WILLIAM HARTMAN.
William Hartman, prosperous farmer, of Mt. Pleasant township, Atchison county, was born in Platte county, Missouri, in 1851, a son of Jonathan and Christina (Wolking) Hartman, the latter a native of Hanover, Germany, and emigrated from her native land with her parents when ten years of age, locating in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jonathan Hartman was born in 1821, at Brookville, Franklin county, Indiana, and was a son of Henry Hartman, who was born in Pennsylvania, and was among the first settlers of Franklin county, Indiana. In 1842 Henry left Indiana and settled in Platte county, Missouri, and was among the early pioneers of that county. He died on his farm in Missouri in 1860. Jonathan, the father of William, was reared to young manhood in Indiana and was married there. In 1847, he with his wife and two children followed his father to Platte county, Missouri, and there followed his trade of millwright in Platte City until 1849, when he made the overland trip to California with ox teams, remaining on the coast for two years. He made some money while in the gold fields and returned home by way of Cape Horn, paying $500 for his passage. Captain Fulger was in command of the ship and he lost his vessel on the coast of Central America, the vessel striking the rocks and breaking in pieces. All aboard were rescued except the first mate. There were 500 passengers on this vessel who were compelled to wait on the west coast for five weeks before an opportunity presented itself to cross the mountains to the eastern shore. They were eventually taken across the mountains, but several died from the hardships they endured during the trip. Mr. Hartman secured passage to New Orleans, and from that city came up the Mississippi river to St. Louis, arriving there in December of 1850. From St. Louis the returned argonaut went to his home at Platte City. Three years later he set out with five wagons in partnership with his brother-in-law, R. D. Johnson, en route to Salt Lake City, Utah. The wagons were heavily loaded with provisions, drygoods and liquor. When the expedition arrived at the south fork of Green river they left three wagonloads at that point and pressed onward to their destination to the north fork of the river. They traded with the Indians and Mormons and made considerable money. Prices were fabulous in the far West in those days, flour bringing $100 per hundred weight; common work shirts sold for five dollars each, whiskey brought five dollars per pint, and the prices of other commodities were in proportion. Returning home from this trip Mr. Hartman lived in Platte City until 1854, and then came to Kansas with the first steam sawmill ever erected in Atchison county, and one of the first to be placed in operation in Kansas. He established his mill at old Port William and operated it successfully until 1857. He then came to Mt. Pleasant township and preëmpted a claim now known as the Howe farm which he sold for fifty dollars. He traded his sawmill for a farm near Parnell, Kan., now owned by Robert Volk. Jonathan was personally acquainted with Pardee Butler, and met and conversed with Butler after he had been set adrift on a raft on the Missouri river by pro-slavery men. He took Butler to his home and gave him his supper. He hid the refugee at the home of a neighbor until the next day and then accompanied him to Weston, from which point Mr. Butler made his way to his old home in Ohio, where he remained in safety for nine months before he returned to Kansas. Jonathan Hartman was a Free State man and a Republican in politics, who took a prominent and influential part in the affairs of his locality. He was appointed guardian for the war widows and was selected by the Civil war veterans of the county to distribute the money apportioned to the war widows. On account of defective hearing, contracted as a result of an attack of mountain fever, he was not eligible for service in the Union army, but lent his moral support to the Union. He died on the farm January 24, 1897. He was the father of nine children, three of whom are living, as follows: R. D. Hartman, born in Missouri in 1847; William Hartman, the subject of this review; and Henry Hartman, born in Indiana; Frederick Hartman, former sheriff of the county; Elijah Hartman, born in Atchison county, Kansas, in 1856, and died in 1890; Alice, wife of E. N. Eshom, of Atchison county.
William Hartman grew up on his father’s farm and was educated in the district school of his neighborhood. He was married in 1883 to Florence A. Good, a daughter of Daniel Good, an early settler of Atchison county, and originally from New York State. Mr. Hartman is the owner of 140 acres of very fine and productive land near old Parnell. The children of William and Florence Hartman are as follows: Morris, Jonathan H., Nelson, Mariwillie, wife of H. W. Gilbert, of Horton, Kan.; and Flossie, wife of J. C. Cartmille, of Atchison county; Warren, the youngest of the family, was born November 11, 1901.
Mr. Hartman is a stanch Republican in politics, is a member of the Christian church, and is affiliated with the Independent Order of Odd Fellows.