Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1889

Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 383
GEORGE M. TITUS, of the firm of Titus & Jackson, a leading law, real estate and loan firm, of Muscatine, Iowa, was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., May 19, 1855, and is the son of A. G. and Mary J. ( Rhodes ) Titus. His parents were also natives of Cayuga County, the father being of English origin, and the mother of Scotch and English descent. In 1866 the family removed from New York to Shiawassee County, Mich., and George entered the High School of Corunna as a student. Being ambitious and studious he made rapid progress in his studies, and at the early age of sixteen years engaged as teacher. Two years later in 1872, he came to Iowa and located at Durant, and soon afterward entered the Wilton Collegiate Institute as a student. Having to support himself he was obliged to break in on the regular course to teach school in order to procure funds to defray his expenses at the institute. Thus he spent four years as a student and teacher, and on leaving the institute was offered a diploma, which he declined on the ground of not having taken a regular course. While at Wilton he attained his majority, and was nominated by the Democrats for the office ot Township Clerk, in a Republican town, and at the succeeding election was chosen over his opponent by sixty majority. Dec. 1, 1877, he entered the office of Allen Broomhall at Muscatine, as a law student, and after nearly two years of study was admitted to the bar, in the fall of 1879. He began practice at once in this city with his preceptor, Mr. Broomhall, and on the 27th of December, 1882, formed a law partnership with Judge D. C. Richman, who had just resigned his seat as Judge of the Circuit Court. That connection was continued until Feb. 9, 1886, when Judge Richman's only son having been admitted to the bar, he entered into partnership with his father, when the firm of Richman & Titus was dissolved, and a satisfactory division of the business made, our subject at once forming the existing partnership with D. V. Jackson, under the firm name of Titus & Jackson. They have a commodious office, located at No. 118 Iowa avenue, and a branch office at Columbus Junction, which was established by Mr. Titus in 1878, and was continued by Richman & Titus up to the time of the dissolution of that firm. On a division of the business the Columbus Junction office with its patronage fell to Mr. Titus' share and was succeeded to by the new firm. This firm has built up an extensive and important connection in the line of loans and real estate. They loan principally on long time farm mortgages, and in the State of Iowa. Their business has been managed with such care and ability that out of an aggregate of $2,000,000 loaned, no customer has lost a dollar.

On the 1st of June, 1881, our subject led to the marriage altar, Miss Ella Broomhall, who was born in Atalissa, Iowa, and is a daughter of Allen Broomhall. Like her husband she is a member of the Presbyterian Church. Two children have been born of their union, Harriet E. and George Raymond.

Our subject has been more or less prominently identified with local affairs and societies at Muscatine since his residence in this city. For two years he was Secretary of the Board of Trade, and was largely instrumental in procuring the charter for a bridge across the Mississippi at this point; he is a Director of the company which was organized for that purpose. He is the present Secretary of the Muscatine Fair Grounds and Park Association. In the Presbyterian Church our subject serves as an Elder, and takes great interest in the work of that denomination. He is a Knight Templar Mason, a member of Hawkeye Lodge No. 30, A.F.& A.M.; of Washington Chapter No. 4, R. A. M.; and of DeMolay Commandery No. 1, K. T. He is also a member of Wyoming Lodge No. 76, K. of P., and is Sir Knight Commander of the Knights of Maccabees. Mr. Titus is a man of superior natural ability and force of character, and has won his way through persevering industry and close application to the details of business. His course has been uniformly upright and honorable, and has won him the confidence and regard of all with whom he has had business or social relations.

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