P. A. Hartmann, Leading Pierz Merchant, Dies

Funeral Services Wednesday At St. Joseph's Church

Mr. Philip A. Hartmann, leading merchant of Pierz since 1895, passed away at his home Sunday morning at 1:30 a.m. A Solemn Requiem High Mass was held in St. Joseph's Church Wednesday at 10 a.m., with Msgr. E. A Mahowald, officiant, and Rev. E. E. Boldt and Rev. Raymond Schulzetenberg, deacon and subdeacon, respectively. Fr. T. Leo Keaveny and Fr. Otto were also present. All the mass servers were grandsons.

The stores remained closed for an hour during the services, in tribute to their fellow merchant.

Mr. Hartmann was not only one of the most extensive merchants of Pierz, but he was one of the most favorably known and representative citizens. By indomitable enterprise and progressive methods, he was able to contribute in a material way to the advancement of the locality. He has contributed liberally to public enterprises and probably deserves to rank as the first citizen of Pierz. He was a man of great energy, sound judgement and honesty of purpose and was well deserving of the confidence bestowed upon him by his fellow citizens.

Philip Hartmann is a native of Scott County, Minnesota, born on November 10, 1869. His parents, Valentine and Rosalia (Dealinger) Hartmann, were both born in Germany. He attended the common schools of Scott county, and later Teutopolis College for one year at Teutopolis, Illinois. Later he was a student at St. John's School for one year and then went back to Scott county and assisted his father on the farm for five years. He then went to St. Louis and was employed in a rolling mill for two years, after which he went back home and worked on a farm until 1894. During the last two years he rented the farm comprising one hundered and twenty acres. In 1894 he went to Jordan, Minnesota and worked in a hardware store for a year.

In the spring of 1895, Mr. Hartmann came to Pierz, and in partnership with Jacob Neisius, started a hardware, harness and grocery business in the south end of Pierz. After a year they dissolved partnership and Mr. Hartmann established a grocery and hardware store in the north end of Pierz. After operating the business for three years, he bought the building, the store now occupies, from P. H. Berg.

About this time his father-in-law Nicholas Hennen, was appointed postmaster and moved the post office into Mr. Hartmann's store, appointing him assistant postmaster. He held that position until 1914.

Shortly after purchasing the Berg building, he took his brother, J. B. Hartmann, into partnership with him, for three years.

On June 23, 1896, P. A. Hartmann was married to Margaret Hennen. To this marriage there were born four children. Mrs. Hartmann died in March, 1904, and in November of that year he was married to Elizabeth Hennen, a sister of his first wife.

Surviving are his widow, and twelve children, Alex, Melrose; Herbert, Le Sueur; Mrs. D. J. Waligora (Dolores), New York; Mrs. J. M. Smythe (Lavina), Minneapolis; Mrs. Francis VonderHaar (Luella), International Falls; Dr. C. M. Hartmann, Omaha, Nebraska; Reinhard, Leo, Leander, Alphonse, Mrs. Harold Austin (Lorraine), and Mrs. Rod Poepping (Margaret), all of Pierz. One son, Roman, died at the age of 2. There are 38 grandchildren and 5 great-grandhcildren. Also surviving are two sisters, Mrs. E. Ruddy, Vancouver, B.C.; and Mrs. M. K. Wermerskirchen, Pierz.

Pallbearers were Alfred, John and Edmund Hartmann and Jim Wermerskirchen, nephews and Philip and Donny Hartmann, grandsons.

Honorary pallbearers were Wenzel Maurer, Frank Flicker, Carl Beimert, John Paulsen, John Weber and Herman Poser.