Kitterman Biographies

Kitterman Biographies

These biographies of Iowa pioneers were compiled and submitted by Virginia Perry.


Joseph Kitterman

Joseph Kitterman, born 25 July 1812 in Franklin County, Virginia, the son of Peter Kitterman and Mary Magdalena Kitterman, was the second of seven children born into this family. When Joseph was eight years old the family migrated to Harrison County, Indiana, arriving in time for 1820 census, staying but a few years before moving to Perry County, Indiana. Joseph married Miss. Martha Archibald, daughter of John Archibald and Christina Grimes in Perry County, Indiana 27 October 1833. Martha was born 18 November 1818 in Perry county, Indiana. Eleven children born to this family, the first four born in Perry County: infant died young; Johanna; Sarah; and Alexander. The family moved to Bureau County, Illinois and John A. was born. In 1845 the family moved to Wapello County Iowa and six more children were born: two daughters died in infancy; Francis Marion; Alice; William Archibald and Mary E. The three oldest sons died serving their country in the Civil War. Joseph died in Keokuk County, Iowa 18 March 1818 and Martha died 28 July 1897. Both are buried in Able Cemetery in Keokuk County. The family belonged to the M.E. Church. Joseph was a farmer and a Republican and owned 150 acres of land in Highland Center, Wapello County valued at $1553.00


Mary Magdalena Kitterman

Mary Magdalena Kitterman, born 3 January 1789, Frederick Co., Md. . The oldest child of thirteen born to Henry Kitterman and Anna Danner, was baptized 9 April 1786 in St. Peter's Lutheran Church in Woodsboro, Frederick Co., Md.. She was always referred to as Polly or Aunt Polly. Mary married her first cousin Peter Kitterman in Franklin Co., Va. 10 Mar. 1809. In 1820 Mary and Peter as well as all her brothers and sisters and her widowed mother moved to Harrison Co., In. Peter died between the 1820 and 1830 and Polly moved to Perry Co., In., and settled at Kitterman Corners in Clark Township.  Peter and Polly were the parents of seven children; Joseph, Henry, John, Alexander, Joanna, William Harrison and Rebecca.
In the fall of 1842 Polly and her family along with two of her brothers; Elias and Peter went to Bureau County, Illinois and spent the winter. When spring came the family went to Sugar Creek in what became Wapello County and camped awaiting opening day, May 1, 1843.   Four of Polly's children; Alexander, Joanna, William Harrison and Rebecca went by wagon train to Oregan in 1853. John lived in Bureau County, Il., Henry and Joseph raised their families in Wapello Co., Ia.  Polly died in 1864 and is buried in the Kitterman Cemetery in Wapello County.


Henry Thomas Kitterman

Henry Thomas Kitterman born 17 Jan 1815 in Franklin County, Va. to Peter Kitterman and Mary Magdalena Kitterman, he was only 5 years old when the family moved to Harrison County, Indiana. Henry married first to Elizabeth Enlow, daughter of John Enlow and Jane Paisley, early residents of Harrison Co, Indiana, 16 Aug. 1835 in Perry County, In. Three children were born; Philip Thomas, Middleton and Mary Jane. Henry and his family went to Bureau County, Il. in the fall of 1842. Elizaabeth died and Henry married her sister Abigail Enlow in Bureau County, Il. 6 June 1844. Henry and Abigail had 10 children, the first being Samuel Ancil born 31 Dec. 1845. In the spring of 1846 Henry moved his family to Wapello County Iowa and the following children were born; William Henry, James Henry, George Washington, Christopher Columbus, Elias E., Lydia Ann, Jerome Bonepart, Abraham Lincoln and Hester Abigail. In 1871 Henry moved to Elk County, Ks and died in 1876. Abigail lived twelve more years dying at the home of her daughter Mrs. Abigail Fettrey in Wapello Co., Iowa. Henry is buried in Longton cemetery in Elk Co., Ks and Abigail is buried in Ottumwa cemetery in Wapello Co., Iowa.


Elias Clark Kitterman

Elias Clark Kitterman, born January 26, 1840 in Clark Township, Kitterman Corners, Perry county, Indiana, to Peter and Elizabeth (Redman) Kitterman. Elias was not quite 2 years old when the family left Indiana and went to Bureau county, Illinois to spend the winter. By the middle of March they had set up camp on Sugar Creek with thousands of other families who would take up homesteads in what would become Wapello county, Iowa. Elias married Matlida E. Giltner, daughter of Asahel and Sarah Giltner, March 1, 1864. Three children were born to this union; Asa E., died as an infant January 15, 1867; Ola, married Harry L. Edmunds; and Guy Wade. Elias died June 13, 1923 at the age of 83 years and 5 months. Matilda died December 21 1919. Both are buried on the old homeplace in the Kitterman cemetery.


Ola Kitterman

Ola Kitterman was the second of three children born on the Kitterman farm east of Dahlonega December 3, 1871, daughter of Elias Clark and Matilda (Giltner) Kitterman. The granddaughter of Peter and Elizabeth Redman Kitterman. She graduated from Mrs. Peck's Private school on Marion street in Ottumwa. After graduation she took the position with the law firm of Steck and Smith. On May 21, 1895 she married Harry Lewis Edmunds. Ola then helped her husband in his insurance and real estate business. They had no children. Ola died November 9, 1945 and Harry died December 26, 1949. Both are buried in the Kitterman Cemetery in Wapello county, Iowa.


