Hines, H. K. "An Illustrated History of the State of Oregon." Chicago: Lewis
Pub. Co. 1893.  p. 780.
 
JAMES DART 

     The gentleman most interested in this brief mention is a native of the old
world, and dates his birth at Devonshire, England, May 18, 1811. His parents
were John and Mary (Parsons) Dart, both of English birth, and they reared a
family of nine children. Eight years after the birth of our subject, the eldest
child, the family left England, and emigrated to America, locating in Canada.
Our subject was reared and educated in the Dominion of Canada, and there served
an apprenticeship to the trade of carpenter and builder, which he followed for
some months at Victoria.
     At a later date oar subject removed to Seattle, and then to Olympia,
Washington, where he remained until the year 1876, when he located at St. Helen.
He was engaged as superintendent of the force which prepared the timber that
forms the extensive mill now owned by the Muckle Brothers at the rebuilding of
the mill, the former one having been destroyed by fire. Mr. Dart was one of the
stockholders of the mill until 1873, at which time the property passed into
other hands, but he still retains the position of foreman of the whole plant. He
lost heavily in the enterprise at the time of the sale, but this in some degree
he has been able to overcome, by dint of hard work and good management. He has
since that time accumulated considerable city property, and also owns 100 acres
of land near Scappoose bay, forty acres of which is improved land.
     The St. Helen's property consists of some forty city lots, and Mr. Dart now
has considerable commercial standing in this city. Our subject had been twice
married. In 1878 he was married to Miss Lucy Bonser, a native of this State, who
died in 1878, leaving two children, Mary B. and John H. The present Mrs. Dart
was Ellen Perry, and two children have been born of this marriage, Grace and
Bertha.
     Mr. Dart was naturalized in 1872, and has served as County Sheriff three
successive terms. He was elected County Clerk in 1878, and filled that office
two years, and at the present time is a member of the City Council. In political
matters he is allied with the Democrats in the progressive wing, and takes a
deep interest in the affairs of the nation. Socially he affiliates with the A.
F. & A. M., Lodge No. 32, and he has held all of the minor offices of the order.
Mr. Dart is a man of strict business qualifications, and keeps abreast of the
times, being ever ready to aid and encourage public enterprises which have for
their object the advancement of the city and country.

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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in June 2008 by Diana Smith.  Submitter
has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.