For
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| Biographies For Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume II, Biographical, 1911, page 79
HON. GEORGE MARION TITUS. Hon. George Marion Titus, is justly accorded a place among the prominent and representative citizens of Iowa, for he belongs to that class of men whose enterprising spirit is used not alone for their own benefit. He also advances the general good and promotes public prosperity by his ably managed individual interests. While his real life work has been that of the practice of law, he has also successfully conducted a real-estate, loan and insurance business and has been the promoter of many organized projects which have a direct bearing upon the upbuilding and substantial growth of the city and state. A native of New York, Mr. Titus was born in Cayuga county, May 19, 1856, and is of English lineage. His paternal grandfather, Garrett Titus, was also a native of the Empire state and devoted his life to the occupation of farming. He married Eliza Green and died in Cayuga county, New York, near Cato, when fifty-seven years of age. His widow afterward came to the west in 1871 and spent her last days in Muscatine county. Her death occurred in 1873 when she had reached the advanced age of eighty-one years. She was his second wife and Allen G. Titus, the father of George M. Titus, was the only child of that union. Garrett Titus had been previously married and had four children: Charles, Elliott, Wicks and Ann.Allen G. Titus was born in Cayuga county, New York, was reared to farm life and, on reaching manhood, determined to continue in the same line of business. For a considerable period he was identified with agricultural interests in the Empire state and while there residing was united in marriage to Miss Mary J. Rhoades, who was also born in Cayuga county and was of English descent. Her parents were James and Martha Rhoades, who were likewise born in New York and spent their last days in Weedsport, that state, passing away at the ages of eighty-nine and seventy-seven respectively. They had a large family, including: Leonard, Minerva, Rachel, Ann, Mary J., Almon Jabez, George, Julia, and Emily Rhoades. Of these Jabez and George were soldiers of the Civil war.
Following their marriage Allen G. and Mary J. ( Rhoades ) Titus took up their abode in their native county and were identified with its farming interests until 1866 when they removed to Shiawassee county, Michigan, and in 1871 removed to Iowa and settled first near Durant in Cedar county. Later they established their home in Sweetland township, Muscatine county, and afterward lived a year in Bloomington. In March, 1909, they removed to Grant, Michigan, where they are now living, Mr. Titus, having reached the age of eighty-five years, while his wife is eighty-one years of age. Both are members of the Baptist church. Their family numbered four sons and a daughter: Raymond J., also a resident of Grant, Michigan; Wicks R., a resident of California; Julia E., deceased; George M., and Charles A., who has passed away.
George M. Titus lived in Cayuga county, New York, to the age of eleven years, and in 1866 went with his parents to Shiawassee county, Michigan, where he entered the high school of Corunna. He also attended the Wilton Collegiate Institute. In the meantime he began teaching at the age of fifteen years, following that profession for seven terms in Michigan. In 1876 he entered upon the study of law in Wilton and further continued his preparation for the bar in Muscatine as a law student in the ofice of Allen Broomhall until his admission to the bar in 1880. He then began practice in Mr. Broomhall's office in this city. Advancement at the bar is proverbially slow, yet no long and dreary novitiate awaited Mr. Titus. Steadily he worked his way upward, his ability gaining him recognition in a liberal clientage. In December, 1882, Judge De Witt C.Richman resigned his position on the bench of the district court and they formed a partnership under the style of Richman & Titus, a connection that was maintained until February, 1886, when their business relations were discontinued. Mr. Titus was then joined by Judge D. V. Jackson in forming the firm of Titus & Jackson and they were thus associated until Mr. Jackson was elected district judge.Mr. Titus has since engaged in practice alone, but has associated with him, his son, George Raymond and Jacob P. Schomberg, in the real-estate, loan and insurance business. His ability as an attorney and counselor places him in the front rank of the legal profession in Muscatine county. The zeal with which he has devoted his energies to his profession, the careful regard evinced for the interest of his clients, and assiduous and unrelaxing attention to all the details of his cases have brought him a large business and made him very successful in its conduct.His arguments have elicited warm commendations not only from his associates at the bar but also from the bench. His briefs always show wide research, careful thought and the best and strongest reasons which can be urged for his contention, presented in cogent and logical form and illustrated by a style unusually lucid and clear. Aside form the practice of law he is known in business circles as a director of the Muscatine State Bank, one of the strongest financial institutions of the middle west.
