Representative Milton Bird Pitt View All Years

Memorial to the Honorable Milton Bird Pitt of Harrison County

MR. SPEAKER: Your committee, appointed to prepare a suitable resolution commemorating the life, character and public service of the late Honorable Milton Bird Pitt, begs leave to submit the following memorial:

The Honorable Milton Bird Pitt was born June 2, 1875, on a farm near Macedonia, Pottawattamie County, Iowa, and died January 20, 1951, at Logan, Iowa. His father, Sidney Pitt, was born in Indiana and was a member of the 17th Kentucky Cavalry in the War of the Rebellion; his mother, Patience E. Pitt, was a native of Pottawattamie County, Iowa. At the age of seven, he moved with his parents to Yorkshire, and later to a home in Cass Township, Harrison County. He attended the rural schools and Woodbine Normal School, and taught several years. His life work was farming.

Mr. Pitt served as township clerk two terms, and three terms as county treasurer of Harrison County, Iowa. He was a member of the House of Representatives in the Thirty-sixth and Thirty-seventh General Assemblies, serving as Speaker of the House in the Thirty-seventh General Assembly. He was elected State Senator in 1918 and served in the Thirty-eighth and Thirty-ninth sessions. Moving from Harrison to Pottawattamie County in 1919, he expected to retire from active public life.

Mr. Pitt, recognized over the state and nation as a public speaker, was an earnest advocate of rugged individualism and initiative, far­sighted in the socialistic trends of public thinking and government. Beginning immediately after World War I, he was called upon to devote much time to public appearances, pleading for the preservation of constitutional government, zealously admonishing his audiences from state to state never to yield expedience for principles in governmental or personal matters.

Mr. Pitt was married to Caroline Jane Gilson, December 25, 1896. They were the parents of eleven children, all of whom were living when their parents celebrated their golden wedding anniversary December 25, 1946. Two sons, Louie and Sidney, preceded their father in death in the summer of 1947. Surviving are his widow; seven sons, Milton and Willis of Logan, Frank and Jesse of Missouri Valley, Glen of Crescent, Wayne of Griswold , and Perry of Van Nuys, California; and two daughters, Mrs. David Williams of Logan and Mrs. Carroll Campbell of Rockford, Illinois.

Mr. Pitt was a member of the Reorganized Church of Latter Day Saints.

Therefore, Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the Fifty-fourth General Assembly of Iowa: That in the passing of the Honorable Milton Bird Pitt, the people, not only of Harrison and Pottawattamie Counties, but of the entire state of Iowa, have sustained a great loss.

Be It Further Resolved: That a copy of this resolution be spread upon the Journal of the House and that the Chief Clerk be directed to forward an enrolled copy to the family of the deceased.

WM. E. DARRINGTON,

G. T. KUESTER,

ARCH W. MCFARLANE,

Committee.