My Genealogy Hound

Horace G. Pitkin, president of the Citizen’s Bank, was born in Marshfield, Vt., July, 18, 1830, the son of Horace and Syrena (Burnap) Pitkin, natives, respectively, of Vermont and Massachusetts. The father came to Ohio when our subject was about six years old, and located near Columbus, where they both lived to be over seventy years of age. They had two sons and four daughters. Two of the latter are now deceased. Our subject secured a good common-school education at his country home, and at the age of seventeen went to Bentonsport, Iowa. He there engaged in the saw mill and lumber business with his brother, Erastus. He continued at that and teaching school during the winters until he had accumulated a few hundred dollars. He then married, and in 1852 he returned to Ohio, where he managed his father’s farm until 1856. He then returned to the west, and engaged in merchandising at Vernon, Iowa, with success, until 1861. He then came to Memphis worth about $6,000, and bought William G. Downing’s large stock of merchandise and also his three-story brick business house. He spent over twenty years in that business, and laid the foundation of his present successful situation. In August, 1882, he retired from this business, and has since been devoted to his real estate and banking interests. He is the largest land owner in Scotland County, and owns over 2,000 acres. Besides this he has two large brick blocks, some eight or ten residence properties, and his residence in Oak Ridge addition, which is the finest in this region. He was one of the organizers of the Citizen’s Bank, of which he has been a large stockholder, and has been president since the death of L. J. Wagner, the first incumbent. His first wife died in 1863. She was Eliza A. Stewart, a native of Quincy, Ill. Their children are Albert H.; Jennie L., wife of J. F. Frye, of St. Paul, Eva A., wife of W. H. Ivie, of Kirksville, Mo.; and Dora F., wife of J. W. Henderson, of St. Paul. In 1864 he married Rachel A. Knox, a native of Pennsylvania. Their children are Cora K., wife of B. H. Cody; Jessie S., Clara J. and Horace G. Our subject is in national affairs a Republican, but is otherwise independent. He is a member of the K. of P., while in religion he is a Spiritualist. He has always been a successful man in all his undertakings, never having failed in business, or paid his debts at less than 100 cents on the dollar. He is, and has been for several years, the largest tax payer in Scotland County. One of his principal mottoes is that whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well.