California Biographies
Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
 
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper

This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives 
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm

Source:
History of Mendocino and Lake Counties, California
With Biographical Sketches
History by Aurelius O. Carpenter And Percy H. Millberry
Illustrated, Complete In One Volume
Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, California, 1914


STEPHEN K. BITTENBENDER.� A member of an old Pennsylvania 
family and himself a native of that state, born near Berwick, October 22, 1859, 
Stephen K. Bittenbender is the youngest child of John Bittenbender, who was 
born in Schuylkill county. Pa., and in youth learned the trades of blacksmith 
and machinist. A genius in the difficult task of tempering steel, he was 
engaged for- years in that capacity with the firm of Bowman & Jackson, car- 
builders, at Berwick. Eventually resigning and removing to Knoxville, Iowa, 
he successfully identified himself with both the banking and the real estate 
business. To his youngest son he gave the educational advantages of 
Carthage (Ill.) College, from which he received the degree of A. B. in 1880 
and that of A. M. in 1895. After his graduation with honors as valedictorian 
of his class he went to Nebraska as principal of the schools at Ponca. 

It was during the period of his residence at Ponca that Mr. Bittenbender 
first became interested in the milling industry, the original experience being 
in flour mills, while later he became equally familiar with the lumber mills. 
For twelve years he had a practical and encouraging experience as manager 
of the Ponca flour mills, in which he bought an interest. The destruction of 
the mill by fire caused him a very heavy loss and wiped out the labor of more 
than a decade of tireless application. Forced to consider a new location, it 
was then that he first came to California. From 1895 to 1898 he made his 
home in the Santa Clara valley near Campbell, where he bought an orchard. 
The work of horticulture in that particular locality proved neither interesting 
nor profitable, so that he removed to Missouri and engaged as manager for 
Stough Bros., at Chicopee, having charge of the manufacture and sale of 
lumber for the firm. When all of their holdings had been sawed, and having 
negotiated for a sale of the remaining property, he engaged as manager for the 
Missouri Lumber and Mining Company at the same place, where he continued 
for three and one-half years. [Meanwhile he still owned the orchard in the 
Santa Clara valley and on leaving Missouri he brought his family back to 
California, but shortly left the vicinity of San Jose for Mendocino county in 
1901 and became an employe of the Northwestern Redwood Company at 
Willits. In 1907 he became mill superintendent for the company at North- 
western, a position he has filled ever since. For many years he had been 
interested in the study of law during his leisure hours, and in June, 1903, 
successfully passed a bar examination and was admitted to practice in all the 
state courts. While he has not practiced the profession, he has found a 
knowledge of the law most helpful to him in general business affairs. 

During the period of the attendance of Mr. Bittenbender at the college 
in Illinois he formed the acquaintance of a popular young college 
student. Miss Elizabeth Stough, of Ponca, Neb. Their marriage was 
solemnized in Ponca a few years after they had completed their collegiate 
education. Their two sons, Duane and Lloyd, are both employed with the 
Northwestern Redwood Company. The family adheres to the Lutheran 
faith, both Mr. and Mrs. Bittenbender being members of families that had 
clung to that religion from the period of the memorable reformation by 
Martin Luther. In fraternal connections Mr. Bittenbender belongs to the 
Modern Woodmen of America and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, ' 
besides having membership with his wife in the Order of Rebekahs at Willits.