In Bath, N. Y., March 16, 1918, Deacon B. F. Titsworth, of Alfred, N. Y., in the 75th year of his age.
Benjamin Franklin Titsworth, the sixth child of Isaac D. and Hannah Ann Titsworth, was born in Shiloh, N. J., September 23, 1843. When nine years of age his parents removed to Plainfield, N. J., and soon thereafter to New Market (now Dunellen), N. J., where he attended school at the New Market Academy, and where, after baptism by Rev. H. H. Baker, he united with the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Piscataway.
On August 1, 1862, at the age of nineteen, he enlisted as a private in Company D, 11th Regiment, New Jersey Volunteers, Infantry, and was mustered out of service June 6, 1865. An incident which he was fond of relating in this connection was that, in the final review before President Lincoln in Washington, his division was the last in the procession, as was his regiment and his company, and he was in the last line and would have been the last man in forming single rank. He was promoted to detached service first in the brigade general's office and afterwards in the adjutant general's office, where his duties were largely clerical because of his clear and fine penmanship and systematic methods. This was before the day of the typewriter, when penmanship was counted as a valuable asset.
On his return to civil life he attended Alfred Academy for a time, and afterwards engaged in business with his father and brothers, first in Dunellen, N. J., and afterwards in Milton Junction, Wis. While living at Milton Junction he married Emeline A. Langworthy, of Little Genesee, N. Y., whom he first met while attending school at Alfred. This was on October 11, 1871, and she died November 19, 1873. While living at Milton Junction he was made a deacon of the Milton Seventh Day Baptist Church. In 1880, he moved to Farina, Ill., and engaged in the grocery and drug business, and at one time was cashier of the Farina Bank.
On February 21, 1881, he married Genevra Zinn, of Farina, and to them were born three children, - Bertha, now of Durham, N. H., Adeline, now of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Lewis, now of Brawley, Cal. There are two grandchildren, Phillip and Genevra, living in California.
In 1896, the family moved to southern California and later to the city of Riverside, where they were prominent in the Seventh Day Baptist church, where he retained his membership until the time of his death. In 1908, the family removed to Alfred, where he lived at the time of his death. During his residence in Farina, Ill., he was a member of the Lucien Greathouse Post. G. A. R., afterwards was a member of the Riverside Post, No. 118, and at the time of his death was a member of the B. Frank Maxson Post, at Alfred, N. Y., who honor his memory by their presence today.
He leaves a widow, Genevra Zinn Titsworth, and the children and grandchildren before mentioned to mourn his loss.
Funeral services were held on March 20, and burial took place in Alfred Rural Cemetery. Wm. L. B.
