Titus Family - Genealogy

Introduction

My motivation for research into the Titus family stemmed initially from the fact that my mother, Vera (nee Titus), was part of the lineage. However, once I became more involved in the research, and the various historical, political and social elements began to unfold over the 350-plus years of living history covered in my search, I became more fascinated, more involved, with the numerous and varied cast of characters.

These people, particularly the descendants of Robert Titus, are my relatives and my ancestors. They are, and were, simple, hard-working and God-fearing folk. They are mainly farmers and labourers, with a sprinkling of shopkeepers, school teachers and clergymen. They have remained in that humble social status for much of the 350 years that they have contributed to and woven the fabric of North America. Only in the past 70 or 80 years do we find significant representation in the sciences, the arts or the senior ranks of the military. In religion, they are mostly Protestants, with the Baptist, Quaker and Methodist Churches being their preferred houses of worship.

Genealogical research is really detective work; a fascinating exercise in solving mystery after mystery, each answered question raising several more, producing moods in the researcher alternating between elation and frustration. As the data is collected, sorted and analysed, and as pieces of the framework fall into place, a mosaic of historical and social evolution gradually emerges and imposes itself over the entire work. In my case, not only did I gain an appreciation of the ebb and flow of history over that immense time-frame, but I began to realize that I might be the only means by which many of those people might achieve some measure of future recognition. With that realization comes a certain sense of awe and responsibility.

The following is a brief guide to the contents of this website:

In the ARTICLES section of the main menu, one can find the following articles concerning Titus genealogy:

Titus Coat of Arms. The history and current status of the Titus coat of arms, and the rules of heraldry that govern the use of these symbols, by Bill Arthurs.
Charles The First. A transcription by Bill Arthurs of sections of a book written by George Hillier concerning letters sent by King Charles I to Silas Titus, the half-brother of Robert Titus who emigrated to Massachusetts from England in 1635.
Chattie’s Diary. An outline of a diary written by a Titus cousin, Cynthia Melissa Fuller, in 1880-1881 from rural Pennsylvania.
On Making Memories. An essay by Bill Arthurs on the role of memories in the preservation of family history. Originally published in Anglo-Celtic Roots, the journal of the British Isles Family History Society of Greater Ottawa.
Reaching Ten Million – The Easy Way. An article written by Bill Arthurs for Anglo-Celtic Roots on the uncommon names one encounters in conducting genealogical research.
An Emotional Moment In Genealogy. The tragic story of a Titus cousin lost on September 11th, 2001, written by Bill Arthurs and published in Anglo-Celtic Roots.
Connections. Some interesting people connected to Titus family genealogy
In Other Words. Titus poetry and verse.
The Bookshelf. references both to books relating to Titus genealogy and to the new science of DNA testing and theory. (see also the DNA section)..

The INDEX section consists of the nominal index relating to four Titus lines. The largest is the line of Robert Titus who arrived in America from England with his wife, Hannah, and two children in 1635. The second is the Dutch line, descended from Titus Syrach de Vries. The third is the German line, and the last is a New Brunswick Titus line.

Recent (2018) YDNA tests of subjects of all four of these lines have now been obtained. It was found that the so-called Dutch and German lines have the same common ancestor. This original ancestry goes back to Europe, before the patriarchs of these lines arrived in the United States. It was also found that the New Brunswick line has enough of the same markers to indicate that they belong to the English line, but just where in the English line they belong is yet to be determined.

In total, the list is over 186,000 names. The main databases in which these names are to be found will not be included on-line because of the confidentiality factor. However, the list should provide Titus researchers enough information to see whether or not their families are connected to one of the known lines. They can contact me directly and we can then share data.