Sullivan County PA Archives Biographies.....Litzelman, John 1847 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 29, 2008, 2:55 am Author: Thomas J. Ingham (1899) JOHN LITZELMAN. - The man who starts out in life empty-handed, and with no wealthy or influential friends to aid him, finds that he has many difficulties to encounter, many obstacles to overcome; yet determination, perseverance and energy will enable him to push aside all barriers which impede his path to success and to gain at last the goal for which he has striven. It is in this manner that John Litzelman has won a place among the prosperous and valued citizens of his native country. Obstacles which would have disheartened a man less resolute spirit have but nerved him to greater effort, and he now enjoys a handsome competence as the reward of his labors. Mr. Litzelman was born in Cherry township, on the 24th of October, 1847, and is a son of Mathias and Mary (Yenne) Litzelman, both natives of France. In that country they were reared and married, but in 1822 severed all ties which bound them to their native province and sailed for the new world. Landing in New York they spent two years in the metropolis and then came to Sullivan county, locating in Cherry township, where the father purchased a farm of Mr. Cadwallader, a land agent, buying one hundred acres at two dollars and a half per acre. In France Mr. Litzelman had engaged in the manufacture of soap, but now turned his attention to agricultural pursuits. His property was a wooded tract, but with characteristic energy he began to clear away the trees, and in course of time where once stood the forest were seen waving fields of grain. His death occurred in 1846, at the age of fifty-four years, and his wife passed away in 1888, at the advanced age of eighty-nine. They were devout members of the Catholic church, and were buried in St. Basil's cemetery. They had a family of eleven children, as follows: Mary, who was married and died in Illinois; Mathias, who wedded Mary Baumgartner, and died in Lycoming county, Pennsylvania; George, a retired farmer of Bradford county, Pennsylvania, who married Lavina Hollenback; Christina, who became the wife of Nicholas Young and died in Lycoming county; Magdalena, who married Benedict Ordlick, and died in Dushore, where her husband's death also occurred; Michael, who married Elizabeth Yonkin, and is a carpenter of Sayre, Pennsylvania; Louisa, wife of Peter Moshineau, a stone mason of Lycoming county, Pennsylvania; Gabriel, a farmer of Cherry township, who first married Mary White, and after her death wedded Elizabeth Baker; Adeline, wife of George Sollinger, a farmer of Oregon; Raphael, who married Lydia Sick and follows farming on the old family homestead; and John, of this review. During the greater part of his minority John Litzelman resided under the parental roof, and in the district schools of the neighborhood acquired his education. At the age of twenty he began learning the carpenter's trade under the direction of his brother Michael, with whom he worked for five years, thoroughly mastering the business. He then went to Towanda, Pennsylvania, where he spent two years in the employ of Henry Lamereaux, after which he began contracting and building on his own account. He has since followed that pursuit and has met with excellent success in his undertakings. He has erected many buildings, including the following school-houses in Sullivan county: Ringer Hill, Shrimp, Jordan Hill, the King, Barth, Lammer, Cherry Mills, Quinn, Bernice and repaired the Wampool school. He also erected two school-houses in Bradford county, and these substantial structures stand not only in evidence of the educational progress of the community, but are as monuments to the thrift and enterprise of Mr. Litzelman. In connection with his building interests, he also operated a planing-mill on Lard creek, in Cherry township for ten years, from 1871 until 1881, and while thus engaged a belt caught his sleeve, drawing his arm into the machinery and severing his left hand at the wrist. He afterward had an iron hook attached to his arm, and in this way accomplishes almost as much as though he had the use of both hands. This certainly indicates the indomitable enterprise and energy of the man, for many others would have become disheartened under such circumstances. In 1885 he purchased of John Bahr his present farm in Cherry township, and with the aid of his children is now carrying on agricultural pursuits in connection with contracting and building. On the 7th of November, 1853, Mr. Litzelman was united in marriage to Miss Mary Sick, a native of Cherry Mills, born in July, 1852, and a sister of Charles Sick, the postmaster of Cherry Mills, and one of the most prominent citizens of Sullivan county. An extended notice is given of his life on another page of this work. Twelve children have been born of this union, namely: Samuel, now deceased; Agnes, wife of John A. Yonkin, proprietor of a restaurant in Lopez, Pennsylvania; Stephen, Windsor, Clara, Amelia, Charles, Thada, Mary, William, Jennie and Elizabeth, all yet at their parental home. Mr. Litzelman is a member of the Catholic church, and in his political associations is a Democrat, but has had neither time nor inclination to seek public office. His duties of citizenship, however, are always faithfully performed, and he supports all progressive measures for the public good. His life has been well spent, and his honorable business career has brought him the high regard of many friends as well as gained for him a desirable property. Additional Comments: Extracted from: History of Sullivan County Pennsylvania by Thomas J. Ingham Compendium of Biography The Lewis Publishing Company Chicago: 1899 This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/pafiles/ File size: 6.2 Kb