STEPHEN TITUS occupies a comfortable homestead on section 21, Waddams Township, and is a gentleman who made the most of his opportunities while young, obtaining a good education and fitting himself by a thorough course of reading to keep pace with the well-informed people of the present day. He is more than ordinarily intelligent and has considerable literary ability, having been a correspondent of several local papers, and well fitted to discuss the various questions which arise, and which are of general interest to the intelligent citizens. He has always been fond of country life, and possesses the energy and industry required to make farming a success. He is also a natural mechanic and a carpenter of no little proficiency, at which trade he employs his time when not otherwise engaged, and has exhibited many evidences of his skill around this pleasant and tasteful home.

Mr. T.’s early years were spent in Washington Tp., Dutchess Co., N. Y., on the farm of his father, Jackson Titus, where he was born March 18, 1821. The latter was a native of the same county, and the son of Samuel Titus, an extensive cattle-dealer who purchased in the interior and drove to New York City. The latter spent the last years of his life in Dutchess County, where the father of our subject grew to manhood and was married. Jackson Titus in time became the owner of a large farm in Dutchess County, and also purchased a tract of land in Michigan. He died in the latter State while attending to business matters.

The mother of our subject was in her girlhood Miss Hannah Conklin, a native of the same county as her husband and son. Stephen, of our sketch, was fifteen years old when his father died, after which he made his home with an uncle. Subsequently he went into Westchester County, N. Y., whence, after sojourning there two years, he returned to his native county and took up the carpenter trade, serving an apprenticeship of three years. He followed his trade afterward, in Westchester County, four years, then returned to Dutchess County and resided there until the spring of 1861. He now determined to seek his fortunes in the Prairie State, and coming to this county, purchased the tract of timber land which he still occupies, and purchased a part of his present farm across the line in Buckeye Township.

Our subject, while a resident of Dutchess County, N. Y., was united in marriage with Miss Harriett Burlingame, a native of his own county, and who was born in 1822. Of this union there is one child, a daughter named Henrietta, now the wife of John Kailey, a prosperous farmer of Buckeye Township. Mr. Titus, in 1860, visited Putnam County, Mo., where an uncle of his owned a large tract of land. Mr. T. had engaged to put up a house and barn, and remained there until after the election, which resulted in seating President Lincoln in the National Executive Chair. This, among other events at the beginning of the war, was the occasion of great excitement in that section of country. Mr. T. at that time represented the Budget, of Freeport. He is now one of the most valued correspondents of the Freeport Democrat. He takes a warm interest in educational matters, and has served as School Director in Waddams Township for a period of seven years. Before the war he affiliated with the Democratic party, but since 1860 has supported Republican principles.

Contributed by Carol Parrish - Portrait and Biographical Album of Stephenson County, Ill. (1888), p. 304-5