George Washington Litton was born in Lee County, Virginia, on February 22, 1910. He married Maria Boren and had two children. From 1927-1931 he studied at Virginia Polytechnic Institute (V.P.I.) and graduated in 1931 with a B.S. in Animal Husbandry. After graduating from V.P.I, Litton worked as a County Agent in Tazwell County from 1933 to 1939. He returned to V.P.I for graduate work and earned his M.S. in 1940, whereupon Litton joined the Animal Husbandry faculty at V.P.I. In 1942, Litton was named V.P.I.'s first Extension Sheep Specialist and held that position until 1952, at which time he became the head of the Department of Animal Husbandry. He stepped down as department head on March 1, 1970, but held the position of Director of Centennial Programs for the V.P.I. Centennial Celebration in 1972. Litton also served as Co-chair of the of the Bicentennial Commission for Montgomery County in 1976.

Throughout his career, Litton received several awards and recognitions for his work at V.P.I. and in the field of Animal Husbandry. These awards include:

- Progressive Farmer magazine's "Man of the Year in Agriculture" (1961)

- Wine Award Winner for Teaching at V.P.I. (1961)

- Cattleman of the Year from the Virginia Beef Cattle Association (1966)

- Kentucky Colonel (1970)

- Distinguished Service Award, Southern Section (1972) and Fellow (1973), American Society of Animal Science (ASAS)

- Member, Board of Directors, Warm Hearth Inc. (1974)

- Distinguished Alumnus of V.P.I. Alumni Association (1979)

- Saddle and Sirloin Hall of Fame, Portrait Presented at North American Livestock International in Louisville, Kentucky (1980)