John Phillip C. Hartman was the son of Sophia (b. ca. 1815) and George Hartman (b. ca. 1810). The Hartman family was originally from Maryland, but by 1850 George Hartman (b. ca. 1810) and his wife, Sophia (b. ca. 1815), had relocated to Bedford County, Pennsylvania. Along with his brother, George Lewis Hartman, J. P. C. Hartman mustered into Co. C, 110th Pennsylvania Infantry on October 24, 1861. John was a prisoner of war from June 1, 1864 to April 28, 1865 and was discharged on May 30, 1865.