From "HISTORY OF THE UPPER OHIO VALLEY,"  Vol. I, page 335.
Brant & Fuller, 1890.


CHARLES BURDETT HART

*Journalism is now admitted to be one of the "learned professions."  
Men now-a-days equip themselves for it as lawyers prepare for the 
bar, ministers for the pulpit, and physicians for the practice of 
medicine.  The newspaper is the greatest educator on the earth.  It 
is read by practically everybody.  Its power, therefore, for good or 
evil, is very great.  Charles Burdett Hart, the subject of this 
sketch, is a born journalist.  As soon as his college days were over 
he took straight to journalism.  Brevity is the soul of wit.  Horace 
Greeley, I believe, is the originator of editorial paragraphing.  It 
is in the use of short, pithy editorial paragraphs that the American 
press differs most widely from that of England.  Mr. Hart adopted the 
Greeley idea of writing short, pungent editorials, and adheres to it 
under almost all circumstances.  He has an unerring "nose for news," 
and believes in the policy of cutting down editorials to give place 
for news.  In this ever-growing feature of American journalism, Mr. 
Hart excels. Naturally witty, he dashes off paragraph after 
paragraph, on different subjects, with rapidity and ease, and at the 
same time keeps his news columns up to the highest standard of 
reliable news reports.  Under his editorial management the DAILY 
INTELLIGENCER holds an enviable position among the newspapers of the 
Ohio valley.  Charles Burdett Hart was born in Baltimore, Md., June 
16, 1850.  He is the eldest born of Mary Stevens Mulliken and Francis 
Burdett Hart.  His paternal grandfather and grandmother came from 
England.  On his mother's side, his ancestors came from England 
before the revolution, and settled in Maryland as planters, and took 
part on the patriot side in the war for independence.   His mother's 
father was a soldier in the war of 1812.  Mr. Hart was educated in 
the public schools of New York and Brooklyn, in the English and 
French academy in Brooklyn, and in a four-years' course in St. 
Timothy's Hall, Maryland, a military academy of high repute in its 
day.  At St. Timothy's Hall he was the salutatorian of his class.  He 
displayed more than common facility in acquiring languages, both 
ancient and modern.  In these days of active business he gladly turns 
for mental rest and diversion to a good book in French, Spanish or 
German, and reads out of the original with fluency and satisfaction. 
From 1868 to 1869 he taught school in Queen Anne's county, Md.  With 
no intention of being admitted to the bar, he read law with the Hon. 
Benjamin Harris Brewster, of Philadelphia, attorney-general in the 
cabinet of the late President Arthur.  In early life he decided to 
adopt journalism as a profession.  Accordingly, in 1871, he began his 
journalistic career by serving as reporter, city editor, telegraph 
editor, managing editor, editorial writer and Washington 
correspondent.  Mr. Hart has been connected with the CHRONICLE, 
INQUIRER, NORTH AMERICAN, and PRESS of Philadelphia.  He was 
editorial writer on the Philadelphia PRESS, when, November 15, 1882, 
he purchased an interest in the Wheeling INTELLIGENCER, succeeding 
the Hon. A. W. Campbell as editor of that well-known and thoroughly 
established newspaper.  He is a republican in politics and in 1872 
cast his first ballot for Gen. Grant and the entire republican 
ticket, although at the time he was employed on an independent 
republican newspapers that supported Horace Greeley.  Before he 
arrived at his twenty-first birthday he took an active part in 
political campaigns, delivering republican speeches, and has never 
been allied with any other political organization.  An earnest 
student of politics, yet he has never been a candidate for political 
preferment, and has no taste for public office, or aspiration of any 
kind in that direction.  He is a journalist in the broadest sense and 
meaning of the word, loves his calling, and will not allow fiimself 
to be side-tracked by the allurements of official favor, or ambitions 
of any kind whatever.  January 25, 1877, he married Miss Mary Willie, 
daughter of Morgan L. Ott, of Wheeling.  Two children have resulted 
from this union, Morgan Ott and Virginia Stevens, the 
latter,deceased.  Mr. Hart, is not only a thorough journalist, but he 
is public-spirited and enterprising as well.  He set on foot the 
movement that resulted in in the great gathering of West Virginians 
known as the Immigration Convention, that was held in the city of 
Wheeling in February, 1888, which had for its object the development 
of the boundless natural resources of West Virginia.  That convention 
was attended by delegates from every portion of the state, which gave 
an impetus to an immigration movement that will not likely cease 
until West Virginia's wonderful natural advantages are made 
thoroughly known to the people throughout the country.  Mr. Hart was 
chosen by that great convention as president of the state board of 
immigration and development, and has given to the position his best 
energies, which have already produced the most gratifying results. 

*By Hon. George W. Atkinson. 


(Linda Fluharty)