Joseph Dart

Joseph Dart
Joseph Dart, ca 1870
Born	April 30, 1799 East Hampton, Connecticut, U.S.
Died	September 28, 1879(1879-09-28) (aged 80)
Resting place	Forest Lawn Cemetery
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Businessman, entrepreneur, inventor
Spouse	Dotha Dennison ​ (m. 1830)​
Children	7

Joseph Dart (April 30, 1799 – September 28, 1879) was an American businessman and entrepreneur associated with the grain industry. He was well educated and at the age of 17 began an apprenticeship in a hat factory before managing one in 1819. Two years later in 1821, he moved to Buffalo, New York, and in the following year, opened a store trading hats, leather and fur. Among his customers were Native Americans, including Red Jacket. To facilitate communication, he learned the various Iroquoian languages of the local tribes. Dart remained in the trade until just before the panic of 1837, which resulted in a recession and the store collapsing. He shortly after turned his attention towards grain trading.

Dart conceived of a machine-powered grain elevator in 1842, the first in America and known as Dart's Elevator. Other grain elevators where later built that helped make Buffalo a major port city and within fifteen years, the largest grain shipping port in the world. During his later years, he was a lumber dealer with his brother and was a founding member of the Buffalo Seminary.

Dart married Dotha Dennison in 1830 and had seven children, several of whom died young. He lived in an elegant home during the latter years of his eighty year life, where he and his wife hosted elaborate balls and dinners. He died in September 1879 aged 80, having been described in "very good health" up until his last days.