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Tillson, Edwin, Delevan
1825 - 1902
"Ed" as he was called for most of his life, was the sixth child born into the Tillson family. One of his brother's, Ben and sister, Marilla, both died during the typhoid epidemic, at the age of 15. Still, he was one of the lucky ones who received an early education because his sister, Harriet acted as a teacher. In 1842, he crossed Lake Erie, as a deck hand on a windjammer. Ed went on and spent seven months at Norwalk Academy in Ohio, paying his way by doing odd jobs and chores. In 1847, he went into partnership with his cousin, Wright Barker, and Wright's brother-in-law, Charles Cody. They built a dam and saw mill on Clear Creek, Tillsonburg on a site purchased from Ed's father and financed with $36 Ed had saved and $100 each from the other two. The next few years were devoted to expanding the business. They shipped white pine to the United States and England. He met and married Mary Ann Van Norman in July 1850 and they had seven children. They soon realized that they needed a bigger home and in 1853, they moved into 53 London Street, Tillsonburg on the corner of Oxford. Around 1881, the building was converted into a boarding house-sanatorium. In 2001, continued in use as a boarding house. The Tillson Mills flourished during the American Civil War. During this time they received contracts to ship supplies of flour and lumber to the United States. Ed's father died and left his estate to divide between five of his siblings. Ed bought them all out. In 1871, Ed's daughter, Nancy Margaret, died of typhoid that also infected him. Two years later, when his doctor recommended that he eat oatmeal, Ed fixed up his father's old mill and built his first oat mill. That brought fame and fortune to the Tillson name. The original oat mill was destroyed by fire and replaced, in 1891, with a five-story, triple brick mill that became the name of the now internationally-famed oatmeal, Tillson's Pan-Dried Oats. The company's logo was a bearded Scotsman with a kilt, tartan cape and walking stick. In 1910, The Tillson Company sold to the Canadian Cereal Company, which would eventually sell off brands to Quaker Oats, six years later. Ed was a Conservative. He was postmaster twice, the second term for 32 years ending in 1902, magistrate for over 20 years, and reeve of Dereham Township for two years. He was the driving force to have Tillsonburg incorporated in 1872. He, as the first mayor, earned the title "Father of Tillsonburg. The town was originally incorporated with only one "L" in its name. 30 years later it was corrected. The error may not have been accidental, as he was often at odds with council. He was always looking for ways to improve the town. Other things Tillson did for the town were the Imperial Dam on Otter Creek (supply power for his mills), planting hundreds of maple trees, some of which still stand today, a cemetery on Simcoe Street, built in 1880, now called Tillsonburg Cemetery, repairing many of the town's roads and bridges, and turning the London Street house into a sanatorium. In 1881 he built Annandale House as his home. He could see his mills from the tower room of the house and wanted to be sure he could see the Tillson Block. He only lived there for two years. Ed died at the age of 77 and is buried in the Tillsonburg Cemetery. Today this home is known as Annandale House. It has been meticulously restored as a public building to accurately reflect its original beauty.
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