Hittle, Michael 1841-1900
HITTLE, AMBERS, YEAPLE, BARNARD
Posted By: Jon Hittle (email)
Date: 5/29/2009 at 13:31:43
Biography of Michael Hittle of Kennebec Township
Michael Hittle was born in Rush County, Indiana April 4, 1841. He was the son of Jacob and Huldah Jane (Ambers) Hittle of Rush County, the grandson of Michael Hittle Senior and wife Lydia (Yeaple) originally from Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, the great great grandson of George Michael Hittle of Northumberland County Pennsylvania and a Revolutionary War veteran and wife Christina, and the great, great great grandson of Jurg Michael Hittel and Anna Marie Hittel. natives of Germany. Jurg Michael Hittel came to Northampton County, Pennsylvania from the Rhineland aboard the ship Winter Galley on September 5 1738, and from 1756 to 1760 served in the Pennsylvania Militia in the French and Indian War.
Michael Hittle moved with his parents from Indiana to Monroe County, Iowa as a child between 1846-1848. He only received about three months' of schooling in one-room prairie schools. December 29th, 1860 Michael Hittle married Miss Deborah Barnard at Lovilia, Monroe County, Iowa.
In September 1862 Mr. Hittle, along with his father Jacob, enlisted as Corporal in Company A of the Thirty-Sixth Iowa Volunteer Infantry. After training at Keokuk, the regiment joined the Army of the Tennessee at Memphis, and was subsequently engaged in the Yazoo Pass Expedition against Vicksburg. From there the regiment was moved to the Department of Arkansas and was engaged in the battle of Helena, Arkansas, the capture of Little Rock and the Camden Expedition, including the battles of Elkins' Ford, Prairie D'Ane, and Mark's Mills. At the latter engagement, on April 25, 1864, Mr. Hittle's regiment was ambushed while escorting a federal supply train, and sustained over 300 casualties and prisoners. Mr. Hittle, by then Sergeant Hittle, and several others from his company fortuitously escaped their captors and Mr. Hittle managed to reach the safety of Union lines at Little Rock. After being mustered out of the service as 3rd Sergeant at DuVall's Bluff, Arkansas on August 24, 1865, Mr. Hittle returned to Davenport and then to Monroe County to resume his occupation of farming.
In 1879, he made a three month trip to Western Iowa, Kansas and Colorado to survey homestead sites, eventually choosing a beautiful high meadow in the Loess Hills of Kennebec Township. In 1880 he purchased 260 acres from Calvin Brown northwest of Castana and eventually increased his holding to 306 acres. In 1885, Mr. Hittle's parents came to live with him on the farm, and Mr. Hittle and his father were members of the GAR Post at Castana. Of the eight children of Michael and Deborah Hittle, four were raised to maturity: Thomas Jefferson Hittle, Andrew Michael Hittle, Newton Albert Hittle and Clara Ann Hittle McGee.
On March 21st 1900 Mr. Hittle collapsed and died of an apparent heart attack at the age of 58. Mr. Hittle is buried in the Hittle family plot at Grant Cemetary near Ticonic, Iowa.
Photo of Michael Hittle
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