Nellie Louisa Watson was born in Moores, New York, June 27, 1869. Her parents were James Watson and Artmissa Wells. Before she married, Nellie was a school teacher, possibly in Moriah, New York, for she married Joel Columbus Titus there October 2, 1890, at the age of twenty-one. They lived in Moriah, probably at the Red House, where the first born, Edwin Robert, was born August 5, 1891. She was expecting her second son, Harold Watson Titus, when Edwin died.
Nellie and her husband and second son, Harold Watson, moved to Mt. Vernon, New York, where Homer Eaton Titus was born December 23, 1898. City life apparently did not agree with Nellie, for she contracted tuberculosis. In those days not much was done for tuberculosis except for advising a change of climate. The family, subsequently, moved into tents on Titus Hill near Moriah for awhile. The change of climate, however, did not help and Nellie succumbed.

-- Helen Garrison Titus

Her sad little obituary printed in the Northern Christian Advocate, the magazine of the Methodist Book Concern, follows.

Nellie Watson was born in Moores, New York, June 27, 1869. When but a child she was left motherless and was reared in the home of her loving grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Watson of Moriah, New York. At the age of sixteen years she was converted and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church of Moriah. She attended the Sherman Academy and afterward spent several years teaching.
October 2, 1890 she was married to Joel C. Titus of Moriah Center. Their married life was a happy one and to them were born three boys: Edwin, the first born died in 1895, and the two younger ones are now left motherless in the world.
During the winter of 1901, Mrs. Titus suffered an attack of the grippe from which she never fully recovered. The following summer was spent in the mountains, with discouraging results. In September she returned to her home in Pelham N.Y. with reasonable hopes of continued improvement. In the winter, however, she was again stricken, and soon went to Moriah where she spent three years in a fruitless effort to escape the cruel clutch of tuberculosis. The encroachment of the disease baffled all efforts and she gradually failed until death came, a glad release. Through lingering stages of the disease experience was distressing indeed. It was painful to see the flesh ... and life itself was a burden though everything was done which a devoted husband and kind friends could do to give relief and provide every possible comfort. During the last few weeks her suffering was intense, and yet through it all she exhibited a patience and Christian spirit that declared with force that God is a present help in time of need and that Jesus Christ is with His people even unto the end.
One Tuesday morning, October 17th, she passed peacefully from the earth with the chill and frost of approaching winter to the world where "everlasting spring abides and never withering flowers."
A few days before her death she called the little boys to her bedside, talked with them of heaven, of her going, and committed them to the care of a kind providence.
She leaves her husband and two boys, Harold and Homer, a father, James Watson, and a stepmother of Saranac Lake, three brothers and a sister, besides numerous other relatives and friends to mourn her early demise.
An aunt, Mrs. Diantha F. Walker, of Enosburg, Vermont, composed the following lines of sympathy and sent to the bereaved husband. Though intended for a letter only, they are worthy of a wider reading and of preservation in print:

The last night of watching is over,
The last words of love have been said,
And safe on the bosom of Jesus
Your companion has pillowed her head.

Enfolded in arms everlasting,
Her weakness and pains are all past,
The pearly gates of the City of God
In triumph she enters at last!

The funeral was held at the home Thursday, October 19th. The casket was surrounded with beautiful flowers from friends in New York, Syracuse, Ogdensburg and Moriah. The services were conducted by Rev. S. B. Gregg, of Schaghticoke Hill, N. H., a former pastor, who had officiated at their marriage fifteen years before, assisted by Rev. E. L. Walker of Moriah who spoke very comfortingly and assuredly from Job 16:22. Burial was in Union Cemetery.
She was married to Joel Columbus TITUS on Oct 2 1890 in Moriah, New York.

http://genealogy.webster1.com/d39.htm


additional information courtesy of threadsewer in the forums


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Name: Nellie L Titus
Home in 1900: Mount Vernon Ward 1, Westchester, New York
Age: 29
Birth Date: Jun 1870
Birthplace: New York
Race: White
Gender: Female
Relationship to Head of House: Wife
Father's Birthplace: New York
Mother's Birthplace: New York
Mother: number of living children: 2
Mother: How many children: 3
Spouse's name: Joel C
Marriage Year: 1891
Marital Status: Married
Years Married: 9

Name Age
Joel C Titus 31
Nellie L Titus 29
Harold W Titus 5
Homer E Titus 1

additional information courtesy of Oly in the forums.