Taking him many hundreds of miles from the range conflicts, Hartt returned to his childhood home near New Brunswick, Canada, to attend the funeral of his mother late in 1908. Early in 1909, he returned to Wyoming, this time with his bride and the namesake of the future Pearl Lake State Park. Hartt had already been quite successful in his sheep operations by this time, as the following note can be found in the Carleton County Historical Society, New Brunswick, CA 21 December 1908 pg. 5: “The death took place at Tracey Station, Sunbury County, on Sunday, Dec.13th, of Mrs. Hartt, widow of Rev. John Hartt, who was a Baptist minister in Carleton County. The deceased, who was 77 years of age, had been ill with pneumonia for a week, but survived until the arrival of her son, Mr. John K. Hartt, a wealthy rancher, from his home at Laramie, Wyoming. Remains were taken to Carleton County for burial.”
The following marriage announcement appeared in the Carbon County Journal dated February 20, 1909 pg. 1: “The very pleasant news of the marriage of John K. Hartt to Miss Minnev Pearl Sprague at the home of the bride’s parents in St. Johns, New Brunswick, Canada, on February 3, reached the Sentinel office Wednesday morning. The news is gratifying to every one of John’s acquaintances, for they are all his friends, having known him from the time of his arrival on Snake River in 1893 and have, with an unselfish pride, observed daily his progress in amassing a fortune.” (71)
On their way back to Wyoming, the Hartts stopped briefly to honeymoon in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Hartt’s bride, Minnie Pearl (Spragg) Hartt, is the daughter of Arthur Sidney Spragg and Matilda Roberts Spragg. (Minnie Pearl preferred to go by “Pearl” or, later, Mrs. J. K. Hartt, and was born in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada.) Pearl attended normal schools and then taught school for several years in Canada before marrying Hartt (32). Her parents moved to Wyoming with their newlywed daughter and son-in-law. The Spraggs became early-day Rawlins residents, living with the Hartt family for the remainder of their lives. Perhaps typical of his Canadian upbringing, Arthur Spragg is remembered for always having a starched collar and wearing a tie while pushing a wheelbarrow or performing other types of manual labor (33).
Colorado Cattlemen vs. Cow Creek Sheep: The 1903 Stampede
Sir, They Shot Wilkes Last Night: Life in the Wild West
Exploring the History of Pearl Lake State Park: A Journey Back in Time: Chapter Index
- 1. Introduction: the History of Pearl Lake State Park in Routt County
- 2. The Beginning of the Legacy: Go West, John Kelly Hartt
- 3. The Beginning History of Cow Creek and Pioneer Sheep Companies in Wyoming
- 4. Colorado Cattlemen vs. Cow Creek Sheep: The 1903 Stampede
- 5. A Bride From New England: John Kelly Hartt Marries M. Pearl Hartt
- 6. Sir, They Shot Wilkes Last Night: Life in the Wild West
- 7. Taking the Rap: The Minister’s Son Escapes to Mexico
- 8. The 1910s Tax Dispute: Wyoming Sheep vs. Colorado Cattlemen
- 9. Hartt Family and Sheep Companies at Hahn’s Peak: A Historic Legacy
- 10. Sheep On God’s Mountain: Grassroots Issues
- 11. Hartt’s Business Ventures Expansion in Rawlins | Sheep Business Development
- 12. Family Feuds and Financial Controversies: The Legacy of J.K. Hartt’s Estate in Wyoming
- 13. Pearl Hartt: An Ending Tribute to the Legacy of Pearl Lake’s Namesake
All content in the Exploring the History of Pearl Lake State Park: A Journey Back in Time, including all subsections, are written by Cathy Hartt, granddaughter of Pearl and John Kelly Hartt. Original article written in 2001 with revisions through 2024. Please request written permission for reprints by emailing the author.
Pearl Lake State Park History 