Wapello County IA Archives Biographies.....Kitterman, Samuel 1845 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ia/iafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 July 6, 2013, 10:57 pm Source: See Below Author: S. J. Clarke, Publisher SAMUEL KITTERMAN. Deeds of valor have been the theme of song and story throughout the ages. The world instinctively pays deference to the man who is willing to risk his life for the principles in which he believes. Among the veterans of the Civil war now living in Ottumwa is Samuel Kitterman, who was a lad of but fifteen years when he offered his services to the government, and on various hotly contested battle fields he gave evidence of his loyal support to the stars and stripes. In days of peace he made farming his life work until a recent date, when he retired from business, and is now enjoying well earned rest. Mr. Kitterman was born December 31, 1845, in Bureau county, Illinois, while his parents were en route to Iowa from Perry county, Indiana. In June, 1846, they arrived in Wapello county and Samuel Kitterman has since made his home within its borders. His father, Henry Kitterman, was a native of Virginia and a son of Peter Kitterman, a native of Germany. He in turn was a son of Justice Kitterman. It was the grandfather of our subject who became the founder of the family in the new world. When a young man he crossed the Atlantic to the United States with his two brothers, but later returned to Germany and had to serve his time in the army. He then came again to the United States and did military duty as a defender of American interests in the War of 1812. He died in Floyd county, Virginia, in 1824, having for thirty-four years been a resident of the new world, the date of his arrival in the United States being 1790. He married a lady who was a relative, and they became the parents of five sons and two daughters. Henry Kitterman, born in Virginia, removed westward to Indiana in pioneer times and in that state was married to Abigail Inlaw, who was born in Indiana. By a former marriage he had three children, while ten were born to his second union. His wives were sisters, the elder being Betsy Inlaw. Following her demise he wedded Abigail Inlaw, who passed away in Wapello county in 1876. Henry Kitterman went to Kansas, where he died about 1871. He was not only an enterprising farmer, but was also a good mechanic, displaying skill especially in working in wood or leather. He made everything which he needed in the line of wood and iron implements and his ingenuity was of great worth in the pioneer districts where settlers had to depend largely upon their own resources for all the comforts and conveniences they had. Of the children of Henry Kitterman eight sons and three daughters are now living. Philip T., a resident of Tracy, Iowa, and Mary Jane, the wife of Joseph West of Winlock, Washington, were born of the first marriage. Another son of the first marriage, Middleton, died in 1858 when a young man. The children of the second marriage were: Samuel; Henry, who died at the age of two years; James Henry, who served for more than two years as a member of Company F, Seventh Iowa Infantry in the Civil war and is now living in Elk county, Kansas; George W., who was also a member of Company F, Seventh Iowa Infantry, .and now makes his home in Muskegon, Michigan; Christopher C., of Chicago; Lydia Ann, the wife of Grant Clark of Creston; Elias, of Elk county, Kansas; Jerome B., a resident of Chillicothe, Iowa; Abraham Lincoln, of Geddes, South Dakota, and Hettie, living in Los Angeles, California. Samuel Kitterman, brought to Wapello county in his infancy, was here reared upon the home farm. He listened to the talk of war before the outbreak of the rebellion and watched the progress of events following the opening of hostilities. At length his patriotic spirit could no longer be fettered by farm duties and on the 17th of December, 1861, he enlisted as a member of Company F, Seventh Iowa Volunteer Infantry, with which he served until the close of the war, or for three years and seven months, having veteranized at Pulaski, Tennessee. He enlisted when he was fifteen years of age, and while at the front he participated in the battles of Shiloh and Corinth, Mississippi, in many skirmishes and in the siege of Atlanta. On the 22d of July, 1864, he was in the engagement at Atlanta on that side of the army where McPherson fell at Lay's Ferry. In eighteen minutes there the command lost seventy-two men out of three hundred who had responded for duty. Mr. Kitterman was with Sherman all the way through to Raleigh, North Carolina, and then on to Washington, where he participated in the Grand Review, the most celebrated military pageant ever seen in the western hemisphere. Thousands of victorious Union soldiers marched through the streets of the capital and passed before the reviewing stand, where the president welcomed the returning Union forces. After the war Mr. Kitterman engaged in cradling wheat, and following his marriage, which occurred in 1868, he resided for one year in Monroe county upon a rented farm, but on the expiration of that period he returned to Wapello county and settled on Fremont Road, seven and a half miles north of the city. He there engaged in farming until 1908, and is still the owner of that tract of land of eighty acres, which he brought to a high state of development and improvement. He now makes his home with his son, S. A. Kitterman, in Ottumwa. On the 20th of February, 1868, Mr. Kitterman was united in marriage to Miss Mary O. Wilson, who was born in Clarion county, Pennsylvania, in 1848, and on coming to the west settled first in Delaware county, Iowa. About the close of the war her parents removed with their family to Wapello county, and here Mrs. Kitterman passed away in December, 1907, her, death being deeply regretted by all who knew her. Seven children were born of that marriage: Jennie May, now the wife of Philip Martin of Ottumwa; John H., of Willamina, Oregon; George Grant, a resident of Ottumwa; Samuel Ansel, of this city; Mrs. Ola A. Young, of Ottumwa; Oren Alexander, of Niobrara, Nebraska; and Alta R., the wife of C. E. Abrams of Montana. All of the children were born on the home farm in Richland township. Since age conferred upon him the right of franchise Mr. Kitterman has given his political support to the republican party, and he has held the office of constable and justice of the peace. He has also been a school director in Richland township for nine years and believes that the schools should keep in touch with the progress of the times. He is a member of the Presbyterian church, of the Grand Army of the Republic and of the subordinate lodge and encampment of Odd Fellows. A review of his life displays many sterling traits of character, not the least of which is his loyalty to his country and his loyalty to duty at all times. He has ever been faithful in friendship, and he enjoys the high regard of his fellowtownsmen, among whom he has now lived for almost three score years and ten. Additional Comments: Extracted from: HISTORY OF WAPELLO COUNTY IOWA ILLUSTRATED VOLUME II CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1914 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/iafiles/ File size: 7.6 Kb