For sixty-seven years Charles Titterington lived on the farm in Edgington Township that he entered from the Government. His children grew to manhood and womanhood, married, grandchildren came and attained maturity, and still this doughty pioneer was tilling the soil of the old home place made dear to him by decades of association. He came to Rock Island County in 1835, and at once selected and purchased from the Government the fertile acres that were his abiding place for so long a period.
Charles Titterington was born in the parish of Worley, West Yorkshire, England, January 22, 1814. His father, Thomas Titterington, came to America three months after the birth of Charles, and he died February 26, 1857. The mother died in England a short time after his birth. At the time of his death, July 13, 1902, the subject of this sketch was the last survivor of a family of six sons, the others being: John, born September 4, 1795, and died in 1855; Thomas, born July 22, 1806, and died September 7, 1823; James, born November 2, 1807, and died June 5, 1876; Moses, born September 28, 1810, and died February 24, 1890, and Eli, born April 20, 1812, and died September 20, 1825.
When Charles was scarcely beyond the age of infancy the family removed to Ross County, Ohio. There he attended the public schools and from there, on attaining his majority, he came to Rock Island County, and settled on the farm in Edgington Township. December 20, 1838, he married Sophia Eberhart, daughter of Charles Eberhart, the wife passing away September 11, 1898. Of the eight children born to the couple all save the youngest survive, the family being as follows. Thomas, born October 29, 1839; Charles, born August 2, 1841; Anna Eliza (Benjamine), born July 14, 1843; Maria Elzabeth (Lloyd), born March 26, 1846; Milton, born March 24, 1848; Frederick, born September 1, 1852; David, born June 7, 1855, and Emma Louisa (Kretsinger), born August 23, 1860.
Mr. Titterington was an active Methodist, being long connected with the Zion Church of Edgington, built in 1854, and demolished in 1906. He was a staunch Republican from the time of organization of that party. He held various township offices, including that of supervisor from Edgington.
