Ralph W. Hartman Correspondence, 1944-1950, 1954-1959
Title
Ralph W. Hartman Correspondence, 1944-1950, 1954-1959
Subject
World War, 1939-1945
Families of military personnel
Personal correspondence
Description
Biographical note:
Ralph W Hartman Sr. (1898-1961) was born in Pennsylvania; after being discharged from the U.S. Marine Corp in WWI in 1918, he moved to Florida, ultimately becoming general manager of a sugar mill in Moore Haven, where he met his wife, Mary McDonald of Stuart. After the Moore Haven flood of 1922, he was transferred to Roanoke, Virginia. In 1924, Hartman came to Stuart and worked in dry-cleaning and grocery businesses. In May 1934, he was appointed the postmaster of Stuart, and held the post for 24 years before ill health caused his retirement on 1 Oct 1958. During his tenure as postmaster, the staff grew from 5 to twenty-five employees. He was a member of the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, American Legion, Flotilla 9 U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Stuart Rotary Club, Masons, Knights Templar, Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, and the Stuart Quarterback Club.
Wife Mary Elizabeth McDonald Hartman (1902-1969) was born in Ada, Oklahoma and came to Stuart as a child in 1912. She was very active in the Stuart community, serving as president of the Stuart Garden Club, director of the Martin County Historical Society and the Martin County Retarded Children Association, and on the Martin County Library Board. She was a newspaper correspondent for the Stuart News, Palm Beach Post, Miami Herald, and Fort Pierce Tribune.
Ralph and Mary Hartman had four sons:
• Ralph Hartman Jr. (1924-2001) m. Kathleen Margaret "Kittee" Ricou (1924–2015)
• Jackson “Jackie” Mitchell Hartman (1926-1997) m. Auriel Oberhaus (1924-1954)
• Donald McDonald Hartman (1929-2004) m. Virginia "Ginny" Reeves (1931-2003)
• Brady Chambers Hartman (1936-1995)
They also had a foster son for several years:
• Frank Kendrix Jr. (1922-1991)
Ralph W Hartman Sr. (1898-1961) was born in Pennsylvania; after being discharged from the U.S. Marine Corp in WWI in 1918, he moved to Florida, ultimately becoming general manager of a sugar mill in Moore Haven, where he met his wife, Mary McDonald of Stuart. After the Moore Haven flood of 1922, he was transferred to Roanoke, Virginia. In 1924, Hartman came to Stuart and worked in dry-cleaning and grocery businesses. In May 1934, he was appointed the postmaster of Stuart, and held the post for 24 years before ill health caused his retirement on 1 Oct 1958. During his tenure as postmaster, the staff grew from 5 to twenty-five employees. He was a member of the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church, American Legion, Flotilla 9 U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, Stuart Rotary Club, Masons, Knights Templar, Society of the Sons of the American Revolution, and the Stuart Quarterback Club.
Wife Mary Elizabeth McDonald Hartman (1902-1969) was born in Ada, Oklahoma and came to Stuart as a child in 1912. She was very active in the Stuart community, serving as president of the Stuart Garden Club, director of the Martin County Historical Society and the Martin County Retarded Children Association, and on the Martin County Library Board. She was a newspaper correspondent for the Stuart News, Palm Beach Post, Miami Herald, and Fort Pierce Tribune.
Ralph and Mary Hartman had four sons:
• Ralph Hartman Jr. (1924-2001) m. Kathleen Margaret "Kittee" Ricou (1924–2015)
• Jackson “Jackie” Mitchell Hartman (1926-1997) m. Auriel Oberhaus (1924-1954)
• Donald McDonald Hartman (1929-2004) m. Virginia "Ginny" Reeves (1931-2003)
• Brady Chambers Hartman (1936-1995)
They also had a foster son for several years:
• Frank Kendrix Jr. (1922-1991)
Scope Note:
Chiefly carbon copies of letters from Ralph Hartman Sr. to family members. A few pieces of incoming correspondence are also included as well as a few business letters.
Letters between 22 May 1944 through 9 May 1946 are chiefly to his adult children, all of whom are engaged in some way with the war effort. Letters were sent almost daily; a copy was apparently sent to each child, unless they were in town.
The content of the letters details activities, health, and locations of all the family members, events in Stuart, local gossip, news of local servicemen, war activities surrounding the area. Many local people are mentioned.
These letters give an excellent portrait of a small Florida town during World War II and afterward.
Chiefly carbon copies of letters from Ralph Hartman Sr. to family members. A few pieces of incoming correspondence are also included as well as a few business letters.
Letters between 22 May 1944 through 9 May 1946 are chiefly to his adult children, all of whom are engaged in some way with the war effort. Letters were sent almost daily; a copy was apparently sent to each child, unless they were in town.
The content of the letters details activities, health, and locations of all the family members, events in Stuart, local gossip, news of local servicemen, war activities surrounding the area. Many local people are mentioned.
These letters give an excellent portrait of a small Florida town during World War II and afterward.
Creator
Ralph W Hartman Sr. (1898-1961)
Source
Scans gift of Historic Society of Martin County.
Date
1944-1950, 1954-1959
Contributor
Historical Society of Martin County
Rights
Copyright undetermined
Language
English
Type
Text
Identifier
2025.011
HSMC 2013.43
Coverage
Florida-Stuart
