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OF CAMBRIA COUNTY. | 123 |
Mr. Hartman married Catherine Cramer, who was also of Prussian parentage, and their family consisted of the following children: Philip; Valentine, now dead; Jacob, an assistant mine foreman at Ehrenfeld; Henry, now car inspector for the Pan Handle Railroad company, in Pittsburg; Catherine, wife of Michael Gibbons, of Houtzdale, this State; Wilhelmina, widow of Lawrence Simendinger, and Rachel, wife of Isadore Simendinger, of Ehrenfeld. Philip Hartman was brought by his parents at six months of age to this country, and received his education in the common schools of his district, when a school term consisted of but three months. He left school at seventeen years of age, to commence working in Lillies' coal mine as a driver. In a short time he was given a room, and worked steadily as a miner until 1859, in which year he went to Broad Top, Huntingdon county, at which place he followed mining for six years. He then, in 1865, removed to Osceola, Clearfield county, where he secured and held for four years the position of weighmaster at a coal mine there. From Osceola, he went to Houtzdale, in the same county, in 1870, and was employed for the first two years as a track-layer in an extensive coal mine, and for two years longer in carpentering work. At the end of that time, on November 4, 1874, he was selected on account of fitness and experience as superintendent of the Houtzdale mines of the Webster Coal company, which position he held there continuously until May, 1883, when he came to Ehrenfeld, this county, to open mines and superintend the construction of a coal plant for John C. Scott & Sons, members of the Webster Coal company. These mines are now known as Webster mines, No. 3 and No. 5. The company owns two thousand acres of |
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coal land, operates two drifts, with haulage system at each, and has an output of two thousand tons of coal per day, when necessary. The company also laid out on their own grounds the town of Ehrenfeld, which now contains one hundred and twenty-four houses, which are for rent to their employees. In the opening and development of the mines, the construction of the coal plant and the building of the town, Mr. Hartman had a very important and responsible work, which he discharged satisfactorily to all who were interested. He has placed the latest of practical machinery in the mines, has secured all needed appliances for the coal yards, and placed electric lights in the town of Ehrenfeld, whose rapid growth is an index of the enterprise and energy of the company, and the skill and efficiency of the superintendent. On June 8, 1869, Philip Hartman married Bridget Leech, a daughter of Lawrence Leech, and a native of Queens county, Ireland. They have six children living: Margaret, wife of A. L. Dimond, a hotel-keeper of Ehrenfeld; Mary Elizabeth, Catherine Louisa, Sarah Jane, Josephine, and Nellie May. Mr. Hartman is a democrat in politics, and a member of the Catholic church. Within the last five years he has been active in different building and loan associations, being a director of the State and Pennsylvania building and loan associations, the former of Hollidaysburg, and the latter of Altoona, and both in Blair county. He is an affable and pleasant gentleman, of intelligence and energy, whose fortune in life has been the result of his own labors. He is no politician, but has served for the last three years as postmaster, and has rendered satisfaction there as well as in all other positions that he has held. He was one of the first settlers of Houtzdale, and was |
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