Daniel K. Kittle

KITTLE, CRUM, GIBSON, HAYES, DOWNEY, LUKE, CORSON, MCCULLOUGH, CLEMENT, HART

Posted By: Fran Hunt, Volunteer
Date: 10/4/2001 at 07:14:31

From the Portrait and Biographical Album of Jefferson and Van Buren Counties – 1890 County
DANIEL K. KITTLE
Daniel K. Kittle, the efficient Recorder of Van Buren County, and a representative citizen of Keosauqua, was born in Hamilton County Ohio, on August 2, 1826. The Kittle family originated in Holland and the American progenitor was Daniel Kittle, the grandfather of our subject, who at an early day braved the hardships and difficulties of an ocean passage to make a home in the New World. He settled in the Taggart Valley of Virginia, and married Miss Catherine Crum, a native of Holland. They became parents of the following children: John wedded a Miss Gibson and settled in Indiana; William married a sister of his brother’s wife and became a resident of the same state; Jacob made his home in Dearborn County Indiana; Elias, who was joined in wedlock with Miss Hayes, died in Dearborn County; Solomon married a Miss Gibson; Phineas was the father of Daniel K; and Daniel wedded a Miss Downey, sister of Judge Downey of Indiana.
Phineas Kittle, who was a native of Virginia, married Margaret Luke, and shortly afterwards removed with his young bride to Indiana, settling in Dearborn, now Ohio County. At that time, the entire country round about was a waste wilderness and the pioneers of the community hewed out their farms in the midst of the heavy timber. Not a railroad crossed the State and the only means of conveyance was the prairie schooner. It will readily be seen that the early settlers thus had but few comforts and conveniences and were forced to endure many hardships and difficulties such as are incident to life on the frontier. Mr. Kittle devoted his time and attention to the development of a farm and being an industrious and energetic man succeeded in his undertaking. He and his estimable wife were numbered among the highly respected citizens of the community in which they located. Unto them was born a family of ten children, nine of whom lived top adult age: Thomas, the eldest, was twice married and died in Ohio County Indiana; Eleanor is the wife of Eli Corson of Clarke County Missouri; D.K. of this sketch, is the next younger; Mary is the wife of A. McCullough, of Van Buren County Iowa; John is also living in the same county; Solomon married Miss Clement and is living in Ohio County Indiana; Samuel is married and makes his home in Van Buren County; Martin Van Buren is located in Ohio County Indiana; and Richard, the youngest, makes his home in Kansas.
For thirty-five years, D.K. Kittle has been a resident of Van Buren County and almost from the date of his settlement he has been regarded as one of the prominent and influential citizens of the community. He has aided not a little in the building up of the county’s best interests, especially in the advancement of the cause of education, and for a number of years was employed in the capacity of teacher. His own education was somewhat limited. He became familiar with the elementary branches of learning in a log schoolhouse with a puncheon floor, slab seats and oiled paper windows, but many men of note were similarly trained in their youth. When a lad of fifteen years, in the winter of 1840-41, he was attacked with the white swelling and in all these years has failed to find a remedy which would affect a permanent cure. This unfitted him for hard manual labor and his attention was necessarily called to other pursuits. Being studious by nature and desirous of obtaining a better education, his brother John gave him financial assistance and he was enabled to prosecute his studies until he became a well-informed man. The spring of 1854 witnessed the arrival of Mr. Kittle in Iowaville, Van Buren County, and embarking in the profession of teaching he followed that pursuit with marked success until 1872. Previous to that time he had filled a number of township offices, having acted as clerk, assessor, etc., and in the autumn of the year above mentioned he was elected Recorder of Van Buren County. Almost two decades have since passed away, yet with the exception of a term of two years, he has been continuously the incumbent of that office and for one year during his absence from he same, he served as Deputy Treasurer.
In the autumn succeeding his arrival in the county, Mr. Kittle was united in the holy bonds of matrimony with Miss Lavina McCullough and five living children grace their union, the eldest of whom is Dora, wife of A.P. Hart of Yellowstone County Montana; Della, the next younger, is at home; Roger holds the position of Deputy Recorder; George is employed in the marble works of Oskaloosa; and Myrl completes the number.
In early life Mr. Kittle was a supporter of Democratic principles and affiliated with that party until the Presidential election of 1860, when his views coinciding with those of the Republican party he gave his support to Abraham Lincoln and has since been a stalwart advocate of the party, which then for the first time gained control of the reins of government. His constituents have had no occasion to regret placing him in the various offices he has filled and in his long continued service as County Recorder, we find ample proof of his efficiency and fidelity to duty. Few men are better known in this section of the country that D.K. Kittle and none are more universally respected that he.
I am not related, and am only copying this for the information of those who might find this person in their family.