Adam Bittinger, The Immigrant, 1698 - 1768

Much has been written online and in books about Hans Adam Bittinger and especially, his son, Nicholas, a Revolutionary War soldier and prisoner of war of the British. His sons, Christian and Frederick are also found on the Revolutionary War rolls.
 Much of the story can be read in the Biographical History of York County, Pennsylvania, edited by John Gibson, 1886, pages 60-61...here. 
The History of York County, Pennsylvania by George Reeser Prowell in 1907, also has a good summary for Joseph Bittinger, grandson of Adam...here.

To add something different, perhaps, is this query from the Harrisburg Telegraph, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, February 25, 1882, page 6.  A correspondent to the paper from Kentucky was trying to trace the family line.

 On April 22, 1882, the Harrisburg Telegraph posted this interesting notice concerning the land and family after the above query was in the paper.

"THE FAMILY OF BITTINGER

Information is asked by a correspondent from Kentucky relative to the descendants of Adam Bittinger.  Some friend has kindly responded by sending us the following, valuable and interesting contribution to the genealogy of the German families in Pennsylvania

I. ADAM BEITINGER bought, May 7, 1753, a tract of land form John Shauman which he had take up three years previous, and located (now on the Carlisle turnpike) three miles northwest of Hanover, York county, Penna.  This farm is now owned by William Bittinger, Esq. of Abbottstown.  From the records of the Orphans' Court of York county, it is seen that on the death of Adam Bittinger, his oldest son Nicholas presented a petition beginning thus:
'That his father, Adam Bittinger lately died intes'a'e, leaving a widow named Sabina, and lawful issue to survive him, namely the petitioner, Nicholas Bittinger, Henry, Michael, Peter, Marillis, George, Adam, Christian, Frederick and Eva'
The petition was presented September 1, 1768, and it further appears from the records that on May 30, 1771, Nicholas Bittinger, by paying certain sums to the heirs became the owner of this tract of 190 acres.

II. NICHOLAS BIETTINGER (as he spelled his name) was born in 1725, and died May 2, 1804, and is burried in the Lutheran cemetery, at Abbottstown.  He was a man of great energy and force of character, as a soldier and citizen.  He was successful in the accumulation of property and within six miles of Hanover owned some ten good farms, and also owned in Franklin county almost an equal number of choice tracts of land.  He had a family of nine children, two sons, JOSEPH and JOHN, and seven daughters.  John was never married, and died in Baltimore, Md.   Joseph, during the lifetime of his father, obtained the old 'Shauman tract.'  A deed executed Dec. 21st, 1798, by Nickolas Bittinger and his wife Christina, conveys this land to their son, Joseph, 'as well for and in consideration of love and affection.'   The son, however, did not long survive his father.  He died July 26, 1804, and is buried in the same graveyard, having attained only to the thirty-second year of his age.

III. JOSEPH BITTINGER, just mentioned, had a family of five children, all sons, John, Joseph, Henry Frederick and George.

IV. JOHN BITTINGER died near Alexandria, Va. and left a family of six children, four sons and two daughters.  Joseph, one of the sons, died some years ago.  Edard C. is a Chaplain in the U. S. Navy; Benjamin and Michael are ministers.

V. JOSEPH BITTINGER, born November 13, 1794, died September 27, 1850, on the old homestead (Shauman's tract) which he owned, and is buried at Hanover.  His family consisted of twelve children:
 i. William, born Nov. 21, 1820, resides at Abbottstown, Pa.
ii.Henry, b. Nov. 13, 1821; d. April 22, 1879 at Hanover, Pa.
iii.Joseph B., b. March 30, 1823; graduate of Penn's College and Andover Theological Seminary, Pastor of Presbyterian Churchat Sawickly; a fine speaker, elegant writer and a Doctor of Divinity.
iv.Ellen C. b. Aug. 13, 1824; m. Geo. Wolf; d. March 33d, 1875
v. Edward B., b. Nov. 14, 1825, d. Sept. 21, 1859 at Chicago, Ill.
vi.Rebecca E., b. Aug. 21, 1827; m. to Dr. J. M. Brenneman of Freeport, Ill.
vii. George W., b. May 13th, 1829, now in Leadville, Colorado.
viii.John Quincy, b. March 20, 1831, graduate of Dartmouth College, and Andover Theological Seminary, pastor of Congregational church of St. Albans, Vt.
ix. Daniel, b. April 10, 1833; d. June 8, 1848 on the homestead.
x. Anna Maria, b. January 10, 1835, resides in Chicago, Ill.
xi. Howard Nicholas, b. April 12, 1839; resides in Des Moines, Iowa.
xii. Charles Lewis, b. May 25, 1841; graduate of Franklin and Marshall College; resides in Dakota.

VI.  HENRY BITTINGER, now in his eighty-sixth year; has one son, John W., a member of the York bar, and two daughters.  He lives with one of the latter at Middletown, Ohio.

VII. FREDERICK BITTINGER - died recently at his residence in Littlestown, Pa.

VIII. GEORGE BITTINGER died about two years ago at the residence of his daughter in Hanover, Pa.  He had three daughters"