Biographical Sketch of H. A. Stitt, Johnson County, Missouri,
Rose Hill Township.

>From "History of Johnson County, Missouri," by Ewing Cockrell,
Historical Publishing Company, Topeka, Cleveland, 1918.
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H. A. Stitt, an honored pioneer of Johnson county, a highly respected
and prominent retired farmer and stockman and school teacher of Rose
Hill township, is a native of Ohio.  Mr. Stitt was born in 1839 in
Fayette county, a son of James and Catherine Stitt, both of whom were
members of good, patriotic, colonial families.  James Stitt was a son
of William Stitt, a native of France, who came to America with his 
parents, when he was a child.  William Stitt was a drummer boy in the
Revolutionary War.  Mrs. Stitt was a daughter of James Menary, a 
veteran of the War of 1812.  In 1802, James Stitt moved with a colony
from Newark, New York, overland to Ohio and settled there.  He filled
the office of judge in his county in Ohio for a period of many years.
Mr. Stitt was a public spirited citizen and a man of honor, who was
very influential in his community.  Mr. Stitt, whose name introduces
this sketch, attended school in his native state.  He graduated from
high school in Ohio and then engaged in teaching school.  He had 
taught school three years before the Civil War broke out.  During the
war, he left his school work and enlisted in the conflict.  Mr. Stitt
served under General Grant throughout the long struggle.  In 1866, Mr.
Stitt came to Warrensburg, Missouri.  One of his first acquaintances
was Senator Francis M. Cockrell, who welcomed him to the little western
town.  Senator Cockrell had been almost financially ruined by the war
and Mr. Stitt recalls that at that time the Cockrells were in very
straightened circumstances.  In partnership with J. C. Roach, H. A.
Stitt entered the mercantile business in Warrensburg and for several
years was one of the leading merchants of this city.  He moved to a 
farm, a tract of land comprising eighty acres in Rose Hill township,
which he purchased in 1872.  Mr. Stitt then engaged in teaching school
and farming.  He was employed as a teacher in the school at Rose Hill
for five consecutive years and for many years taught in the district 
schools of the township.  He became a stockholder in the Bank of Latour
in 1883 and for several years was the assistant cashier of the bank.
To H. A. and Mrs. Stitt have been born three children, who are now 
living: Ned, Latour, Missouri; Mrs. Alice McNeal, Mullen, Nebraska;
and Bessie, Latour, Missouri.  Mr. and Mrs. Stitt and their son and
youngest daughter reside in Latour.  The Stitts are worthy and valued
members of the Presbyterian church.  In former days, Mr. Stitt was
considered one of the best singers in Warrensburg and at the time of
his residence in this city was chorister of the Warrensburg Presbyter-
ian church.  He and his wife have often gone to church in their farm
wagon and in crossing creeks the water often ran into the bed of their
vehicle.  There were no roads in those early days and he and Mrs.
Stitt were once lost out on the open prairie.  Mr. Stitt was well
acquainted with Reverend J. H. Houx, one of the most beloved of the
pioneer preachers, and Leonard Renick, the well remembered colonel of
the Confederates.  He states that social conditions were excellent in
Johnson county when he was a young man.  He came to Warrensburg a
stranger, but the residents were kindly disposed toward new comers and
they cordially made H. A. Stitt feel that he was one of them and 
welcome in their midst.  All were glad to give assistance in times of 
need in those days.  For more than fifty years, Mr. Stitt has been one
of Johnson county's invaluable citizens.

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