OBIT: John W. BITTINGER, 1917, York, York County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/york/ _______________________________________________ Hon. John W. Bittinger, who for a period of twenty-one years was judge of the Common Pleas court of York county, died at his home in York on Monday after a brief illness, having been confined to his bed but one week before the end came. He was aged 82 years, 9 months and 17 days. Besides his wife the deceased jurist is survived by four children, namely: Miss Ida M. Bittinger at home, Mrs. John A. Hollinger of York, Mrs. Geo. G. Morgan of Richmond, Va., and Daniel S. Bittinger of Atlantic City, N. J. One sister, Mrs. Louisa Young of Hanover, also survives. A son, Chas. Bittinger, died within one day of three years before his father. He was his partner in the practice of law. Judge Bittinger was born at York Springs, Adams county, November 10, 1834. His great-grandfather, captain Nicholas Bittinger, commanded a company of soldiers in the Revolution and was captured by the British in the battle of Fort Washington and held for nine months a prisoner. His maternal great-grandfather, Dr. Henry Sheffer, of York Springs, served as associate judge of Adams county and was elected to congress in 1836. His father, Henry Bittinger, was married to Julia, daughter of Daniel Sheffer. Judge Bittinger obtained his education in the public schools, Strasburg Academy and Pennsylvania College, Gettysburg. While attending college he registered as a law student with Moses McClean, at Gettysburg, and completed his legal studies under Judge Bouic at Rockville, Md., where he was admitted to practice in the Maryland courts in 1856. The same year he entered Harvard law school where in 1857 he received the degree of L.D. After practicing in Lexington, Ky., for three years he located in York in 1860, where he since resided. In politics he was always a Democrat, having been a leader and campaign orator in the Democratic contests in York county. In 1862 he began his official career with the nomination for and election to the district attorneyship of the county at the end of his first term being re-elected. In 1888 Mr. Bittinger represented his part in the national convention at St. Louis. In November, 1890, he was appointed by Governor Beaver to fill the vacancy occasioned in the bench by the death of Judge John Gibson. The same year Mr. Bittinger became the nominee of his party for the judgeship. He was elected at the November election and in 1900 was re-elected by a handsome majority, the Republican party having endorsed him in convention and made no nomination against him. From 1895 until his retirement from the bench he acted as president judge of the York county courts. The funeral was Thursday afternoon. Gettysburg Compiler – Saturday, September 1, 1917