John T. Gittings, a well known lawyer of Union Grove. is giving particular attention to the probating of estates and has built up a large practice in that line. He also has extensive business interests, being secretary of The Greenhouse Company, which is capitalized for thirty thousand dollars, and vice president of the firm of John Meter & Company, owners of a sauerkraut factory. His birth occurred in Caledonia, this County, August 9, 1870, and he is a son of William and Elizabeth (Gittings) Gittings and a grandson of William Gittings, of Utica, New York. The father, born in Wales, came to the states, and in 1855 purchased land in Caledonia Township, and soon afterward was joined by his father and the other members of the family. William Gittings, Jr., devoted his active life to agricultural pursuits and gained a competence which enabled him to retire during his last years. He resided in Racine for some time, but his death occurred when he was visiting in Wales in August, 1911. The family came to America from that country, but is of English origin. To Mr. and Mrs. William Gittings, Jr., were born seven children, namely: Katharine, the wife of Captain John Pugh, of Racine; William G., who is manager of the Gold Medal Camp Furniture Company of Racine; Mellie, who became the wife of Charles E. Kittinger and died in South Dakota in 1886; Christopher C., an attorney of Racine; Elizabeth, living in Racine; John T., and Ward, who is treasurer of the Gold Medal Camp Furniture Company.
John T. Gittings attended the district schools, the Racine high school, from which he was graduated in 1889, and the State University of Wisconsin, in which he completed the law course in 1894. He began practice at Burlington in partnership with George W. Waller, under the firm name of Waller & Gittings, and three or four years later established a branch office at Union Grove. His practice here grew so rapidly that he decided to devote his entire attention to it and dissolved his connection with Mr. Waller. He has since been alone in practice and has gradually concentrated his energies largely upon probating estates. He knows thoroughly all the law relating to such matters and has gained a large clientage in that field. He still handles other kinds of cases, however, and has been admitted to practice in all the courts. He is also a director in the State Bank of Union Grove, vice president of the John Meter & Company sauerkraut factory and secretary of The Greenhouse Company, which ships about five thousand roses a day to Chicago and also large quantities of other flowers. It is capitalized at thirty thousand dollars and is one of the important business enterprises of Union Grove.
Mr. Gittings was married in 1900 to Miss Aresteen Edgoose, a native of Union Grove, and to them were born two children, Elinor May and John H. The wife and mother died in 1906 and in December, 1910, Mr. Gittings was married to Miss Stella M. Sears, who was born in Racine and is a daughter of Martin Sears, also a native of this County, who engaged in farming for many years, but was residing in Racine at the time of his death. Mrs. Gittings was educated in the schools of Appleton and Ripon and is a woman of wide interests. She is very active in the work of the Congregational church and is now serving as an officer of the Ladies’ Aid Society.
Mr. Gittings supports the Republican Party when national issues are at stake, but at other times votes independently. He has been secretary of the Old Settlers’ Association for several years and is willing to give of his time and energy to the promotion of any project seeking the general welfare. Fraternally he belongs to the Masonic lodge, in which he has filled all of the chairs, the Knights Templar Commandery and the Independent Order of Odd Fellows, in which he has held all of the offices. He has recognized that in the professions as well as in business success depends primarily upon enterprise and industry and has given most careful study to his cases with the result that he has gained high standing among his brother attorneys. He has always been successful in his business undertakings and is generally recognized as one of the most able and progressive men of Union Grove.