BIO: JOSEPH JOHN TOTTON, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania
   
  Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Joe Patterson
  OCRed by Judy Banja

  Copyright 2004.  All rights reserved.
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
  http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/
  _____________________________________________________________

  >From Biographical Annals of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania,
  Chicago: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905, pages 298-299
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  NOTE: Use this web address to access other bios:
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    JOSEPH JOHN TOTTON, a well known resident of Carlisle, Cumberland county,
  is of Irish extraction, and a representative of the fourth generation of his
  family in America.
    
    John Totton, his great-grandfather, was born in Portadown, Ireland, and was
  a shoemaker by trade. He enlisted in the English army and served nine years
  during the French war, after which he was assigned to duty in America, in
  1812. However, he refused to fight the Americans, and became a citizen of the
  United States, settling at Dillsburg, York county, Pa., where he died in 1847,
  when sixty years of age. He was married at Dillsburg to Hattie McClure, who
  died in 1849, aged fifty-eight years, in the faith of the Presbyterian
  Church. Their family consisted of six children.
    
    Col. Joseph Totton, grandfather of Joseph John, and one of the most
  respected citizens of Mechanicsburg, Cumberland county, was born July 8,
  1823, in Dillsburg, and acquired his education there. He then learned the
  trade of shoemaker, remaining in his native town until 1864, when he went to
  Shippensburg. In 1857 he came to Mechanicsburg, embarking in the boot and
  shoe business, but at the outbreak of the Rebellion he entered the Union
  service, raising the Cumberland Guards, which became Company H, 7th
  Pennsylvania Reserves, of which he was elected captain, and subsequently
  became lieutenant-colonel. He served with the regiment one year, resigning on
  account of impaired health, and returned home. About a year afterward he
  opened the livery stables which he has conducted up to the present time with
  uniform success. In 1873 he was elected sheriff of Cumberland county, and
  held that office for three years, during which time he resided in Carlisle.
    
    On June 8, 1848, Mr. Totton was married at Dillsburg to Miss Lydia Wagner,
  who was born in East Berlin, Adams Co., Pa., a daughter of Samuel and Lydia
  (Oyler) Wagner. The former was a native of Adams county, the latter of
  Hanover, York Co., Pa. Mr. Wagner was a blacksmith by occupation. Colonel and
  Mrs. Totton have had a large family: David Edwin, the father of Joseph John,
  is mentioned below; James M., born Sept. 25, 1851, in Monroe township,
  Cumberland county, was a partner in the livery business with his father;
  George B., born in Dillsburg, is a farmer in Silver Spring township; Ellen,
  born at Shippensburg, married Talbot Crane, of Cumberland county; Annie, is a
  resident of Mechanicsburg; Maggie is living with her parents; Joseph, Jr.; 
  C. N. is a resident of Mechanicsburg; John and Frank
    
    CUMBERLAND COUNTY.  299
    
  assist their father; Murray and Hattie are deceased.
    
    Colonel Totton is a member of the Presbyterian Church, and fraternally he
  belongs to Mechanicsburg Lodge, No. 215, I. O. O. F., and to Widley Camp, of
  Mechanicsburg, being the oldest member of the I. O. O. F. in that town; be
  has been connected with the lodge for fifty-seven years. He is also a member
  of Carlisle Post, No. 201, G. A. R. In politics he is a Democrat.
    
    David Edwin Totton, father of Joseph John, was born Oct. 30, 1849, at
  Dillsburg, York county, came to Cumberland county with his father, and
  located at Mechanicsburg. He married Miss Fannie Hutton, daughter of John and
  Sarah Ann (Colishaw) Hutton, of Carlisle, and two children came to this union,
  Florence M. (who is unmarried and living in Philadelphia) and Joseph John.
  Locating in Chambersburg, Mr. Totton engaged in the livery business, and
  thence removed to Carlisle, where he embarked in the same line, also dealing
  in horses. In 1879 he dropped the livery business and devoted all his time to
  dealing in horses, continuing in that line until his death. He passed away in
  Carlisle, and his widow died in New York City in 1903.
    
    Joseph John Totton was born March 12, 1873, in Carlisle, and received all
  his education in the public schools of that city, graduating from the high
  school when eighteen years of age. He then commenced clerking in a cigar and
  tobacco store, continuing to be thus engaged for a few years, after which he
  obtained a clerkship in the post office, which he held for five years. In
  1898 he bought out E. G. Noble, who carried on a tobacco business, and in
  1901 he came to his present location, No. 47 West High street, where he
  conducts a pool and billiard room and carries the finest line of tobacco and
  cigars to be had in the city. He has the leading trade of Carlisle in his
  line.
    
    Mr. Totton was married, in 1897 to Miss Annie May Darr, daughter of W. A.
  Darr, of Carlisle, and they have had three children, namely: Joseph, born
  April 13, 1898, died in infancy; David Edward, born Oct. 24, 1899, died in
  infancy; Lydia Dorothy, the youngest, was born June 8, 1903. Mr. Totton is a
  member of the Second Presbyterian Church of Carlisle, and in political faith
  he is a Democrat.