Honorable Joseph Hartman

He saw military service for nine months in the Civil War, in the One Hundred and Sixty-Ninth Pennsylvania Volunteers. In 1864 he entered into the oil business, commencing operations in Venango County, but later transferring them to Butler County, where he was prominently and successfully engaged in oil production for over thirty-five years. Besides his extensive operations in the Millerstown field, he also developed good oil territory in Allegheny County, New York, Armstrong County, Pennsylvania, in the St. Joe, Callery Junction, Jefferson Centre, the McDonald and Hundred Foot fields, and in the Mannington field of West Virginia which was one of the largest productions of that State. One of his best strikes was on the Black farm in Butler County, which realized for him a handsome sum. He was a stockholder in several large oil companies, including the United States Pipe Line Company, and the Producers' Pipe Line Company. When the movement was inaugurated to curtail production, Mr. Hartman strongly supported the plan of Mr. Phillips to set apart 2,000,000 barrels of oil for the protection of the labor engaged in the petroleum industry. He was also associated in mining enterprises outside the State, being included among the capitalists who purchased the Trade Dollar Mining Company, of Idaho.

Mr. Hartman was twice married: first in January, 1853, to Margaret Black, a daughter of John Black, of Donegal Township. She died July 5, 1869, having born her husband the following children: Mary E.; Lizzie J., who married Patrick Gallagher, an oil producer of Butler, residing at No. 394 N. McKean Street; Anna L., wife of Michael Leonard; Frances Eva, and Joseph. Mary and Frances Eva are unmarried and reside at No. 400 N. Main Street. Mr. Hartman married for his second wife, in 1873, Miss Mary McFadden, who died April 17, 1892. He was a member of the Roman Catholic Church, as are also the surviving members of his family. He performed useful service as a member of the Building Committee in the erection of St. Patrick's Church at Sugar Creek. Mr. Hartman came to Butler in November, 1892, and resided here until his death, which took place February 29, 1904. He was regarded as one of the foremost citizens of the place. Successful in business, he had at heart the interest of the community in which he had largely achieved his prosperity, and he gave with no niggardly hand to religious and educational institutions, and to other philanthropic enterprises. His death was a distinct loss to the conmiunity, and his part as an up-builder of the material prosperity for this section will not soon be forgotten.