BIO:  JOHN FITTING, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
   
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
  _____________________________________________________________

  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 658-659
  _____________________________________________________________

  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
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    JOHN FITTING, one of the highly respected retired citizens of New
  Cumberland, Pa., was born in that city March 31, 1830, a son of Peter Fitting
  and his second wife, Mary George.
  
    Peter Fitting was of German ancestry, but was born in Hanover township,
  Dauphin Co., Pa., and engaged in farming almost all of his life. Later he
  resided at New Cumberland and Harrisburg, and died at the latter city in
  1874, aged over eighty years. He was survived a few years by his widow. Their
  children were: John, of this sketch; Peter, who died aged sixteen years;
  Susan, the widow of John Stoner, of near Harrisburg; Elizabeth, wife of
  Abraham Bumgardner, near Harrisburg; and Caroline, Mrs. John Kuhns, deceased.
  
    John Fitting was reared on the farm and obtained his education in the
  common schools. At the age of eighteen years he learned the milling business
  with Henry Brenneman, serving an apprenticeship of two years, and then
  followed the business for twenty-one years. After disposing of his milling
  interests Mr. Fitting built a home in New Cumberland and engaged in a
  butchering business for about ten years or more. A few years later he took
  charge of the loading gang at the Pennsylvania Steel
  
    CUMBERLAND COUNTY.  659
  
  Works and continued until the spring of 1903, when he retired from active
  business life.
  
    On Aug. 13, 1850, in New Cumberland, Mr. Fitting married Miss Catherine
  Brownwell, who was born Oct. 24, 1832, near Carlisle, a daughter of Joseph
  and Fanny (Brandt) Brownwell, and a granddaughter of John Brownwell, a farmer
  of Cumberland county, who died at Roxbury. Joseph Brownwell was born several
  miles above Mechanicsburg and was a farmer all his life. When Mrs. Fitting
  was three years old he located on the Mumper farm, near New Cumberland, where
  she grew to womanhood. When he quit farming he settled in New Cumberland,
  where he bought property, and died there in 1884, aged eighty-four years. His
  wife died in 1842, aged thirty-six years. In religious faith they were
  Lutherans. In politics he was a Democrat. The children of Mr. and Mrs.
  Brownwell were: Mrs. Fitting; Mary, Mrs. Curtis Hefflefinger, who died in New
  Cumberland; Julia Ann, who married Jacob Sheeley, of Shiremanstown; Joseph,
  who died young; and Lizzie, Mrs. John G. Malehorse, of Steelton.
  
    Mr. and Mrs. Fitting have had six children: Joseph P., a mine operator in
  Nevada, makes his home in Colorado Springs; he married Elmira, daughter of
  Rev. Elisha Butler, of Tyrone, Pa. John Alfred, of Manitou Springs, Colo.,
  married Sarah Jury, of Millersburg. Susan is the wife of William E. Heckman,
  of New Cumberland Frances died in childhood. Ulysses G. and Emma died in
  infancy.
  
    Both our subject and his wife are valued members of the M. E. Church in
  which Mrs. Fitting has been an active worker for more than forty years, for
  many years being a teacher in the Sunday-school. She is one ofthe leaders in
  the work of the Ladies' Aid Society and the Epworth League, and a prime mover
  in all the social functions of the congregation. Her interest also has been
  shown as a member of the Foreign Missionary Society and in all the charitable
  and benevolent enterprises of that religious body. In politics Mr. Fitting is
  a Republican, and at different times has served as a member of the borough
  council. The family is held in universal esteem.