Memorial service to be held for 2021 SJ-R First Citizen Dick Hart on Aug. 6
A memorial service will be held next month for Richard "Dick" Hart, the 2021 State Journal-Register First Citizen Award winner who died on May 16.
The memorial service is at Panther Creek Country Club, 3001 Panther Creek Dr., at 3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6. The family will receive guests from 2 to 6 p.m.
Hart, 79, an attorney and author known for his preservation work around the city, had recently relocated to Bonita Springs, Florida, with his wife, Ann Tobin Hart. He was visiting Springfield when he passed away at Springfield Memorial Hospital.
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A native of Springfield, Hart practiced law for 40 years and founded the firm of Hart, Southworth & Witsman. Hart also practiced law with Sorling, Catron & Hardin.
Hart led efforts to save, preserve and raise funds for the Elijah Iles House, now at 628 S. Seventh St. The Greek revival cottage, dating from 1837, is the oldest structure in Springfield and houses the Farrell and Ann Gay Museum of Springfield History.
As president of Springfield Preservation Limited and Settlers Row Limited, Hart helped save and revitalize a number of Abraham Lincoln-era houses in the 300 block of West Cook Street called German Settlers Row.
The Illinois State Historical Society presented Hart with its "Lifetime Achievement Award" in 2013. The city recognized Hart as its Preservationist of the Year in 1999.
In later years, Hart's interest turned to "Lincoln's Springfield Cottage," an effort to recreate the cottage the Lincoln family lived in before the house at Eighth and Jackson came to look like it does today.
Hart served as president of The Abraham Lincoln Association and the Sangamon County Historical Society and was a prolific writer on local history and Lincoln. In 2012, Hart was presented with the Logan Hay Medal, the ALA's highest honor.
Hart's books include "Lincoln's Springfield -- The Funeral of Abraham Lincoln" (2015), "Lincoln’s Springfield – The Early African American Population" (2008) and "Letters of Springfield Ladies" (2019). All were part of Hart's "Spring Creek Series."
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In a Nov. 28 story in the SJ-R announcing the award, David Barringer called Hart "today’s most knowledgeable person on Springfield and surrounding area history." Barringer is the son of the late Dr. Floyd Barringer, a Springfield physician and preservationist.
Hart served on the Oak Ridge Cemetery Board, the Springfield and Central Illinois African American History Museum board and the board of directors for the Rutledge Youth Foundation.
Hart is also survived by three children: Evan in Springfield; Julia in Austin, Texas; and Jay in Sarasota, Florida; and seven grandchildren.
Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie.
This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: 2021 First Citizen Dick Hart's memorial service planned for Aug. 6
