John F. Hartranft
| John F. Hartranft | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| 17th Governor of Pennsylvania | |
|
In office January 21, 1873 – January 21, 1879 |
|
| Lieutenant | John Latta |
| Preceded by | John W. Geary |
| Succeeded by | Henry M. Hoyt |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
John Frederick Hartranft December 16, 1830 New Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania |
| Died | October 17, 1889 (aged 58) Norristown, Pennsylvania |
| Resting place | Montgomery Cemetery (West Norriton Township, Pennsylvania) |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Sallie Douglas Sebring |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
United States of America Union |
| Service/branch |
United States Army Union Army |
| Years of service | 1861–1865 |
| Rank |
 Brevet Major General
|
| Battles/wars |
American Civil War *First Battle of Bull Run *Battle of Fort Stedman |
John Frederick Hartranft (December 16, 1830 – October 17, 1889) was a politician, the 17th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1873 to 1879. He had served during the American Civil War, reaching the rank of Union major general. He was later awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the First Battle of Bull Run in 1861, when he stayed past his term of enlistment in order to fight with the Union and rallied several regiments.
Hartranft was born in Fagleysville, a village in New Hanover Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, near Pottstown, the son of ethnic German Americans Mary Lydia (Bucher) and Samuel Engle Hartranft. His paternal immigrant ancestor was Abraham Hartranft (1723 - 1776), born in Silesia and who settled in the Province of Pennsylvania during the colonial era.
Hartranft had some local schooling in Norristown, where his family moved when he was a boy. He attended Marshall College in Mercersburg—a forerunner of Franklin & Marshall College in Lancaster. He moved to New York, where he completed his degree in civil engineering in 1853 from Union College in Schenectady.
He briefly worked for two railroads in eastern Pennsylvania before returning home to Norristown to assist his father in the real estate and stage line businesses. In 1854, the young man was appointed deputy sheriff of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. That same year, he married Sallie Douglas Sebring. They had six children, but three died in infancy.
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