Faith healer, known as the Wizard of South Mountain. Michael Zittle, junior, published a book of charms and cures: The Friend in Need or Sympathetic Knowledge (Boonsboro, Maryland: Josiah Knodle, 1845).

Michael Zittle, junior, was the third child of Mary Magdalena (née Hiestand) and Michael Zittle, senior, and the first to be born in Maryland—possibly in the vicinity of Boonsboro, Washington County. (The Zittle family had lived previously in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.) His father established the village of Zittlestown, Washington County, in the 1810s.

Michael Zittle, junior, and Catherine Koogle were married on 21 June 1825 in Frederick County, Maryland. The couple's first child, Anna Maria, was born later that year and in 1826 was christened at the Zion Lutheran Church in Middletown, Frederick County. The family relocated to Zittlestown by 1830.

Only two children survived to adulthood: Anna Maria Zittle Miller (1825 - 1887), and Emeline Zittle Summers (1838 - 1919).

Notes

Boonsboro may refer either to the town itself or to District 6 (Boonsboro), which includes Zittlestown.

The 12 Jul 1877 date of death, minus the age of death—as inscribed on Summers obelisk—yields 5 Oct 1798 as the date of birth.

Alternatively, Elizabeth Jayne Blair and Leona Miller Hart, The Descendants of Michael Zittle, Sr. (Anchorage, Alaska: n.p., 1995), pp. 32-33, report 5 Jul 1877 as the date of death and 5 Oct 1798 as the date of birth, and references as their source a typescript: Records of Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, Boonsboro, Maryland, John M. Bast, trans.

"June 21 1825 | 'Little' Michael | Catherine Kugle" (Frederick County Court, Maryland, Index to Marriage Licenses, Male, 1778-1865, p. 232.)

"Anna Miria," daughter of Michael Zettel and wife Catharine, b. 27 Nov 1825, bp.
14 May 1826. (Church Record of the Lutheran Congregation of Zion Church at Middletown, Near Frederick, Md., Charles T. Zahn, trans. (Westminster, Maryland: author, 1934), p. 70.)

1830 U.S. Census, (Boonsboro) Dist. 6, Washington Co., Maryland; p. 105 (written).
[9.] Sittle, Michael.
[22.] Sittle, Michael jr.
• Michael Zittle, junior, household. Four persons: couple aged 20 thru 29, a boy aged 5 thru 9, and a girl under age 5.

1840 U.S. Census, Boonsboro Dist., Washington Co., Maryland; p. 217.
[3.] "Micheal" Zittle.
• Four persons: couple aged 40 through 49, and two girls.

1850 U.S. Census, District 1, Washington Co., Maryland; dwelling 1292, family 1350, lines 12-16, and dwelling 1294, family 1352, lines 24-29, p. 209B (printed), 13 Aug 1850.
12. Michl. Zittle, 48, laborer ($450), Maryland.
13. Cath. -----, "4", Maryland.
14. Ann M. -----, 22, Maryland. [Anna Marie]
15. Susan R. -----, 7/12, Maryland. [Susan Rebecca, Anna Marie's daughter]
16. Emeline -----, 12, Maryland.
[...]
24. Peter Zittle, 40, carpenter ($400), Maryland.
25. Cath. -----, 33, Maryland.
26. Jas. -----, 13, Maryland.
27. Otho J. -----, 5, Maryland.
28. Edward "F." -----, 2, Maryland.
29. Janett C. -----, 7/12, Maryland.
• District 1 also called Sharpsburg District.

1860 U.S. Census, Boonsboro Dist., Washington Co., Maryland; dwelling 1287, family 1397, line 34-37, p. 179 (written), 30 Jul 1860.
34. Michael "Sittle," 60, shingle maker ($200; $50), Maryland.
35. Catharine -----, 60, Maryland.
36. Maria -----, 32, Maryland. [Anna Marie]
37. Ann R. -----, 11, Maryland. [Susan Rebecca, Anna Marie's daughter]

1870 U.S. Census, (Boonsboro) District 6, Washington Co., Maryland; dwelling 137, family 142, lines 5-7, and dwelling 141, family 146, lines 21-22, p. 229B (printed), p. 18 (written), 18 Jun 1870. (P.O.: Boonsboro.)
5. Zittle, Peter, 60, farmer ($1,000; $200), Maryland.
6. ----- Catherine, 53, keeping house, Maryland.
7. ----- Edward T., 22, at home, Maryland
[...]
21. Zittle, Michael, 71, day laborer($200; -0-), Maryland.
22. ----- Catherine, 71, keeping house, Maryland.
• The two brothers' siblings Daniel Zittle and Elizabeth Hutzell (née Zittle) on preceding page.

Harry Warner, "Tales of Early Residents With Strange Powers," Daily Mail, Hagerstown, Maryland, 26 Feb 1974, p. 5. Note: Although the article indicates no copy of Michael Zittle's book could be found, the only known copy is in the Western Maryland Reading Room of the Washington County Free Library.

"Henry Adam Koogle […] was the father of two sons and three daughters as follows: […] 3. Elizabeth, married Daniel Zittle, and 4. Catherine, married Michael Zittle; Daniel and Michael were brothers, and they and their wives lived and died at Zittlestown, Washington County, Md. […]" (Bio. of the Koogle family in: Thomas J. C. Williams, A History of Washington County, Maryland…, vol. 2 (Hagerstown, Maryland: John M. Runk & L. R. Titsworth, 1906), p. 825.)

Harry Warner, "Ghost Stories From South Mountain Past," The Daily Mail, Hagerstown, Maryland, 30 May 1972, p. 4.

Madeleine Vinton Dahlgren, in her South-Mountain Magic: A Narrative (Boston: James R. Osgood and Company, 1882), page 204, regarded Michael Zittle, junior's, faith healing as black magic: "The High Priest of all this evil practice […] was the old man Michael Zittle, who died in the summer of 1877. He was resorted to by hundreds of people from all the country round about South Mountain, and even from a distance, many of whom went away in the belief that they had been cured; and may have been so."

Reviewed 18 May 2023.