For a long time, family members have been trying to figure out more about our ancestor Franklin Bittner. Temporarily put aside what you have read about when Franklin Bittner was born, and follow along.
For starters, our Franklin Bittner is not the son of Henry J. and Elizabeth Bittner, who are buried in the Snyder Cemetery, Melcroft, Saltlick Township, Fayette County, Pennsylvania. Even though Henry’s son Franklin is about the right age, that Franklin Bittner left a diary that contains details that prove he is not our ancestor. A copy of the diary is preserved in the library of the Historical and Genealogical Society of Somerset County.
The only source for our Franklin’s birth that I know of is the book "Genealogy of the Relatives of William J. Miller", which was originally written in 1899 by William J. Miller of Hamilton Nebraska, and then updated by an unknown author and published in 1963 in Meyersdale PA.
That book states “On the 21st of Sept. 1874, I received from Franklin Bittner, the following record of his family. Franklin Bittner was born in Greenville, Somerset Co., Pa. Jan. 4, 1830, married in Greenville, Somerset Co., Pa.. Aug. 14, 1854, to Mary Beeghley [by] Benjamin Knepper. His wife Mary Beeghley, was born in Elk Lick, Somerset Co., Pa., _________. Died in Greenville, Aug. 14, 1868. Their children are: Josie, born Nov. 15, 1855; Daniel Wesley, born Aug. 13, 1856; Susannah Catharine, born Jan. 9, 1858; Mary Alice, born Jan. 21, 1860; John Lincoln, born May 26, 1864; Sarah Ellen, born Mar. 16, 1866; Thomas Franklin, born Aug. 1868. … Franklin Bittner is married again and has one child. His address: Pocahontas, Somerset Co., Pa. There is some doubt of the correctness of the above record which must be corrected in the future.” Another place in the book references a letter from Michael Beeghley, who indicates that his daughter Mary, deceased, had been married to Frank Bittinger.
I know the name of Franklin’s second wife as Julia from the genealogy notebook of my Grandmother Gladys Edna (Bittner) Korns. The notebook indicates that Franklin sold his farm to Herman Shockey and moved to Jones Mills to "take her away from her people”. My grandmother says she was Julia Yutzy, the daughter of George Yutzy, who lived below the Greenville Lutheran Church. Another source, referenced below, gives her last name as Werner.
Brent Lindeman wrote that he found a tombstone online for a Franklin F. Bittner who is buried at the Mount Calvary Cemetery near Jones Mill, PA. The tombstone gives a birth date of February 25, 1833 and a death date of Aug. 5, 1907. My sister Dana Moore took a trip to the cemetery to take a photo, and found that Franklin is buried next to Julia Bittner, who was born in 1848 and died in 1923. The photo is attached below.
Eventually I squinted at Dana’s photo again, and realized that Franklin and Julia Bittner were buried next to Sherman and Catherine Bittner, and that Sherman’s death year is 1946. An 1880 census record from Greenville Township shows a Franklin Bittner, wife Julian, son Sherman, and other children; see attached image. My grandmother’s notebook indicates that Franklin and Julia Bittner had a son named Sherman, and indicates that Sherman was first married to Katie Miller, and later married Ellen McKenzie, a widow of Greenville Township. Katie is, of course, a nickname for Catherine.
Although the date of Sherman’s death is difficult to read on Dana’s photo, it is definitely 1946; see the photo below.
Brent Lindeman forwarded the death certificate of Sherman Bittner, signed by his son Ernest Bittner; see the image below. The certificate indicates that Sherman Bittner was born in Somerset County, PA to Frank and Julia (Warner) Bittner, had a wife named Katherine who was deceased at the time of Sherman’s March 1, 1946 death in Acme, PA, and indicates that Sherman was buried in the Mount Calvary Cemetery. Since Sherman is the son of our ancestor Franklin Bittner, we can infer that he is buried next to his parents at the Mount Calvary Cemetery.
Brent Lindeman also forwarded the death certificate of Franklin Bittner, which is included below. The certificate is signed by my ancestor Josiah Bittner of Wittenburg, PA, and indicates that Franklin was the son of Fredrick Bittner and Susan Fulton, was born February 25, 1833, and died on August 6, 1907 in Donegal Township, Westmoreland County, and was buried at Mount Olive. Whether this birth date, or the one in the Miller book is accurate, I can’t say, but there can be no doubt that this is “our” Franklin Bittner who is buried near Sherman Bittner at the Mount Calvary cemetery.
The rootsweb.ancestry.com website website references the December 25, 1791 baptism record of what appears to be Franklin’s father John Frederick P. Bittner, and indicates that Frederick’s father was Philip Bittner, Sr., and his mother was Juliana Philippina. The baptism occurred at the Pine Hill Lutheran Church, Somerset County, PA. These rootsweb pages are not documentary evidence, but they indicate where documentary evidence on the ancestors of Franklin Bittner can be found.
According to the genealogy notebook of Gladys (Bittner) Korns, Franklin’s second wife was Julia Yutzy, the daughter of George Yutzy, who lived below the Greenville Lutheran Church. Franklin sold his farm to Herman Shockey and moved to Jones Mills to "take her away from her people.
Sherman who married Ellen McKenzie.
Josiah was born Nov. 14.
Wesley’s middle name was Daniel, and he was born Aug. 13, 1856.
Alice’s middle name was Mary, and she was born Jan. 21, 1860.
Ellen’s middle name was Sarah, and she was born March 16, 1866.
"Mary ___ Beeghly, 1498, (dau of Michael J. Beeghly and Barbara Miller), Pocahontas, Pa., at death, was b. ___ __, 8_- in Elklick twp,. Somerset Co., Pa., d. Aug. 14, 1868, m. Aug. 14, 1854, Franklin __ Bittinger who was b. Jan. 4, 1830 in Greenville twp., Somerset Co., Pa., d. __ __, __, son of ____ Bittinger and ___ ____ Farmer. United Evangelical. She Samuel Miller cemetery, near Pocahontas, Pa. He Mount Zion cemetery, near Jones Mills, Pa. (After her death he m. Julia Ann Werner)"