Dallas DeHart was born April 29, 1845, died June 5, 1932. He was the youngest son of John and Jane Roberts DeHart. He was born and raised where John T. DeHart now lives in Swain county. At the age of 24 he was married to Sarah G. Neil of Macon county. Soon after his marriage he settled within one-half mile of his birth-place where he spent the remainder of his life. Unto them were born nine children; namely, Mary Jane, who died in infancy; Andrew J. the present Postmaster at Bryson City; John Harvey, who died of fever at the age of 19: Emma, wife of A. H. Hyatt of near Bryson City; J. Robert, who lives at the home of his mother; Addie wife of R. L. Noland, lives near Waynesboro, Va.; S. Dillard, who lived at Renick W. Va., until his death, four years ago; Minnie, wife of Rev J. E. Womack, lives at Morvin, N. C.; the youngest, Hattie, wife of R. F. Rogers lives at Etna, N. C.

Dallas DeHart volunteered into the army and was commissioned first Leutenant before his eighteenth birthday and served in that capacity until the close of the war. After the close of the war he took up farming and stock raising and some years later became a merchant and miller and owned and operated a saw mill when not engaged in farming. And during this time sold timber products from land he bought for that purpose. He also developed and sold a kaolin mine. He was thrifty in that he usually planned some enterprise that gave employment and brought a little profit to himself and to those who did the work required to market the products and in that way increased his holdings of mountain land to be held to produce more timber. He did not get rich but had all that was necessary for old age.

Dallas DeHart was interested in politics but his pleasure was to push his friends and stay in the background himself. Occasionally, he would yield to the urge of friends and served a few times as Justice of the Peace, County Treasurer, and County Commissioner. He was serving as chairman of the board of commissioners when he reached the age of seventy-five years. At the end of that term he retired but continued his interest in public affairs holding that these things were conducted for the interest of taxpayers and were the public�s business and not sentiment. As a man he was honest and loyal to his convictions. He believed in paying his own debts and required the same of his neighbors. He never took advantage of a man because he was helpless or ignorant. A large part of the work he managed to have was planned so that those of his neighbors might have a way to earn enough to have provisions and other necessities. Since he could not carry on this policy in business it has often been said his planning and jobs are missed by those who had relied so much on his business and planning.

He loved the church of his choice and supported it liberally; and it can be truthfully said he loved the better things of this life and for that reason could count his friends by the hundreds. - Read before DeHart Reunion. August , 1934, Mrs. Ruth Burgin.

Contributed by John R. DeHart
Document Prepared by Gloria Lambert

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