Josiah P. Tillson, born in Otsego County, New York, in 1839, came to Boone County in 1866, ran a brick yard near the site of the Kate Shelley Bridge, and from 1867 worked in the Chicago & Northwestern freight depot at Montana, as Boone was then called. He married Olive Lucas of Boone County, Illinois, at Belvidere in 1868, helped incorporate the city of Boone, sat on its council in 1868 and 1871, and was a charter member of the Universalist Church Society before he died of typhoid fever in 1886. His son Clarence D. Tillson, born in Boone in 1871, was the chief promoter in 1900 of the Fraternal Choppers of America, a fraternal society with its general office at Boone, and served as its head clerk. Two younger sons studied at Iowa State College at Ames: Lloyd A. Tillson became a partner in the plumbing and heating firm of T. E. Nelson & Company, and Harry Lucas Tillson, class of 1903, set up as an electrical contractor in Boone. Every fact below is cited to a public-domain Boone County history.
Where the family starts
Josiah P. Tillsonborn 1839Most recent in our records
Harry Lucas Tillsonborn 1883Tap a name to jump to that person.
Railroad freight man, early Boone councilman
JOSIAH P. TILLSON.
.Mali Pierce Tillson, deceased, was born on a farm in Otsego county. New York, April 17, 1839. son of Ass and Camilla
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1867, in the freight depot of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company, which he served for the greater portion of his lifetime.
an occasional variation of this work, he took employment in grocery stores, the woolen mill, and at the date of his final illness was employed as a carpenter by the railway company.
Josiah P. Tillson was the fourth child and oldest son of his parents, the brothers and sisters being: Mrs. Louisa Fessenden.of Clyde. Kansas; Mrs. Ruth Eaton, of Maple Grove, New York; Mrs. Marcella Baker, of Binghamton, Xew York; Albert, of Maple Grove, Yew York; Mrs. Rosaline Hunt, Mrs. Marcia Holliday, Warren. Hiram and Sidney, all deceased.
On February 4. 1868, Josiah P. Tillson was united in marriage to Miss ( Hive Lucas, at Belvidere, Illinois, she being the fifth child of Horace and Elizabeth (Hinkson) Lucas, and was born February 26, 1847, near Flora, Boone county. Illinois. She was. ne of-even brothers and sisters, namely: Walter, of Belvidere, Illinois; Oscar F. and Moses, also of Belvidere, Illinois; Catherine, deceased wife of Hawley Main, Boone, Iowa; Horace, deceased; and Mrs. Mila Ann Gibbs, deceased.
The children horn to Josiah P. Tillson and wife were as follows: Ida May. deceased; Clarence 1) head clerk of Fraternal ( !hoppers of America. Boone, Iowa: Edward E., machinist, Chicago& Northwestern Railway Company, at Boone; Lloyd A.. plumber, of Boone; Harry I. student in the b.wa State College, Ames, Iowa.
In all that makes for good American citizenship Josiah P. Tills.n was well equipped. He was industrious, companionable and thrifty. He took interest in public affairs, was active in the incorporation of the new city of Boone, and one of its early councilmen, serving as such in the years 1868 ami 1871. He was later ik.Roman of the fire company, and always alert to the necessity of securing good and capable men in public office. Upon the organization of the UniversaJist Church Society of Boone he was one of its charter members, connecting himself with the church, May 9, 1870, and always taking an active part in its work. For many years he was one of its trustees and at the time of his decease was the superintendent of its Sabbath school.
Mr. Tillson always showed a preference for fraternal societies and was a member of the Legion of Honor in which he carried insurance, as he also did in several other organizations, a precaution which was highly commendable. Perhaps his nature derived the greater enjoyment from his association with the Masonic bodies. He was a member of Mount Olive Lodge. No. 79, F. & A. M.; of Tuscan Chapter, Xo. 31, R. A. M.: and of Excalibur Commandry. Xo. 13. K. T. He took an active part in all Masonic work, and was the Tyler for each of these bodies for many years. The members of the fraternity who survive him are wont to recall his many pleasantries during their "hours of refreshment."
He died March 8, 1886, within a few weeks of his forty-seventh birthday, and was buried with full Masonic honors. He had been ill but three weeks, his malady being a malignant form of typhoid fever. From a notice published shortly after in one of the local papers, the manner of the man is characteristically delineated:
"In disposition the deceased was one of the must equable of men; with a cheerful temperament, hopeful, sturdy, independent; conceding to all men similar independence of action and the same purity of motive which actuated himself. He made few enemies and was respected by all. lie was a thoroughly reliable man, one of the conservatives of society, neither too fast nor too slow, making few mistakes and generally attaining his ends. with >nt undue display of the means. A community of such persons would have little use for statutes. He will be sadly missed in the church, the home, the lodge and in society.""
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Head clerk of the Fraternal Choppers of America
CLARENCE D. TILLSON.