Alexander Kitterman

Alexander Kitterman born 1816 in Franklin county, Virginia to Peter and Polly Kitterman. Alexander was only four years old when his parents made the journey to Harrison County Indiana in 1820. He grew up in Harrison and Perry counties of Indiana and was with the rest of the family when they went to Bureau county in the fall of 1842. On September 24, 1844 he married Ellen Lynch in Wapello county, Iowa. . Ellen died and no children were born of this union. Sometime prior to 1880 Alexander moved to Josephine county, Oregan and lived with his sister Mrs. Hinton (Joanna Kitterman) Miller. Alexander had one brother and two sisters; William Harrison Kitterman and Mrs. Jesse (Rebecca Kitterman) Chitwood living in Josephine county Oregan. After their deaths Alexander moved back to Iowa to be near the only immediate family he had left that being Joseph Kitterman. He lived in Marion County, where he died at the age of 82 on Dec. 29, 1898.


William Archibald Kitterman

William Archibald Kitterman, born to Joseph and Martha Archibald Kitterman, February 28, 1854 in Highland Township, Wapello, county, was the tenth child of eleven born into the family and the only son to young to enlist in the Civil War. William married Isadora Brodhead,daughter of Cornelius and Leah Brodhead,
September 11, 1873 in Ottumwa, Wapello county, Iowa. Isadora was born in Slaterville, New York February 17, 1855. To this union twelve children were born; Joseph Peter, Martha Leah, Bertha Lennis, Iona Leota, Sarah Johanna, May Alice, Nellie Belle, Wilda Frances, May Isadore, Jennie Merrill, Tracy Hazel and Rex Harrison. For many years Mr. Kitterman was a blacksmith. At the time of his death January 9, 1911 he was a fish and game warden. Mrs. Kitterman died August 19, 1914 and both are buried in Able cemetery in Keokuk county, Iowa.


Samuel Ancil Kitterman

Samuel Ancil Kitterman, a gentleman who was extensively engaged in farming in Wapello county, Iowa, located in section 23, Richland township. He was born December 21, 1845, in Bureau county, Illinois, while his parents were en route to Iowa. He is the son of Henry and Agigail (Enlow) Kitterman. Samuel resided in Highland township until he was fifteen years of age. He then enlisted in Company F, 7th. Reg. Iowa Vol. Inf. and served three years and seven months. He participated in the battles of Shiloh and Corinth, in Mississippi and in the seige of Atlanta. He was with Sherman all the way through to Raleigh, North Carolina, and then went on to Washington, where he participated in the Grand Review, the most celebrated military pageant ever seen in the western hemisphere. He was discharged in Davenport, Iowa, and then returned to his home in Wapello county. He was one of the substantial men of the community, and was held in the highest esteem by all with whom he was aquainted.  Mr. Kitterman was united in marriage with Mary Olive Wilson, daughter of J. M. Wilson. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1847. This union brought seven children; Jennie, John Henry, George Grant, Ola A., Samuel Ancil, Oran Alexander and Alta Rhetta.  Samuel was a Republican. He served many years as justice of the peace for Richland Township and served on the school board for nine years.   Samuel died July 26, 1925 and was buried in Ottumwa cemetery with full military honors. Mrs. Kitterman died December 10, 1907 and is buried beside her husband.


Elias Kitterman

Elias Kitterman born September 28, 1807 to Henry and Anna Danner Kitterman in Franklin county, Virginia. Elias was only four years old when his father died and thirteen years old when his mother decided to move the family to Harrison county, Indiana. He married Sarah Archibald in Perry county, Indiana March 18, 1825. Sarah was the daughter John Archibald and Susanna Morgan and was a native of Perry county, Indiana, two children were born, Mary Ann, wife of Martin Koontz and William, the husband of Margaret Anderson. Sarah died soon after the birth of the second child. Elias chose Lydia Redman for his second wife and they were married March 27, 1831. To this union four children were born; Sarah, the wife of Alfred Bowlin; Nancy, the wife of Thomas Jefferson Thompson; John Henry, husband of Lavina C. Davis and George W. the husband of Barbara L. King. The first three children were born in Perry county, Indiana before Elias took his family to Bureau county in the fall of 1842 to spend the winter with his brother Michael Kitterman before they headed for Sugar Creek to camp in the soon to open new territory that would be called Iowa. After camping out for several weeks, Elias missed the excitement of opening day as he had went back east to attended a funeral. His brother Peter and his sister Polly staked his claim and watched over it until Elias returned. Elias had learned the trade of a blacksmith and was the firts man to build a shop of this kind in the township of Dahlonega. He was also a farmer. Elias was the first Justice of the Peace in Dahlonega Township, serving four years. Mrs Lydia Kitterman died March 19, 1876 in Ottumwa and is buried in the Kitterman Cemetery. Elias again married, this time to Catharine Cooper November 19, 1876. She died August 29, 1888 and is buried in the Kitterman cemetery. Two and a half months later Elias died in the home of his daughter Nancy Thompson. Elias is buried beside Lydia and Catharine in the Kitterman Family cemetery.


George Washington Kitterman

George Washington Kitterman, born November 5, 1843 in Wapello county, Iowa, to Elias Kitterman and Lydia Redman. He served in Company H, 36th Reg. Iowa Vol. as a private. After the Civil War was over, George married Barbara King, daughter of Enos King and Barbara Wymen. To this union were born Ten children; Rowena, Clara, William C., Lillian Lenore, Sarah Jane, Hattie Edith, Lydia, Edna, Norris W. and Casius. George died October 27, 1922 and Barbara died March 15, 1914. Both are buried in McCormick Cemetery in Wapello Co., Iowa.