill;Canada;Arkansas;none
Albert D. Hart;son;13;Ill;Ill;Ill
Norwood A. Hart;son;9;Ill;Ill;Ill

Listed in 1920 Census with his father in law - William Henry Douglass:

Census: 1920 Census, City of Peoria, Illinois, 501 Illinois Ave
Name	Rel	age	born in	father born in	mother born in	occupation	type of company
William Douglas:	Head	66	Canada	New York	New York	Special Agent	Insurance Co.
Blanch A. Douglas:	wife	52	Arkansas	Pennsylvania	Ohio	none
Imogene W. Douglas:	daughter	21	Illinois	Canada	Arkansas	Clerk, office	Insurance
Arthur W. Reich:	son in law	30	Illinois	Germany	Germany	Tinsmith	Railroad
Naomi M. Reich:	daughter	26	Illinois	Canada	Arkansas	none
Albert T. Hart:	son in law	24	Illinois	Illinois	Illinois	clerk	Railroad
Norma W. Hart:	daughter	24	Illinois	Canada	Arkansas	none
Hugh D. Hart:	grandson	3 1/2	Illinois	Illinois	Illinois	none
Emeline Morris:	mother in law	76	Ohio	Virginia	Ohio	none
Courtesy Our Folk - Hart Family Genealogy - ourfolkgen.com

Albert T. Hart;head;34;Ill;Ill;Pa;Broker - produce house
Norma E. Hart;wife;34;Ill;Canada;Arkansas;none
Albert D. Hart;son;13;Ill;Ill;Ill
Norwood A. Hart;son;9;Ill;Ill;Ill

Returned to Peoria in 1923 in engage in the Fruit and Vegetable Brokerage business. Peoria manager of C. H. Robinson Co. of Minneapolis. Transferred to C. H. Robinson office in Detroit in 1929.

In 1930, he was transferred by Kroger to Detroit and bought a home on Walled Lake.
He only stayed in Detroit for the summer, but they kept the home as a summer cottage until 1944.

In fall of 1930 went to Chicago to establish the Wesco Foods Co., Fruit and Vegetable Subsidiary of Kroger Co.

Operated Novy-Hart Co., Produce Buyers on the Chicago South Water Market from 1935 to 1938, when he assumed position of Director of Fruit and Vegetable Operation of Independent Grocers Alliance. (L.C.L means combining items which are less than a full container load)

Took leave of absence in 1940 to join the Quartermaster Corps Perishable Subsistence Division, Market Center Field Headquarters, Chicago, as Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Consultant.

Following War Service in 1944 resumed activity with I.G.A., establishing Alliance Produce Co., serving I.G.A. retail stores in Illinois and Indiana and wholesale dealers throughout the country in conjunction with Food Brokers, Inc.

Retired from South Water Market acitvity in 1956 and moved to Florida, where he became interested in vegetable growing, buying and shipping on the Pompano State market, operating as H & H Brokers. Retired from such activity in 1971.

Fruit and Vegatable Market in Pompano Beach, Florida

Al died of lung cancer. Perhps this was from breathing Lindane for many years in his home as a result of investing in a company that made an insecticide vaporizer, which evaporated Lindane, and using one himself for many years. Back in the 50's people used DDT and Lindane, and other inseciticdes without understanding the dangers.

in 1930, Albert Thomas Hart moved to Chicago and worked on the SOuth Water Market which had been moved from its original location on Water Street to a new facility near 14th and Racine.

This postcard is the South Water Market in its new location.

In about 1950, Albert and Norma teamed up with Eric and Rhea Johnston, and purchased several lots in Shorewood Hills, Michigan. The each owned half of the lot between their own, and between heir lots and the lake to
insure that ni one could ever purchase it and build on it.

#imge -sep-2020/Old-Shorewood.jpg

During the summers, he lived in a wooded area with a view of the lake out his picture windows. The second lot was reserved for a home for the families of his two sons who shared it, each taking it for a month in the summer, and sharing it during the kids' spring vacations.

For several years they lived in Chicago in the winter and lived up in Shorewood in the summer. In 1956 they moved to florida, coming up toIn 1971 they

They built a second house about 1956 so more of the family could visit at the same time.

He later sold the sons' lot and purchased a home in Pompano Beach. He became a 'snowbird', traveling to Florida for the winters and to Michigan during the summers. He grew restless with retirement, and as stated above, opened a produce wholesale business in Pompano.

In 1965 they sold the Shorewood property and lived only in Florida.

Albert Thomas Hart, 87, of Pompano Beach, Fla., formerly of Peoria, died yesterday at John Knox Medical Center, Pompano.

Born Oct 3, 1895, in Peoria, he was the son of Norwood and Lenna Reuter Hart. He married Norma Douglass in 1915.

He was a fruit and vegatable broker 50 years in Peoria, Chicago and Pompano. He was grand secretary treasurer and president of Beta Phi Sigma National Fraternity He was a member of Temple Lodge 46, AF&AM, Peoria. Abbas Grotto Scottish Rite Bodies, Valley of Chicago, and the Gold Coast Shrine Club of Florida.

Surviving are his wife; two sons, Norward and Albert, both of Deerfield Beach, Fla.; seven grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.

Burial will be in Parkview Cemetery.

Memorials may be made to Shriner' Hospitals for Crippled Chidren