Ralph Hartman Sr.'s letters to family, July-December 1945
Item
Title
Ralph Hartman Sr.'s letters to family, July-December 1945
Subject
Description
At this time, Ralph Hartman was the postmaster, 47 years old. His son Ralph was serving with the Army Transport Command in Miami. Jack is in the military. Donald is in high school and Brady was 9 years old.
Carbon copies of daily letters out, chiefly to “Kids” or directly to son Jack Hartman, serving in the military. A few letters are also addressed to Aunt George and niece Delores Hartman Barton (1923-1978). Letter to Aunt George (27 Aug 1945) offers a good summary of the family’s activities. Also a few letters to organizations, businesses, Colonel Kofoed, Norman Rockwell, Madame Renaud.
The content of the letters gives an excellent portrait of a small Florida town during WWII, detailing social activities, health, and locations of all the family members, events in Stuart, local gossip, and news of local servicemen. Includes mention of the birth of Ralph and Kittee’s twins (18 July). Also significantly mentioned are “Hoppes” or “Miss Hoppy,” Blanche Hoppes (1906-1975), who was appointed superintendent of Martin County Hospital on 8 April 1945 but then quit the position in December 1945 and moved to Miami, and Teddy Roosevelt Chambers (1902-1978) and Mary Lavenia "Vee" Lambert Chambers (1908-2007), friends living in Hobe Sound.
Carbon copies of daily letters out, chiefly to “Kids” or directly to son Jack Hartman, serving in the military. A few letters are also addressed to Aunt George and niece Delores Hartman Barton (1923-1978). Letter to Aunt George (27 Aug 1945) offers a good summary of the family’s activities. Also a few letters to organizations, businesses, Colonel Kofoed, Norman Rockwell, Madame Renaud.
The content of the letters gives an excellent portrait of a small Florida town during WWII, detailing social activities, health, and locations of all the family members, events in Stuart, local gossip, and news of local servicemen. Includes mention of the birth of Ralph and Kittee’s twins (18 July). Also significantly mentioned are “Hoppes” or “Miss Hoppy,” Blanche Hoppes (1906-1975), who was appointed superintendent of Martin County Hospital on 8 April 1945 but then quit the position in December 1945 and moved to Miami, and Teddy Roosevelt Chambers (1902-1978) and Mary Lavenia "Vee" Lambert Chambers (1908-2007), friends living in Hobe Sound.
Creator
Source
Scans gift of Historical Society of Martin County.
Contributor
Rights
Copyright undetermined
Format
246 pages.
Language
English
Type
Text
Identifier
2025.011
HSMC 2013.43
Coverage
Citation
Ralph W Hartman Sr. (1898-1961) , “Ralph Hartman Sr.'s letters to family, July-December 1945,” Martin Digital History, accessed October 5, 2026, https://www.martindigitalhistory.org/items/show/12993.