If you ever wished you could talk to Grandma Hartman to learn a little bit firsthand about her life, you must read this article entitled Mrs. Hartman at 85 Gives Bystander's Account of Battle of Gettysburg (Page 1 and Page 2) from the Harrisburg Telegraph (circa 1927).
Here is a retyped version of the article that may provide for easier reading.
According to the Social Security Administration, if Grandma Hartman had been 85 years old in 2006, she would have been expected to live another 6.68 years to the age of 91.68 years. However, she made it all the way to 93.17 years in 1935. Perhaps her age and her tales from the Battle of Gettysburg made her newsworthy in 1927.
Here are links to some information referenced in the article:
General Meredith survived the Battle of Gettysburg but sustained some serious injuries, and his horse was killed.
Al Smith lost the 1928 US presidential election to Herbert Hoover.
Thank you to Lorna Rudisill (4th generation in-law on the Rufus Allen Hartman line) who shared this article and to Sandi Kiger (4th generation on the Mary Grace Hartman line) who provided the retyped version.
In an email to some of the Hartman cousins on July 11, 2010, George Willis Keitel, Jr. (4th generation Martha Durboraw Hartman line) commented:
ReplyDeleteIn the newspaper article interviewing Grandma Elizabeth Hartman on her 86th Birthday, it notes that she did not want Al Smith to be President.
In one of my many visits with Uncle George Willis Hartman MD, I asked him about Al Smith. Uncle Willis had been a Democratic Delegate to the National Nominating Convention in 1928 in Texas. Al Smith was well-known.
I asked Uncle Willis why he voted against the nomination of Al Smith to be President of these United States?
"Uncle Willis, did you vote against Al Smith because he was Roman Catholic?"
"No, George." Came Uncle's reply.
"Uncle Willis, did you vote against Al Smith for President because he came from the Tammany Hall brand of politics in New York City, known to be corrupt?"
"No, George." Came Uncle's reply.
"Why then, Uncle Willis, did you vote against Al Smith to be President?"
The reply: "Because Al Smith was a WET, and I am a DRY!"
Clearly, this is also the reason Beloved Grandma Marie Elizabeth also did not want to see Al Smith as President of the United States.
Also, I remember seeing little signs @ The Keystone Hospital warning patients and visitors NOT to bring alcohol products into the hospital.
I often wondered whether the effect and influence of Uncle Willis and his 'tea-drinking only' belief had on Capital Blue Cross and Blue Shield when Uncle Willis was a director of that health-care group.