My Genealogy Hound

JOHN W. PITTS was the son of John and Charlotte Pitts, and was born in England August 29, 1829. John Pitts (father) was a native of England, and came from there to America, settling at Chatham, Columbia county, N. Y., removing from thence to the State of Iowa, where both himself and wife died.

John W. Pitts secured his education while young and went into a store when a mere boy, and after a clerkship of several years, established himself in a store, first at Canaan, N. Y., where he was a general merchant and postmaster for a number of years, and in 1866 he came to Jamestown and opened a grocery store at No. 209 Main street, which he conducted for several years, then built a brick store on Third street and removed there, but failing health compelled him to give up all business three years before his death, which occurred in December, 1881. In 1850, he married Lucy E. Bristol, a daughter of George and Sarah (Hutchinson) Bristol. This gentleman was a native of Columbia county, but removed to Oswego, Tioga county, where he died.

Mr. and Mrs. Pitts had nine children (five living), four sons and one daughter: Henry, married Allie Bassett, and lives in Washington, D. C., where he is engaged in handling dressed beef; Sarah B., is the wife of Henry Anderson and lives in Brooklyn, N. Y., where her husband is employed as an instructor in the gymnasium of the Adelphi academy; J. Edwin is employed in the U. S. Railway Mail service, and married Agnes Kretch, of Corry, Pa.; William is employed in Jamestown, by A. D. Sharp, who is in the dry goods business; and George is a book-keeper in the hardware store of Clark & Co., of Jamestown.

Mr. Pitts was a member of the Congregational church in this city and belonged to the Kniglits of Honor and Royal Templars. He was a sterling gentleman, and his death, when but fifty-two years of age, was mourned by his sorrowing widow and a large circle of friends. His remains were interred in Lake View cemetery at Jamestown.