Location
The County of Oxford
- Tillsonburg
On the SW corner of Broadway and Washington Grand Blvd.
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Photographer
Alan L Brown
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More Information
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Posted
August 19, 2004
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Text from the Plaque
Born in Enfield, Massachusetts, Tillson immigrated to Canada in 1822. With Hiram Capron and Joseph Van Norman, Tillson was part-owner of the Normandale Iron Foundry in Norfolk County, one of Ontario's earliest iron works. In 1824, Tillson sold his share of the business and purchased 600 acres of land along Big Otter Creek after finding large deposits of bog iron in the region. In partnership with Benjamin Van Norman, Tillson dammed the stream and built a forge and sawmill in this vicinity. To encourage settlement, Yillson surveyed the town site and constructed roads. The community that he established was originally called Dereham Forge but later renamed Tillsonburg in honour of its founder.
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