Sedgwick County KSGenWeb

Portrait And Biographical Album of Sedgwick County, Kan.

Chapman Brothers 1888

Pages 924 - 927

LEONARD ITTNER, who is pleasantly located about six miles from Valley Center, and the same distance from Greenwich, owns and occupies the southwest quarter of section 31, in Lincoln Township, where he gives much of his attention to the breeding of high-grade Norman horses and good cattle, and where he took up his residence in the spring of 1876. Adjoining the home farm is another quarter-section which he purchased at the same time, but to the former he has given his principal attention, putting up a handsome residence and fine barn, and planting an orchard, the latter of which is among the finest to be found in the township. Another attractive feature is a grove of mixed trees, most of which Mr. Ittner planted with his own hands, and which affords during the summer season a shelter from the scorching sun, and during the winter wards off the prairie blasts.

            Mr. Ittner was born in the southwestern corner of Pennsylvania, in Washington County, March 28, 1838, and is the fifth child of John L. and Sophia C. (Miller) Ittner, whose family included seven children. The parents were natives of Germany, whence they emigrated at an early day, and after which the father changed his occupation from that of a weaver to a farmer. The family removed to Ohio in 1854, and after a residence in Hancock County of eighteen months, migrated to Logan County, Ill., where the mother died in the fall of 1880. The father survived until the spring of 1887, when he too passed away.

            Mr. Ittner, of our sketch, attended the district schools of his native county until twelve years of age, and then began assisting his father on the farm. Upon reaching manhood he commenced farming for himself in Logan County, Ill., and was there married, on the 8th of September, 1861, to Miss Elizabeth B. Weeks. Mrs. Ittner was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, March 13, 1839, and was the fourth in a family of nine children, the offspring of Henry Taylor and Sarah (Shepherd) Weeks, natives of Pennsylvania. Her maternal grandparents were Benjamin and Catura (Hutchins) Shepherd, also natives of the Keystone State; the grandfather was born in one of the military forts about 1750.

            After their marriage Mr. and Mrs. Ittner settled on a farm in Logan County, whence they removed later to DeWitt County, where they lived until taking up their abode in Kansas. This latter removal was effected in the fall of 1876. Our subject assisted in organizing the school districts of Lincoln Township, and although not very active in politics, is a warm supporter of Republican principles. Both he and his excellent wife were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, at Greenwich. Of the five children born to them, Minnie B. died at the age of fourteen months; Sarah C. is the wife of C. M. Jackson, who is also carrying on farming, on section 31, in Lincoln Township; John W. makes his home in Logan County, Ill.; Lewis B. and Robert A. are at home with their parents.

            Mr. Ittner at one time left his farm and took up his residence in Wichita, but returned to his old haunts six months later. He rented his farm in 1880, and returning to Logan County, Ill., lived there until the fall of 1882, then came back to Lincoln Township, satisfied that it was the most comfortable spot he could find. He is about three miles from the new town of Kechi, on the Rock Island Road.

            Among the rural residences illustrated in this volume may be found that of Mr. Ittner.

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