George E. Tillson was an industrialist[1] best known for founding the town of Tillsonburg.
George Tillson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | November 25, 1782 |
| Died | March 15, 1864 (aged 81) |
| Spouse | Nancy Barker (m. 1808) |
Tillson was born on November 25, 1782, in Enfield, Massachusetts. In 1808 he married Nancy Barker. Tillson moved to Upper Canada in 1822,[1] and founded a small iron forge within Norfolk County with Hiram Capron and James and Benjamin Van Norman.[2] In 1825 Tillson bought approximately 600 acres of land in the south-end of Oxford County along the Big Otter Creek using the funds earned from the forge.[3] Tillson constructed a sawmill, lock, blast furnace and another iron forge in the area.[1][2] Originally called the “Dereham Forge", the town was renamed ‘Tillsonburg’ in 1837 after its founder. It’s also possible Tillson had some involvement with the Rebellion of 1837. [1] Tillson died on March 15, 1864, in the town of Tillsonburg. His son E. D. Tillson constructed the Annandale House[4] which has since been renovated and currently houses the Tillsonburg museum.
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Biography – TILLSON, GEORGE – Volume IX (1861-1870) – Dictionary of Canadian Biography". Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ a b "George Tillson 1782-1864". Ontario Heritage Trust. December 8, 2016. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ "What did George Tillson's log house look like?". norfolkandtillsonburgnews. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
- ^ "Tillson Family". www.tillsonburg.ca. April 29, 2021. Retrieved January 1, 2022.