J. Harry Hartman had just started his life when it was cut short. His obituary appeared in the Lancaster Daily Intelligencer on 22 October 1881 and shows he was well loved and born into a family “of privilige,” as his monument also suggests.
The obituary:
Death of J. Harry Hartman.
J.Harry Hartman, son of Dr. S.B. Hartman, died at his father’s residence on North Prince street, after a brief illness from typhoid fever. He was a well-known and highly popular young gentleman, a member of the senior class of Franklin and Marshall college, a fine musician and an admirer as well of athletic sports, an officer of the Lancaster bicycle club and a skillful rider. He was a delegate from the local chapter of the Chi Phi fraternity to the national convention of the order soon to assemble in Baltimore, and was stricken with his fatal illness when engaged in preparation for the journey. He was aged about eighteen years, and his death is a source of poignant grief on the part of his parents and other relatives, and of sincere mourning throughout a large circle of friends and acquaintances.
His monument stands out in this large cemetery. As you drive (or walk, as I have done on many ocassions!) down the main road it is at the end of your destination, standing, tall, proud, and untouched by vandalism or age. There is the obligatory little step into the site that has no surround, and young Mr. Hartman is buried with his parents and other member of his family. According to one of the members of the “Friends of Lancaster Cemetery,” the statue was sculpted in the likeness of young Mr. Hartman.
The inscription reads:
J. HARRY HARTMAN
ONLY SON OF DR. S.E. & S.A
HARTMAN
BORN JAN. 7, 1863
DIED OCT. 21, 1881
—–
SAMUEL B. HARTMAN
APR 1, 1830 – JAN 30, 1918
SALLIE A. HARTMAN
JULY 23, 1835 – SEP 14, 1930
. . . and now, as Paul Harvey would have said, for the rest of the story!
When I was searching for the obituary so I could write this blog, I came across, not one, but two Hartman’s who died on that day! . . . and believe it or not, their obituaries were in the same day’s paper, they lived on the same street (four blocks apart), they died on the same day and they were buried on the same day in the same cemetery! . . . and they are buried in neighboring plots!
Jacob Hartman was older, and lived a full life as his obituary shows:
Death of Jacob Hartman.
Jacob Hartman died at his residence, No 432 North Prince street, about one o’clock this morning, of consumption of the stomach, after an illness of some duration Mr. Hartman was well known to almost every body in Lancaster, having been born and lived all his life in this city, and been for many years engaged in active business pursuits. He was a son of the late John Hartman; learned the coach-smithing business, and for some years carried it on in a frame building where the Pennsylvania railroad depot now stands. He next engaged in the marketing business, running a market car between this city and Baltimore. Quitting this trade he engaged in the ice business and for the past thirty years, or more, carried it on extensively, and only relinqished it in April, 1880, when immpaired health prevented him from continuing it. Mr. Hartman at the time of his death was a widower, in the 64th year of his age. He has one son, and one adopted son living and several grandchildren. His brothers, John Hartman ice dealer, and Daniel Hartman, railroad engineer, are well-known citizens. Mr. Hartman was an active business man, and by his own industry and tact accumulated quite a handsome fortune. He was a kind-hearted, pleasant companion and will be missed by a large circle of acquaintances. His funeral will take place on Tuesday next.
Jacob Hartman’s headstone no longer stands. The site where it is supposed to be has two headstones, one belonging to John Hartman, Jacob’s son, and another that is lying face down. It is on the right in the rear, in the picture below. Perhaps I’ll talk my husband into taking his “lifting bar” and head to the cemetery. Couldn’t do it today, it was their annual “Victorian Day at the Cemetery” and we just couldn’t draw attention to our venture. . . .
Meanwhile, Two obituaries and one beautiful monument ain’t so bad now, is it?
My headstone of the week was found in St. Ignatius Cemetery in Centralia on our visit there this month. There are two exactly like this, one for Edw J and one for Joe Rumin. There are no dates on and/or near either one of them. They are made from some type of iron and it has rusted over the years. I am almost positive they were made by the same person since they are identical. I’m guessing that the person who made these was an ironworker of some sort. What do you think?
