Peter Titus Witherop

biography

Peter Titus Witherop was born in Venango county, June i8, 1831, the son of Robert and Jane (Ridgway) Witherop, and the second born of five children. He was the great-grandson of Peter Titus, for whom he was named. His father was a river man, either rafting lumber or steamboating. He died in 1843 at Lake Pepin on the Mississippi. He had moved from Venango county to Iowa in 1837. After his death his widow came back to Hydetown, and died about 1890. The subject of this sketch was brought up to work, and was employed seven years at Hydetown in lumbering. In 1852 he went to California, where he stayed six years, engaged principally in mining. He came home in 1858, and after Drake’s discovery, he engaged in oil production. He owned one-third of the Crossley well, the second well struck after the Drake. The Crossley well was historic. An account of it is given elsewhere in this work. Peter Titus was interested in producing until 188o. Since then he has looked after his other investments. Soon after Titusville became a city he was Chief of Police two years. He has been a director of the Second National Bank many years. He owns the Witherop block on the northwest corner of Central avenue and Washington street, the Queen City block on the southeast corner of Washington and Spring. a new brick house. between Washington and Main, and several other buildings. He has lived in Titusville since 1860. He married Olivia, the daughter of William Barnsdall, who has borne him one son, John Willis Witherop, now a resident of Spokane. Washington. Mr. Witherop has served as member of the city councils. He is a self-made man, and for a period of forty years he has been very successful in business.

Our county and its people: a historical and memorial record of Crawford County, Pennsylvania by Samuel P. Bates, 1899, pages 698-699.