Yolo-Solano County CA Archives Biographies.....Stitt, Matt H. 1873 - 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com December 7, 2005, 10:01 pm

Author: Tom Gregory

MATT H. STITT

    The chairman of the board of supervisors of Yolo county is a representative
of an honored old Kentucky family that since 1888 has been identified with the
material upbuilding of California. Since having been established in the new
world, the family has displayed a depth of loyalty to country and a degree of
patriotism that proves beyond question their true American spirit and by no one
of the name was this loyal devotion more evidenced than by Hon. William J.
Stitt, a Kentuckian of the old school, brave in battle, honorable in business
and enterprising in temperament, whose love for country was so great that it
impelled him to serve throughout the entire period of the Mexican war, and whose
devotion to the south was so sincere that it led him into the Confederate cause,
as a major in the command of the famous leader, Gen. John C. Breckenridge. When
the cause was lost he again took up the pursuits of peace, and out of the wreck
of the ruined hopes of the Confederacy endeavored to build anew a permanent
place in his own home state. As proprietor of Hotel Flemingsburg, in Fleming
county, and the Versailles house, in Woodford county, he found work peculiarly
fitted to one of his temperament, for his genial disposition and friendly manner
won for him many friends, and as "mine host" of the two southern hotels he
became very popular with the traveling public. His intelligence of mind and
energy of spirit were appreciated by the people among whom he lived and they
called him to serve in positions of trust. For one term he served as sheriff of
his native county of Nicholas. The position was one for which he was well
qualified by his absolute fearlessness of temperament. In the administration of
the law he knew neither fear nor partiality. For two terms he represented the
people of his district in the Kentucky state legislature, and in that
responsible capacity he proved not only efficient, but even brilliant, upholding
the interests of the locality which he represented and at the same time laboring
willingly for all measures calculated to benefit the commonwealth.

   During young manhood Major Stitt had established domestic ties, being united
in marriage with Miss Mary Bradley, a native of Cynthiana, Ky., and their son,
Matt H., was born at Versailles, that state, August 14, 1873. The family removed
to California in 1888 and settled upon a ranch near Vacaville, where the Major
died in 1907, and where his widow is still making her home. Of their nine
children the sixth was Matt H., who accompanied the family to California at the
age of fifteen years and later studied at Vacaville College for a time. When
eighteen years of age he began to work at $1.25 per day. The beginning was
small, but he had a robust constitution and a willing spirit, and it was not in
his make-up to despise the day of small things. Little by little he advanced and
the humble beginning was merged into substantial activities, dating from his
removal in 1891 to Yolo county, and his identification with the ranching
interests in the vicinity of Guinda. During 1895 he bought land near this same
village and that was the basis of subsequent success. Making a specialty of
horticulture and experimenting with deciduous fruits of various kinds, he proved
the kinds best suited to the soil and climate. In this way he secured an orchard
of especial value. At this writing he owns about two hundred acres in his home
place, besides having an interest in five hundred acres of ranch lands and
orchards. When it is considered that he came to Yolo county at the age of
eighteen and earned his livelihood by poorly paid manual toil, his present
standing, ere he has reached life's prime, may well be a source of gratification
to him.

    As he has advanced little by little into independence, Mr. Stitt has
attracted the attention of acquaintances by his sterling-qualities of head and
heart. Easily discerned by them is the fact that he is making his own success by
dint of indomitable perseverance. Believing that the qualities that are bringing
him success in private affairs would make him a helpful factor in the county's
well-being, his fellow-citizens selected him to serve as supervisor. From the
time of attaining his majority he has voted the Democratic ticket and it was the
Democrats who chose him for the office, the election being necessary on account
of the resignation of the late incumbent, J. W. Monroe. His election by a large
majority in a Republican district furnishes abundant proof concerning his
personal popularity as well as concerning the confidence reposed in him by the
people of the fifth district. At the expiration of his term in 1912 he was
nominated for his own successor, without any opposition whatever, and received a
flattering vote, not only from his own party, but also from the Republicans and
the Socialists. In January of 1912 he was chosen chairman of the board, and in
that responsible post he displays a keen knowledge concerning the needs of the
county along every line of progress and an enthusiastic desire to promote the
building of good roads, the maintenance of substantial bridges and the support
of county institutions, while at the same time he also guards the interests of
the taxpayers so that they may feel no undue strain in their taxes. For a long
period, after coming to Yolo county, he remained unmarried, but in 1895, at the
age of twenty-two, he was united with Miss Julia A. Hamilton, who was born near
Madison, Cal., but at the time of the marriage made her home in Guinda, her
father, James W. Hamilton, having been for years a prominent man in this section
and an honored pioneer of the county. Three children, Josephine, M. H., Jr., and
William J., comprise the family of Mr. and Mrs. Stitt, and it is the hope and
expectation of the parents to give to them the best educational advantages the
schools of Yolo county afford.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from

HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA
WITH
Biographical Sketches
OF
The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth
and Development From the Early Days to the Present

HISTORY BY
TOM GREGORY
AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS
ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME

HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913]

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