Edward Titcomb was born in Newburyport, MA on March 22, 1802 to parents, Captain Jonathan Titcomb and his wife, Mary. He resided in Newburyport for the first four decades of his life and made his living selling dry goods. Titcomb learned the trade under the guidance of Benjamin Poore, the father of prominent newspaper correspondent, Benjamin Perley Poore. As his business was located in one of the shipping capitols of the Northeast, Titcomb became involved in the local shipping industry, which proved to be a losing proposition. He also became involved in trade with the western part of the nation, but that again proved to be fruitless. After his failures in business, Titcomb left Newburyport for Windham in 1848. He purchased the property on Beaver Brook that had previously been operated as Burnham's mill. It was at his Beaver Brook factory that he manufactured mattresses, as well as running the mill to saw lumber. On November 16, 1855, Titcomb married Sarah Abbott. Abbott was a well-liked teacher who taught for twelve years, spending a few of those years in the schoolhouses of Windham.
1867 receipt for Titcomb paying Anderson's yearly taxes to the town
Titcomb's business in Windham was only in operation for several years, as the mill burned on July 3, 1857 and was not rebuilt until decades later. He remained in Windham until his death on November 24, 1870. He was a father of three children, including Mary Bradish Titcomb who was a teacher in Windham. Titcomb later became an accomplished portrait and landscape artist.
1867 Windham tax bill