Looking out the same window once used by a man who helped declare America’s independence is, for Jim Jeffers, “pure magic.” Jeffers, the current owner of the John Hart Homestead in Hopewell Township, is one of several locals featured in a new documentary that shines a light on one of the nation’s lesser-known Founding Fathers.
Released on YouTube last month, the film titled “Beyond The Signer: The Life of John Hart,” offers an inside look at the life of John Hart, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, and his enduring ties to Hopewell Valley. Filmed across historic sites in Mercer County, it features local historians and descendants who piece together Hart’s story and the region’s role in the nation’s founding.
“While he might be one of the lesser-known signers, John Hart’s story is undeniably vital to understanding this nation’s origins,” said Gregory Munro, a direct descendant of Hart and the film’s writer and producer.
Commissioned by the Descendants of the Declaration of Independence in partnership with the Hopewell Museum, the film was produced and directed by Luke Owen of Pollen Productions. Its goal, Owen said, was to “highlight the local area and the important role it played in the founding of this nation.”
Munro noted that the documentary is the first of its kind. “I am not aware of another that presents this much information, nor one that gives us a tour inside John Hart’s home,” he said.
Through a blend of archival materials, expert interviews, and visits to key historic locations, the film strives to honor Hart’s life while dispelling lingering myths—such as the belief that he was born in Connecticut. Munro and other researchers affirm that Hart was born in Hopewell.
Known as “Honest John,” Hart devoted much of his life to public service. The film explores his generosity and sacrifices, including his financial and material support for Revolutionary War troops—given without expectation of repayment.
“For the first time (as far as I know), it attempts to faithfully depict Hart’s life and activities as understood today,” said Bonita Craft Grant, archivist for The Hopewell Museum, who helped locate materials and property owners for the production.
The film’s journey through Hart’s world is both historical and personal. Standing at the Homestead’s window, Jeffers quotes from Cleon E. Hammond’s biography John Hart: The Biography of a Signer of the Declaration of Independence:
“To look upon his gently sloping hillside where the American army once camped, drank from his robust old spring, and trod upon the soil that was his instilled a sense of identification with Mr. Hart that at times seemed very real… As one becomes acquainted with John Hart, there emerges a capable, personable, ambitious yet dedicated man, essentially conservative but heroically liberal.”
In exploring Hart’s life, the documentary also acknowledges complexity. It visits his grave, examines artifacts housed at the Hopewell Museum, and recounts his achievements—while confronting uncomfortable truths, including his ownership of enslaved people.
“What’s so mysterious about John Hart is that there are very few things we know with certainty,” Grant reflected in the film.
While the film presents Hart’s narrative as comprehensively as possible, there is still much to learn. Layers are still being peeled away, and some details have yet to emerge. Even with the documentary complete, research continues—and with it, a deeper appreciation for Hart’s legacy and Hopewell’s enduring place in America’s story.
