JULIUS A. TITUS
From Litchfield, NY to Lenox, NY
Contributed by Lisa Slaski Transcribed by Joanne Murray
JULIUS A. TITUS. The Titus family originally came from Long Island, the father of our subject,
Henry Titus, having been born there, but came with his wife to Herkimer County, New York, settling
on a farm of one hundred and sixty acres, all dense woods with the exception of about five acres of
cleared land. They brought up a family of two sons and two daughters, as follows: Laura, wife of
Henry Snyder, died in Pennsylvania when past middle life; Martha, wife of Francis Symonds, died in Whitesboro,
at the age of fifty; Jarvis, a grocer at Whitesboro, died at the age of forty-six; Julius, born at
Litchfield, Herkimer County, January 17, 1810. The mother died on the old homestead in 1843, and the
father when eighty-nine years of age. He left quite a large property.
Julius A. Titus was reared at home on the farm. The only advantages for an education which he
received were the limited chances afforded by the old log school-house, with its rough slab benches,
the ill-constructed house, allowing the cold wintry air to have full sweep to nip the fingers of the
little ones wrestling with their infantile attempts at "pot hooks" and sums; and he can tell many
interesting stories to his grandchildren of the discomforts and inconveniences of his school days as
compared with the modern elegances of public schools. He remained with his parents on the home
farm until the age of thirty-one years, when he married Miss Delight Coolidge, of Herkimer County,
and bought a farm there, which they lived on for about ten years, then sold, and removed to the
present home in the town of Lenox, which now consists of some seventy acres, he having sold a great
portion of the original tract to the railroad. The only child is Henry W. Titus, who is about
fifty-one years of age, and has always lived at home.
This son has been twice married, first in 1870 to Miss Emma Davis, who bore him four children, one of
them a son, who died while an infant, and three daughters, who are still living, as follows: Carrie,
wife if Frank G. Terrell, a farmer, living in the town of Lenox; Nellie Ruth, aged thirteen; and Mary
Gertrude, eight years of age. Their mother died in 1890; and the father married for his second wife
Emma Fitzgerald, daughter of Daniel and Rose ((McGinnis) Fitzgerald, their marriage taking place in
November 1891.
For forty years Julius A. Titus has been a thorough and earnest Republican, and, while not seeking
any political favors, has always been keenly alive to the interests of his party. In his religious
faith he is a Presbyterian. He cherishes with a tender and chastened sorrow the memory of his devoted
Christian wife, with whom he shared his joys and troubles for over fifty years, and with a calm
tranquility and hopefulness awaits the hour when he shall join her in the home of eternal happiness,
where all tears shall be wiped away. Through a long life spent in this section Mr. Titus established
an unblemished reputation as an upright and worthy citizen, and in his venerable age is accorded the
highest meed(?) of reverence and respect.
Source: "Biographical review. This volume contains biographical sketches of the leading citizens of MadisonCounty, New York." Boston: Biographical Review Publishing Company, 1894. Pages 422-23.
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