Titus King Cone
Titus King Cone, a leading citizen of Thompson Township, was born on the old mill property on which he resides, July 9, 1846, and is a son of John W. and Mary (Williams) Cone.
Cephas Cone, the grandfather, was of New England origin. His parents at one time resided in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from which region they came, at an early day, to Delaware County. Ohio. They were among the earliest settlers in Kingston Township. Cephas Cone married Almira Munson, a daughter of William Munson and a descendant of a Captain Munson, who came from England to America in 1637.
John W. Cone, father of Titus King Cone, was born in Delaware County, Ohio, January 6,1809. He learned the trade of a woolen mill worker and after following the same in various sections, in 1831, he located at Delaware and shortly afterward rented a woolen mill which he operated for several years. In 1838 he purchased the farm which is now the property of Titus King Cone, and here he built a woolen and a saw-mill. The land was heavily timbered when he came to it and in clearing and cultivating his farm and in actively pushing his mill and other interests, his time was fully occupied into advanced age. He died November 24, 1891. In politics he was a Democrat and on account of his sterling character he was frequently chosen for offices of trust and responsibility in the township, by his fellow citizens. He married Mary Williams, who was born in Cardiganshire, South Wales, in 1814, and died in Ohio in 1885. Of the 13 children of this marriage eight sons and four daughters grew to maturity.
Titus King Cone attended the district schools through boyhood and the Radnor High School, and spent a short time at the Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware, in the spring of 1867. After he returned home he continued working on the farm during the summers and in the woolen mill during the winters until the mill was burned in 1874, after which he gave his attention exclusively to farming. After his marriage he resided on a farm in Thompson Township located one mile west of his present property. His father was a large land owner, having 600 acres in Delaware and 160 acres in Wyandot County, and when he died, in the division of the estate the present farm came to Titus King, on which he settled in 1902. He has here 110 acres, on which he carries on mixed farming, raising considerable grain and some excellent stock. Mr. Cone and his brother, F. P., are the only representatives of this old pioneer family of the township now residing within its borders.
On April 2, 1885, Mr. Cone was married to Alice Detwiller, who is a daughter of John and Mary (Ely) Detwiller. John Detwiller was born in Switzerland and his wife in Pennsylvania. The maternal grandfather of Mrs. Cone was Benjamin Ely, who, at one time, kept a grocery store at Delaware, where he died. Mr. and Mrs. Detwiller lived on a farm one-half mile from that of Mr. Cone.
In politics, Mr. Cone, like his father, has been a supporter of the Democratic party since he reached manhood, but has never taken any very active part in local campaigns. His main interests are centered in his home and farm.
From 20th Century History of Delaware County, Ohio, and Representative Citizens by James R. Lytle