My Genealogy Hound

ELIAS HARTMAN, a wealthy farmer of Middlesex township, is descended from a family that settled first in Montgomery county, Pa., but in later generations lived in Lancaster, and then in Cumberland counties. Elias Hartman was born in Lancaster county, Sept. 21, 1834.

The paternal grandfather of Elias Hartman was a farmer in York or Lancaster county, and after his death his widow married a Mr. Peters.

Christian Hartman, father of Elias, was born on the farm in Lancaster county in 1800, was married there to Miss Anna Gantz, a native of the same county, and remained there until 1837. He worked at carpentering and teaming, making trips to Philadelphia, but after removing to Cumberland county, he settled on a farm and devoted his attention to agriculture till 1863, when he retired from active life, and made his home in New Kingstown, where he died in 1877. He had lost his wife many years before in 1861, while he was still living on the farm. They are interred in Longdorf’s cemetery at New Kingstown. Mr. Hartman had been reared in the German Lutheran faith, but as there was no church of that denomination in Middlesex township, both he and his wife joined the Lutheran Church, after going to Cumberland county. Politically, he was a stanch Democrat, and served many years in various township offices. There were five children in the family, the first four born in Lancaster county, namely: Elizabeth, who married Samuel Voglesong, and died in Silver Spring township in 1892; Anna, the wife of William P. Eckles, of New Kingstown; Elias; Catherine, who died in 1856, at the age of twenty-one; and Susan who died unmarried.

Elias Hartman was only two and a half years old when his parents settled in Middlesex, so that practically his whole life has been passed there. As a boy he attended school in the old Hooker school-house, his first teacher being William Kent, but most of his time was needed on the farm, and he could drive a furrow when only ten years old, and at fifteen he could do a man’s work at cradling. Mr. Hartman has never left the family homestead, but at his marriage brought his wife home, and after his father’s retirement and death, he naturally remained at the head of affairs. He has added some improvements to the place, and in addition to that farm of 120 acres, has acquired an adjoining tract of 100 acres, and another of 126 acres in South Middletown township.

On Christmas Day, 1862, Mr. Hartman was married to Catherine Musser, who was born in Silver Spring township, Oct. 8, 1841. They have had five children, namely: Annie Elizabeth, the late wife of George B. Otto; Mary Jane, Mrs. Edward W. Herman, of New Kingstown; John C. who died in infancy; and Bertha Ellen and Viola Catherine, both unmarried. Mrs. Hartman was a daughter of John and Elizabeth (Eckert) Musser, and granddaughter of Jacob Musser. Jacob Musser married a Miss Margaret Frye, and with his wife and family moved from York county, where he had owned a fishery along the river, to Silver Spring township, Cumberland county, about 1832. John Musser was born in 1813. He enjoyed few educational advantages and most of his time was employed in work about the farm, but during the winters he was at times engaged in knitting seines for fishing. At the age of nineteen he married, and shortly after, accompanied his father, when the latter removed to Cumberland county. His death occurred in Hogestown, Pa., in May, 1901, at the age of eighty-eight. Their children were: Jacob and Henry, deceased; Catherine, Mrs. Hartman; Joseph, of Hogestown.

Elias Hartman is a Democrat in his political sentiments. His chief interest in public matters is in educational work, and for the past twelve years he has served as one of the school directors. He is a member of the Lutheran Church, and a man who enjoys the respect of all who know him.