Old West Kansas

Kansas Family History

Family History of Flavius Josephus PITSENBERGER

  Those of us who research our PITSENBERGER lines have mostly run into
dead ends.  We have mostly unanswered questions.  What is known of the
Pitsenberger/Pitsenbarger/Pitzenberger family is taken from the line of
Abraham and Elizabeth (???) Pitsenbarger.  They are believed to be the
first in America, and are first discovered in Shenandoah county Virginia in
1777. Nothing prior to that is known of them.  Additionally, Abraham gave
service during the Revolutionary War as a Private in Michael Reader's
Company of Militia.  My Pitsenberger ancestor is Flavius Josephas
Pitsenberger, great-grandson of Abraham Pitsenbarger.

  Flavius Josephas Pitsenberger was born 13 June 1840 in Darke county Ohio.
He was a son of Jonathan and Anna Mary (Pitsenbarger) Pitsenberger. He
served his country well and faithfully during the Civil War as a member of
Company E, 40th Ohio Volunteer Infantry, and saw action during the Battle
of Chickamauga.

  After the war, he met and married Eliza Jane Snyder in Darke county Ohio
on 29 April 1866. Eliza was a daughter of Levi and Rebecca (Frees) Snyder.
They had the following children:

1.  Ulysses S. Pitsenberger, b. 28 Apr 1867, Darke co, OH (my gr-grandfather)
2.  Charles Pitsenberger, b. 21 Jul 1868, Darke co, OH
3.  James M. Pitsenberger, b. 7 Oct 1869, Darke co, OH

  About 1872, Flavius and his wife and children moved to Montana TWP,
Labette county Kansas where he farmed.  Here, they were blessed with the
birth of three more children:

4. Emma M. Pitsenberger, b. 18 Feb 1874
5. Rosa A. Pitsenberger, b. 10 Sep 1875
6. George Pitsenberger, b. 3 Nov 1879

  Unfortunately, Flavius would not live to see the birth of his son George,
as Flavius died 12 March 1879, and is buried somewhere near Montana,
Labette co, KS.  Eliza and her children returned to Ohio after his death.
The boys were raised by their grandfather, Jonathan Pitsenberger; Emma
lived with the William Reck family of Darke co.; and Eliza and Rosa lived
next to her parents.  Little George died in Darke co. on 25 March 1880.

  When Ulysses grew up he returned to Kansas. On 4 Jul 1893 he married
Sadie Rule in Sherman City, Cherokee co, KS. Sadie was a daughter of
William T. and Margaret J. (Fisher) Rule of Cherokee county.  Ulysses and
Sadie had the following children:

1. Ray C. Pitsenberger, b. 30 Apr 1894
2. Nellie M. Pitsenberger, b. 3 Mar 1896
3. Julia M. Pitsenberger, b. 22 Jan 1898
4. Ralph W. Pitsenberger, b. 5 June 1900
5. Paul B. Pitsenberger, b. 30 June 1903
6. Mary E. Pitsenberger, b. 25 June 1906
7. Lydia N. Pitsenberger, 6 Oct 1908  (my grandmother)
8. Margurite M. Pitsenberger, b. 6 Apr 1911
9. M. Genevieve Pitsenberger, b. 6 Apr 1911

Around 1900, Ulysses and his wife and children moved to Oklahoma. He died
12 Jan 1951 and is buried in the Newkirk cemetery at Newkirk, Kay co,
Oklahoma. Sadie died 15 Sep 1938 and is buried next to Ulysses.


Glenn Rutz
401 Ulster Drive
Tyler, TX  75703-5321
glennr@gower.net