The Right Reverend Monsignor James A. Hartmann, while in the Seminary, was recruited for the Diocese of Cheyenne by Bishop Keane, then Ordinary of the Diocese.
Father arrived in Cheyenne on July 13, 1915 and was immediately sent to a parish in the northern part of the state. A few months later he was recalled to Cheyenne and assumed his duties as Pastor of St. Mary's Cathedral Parish by Bishop McGovern. He served as Rector of the Cathedral faithfully and diligently for the next 44 years.
He was appointed Chancellor of the Diocese soon after becoming Pastor, and most of the newly ordained priests served their apprenticeship under Father's tutelage. These young priests then went out to the near and far corners of Wyoming where Father's influence has been felt for years.
The Pastor soon became recognized as an untiring, industrious worker and acknowledged for his financial expertise.
One of the first projects he undertook was the improvement of Olivet Cemetery which had been viewed as a desolate, unkempt area. With the help of volunteers, their horses and wagons, he straightened markers, graded roads, fenced the land, and finally planted his garden--the produce from which was unrivaled in Cheyenne.
Seeing the need for additional room for meetings and recreation, the Pastor purchased one-fourth of the block directly west of the Cathedral and in 1923 built the structure known for almost five decades as the Cathedral Hall. This building served as a meeting place for various Church and civic organizations, for City League basketball games, and as the USO during World War II. It was later sold to the U.S. Government and the area is now the location of the O'Mahoney Building.
Father had come to Cheyenne with the understanding there was a German community that was in need of his proficiency in the language. Finding few German speakers but many Spanish, he took a year's leave and attended Catholic University to learn the Spanish language. Upon his return in 1927, he became the friend and advocate of Cheyenne's Spanish Americans, a relationship that lasted the rest of his life.
In 1929 he became administrator of the newly established St. Joseph's Parish in south Cheyenne, thus becoming Pastor of two thriving parishes. He served in this capacity until 1938, at the same time serving as Catholic chaplain of Veterans Hospital.
When the Holy Child Academy, a private Catholic School, was sold to the parish in 1933, the school became a parochial school with Father Hartmann the administrator. With characteristic vigor, he accepted and delighted in the task, teaching German and religion classes--a strict disciplinarian and educator par excellence.
In 1938 he began the building projects that would make the St. Mary's School plant one of the best in the state--the high school building, the convent to replace the old Academy building, the new grade school building, and later an addition connecting the high school and grade school.
Recognizing the ability of his tireless priest, Pope Pius XII elevated Father Hartmann to Domestic Prelate with the title of Right Reverend Monsignor. The new prelate with typical humility would say that he was still our parish priest and "Father will do."
Failing health forced the Monsignor to retire in 1959 and he moved from the Rectory to a little house on 24th Street on property he had prudently purchased for the parish.
He continued to visit each and every patient in the hospital, a custom he had acquired soon after his arrival in Cheyenne. Until he himself was hospitalized, he served as a chaplain to the school's Dominican Sisters and continued to help out in his beloved school's cafeteria where a new generation of pupils learned to live and respect "the man who passes out the lunch cookies."
Many humorous stories are told of Father's frugality and austerity. Just as many incidents are remembered about his empathy with the sick and bereaved and his encouragement in time of trouble. None who knew him will ever forget this son of Mr. & Mrs. Ignatius Hartmann. Father died in DePaul Hospital, April 23, 1973.