Dick Hart has been Benton’s Citizen of Year for decades
The only surprise with the recent selection of Richard O. Hart as Citizen of the Year by the Benton-West City Chamber of Commerce is that it took so long for his extraordinary achievements to be recognized.
No history of Benton would be complete without reference to the civic contributions of generations of lawyers whose last names have been Hart.
The law firm of Hart & Hart, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 1987, was founded by Richard Hart’s grandfather, William Henry Hart. The building on West Public Square that houses the firm was the original home of a coal company that also was founded by the elder Hart.
Other members of the law firm throughout the years have included Richard Hart’s father, Marion M. Hart; an uncle, William W. Hart, a cousin, William Ward Hart Jr., and a son, Murphy C. Hart.
Dick Hart was a member of the Illinois House of Representatives for a decade and has been president of the Benton Civic and Industrial Association and Benton Area Chamber of Commerce. He has served on the city plan commission and zoning board of appeals.
Twice president of the Franklin County Bar Association, Hart has headed the county chapter of CASA and was a founding director of the area Habitat for Humanity. He is secretary of the Community Park Board.
Professionally, he served for 12 years on the ISBA Assembly and six years on the Board of Governors. A Senior Counsellor, he was inducted into the first class of Laureates of the ISBA Academy of Illinois Lawyers in 2000.
Hart was a founding board member of both Attorneys’ Title Guaranty Fund and the ISBA Mutual Insurance Co. A director of the Bank of Sesser for 27 years, he was a trustee of the Rend Lake Conservancy District.
He is an honorary life member of the Southern Illinois University School of Law, a Rotary Club member and former church deacon.