Life is meaningless unless it is universal and coherent. It is in the helpful spirit of the times that strength is found and when much good is accomplished. The concerted efforts of the day are those which lead to results and there has been no one element of greater importance to the world than that represented by fraternities, in their helpful spirit bringing aid to those who through cooperation with others have also aided their fellow men. Clarence D. Tillson is the founder of one of these fraternal organizations and his effort in this direction was a humanitarian spirit as well as business enterprise.
Mr. Tillson was born March 21. 1871, in Boone, Iowa, where he still makes his home, his parents being Josiah P. and Olive (Lucas) Tillson. the former a native of New York and the latter of Boone county, [illinois. The father was a son of Cephas Tillson and the family was of English lineage. He was born in the Empire state and died at the age of seventy years, while his wife reached the age of eighty-eight years.
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Mount Vernon* Iowa, for two years and then became a student in the Gem City Business College of Quincy, Illinois, where he completed a business and shorthand course in [892. For one year thereafter lie was employed as a shorthand reporter in St. Louis, Missouri. On the expiration of that peri, id he returned to Boone, where he entered the service of the Northwestern Railroad Company, with which he continued for a year and a half. Me next became stenographer for the National Building and Savings Association, with which be was connected until September, 1900. During this time lie had taken a deep interest in fraternal societies, and in August, 1900, in connection with B. ( '. Wood, now deceased, as head consul, he was the chief promulgator of the new organization of Woodcraft known as the Fraternal Choppers of America, the general office of the organization being a; Boone. On the death of Mr. Wood 11. A. Miller became head consul, while C. 1). Tillson was made bead clerk. Other prominent men of the state filled the other important positions ami the society has already won a large following. Mr. Tillson is also interested in Boone real estate and is the owner of considerable valuable property. In [897 occurred the marriage of Mr. Tills.
As printed in the source1. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Plumbing and heating contractor, T. E. Nelson & Company
LLOYD A. TILLSON.
Lloyd A. Tillson, of Boone, is a member of the well known plumbing and heating firm of T. E. Nelson & Company. He is the outside representative for this business and has done much toward establishing it upon a profitable basis. He was born in Boone, November 4, 1880, and is a son of Josiah P. Tillson, who was born in Otsego, New York.
Lloyd A. Tillson was educated in the public schools of Boone, graduating with the class of 1898. He received his first lessons under Miss Adelaide Skliba and graduated from high school under Professor Miller. He then for two years pursued a course of mechanical engineering in the Iowa State College at Ames. At the end of that time he entered the employ of Sutherin & Company, working for four years in their plumbing shop, and there he laid the foundation for the valuable knowledge which he now uses in promoting his own interests. In 1905 he became connected with C. B. Sherman in the plumbing business, the headquarters of the firm being at No. 618 Story street, and he continued in that partnership until 1908, selling his interest to Mr. Sherman in that year and establishing business alone at No. 1009 Story street. He there remained for two years, disposing of his interests at the end of that time and acquiring a half share in the firm of T. E. Nelson & Company. Mr. Tillson has since given his sole attention toward the upbuilding of the business, and the firm enjoys the highest reputation, being engaged in sanitary plumbing and the installation of steam and hot water heating. Not only is he an expert in his particular trade but an excellent business man, the success of the firm being founded upon efficiency, thoroughness and honesty. The honorable principles which influence all his actions have become the policy of the firm.
On June 7, 1905, Mr. Tillson was united in marriage to Miss Florence Stokes, of Boone, her parents being Isaac and Margaret (Kennedy) Stokes. They have three children: Robert Lloyd and Howard Dow, twins; and Jack Edwin. Mr. Tillson stands high in his community as a business man and citizen, being ever ready to promote enterprises which will prove of value to the city. Although he is not politically active, he is public-spirited and is conceded to be a factor in the development of his community and county.
As printed in the source2. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
Electrical contractor and supply dealer, Boone
HARRY LUCAS TILLSON.
Harry Lucas Tillson, who for a number of years has been engaged in the electrical supply business in Boone and who is an electrical contractor, is a native son of this city, where he was born February 22, 1883. He is a son of Josiah P. and Olive ( Lucas ) Tillson, the former born in Otsego, New York. Their son, Harry L., attended the schools of Boone until 1899, spending the last three years in high school under the direction of Professor George L Miller. He subsequently entered the Iowa State College at Ames, where he took a course in electrical engineering, graduating with the class of 1903. He then returned to Boone, where he remained until his removal to the Kansas oil fields, where he was professionally employed for a year and a half. He next became a member of the staff of the Boone Electric Company, continuing with this concern for one and a half years. At the end of that time he established himself independently as an electrical contractor and also as a dealer in electrical supplies.
On July 10, 1905'; Mr. Tillson married Miss Alice Nelson of Boone, a daughter of George C. and Adelia (Hibbard) Nelson. Politically Mr. Tillson is a republican but is not active in public affairs, although he is ever ready to support valuable enterprises which promise to improve conditions in his community. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and also belongs to the encampment of that organization.
As printed in the source2. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
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