My headstone of the week for this week was found in the cemetery across the street from Friendship United Methodist Church in Millsboro, Delaware. What makes this unique is the obvious hand inscription and the sea shells that are imbedded in the top of the headstone. The soil is very sandy at this cemetery and there are shells scattered and visible everywhere, but this is the only headstone that I found with the shells imbedded in the headstone. It is unique and touching to me and is the reason it is
The cemetery was well kept and we saw why. When we entered there was a man clearing the dead flowers from some of the graves, putting them in a trash can. Later we saw a lady with a push mower, mowing the area around several graves. We went up and talked to her and she seemed eager to tell us about Centralia. 
Today this tire is all that marks the St. Ignatius Church site. The cemetery can be seen in the background. 
The Borough Hall and Police Station were empty, however, there was a flag on the flagpole ~ interesting! Notice the peeling paint ~ 
Streets leading to virtually no where are still existing. They now have trees and weeds where families once had homes. Driving down one we came across this lot, beautifully mowed and seemingly marking the spot that once had been somebody’s home. Where children had played in a backyard and adults had sat on a front porch. Somebody still had those memories and wanted to keep their family’s memories alive. They still had pride in their little piece of Centralia.
This Cemetery is built on the side of a hill. The ground is covered with rocks and the wall around the cemetery and Church was built with rocks. The assumption is the rocks came from the surrounding area. These are huge rocks, and not ones easily moved by one person! The picture below shows the walk behind the Church leading to the cemetery.
The stairs leading to the front door of the Church are steep and narrow. We were wondering how the elderly made those stairs or if there was a back entrance! The next picture was taken from the road and shows more of that stone wall.
Our time in Centralia came to a close and we had seen what was left of the town. What was once a town of over 1500 people has been reduced to a few scattered residences with most of its allure now in its history of the last 40 years! Real families had once had real lives in this town and its former residents are still proud of what had once been the center of their lives! 
My “headstone” of the week was found in the Cemetery behind St. Mary’s Russian Orthodox church in
The cross, evidently, had been built from hollow pieces of wood and as it aged part of it fell away. An opportunistic bird found the right spot to raise her young and built her nest in the hollow spot. Guess she picked it because there was no name on this Orthodox cross and figured it was free to all! It is one of the reasons it is 
When State Trooper Kelly had come into the Historical Society several weeks ago she left with a stack of papers pertaining to the family of Cpl McEvoy. We had learned his two children had since died and their obituaries named their children, grandchildren of Cpl. McEvoy.
One of our first stops was at the gravesite of George Brientnall, “the Drummer Boy of Shiloh.” While at the gravesite, we were read the poem about “The Drummer Boy of Shiloh” by our Tour Guide and then continued on to the gravesite of the first Revolutionary War patriot buried here.
Michael Kline (4 Aug 1744 – 21 Aug 1828) and five other members of his family are buried in this site. He was a Revolutionary War veteran.
We stopped and paid homage to the Longs. Henry G. Long and his wife Catharine, donated the land that Long’s Park sits on today. It is a large, beautiful park and utilized year around by various organizations and families. Events are held there on an almost weekly basis!
I had often wondered why George Kinzo Kaneko was buried in the same area as Franklin and Marshall College dignitaries. Today we found out why. He was a student from Japan when he met his untimely death here. Japan, as a gesture for the kindness shown to Mr. Kaneko, sent Ginko trees to both Lancaster Cemetery and to Franklin and Marshall College. The College ended up giving the trees to the Cemetery and today they are scattered throughout the cemetery. They are beautiful.
We walked to and stopped at one of the most beautiful sites in the cemetery. Rumor has it that she has been seen walking in the cemetery. Our guide assured us that in all his years at this cemetery, he has never seen her walk! He did explain what the pillar next to her symbolized. It appears to be broken and it symbolizes a life cut short. If you will notice, Elliot Lane, above, has the same pillar for his headstone.
