JOHN WITTICH, a well-to-do farmer of Lake township. Wayne county, and one of the best of the German element who have made Wayne county their home, and to whom it is indebted for much of its prosperity, is a native of Hessich, Germany, born January 4, 1836.
Our subject’s parents, Philip and Anna Martha (Honigle) Wittich, lived and died in the Fatherland. In connection with farming they wove what was there called “Loom harness.” He died when aged sixty-eight years, and she passed away at the age of thirty-five. They had children as follows : John is the subject of this sketch. Deitrich, a farmer, resided in Allen county Kans., until his death on Oct. 29, 1899; while out hunting duck his gun was accidentally discharged, the butt hitting him in the stomach, and he died next morning. Martha married (first) Gotlieb Miller, and (second) William Eglehoof, a farmer of Bucks county, l’enn. Augustus died in Germany, unmarried. Adam also died in Germany. The father of these children was four times married.
John Wittich was reared until eighteen years of age in his native land. In 1855 he came to America and stopped at Reading, l’enn. He had an uncle, Deitrich Wittich, residing there, and with him served two years at the shoemaker’s trade, receiving for his services twelve cents per week and his clothes. In the winter season he made a little extra money by shoveling off snow, so that at the end of the two years he had saved twenty dollars. Prior to the breaking out of the Civil war he became a member of an artillery company in Reading. Not long after the firing on Fort Sumter, on June 4, 1 861, young Wittich enlisted in Company A, 3rd Regiment Pennsylvania Reserves, under Capt. Jacob Lanhart. His term of enlistment was for three years, but owing to his having contracted typhoid fever at Georgetown, Del., and rheumatism, by which he was rendered unfit for duty, he was discharged June 14, 1862. As soon as able after returning home he resumed work at his trade, and followed the business at that point until 1867, whence he came to Salem township, Wayne Co., Penn, Here for four years he continued working at his trade, then purchased his present farm of 112 acres. Since that time he has been one of the most industrious farmers of his locality, by his frugal habits and good management has prospered, and is to-day comfortably fixed. He has taken a commendable interest in all measures that have from time to time come up, looking to the welfare of the community. For two years he was supervisor of Pake township. In his political views he is an Independent.
On February 3, 1863. Mr. Wittich was married to Henrietta Ames, and their home has been made happy by the birth of three children, namely : Laura, Pizzie (who died in March, 1890), and Bertha. Mrs. Wittich and her daughters are greatly esteemed for their womanly graces. Mrs. Wittich was born April 27, 1845, in Bradford, N. Y., a daughter of Lorenzo and Rosanna (Avery) Ames, of Connecticut. They became acquainted and were married in Wayne county, Penn.. but later moved to New York State, thence to Illinois, where the mother died in 1853, when aged thirty-two years. After her death the father returned to Wayne county and again married. His death occurred in 1887, when he was sixty-two years of age, while on a visit at Scranton. His children by the first marriage were: Henrietta ; Laura, now deceased, who married John Tucker, and resided at Scranton; Clara, who was twice married, first to Elmer Blanding, and second to Edward Limon (their home is in California) ; Ralph, who married Mary Jones, of Salem; Frank, who married Ella Smith, and is a farmer of Wayne county ; Isidora, married to Frank Slote, of Scranton, Penn. ; William, married to Ida Williams, of Scranton; Hawley, a carpenter of Scranton, Penn. ; and James, who married Mary Edwards, and is in the foundry business at Scranton.
Henry Avery, the grandfather of Mrs. John Wittich, came from Connecticut to Wayne county, Penn., and settled in Salem township, being among the first to settle there. He was twice married, his first wife being Lucy Fishe. He passed away at the home of his eldest daughter, Elmira Avery, when at the advanced age of ninety-seven years.
Currently a resident of Burke, Virginia - I'm originally from the City of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I have been a student of the Pennsylvania Reserves since 1997 and thoroughly enjoy telling their story. By trade I'm a former IT Professional but presently working as a Letter Carrier for the United States Postal Service.
