Perry Hartman

HARTMAN

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 5/20/2010 at 14:04:41

Perry Hartman, blacksmith and wagon builder of Boone, is to be numbered among the prosperous business men of his city. He was born in Oneco township. Stephenson county, Illinois, January 20, 1856, and is a son of Jacob and Elizabeth (Marden) Hartman, the Marden family originally coming from the state of Delaware. Jacob Hartman was born in Lehigh county, near Allentown, Pennsylvania, on a farm, and began his career as a farm laborer. His educational advantages were limited, but he improved himself by private study and observation. He married in Lehigh county, Miss Elizabeth Marden, and they then moved to Union county, where he plied his trades of carpenter and shoemaker. About 1840 he removed with is wife and three children to Illinois. They made the journey by way of canal to Pittsburgh and thence entrained for Chicago, going by wagon to Stephenson county. There the father bought a tract of land near the village of Oneco, which was then according to general opinion to become the county seat. He believed in its future and invested whatever money he had on lots there. During all this time he followed his trade as carpenter, and it may be mentioned at this instance that the only power which he had for turning the lathe was by foot. Many of the old fashioned high post beds were manufactured by him. In the spring of 1869 he removed to Boone, turning his attention to farming. Several of his sons located n the northern part of Iowa, where they homesteaded.
Mr and Mrs Hartman gave their allegiance to the German Reformed church, in which particularly the mother was very active. The father was a democrat and staunchly supported that party. In their family were the following children: Amanda, the widow of Jesse Shull of Boone, Helen, who married Joseph Stevick and who is deceased, Henry of Boone, an old soldier who first married Leah Walters and second Miss Bowman, Wilson, of Spencer, Iowa, who also served in the war and who married Amelia Runkle of Stephenson county, Illinois, Ella deceased, Eliza who is Mrs Albert Scott of Des Moines, Albert form whom no word has been received for the last fourteen years, Perry of this review and Emma who married Frank Ackman of Denver, Colorado.
Perry Hartman acquired his education in the schools of Oneco township, Stephenson county, Illinois, and Boone, receiving his last lessons under Professor Wallace. He completed his education at the age of fifteen. He earned his firth money by helping the sheep shearer’s employed by Thomas Bowen of Green county, Wisconsin Mr Hartman catching and holding the sheep until the men would take them form him in order to wash them before shearing operations were begun. At the age of seventeen he took up the blacksmithing trade with James Douglas Kirkpatrick of Spencer, Iowa. His apprenticeship lasted three years, and he then worked as a journeyman for George Ward of Spencer, for one year. Returning to Boone, he entered the employ of Jack Nipps and subsequently the wagon shop of Hayes & Johnson, remaining with the latter firm for sixteen months. At the end of that time he removed to Alta, Iowa, where he remained for four years. In Carroll, Iowa, Mr Hartman conducted a furniture business which he bought from his old teacher, Mr Woodring, and whom he first met again upon this occasion. He then returned to Boone, where he engaged in businesses independently, establishing himself in the fifth ward, and there he has now been engaged in business for fifteen years. He built his present ship about four years ago and at that time took in as a partner Frank G Peterson. He is now at the head of a profitable and extensive business, and his reputation as a man of affairs is well established. Success ahs attended the efforts of Mr Hartman because he has always acted with determination and has never lagged in industry in pursuing his projects.
On January 20, 1879, Perry Hartman married Miss Almira Des Moines Vernon of Boone, a daughter of John and Carolina (Lambert) Vernon, the former deceased. Mr and Mrs Hartman have the following children: Perry Vernon married Margaret Drennan and they have four children: Perry, Harold, Clifford ad Margaret Rose. Vinnie is the wife of R C Wilson, whos the head of the Wilson transfer business in Boone, and they have two children, Walter R and Maurice William. Ethel, the next in order of birth, married George Lawson. Of Boone, and engineer by profession. Alice, who graduated for the Boone high school, studied music at Drake University and is now superintendent of music for the Boone schools, is at home. Ina is the wife of J H Murray, and they reside in Kansas City, Missouri. Mr Hartman has ever been true to the faith of the German Reform church, in which he was baptized. Politically he is a republican and thoroughly conversant with the aims of his party, always ready to support its measurers and candidates. He is particularly interested in local affairs and has often times given his support to valuable measures, although eh is not an active politician,. Fraternally he is popular in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Knights of Pythias. Both Mr and Mrs Hartman and their friends are highly esteemed and respected in Boone as people of worth and substance. They are useful citizens and have contributed to the material, moral and intellectual growth of their city and county.

1914 Boone County History Book