Henry Titus Backus (April 4, 1809 – July 13, 1877) was an American politician from the U. S. state of Michigan and judge from the Arizona Territory.

[2] Following graduation he worked briefly as a store clerk before he began reading law under Calvin Goddard and attending lectures at Yale University.

After the death of Williams a couple months later on June 15, 1861, Backus became the 15th lieutenant governor of Michigan under Austin Blair until January 1863.

[3] He reached Prescott for the opening of the territorial supreme court's first session on December 26, 1865, and left for his posting in Tucson on January 2, 1866.

[8] While he served faithfully during his four years of office, during his spare time he explored the region including trips to the Colorado River and an 1867 journey into Mexico.

[3] As his term neared an end, Backus issued a ruling in a pair of cases that had significant impact upon the territory.

[10] The issue was not resolved until March 23, 1870, when the United States Congress passed a law confirming the legality of the territorial legislature's actions despite any irregularities that may have occurred.