Two
Edward (Ned) Titus, Trailblazing Pioneer
By Wilbur Thirkield Titus

Admiring the achievements of people has always been a characteristic of mine...
sometimes to the extent of making them my hero. This is true in the case of 
Edward (Ned) Titus, (1826-1900) slave, devoted husband and parent, farmer, 
loyal landowning citizen of Freestone County, Texas, USA,, founder of a 
community and leader of men.

Ned was born in South Carolina in 1826, where he grew up and found his wife, 
Clora. Ned and Clora were brought, as slaves, from South Carolina to Stewards 
Mill, Texas by the Simeon and Nancy Lake family, by way of Arkansas, in 1852.

After Emancipation, Ned moved his family to the Brown's Creek area, some ten
or eleven miles east of Fairfield in the northeastern part of Freestone 
County,where the TXU Electric Plant now stands. He, Ben Lee, and Jim Keeton, 
amazingly, were able to acquire more than 350 acres of land each in the "flat 
woods" area where he was instrumental in forming a predominately black farming
community. The name of the community was Titus Farm. Other ex-slaves acquired 
lesser amounts of land.

What is so amazing is that Ned was illiterate and inexperienced and yet was 
able to survive in an environment that was not always friendly. Edward (Ned) 
Titus was a survivor! He was a man of sterling character and a good role model
for the youth of any era. He was able to provide (what is considered a good 
life for those times) for his wife, Clora and 13 children Mary, Sudie, Frances,
William Timothy, James, Harriet, Walter, Henry Edward, Emma. Willie, Levi, 
Clora, and Guy; leadership in establishing Hope Well Methodist Episcopal 
Church, Titus Farm Grammar School, Hope Well Cemetery and promoting the 
program of God and the advancement of the community.

We believe that Ned to be a hero because of the impact that he and his 
descendants have made upon Freestone County, Texas. Hope Well Methodist Church,
which he helped to establish, lives on as a part of Jones Chapel United 
Methodist Church of Fairfield, Texas. Titus Farm Junior High School prospers
as a part of the Fairfield Independent School District. His descendants have 
studied in some of the best institution of the nation and have found 
employment in all walks of life, even representing the US Government 
diplomatically. Is there any wonder that Ned is one of my heroes?

Additional information can be found in History of Freestone County, Vol. II. 
1989, or contact A. M. Hunter Titus Charitable Cultural Center, Inc.,at 
903-389-3482 or e-mail bill1919@valornet.com

Will send photo later,