In other connections Mr. Titus has also been closely associated with public interests. In politics he is a republican, recognized as one of the leaders of his party in this district. He was elected state senator and served during the twenty-seventh and twenty-eighth general assemblies, during which period he became widely known as the author of a resolution that was styled the " Titus Amendment"---an amendment to the state constitution, the purpose of which was to change the elections from annual to biennial. The measure passed the two general assemblies and was supported by a majority of thirty thousand, but was passed upon adversely by the supreme court owing to the reason that it had not been properly enrolled in the house journal. It was afterward again passed by the twenty-ninth and thirtieth general assemblies and again by vote of the people received a majority of twenty-three thousand and became one of the state laws. Mr. Titus was also elected by the State Library Association to present the library commission bill which was passed by the twenty-eighth general assembly. The influence of this will be felt by generations to come and Iowa now is said to stand at the head of the list in the number of its libraries throughout the state. Mr. Titus was likewise instrumental in securing the passage of a measure prohibiting the manufacture of buttons and tubs in the state penitentiaries. He took a deep interest in legislation in the interests of labor and is recognized as a stalwart friend and champion of the labor element throughout the state. By reason of his record in the state senate Mr. Titus was urged by many influential men to become a candidate for governor of the state, and the Council Bluffs Nonpareil published an article, together with his picture strongly urging him to become a candidate for that office, and a number of other influential papers of the state published similar articles.
Mr. Titus' efforts have been equally effective and valuable in his support of measures and projects for the welfare and upbuilding of this city. The development of Muscatine has always been a matter dear to his heart and his public and private acts have constituted an element in the city's growth and progress. He organized the Muscatine North & South Railroad and the Muscatine Bridge Company and was the first to suggest the Kansas City Cut-off of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad, extending the line of that road from Ottumwa to Davenport. As this work was prosecuted the first station west of Washington was named in his honor. He was one of the three original promoters of the project to transform the horse car system of Muscatine to an electric system and in many other ways he has contributed to the upbuilding of the city through the promotion of her public enterprises.
On the 1st of June, 1881, Mr. Titus was married to Miss Ella Broomhall, a daughter of Allen Broomhall and they had three children: Harriet E., George Raymond, who is in business with his father; and Gertrude E., who is attending Oberlin College. The mother, who died May 5, 1907, at the age of forty-eight years, was a consistent member of the Presbyterian church and was highly esteemed by all who knew her. On the 10th of October, 1909, Mr. Titus married Miss Hannah Jefferson Hutchinson. Both Mr. and Mrs. Titus are devoted members of the Presbyterian church in which he has served as an elder for thirty years, while to the support of the church he is a liberal contributor. He has attained high rank in Masonry, belonging to Iowa Lodge No. 2, A. F. & A. M.; Washington Chapter, No. 4, R. A. M.; Muscatine Council, R. & S. M.; DeMolay Commandery, No.1, K. T.; Zarephath Consistory, S. P. R. S.; Kaaba Temple of the Mystic Shrine. He is also connected with Eagle Lodge, No. 10, A. O. U. W. He is serving as a member of the board of trustees of the P. M. Musser Public Library. The consensus of opinion on the part of his fellowmen establishes his position in the public regard. Throughout Muscatine and Iowa he is spoken of in terms of admiration and respect. His life has been varied in its activity, honorable in its purpose, far-reaching and beneficial in its efforts and has thus become an integral part of the history of the city and has left its impress upon the annals of the state.
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