Lewis Bitney, the eighth child of Charles Bitney and Catherine Marsailes was born March 16, 1840 in Franklin County, New York. When 16 years old, the family moved to a timbered homestead in Salk County, Wisconsin.
In September 1861, Lewis enlisted in Company B, Twelfth Wisconsin Volunteers and served with the North in the Civil War. On February 23, 1866 he was united in marriage to Laura Phelps. The couple started life together as farmers. In 1871 three older sisters, and a cousin, Frank Bitney left for Nebraska and selected sites along the Elkhorn River in Holt County in 1873. The following spring, Lewis, his wife, and two sons, Harley (1867) and Elbert (1869) left for Nebraska in a covered wagon. It took 27 days to make the trip, but Mr Bitney having observed that the grass was taller in Antelope County selected a homestead along Willow Creek in Willow Township. Lewis left the family behind and went to Niobrara to file the claim and then to Yankton for lumber to build their 12 X 16 ft cabin. On November 17 they moved into their small farm house. Three more children were added to the family. In 1881, Lewis acquired another 160 acres just north of the original homestead. Hardships of grasshoppers, hot winds and drought, as well as the blizzard of 1888 tested their will. In 1894, the Bitneys moved to a 37 acre tract east of Neligh. In 1903 he purchased a 160 acre farm just north of Neligh. Lewis lived out his remaining years on this farm. Laura moved to Neligh and lived with her son, Wesley. Of the five children, only Frank and Wesley remained in the county.
Source Unknown: Originally submitted for this website in June 2007