Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Fitch, Julius Dwight 
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Deb Haines http://www.rootsweb.com/~archreg/vols/00003.html#0000719 February 28, 2008, 11:03 pm

Author: Past and Present of Will County, IL; 1907

Julius Dwight Fitch, who for thirty years was an honored resident of Joliet, 
departed this life on the 2d of July, 1902, at the age of seventy-seven years. 
A native of East Windsor, Connecticut, he was born March 14, 1825, a son of 
Chauncey and Anna (Loomis) Fitch, who were likewise natives of the Charter Oak 
state, where they resided until 1831, when they removed to Cuyahoga county, 
Ohio. There the father engaged in farming for many years and both he and his 
wife died there. Julius D. Fitch was a direct descendant of Rev. James Fitch, 
who came from England to the colony of Connecticut in the year 1638, and 
Priscilla Mason, daughter of Major John Mason, who fought the Pequots. He was 
reared upon a farm in Cuyahoga county, acquiring an excellent education. When 
a young man he went to Allegan county, Michigan, where he remained for a short 
time and subsequently removed to Three Oaks, Berrien county, Michigan, where 
he purchased a farm and also operated a sawmill, continuing the dual pursuits 
for about twenty years. He was successful in his business there and from 
Berrien county removed to Joliet, where he established a lumber, wood and coal 
yard, in which business he continued for about fifteen years. This also proved 
a profitable enterprise, but failing health due to an injury which he had 
sustained in his sawmill at Three Oaks, compelled him to withdraw from 
business. He then lived retired until his death. While in Allegan county, 
Michigan, Mr. Fitch was united in marriage to Miss Eliza McKenzie, a native of 
Burlington, Vermont, born August 9, 1834, and a daughter of Donald and May 
(MacLeod) McKenzie, both of whom were natives of Scotland, whence they came to 
America at an early day. They first settled in Vermont and subsequently 
removed to Lorain county, Ohio, where Mr. McKenzie engaged in general farming 
throughout his remaining days. He passed away in that county, while his wife 
died in Decatur, Michigan. The only surviving members of that family are Mrs. 
Fitch and her brother, George W. McKenzie, of Joliet; and Mrs. Annette Ellis, 
of Decatur, Michigan. Mr. and Mrs. Fitch became the parents of a daughter and 
son: Ella Virginia, who is now a teacher of Latin in the Joseph Medill high 
school, at Chicago, and resides with her mother; and Kenneth C., who married 
Alice Biester, of Chicago, and is a teacher of science in the Lake high 
school, at Chicago, where he resides. While living in Three Oaks, Michigan, 
Mr. Fitch served as justice of the peace and also held other offices there. He 
was a stanch republican, unfaltering in his advocacy of that party, yet was 
not a politician in the sense of office seeking. He was a man of enterprise, 
positive character, indomitable energy, strict integrity and liberal views and 
was closely identified with the interests of Joliet, the city of his adoption. 
His life was exemplary and he had the esteem of his friends and the confidence 
of those who had business relations with him. Mrs. Fitch and her daughter are 
members of the Richards street Methodist Episcopal church at Joliet, and they 
occupy a comfortable residence at No. 401 Richards street, which property is 
owned by Mrs. Fitch. 

Additional Comments:
PAST AND PRESENT OF WILL COUNTY, ILLINOIS By W. W. Stevens President of the 
Will County Pioneers Association; Chicago: The S. J. Clarke Publishing 
Company, 1907

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