BIOGRAPHY: Philip HARTMAN, Cambria County, PA 

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From Wiley, Samuel T., ed. Biographical and Portrait Cyclopedia of Cambria 
County, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia: Union Publishing Co., 1896, p. 122-4
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PHILIP HARTMAN, a self-made man and the general superintendent of the large 
coal-mining plant at Ehrenfeld, is a son of Lawrence and Catherine (Cramer) 
Hartman, and was born in the kingdom of Prussia, now a state of the German 
Empire, on October 2, 1839.
     Lawrence Hartman was born October 2, 1806, in Prussia, where he was a coal-
miner for some years. He came to Pennsylvania in April, 1840, locating at No. 6, 
on the old Portage railroad, where he followed mining to a small extent, but 
worked chiefly on the railroad. He was soon promoted to a foreman, which 
position he held until the Pennsylvania railroad was built, and the old Portage 
road was abandoned. He retired from active life in 1869. His latter years were 
spent at Houtzdale, Clearfield county, where he died March 25, 1887. He was a 
catholic, and served for six years as a soldier in his native country.
     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 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 elected a member of the 
first town council, in which position he served six years. He has been a member 
of the school board in Croyle township for the past four years, and still 
occupies a place in that body. Mr. Hartman is a man of good organizing power and 
executive ability.