Bellevue Leader, IA, Thursday, March 6, 1930

LOUIS BITTNER DIES IN HIS 81ST YEAR
Prominent Citizen and Business Man Lays Down Life's Burdens Friday

Louis Bittner, former mayor, and prominent business man and citizen of Bellevue passed away early Friday morning at his home on Second street, after an extended illness, aged eight-one years.

Mr. Bittner was born July 22, 1848, at St. Augustine, Pa., and was a son of John and Mary Bittner. He came to Guttenberg in Clayton county, Iowa, in 1855 where he assisted his father on the farm and later learned the carpenter's trade. He came to Bellevue in 1881 and has since been an important factor in the development of this community.

Mr. Bittner purchased the planning mill from Frank Schlecht and also engaged in the building and contracting business. For a time August Mauer was his partner. He erected public and private buildings and homes in this city and during his busy career took a leading part in civic affairs. He served for nine years as mayor, was also a member of the city council, and acted in the capacity of justice of the peace for a long period. He was also an active member of the commercial club and took a prominent part in community enterprises and undertakings of every kind. He was a liberal giver and never shirked any duty placed upon him. For some time he acted as a chief of the fire department until succeeded by his son. Politically he was affiliated with the democratic party.

In 1901 the Bittner Lumber Company was formed by the subject of this sketch and his son Grover C. Bittner, and it is to this day one of the thriving business concerns of the city.

Mr. Bittner was united in marriage with Miss Mary G. Niemeyer at Guttenberg in 1876 and they became the parents of four sons and three daughters. His wife died December 29, 1915 and he was married a second time in 1918 to Mrs. Mary Kohler who died last October.

He is survived by three sons, A. C. Bittner of York, Pa., Grover and Chester of Bellevue, and two daughters, Mrs. George Zentner of Bellevue and Mrs. Lloyd Wertz of Dubuque, also six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. A son Vincent lost his life by drowning in the Mississippi river and a daughter, Mrs. Clara Prandy, died several years ago.

The funeral was held Monday morning at St. Joseph's Church, a solemn requiem mass being celebrated by Rev. Fathers Linkenmeyer, Bies and Mayer, and the former preached a sermon. The business houses closed during the funeral.

The active pallbearers were Victor Stuart, George Deppe, John Huilman, Emil Ehrhardt, Wm. Dempewolf and John McKillip. The honorary pallbearers were Z. G. Houck, Geo. Schlatter, J. C. Schmidt, Joe A. Young, John G. Koppes and Arthur Kucheman. Burial was made in the Catholic cemetery.

The following members of the Dubuque Lodge of Elks attended the funeral: Joe Clark, John Carroll, Al Acker, Eldon Fischer, Henry Kays and Chas. Cram.

Others present were Mrs. Fannie Niemeyer of Guttenberg, Mrs. C. Hogan of Rockford, Ill., Miss Anna Couch, Mrs. E. G. Cook and Mrs. James Macdonald of Dubuque.

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History of Jackson County, Iowa
By Hon. James W. Ellis, Volume II, Illustrated, Chicago, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., 1910, pages 430, 431

A native of Pennsylvania, Mr. Bittner was born in St. Augustine on the 22d on July, 1848, and, as the name indicates, is of German descent, his parents, John L. and Margaret (Carl) Bittner, having been born in the fatherland. The former’s birth occurred in Cour Hesse and the latter’s in Hesse Darmstadt, and both came to America when about fifteen years of age. Their respective families located in Pennsylvania, where the father followed the carpenter’s trade and also engaged into some extent in farming. Both passed away in Clayton county, Iowa, where they had taken up their abode in 1855.

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1984 History of Clayton County, Iowa, page 71

J. Ludwig and Anna Karl Bittner

Note: The name Buttner had the German umlaut over the u, two small dots, and the spelling was changed to Bittner.

Johann (Louis) Ludwig Buttner b. Aug. 24, 1806 in Hanover, Germany. He m. Anna Maria Karl Nov. 22, 1836. Anna b. Dec. 9, 1813, at Falden Hesson, Mecklenberg, Germany. They came to America and settled in Penn. where their 11 children were all born; Wilhelm, Andress, Maria, Johannas, Mathilda, Ludwig, Alfred, Theodore, Henrich, Alexander and Anna.

Wilhelm b. Aug. 21, 1837. The Bible of J. Ludwig states he was missing in the Civil War, but it is believed he came back and settled in Wis.

Andress (Andrew) served in the Civil War in 1863 to 1865 (sic/1864) and starved to death a prisoner of war at Andersonville, Ga., where he lies in a National cemetery, section K, grave no. 1199. Oakland and Irene Bittner Becker visited the grave in 1973. Andrew was a great uncle of Mrs. Becker.

Marie Margretha b. July 29, 1842, and m. John Krost Feb. 26, 1868. Johannes b. Apr. 7, 1844, believed drowned in Catskill mountains, July 15, 1850.

Mathilda b. Jan. 3, 1846 and m. Phillip Biderman in 1877. Ludwig (Louis) b. July 22, 1848 and m. Mary Gertruth Niemeyer Feb. 15, 1876 at Guttenberg. They lived at Bellevue, Ia., and operated a lumber company there. Chester was mayor there a number of years and his brother Grover helped their father with the business and were people of good standing.

Alfred Carl b. May 28, 1850, lived in Minn. with the Ray Brown family. He never m. and d. Feb. 5, 1920 (sic/1927) at the University Hospital in Minn. He is buried in the cemetery at LeRoy, Minn.

Heinrick b. Dec 2, 1855, believed to be in Kansas. Alexander b. Mar. 4, 1857, believed to be in Idaho.

Anna b. Jan. 17, 1861, m. Andrew Boss, 1 child. 2nd m. to August Rodenberg (his 2nd m. too). August and Anna have two children, Oliver and Sylvia m. Ed Schneider of Guttenberg.

J. Ludwig as a young man studied to be a priest, but gave it up as there were things he did not believe in.

The family came to Iowa and settled in Miners Creek in Jefferson Twp. and after they were here a while received word that oil was discovered on their property in Penn. that they had sold. J. Ludwig worked in the mines and farmed. He also was a book binder. His d. date unknown, is buried in city cemetery, Guttenberg. (no marker).

Anna Maria d. Mar. 6, 1887, of arthritis, on Buck Creek where they lived. She was b. a Catholic and d. a Catholic, is buried in Ceres cemetery. (no marker).

A relative?? Discovered a Chas. Buttner (single) in 1864. In 1861 he purchased Lots 1-2-3-4 and 5, Block 146 in Guttenberg, and had a brewery on that block. He had the use of a spring and a foot path to it.

A Fred Bitner around Lodomillo Twp. Section 9.??

A Larry Buttner, played baseball with the Cubs, was from Pocahontas, Ia. ??