The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-12-19
THE eIrTINoERFAMILY.

1t has been suggesteha number OF
times to the writer this The Bittinger
family, on many a4lunts, would
form an interesting sul ect for an ar
ticle for THE REPUBIAoAN-such az
heretofore appeared in hat paper in
reference to the old settlers OF Garrett
County. Upon consideration we have
come to the same conclusion and
willingly give its reade sAll we know
about that numerous. primitive and
quiet race. 1t would be difficult to
find any i'll to say of than and surely
there is no disposition IN that direc-
ton. They are industrious, honest,
inoffensive and law-atiding; would
rather endure trouble than make it
for others.
fla little amusing aIecdote or two
shall be told of their aniQuated ways,
the object will be not todisplease, but
illustrate the manner d which the
plain. well-meaning people lived in
early times. and of this the young
people of the press day have
neither idea or king Mge., The re-
fined of this period u Yell afford to
take retrospective Ei6Ses into the
dead past. However not much is
promised here.
Henry BittInger was the sole an
cestor of all the numerous race in
Garrett County. He had some ex-
perieDce with the Indians in the
Northwest in his early life, but the
nature or PARTICULARS of which cannot
now be given. He used to say he
had though times with the yellow
buggers." He made his way east
and stopped in Somerset County, Pa,
for some years. then over the line in
Maryland lived for years in a log
house just beyond the RidegeIy
place, where he mostly raised a large
family of children. nearly all sons.al
hardy and capable Of great endurance
They were Daniel, Joseph. Peter
George, Jonathan, Jonas and Will
liam. Only one daughter can he re.
called. She was the wife of Casper
burst. All are now dead except
Jonas.
After living many years as rem
tor he felt himself able to buy a
tract of land on his own account fur
Their up the forks called "Brier
Patch" Here he lived the remainder
of his life and died about the year
1852. 1t is now the site of the village
of Bittinger, The purchase of this
land called the plain old farmer to
Cumberland, a place he never before
or afterwards saw. The object of the
trip was to obtain a deed for the land.
He fell into the bendS of the
"Scribes." to be little plainer-law-
yers. He came home in very ILL.,
humor about his "teet" for which he
had to pay a lawyer "tin tollars" for
writing it, when John Layman could
make just so good one for one "tol-
ler." 1t is safe to say he never paid
another legal fee. "That one was
enough for de whole family"
The old father was Industrious,
honest and orderly. with no dispose
ton to indulge in disturbances, which
in his time were only too common.
Yet on field days he could enjoy
sport and even help to make it ;
could dance jig in barrOom with
considerable vim with mOccasined
feet and the accompanying hunting
shirt approaching the ankles, when
enlivened by the music Of Henry
burst, HI. Mare and Aaron Ramsey,
the latter a mixture of three di fferent
blOods, white. black and red. An
exhibition of this kind with such
mirth-enjoyers as George Bruce. Shad
Garlitz, Mike burst and George
Smouse for encouragers. was as good
as side show and much cheaper. eX-
cept that drinks had to be set up at 3
cents per glass from stuff that cost
from 1S to % cents per gallon.
Space will not allow reference of
any length to each of these seven I'M
pretending brothers. Most of them
were fond of the woods and the gun.
Two of the number lost their lives in
a strange manner in pursR;-of game.
George. in 1917. felled1a tree with a
family of coons in it's cavity. and just
as he was securing his prey de-
tached limb, momen:arily suspended.
fell upon him, killing him instantly.
William undertook to run down a
deer with his own legs and so exerted
himself in the chase that he died from
the effects of it.
Peter, too, kept his rifle hung up
in the old time way. We once. when
youth, asked him for his experience
in trout fishing. Said he did not
know much about it. but one morn.
ing while hunting his cows, with