"An Illustrated history of Baker, Grant, Malheur and Harney Counties : with a
brief outline of the early history of the state of Oregon." Chicago?: Western
Historical Pub. Co., 1902.  p. 500.  Grant Co.

JOHN D. TITUS

     It is a matter of universal commendation when a man achieves a good success
in any one line of honorable industry, but in the person of the subject of this
sketch we have a gentleman whose adaptability and breadth of capabilities have
enabled him to win the laurels of success from the hands of Dame Fortune in
number of different undertaking, some widely divergent, while in all of his
career he has ever maintained a reputation untarnished and a walk displaying
both integrity and upright principles.
     In the sister land of Canada we find the birthplace of Mr. Titus, it being
Norwich, Ontario, while his parents were Israel D. and Marguerette Titus, and
the date of his nativity April 27, 1842.  His early days were spent in the
healthful and invigorating exercise of assisting his father on the farm, while
he gained a good education from the justly famous schools of the province of
Ontario.  When he had arrived at the age of seventeen he launched on the sea of
life's conflicts for himself and at once came to Painsville, Lake county, Ohio,
where he learned the trade of the jeweler.  In 1860, during the days of
thrilling deeds and intense suffering in some of the southern and western
states, he migrated to Lockhart, Caldwell county, Texas, where he remained until
1863.  After this period he went to Monterey, Mexico, following his trade there.
In the next year he came via Mazatlan, Mexico, to San Francisco on the steamer
and remained in different part of California and engaged in various enterprises
until 1870, when he came to Albany, Oregon, and took up the jewelry business
again, this time in company with his brother.  There they operated successfully
until 1881, when they embarked in the stock business near the mouth of Pine
creek in Wheeler county.  Later they established a horse market in Tacoma, and
some time following this they dissolved partnership and our subject came to
his present place in Fox valley, tow miles west from Beech Creek post office, in
1893.  He owns six hundred and forty acres of land, all fenced and well
improved, with good house, barn and orchard.  He handles horses and cattle and
is one of the successful stockmen of the county.  In 1895 the people called him
to public life as assessor of the county, and at the expiration of a two-year
term re-elected him to the same office, on the Republican ticket.  During his
stay in Albany he was city treasurer for one term also.  In all his public
service he has given entire satisfaction and left a record for efficiency and
faithfulness.
     Mr. Titus married Miss Elizabeth, daughter of William C. and Marguerette
Baird, of Brownsville, Oregon, in October, 1873, and they have one child.
Marguerette, wife of Charles E. Cohoe, of Fox valley.


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Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in December 2005 by Diana Smith.
Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned
above.