Henry Wilson Storey's History of Cambria County, V.III, p.130

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History of Cambria County, V.3

130 HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.

worked for the company, directly and indirectly, about six years, and late in 1851 came to Johnstown with a Mr. Cox and helped to start the works which ultimately became the Cambria Iron Company.
    On February 2, 1853, Mr. Tittle in company with his brother Alexander, left Johnstown for California, traveling by way of the Isthmus of Panama and thence up the coast to Sacramento, arriving there on the 24th of the same month. He had been promised and expected a clerkship in the Sacramento postoffice under his uncle, Jonathan Tittle, who was postmaster when the boys left Johnstown, but who died before their arrival, hence no place was open to him. However, he soon found work on a farm at five dollars per day and board, which more than kept him, and soon afterward he took a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres in company with his brother, and carried it on until 1857, then sold his share to his brother and bought about fifteen acres across the river from Sacramento and began truck farming on his own account. This business prospered well enough until the spring of 1859 when, just as the crops were all in, a destructive flood swept over the tract and washed away everything he had, even to gardening implements. As soon as possible after that he sold the land and worked as clerk in his cousin's store at Stockton until June, 1860, when he returned to Johnstown and became interested with his father in manufacturing the patent feed cutter.
    In 1862 Mr. Tittle entered the Union army. He enlisted on August 27th in Company K, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and shared in the hardships, privations and successes incident to army life for one year. Among the more important battles in which he took part were the Wilderness, Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg. He was discharged from service May 29th, 1863, then came home and again associated with his father in his business enterprises until 1878. In January of that year, when the Gautier works began operations, he secured a position in the wire mill department, and he always claimed to be the first man to work for the Cambria Iron Company. After a few months in the wire mill he was transferred to the Gautier Steel mill and remained in that department as long as he continued in active pursuits.
    On one occasion Mr. Tittle narrowly escaped accidental death. On the 14th of September, 1866, Andrew Johnson and other notables visited Johnstown, and in order to obtain a good view of the visitors such a great throng of people crowded upon the platform of the Pennsylvania railroad station that the structure gave way, causing serious results. Among the injured was Mr. Tittle, who at first was thought to have been killed, and he was confined to his house for several weeks. On the occasion of the memorable Johnstown flood in 1889 he was at home and barely escaped with his life. He died October 7, 1901, and is buried in Grand View cemetery. He became a member of Cambria Lodge No. 278, F. and A. M., in 1867, and of Portage Chapter No. 195, R. A. M., in 1868, and was a member of Emory Fisher Post No. 30, G. A. R., from 1888 to the time of his death. On the 2d day of April, 1868, James Tittle married Mrs. Mary Ringler Orr, by whom he had six children, of whom four are living: John W. Tittle, a graduate of the American School of Correspondence at Chicago; now chief draughtsman in the Gautier department of Cambria Steel Company, married Sarah Elizabeth Custer, and has three children. Mary Ellen Tittle, a stenographer, living with her mother in Johnstown. Alexander Dix Tittle, son of James and Mary (Ringler)

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130	HISTORY OF CAMBRIA COUNTY.
worked for the company, directly and indirectly, about six years, and late in 1851 came to Johnstown with a Mr. Cox and helped to start the works which ultimately became the Cambria Iron Company. On February 2, 1853, Mr. Tittle in company with his brother Alexander, left Johnstown for California, traveling by way of the Isthmus of Panama and thence up the coast to Sacramento, arriving there on the 24th of the same month. He had been promised and expected a clerkship in the Sacramento postoffice under his uncle, Jonathan Tittle, who was postmaster when the boys left Johnstown, but who died before their arrival, hence no place was open to him. However, he soon found work on a farm at five dollars per day and board, which more than kept him, and soon afterward he took a ranch of one hundred and sixty acres in company with his brother, and carried it on until 1857, then sold his share to his brother and bought about fifteen acres across the river from Sacramento and began truck farming on his own account. This business prospered well enough until the spring of 1859 when, just as the crops were all in, a destructive flood swept over the tract and washed away everything he had, even to gardening implements. As soon as possible after that he sold the land and worked as clerk in his cousin's store at Stockton until June, 1860, when he returned to Johnstown and became interested with his father in manufacturing the patent feed cutter. In 1862 Mr. Tittle entered the Union army. He enlisted on August 27th in Company K, One Hundred and Thirty-sixth Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, and shared in the hardships, privations and successes incident to army life for one year. Among the more important battles in which he took part were the Wilderness, Chancellorsville and Fredericksburg. He was discharged from service May 29th, 1863, then came home and again associated with his father in his business enterprises until 1878. In January of that year, when the Gautier works began operations, he secured a position in the wire mill department, and he always claimed to be the first man to work for the Cambria Iron Company. After a few months in the wire mill he was transferred to the Gautier Steel mill and remained in that department as long as he continued in active pursuits. On one occasion Mr. Tittle narrowly escaped accidental death. On the 14th of September, 1866, Andrew Johnson and other notables visited Johnstown, and in order to obtain a good view of the visitors such a great throng of people crowded upon the platform of the Pennsylvania railroad station that the structure gave way, causing serious results. Among the injured was Mr. Tittle, who at first was thought to have been killed, and he was confined to his house for several weeks. On the occasion of the memorable Johnstown flood in 1889 he was at home and barely escaped with his life. He died October 7, 1901, and is buried in Grand View cemetery. He became a member of Cambria Lodge No. 278, F. and A. M., in 1867, and of Portage Chapter No. 195, R. A. M., in 1868, and was a member of Emory Fisher Post No. 30, G. A. R., from 1888 to the time of his death. On the 2d day of April, 1868, James Tittle married Mrs. Mary Ringler Orr, by whom he had six children, of whom four are living: John W. Tittle, a graduate of the American School of Correspondence at Chicago; now chief draughtsman in the Gautier department of Cambria Steel Company, married Sarah Elizabeth Custer, and has three children. Mary Ellen Tittle, a stenographer, living with her mother in Johnstown. Alexander Dix Tittle, son of James and Mary (Ringler)