James was a freight inspector for the Western Railroad Association in the Chicago Stock Yards for over twenty years. The many letters he wrote to his mother Jane Ann provide glimpses of the type of work James did at the Stockyards.
James died at the age of 43 (see his funeral card). The cause of his early death is unknown but it was not sudden as he had time to draft his own obituary:
"James Francis Tillotson was born in Brunswick. Medina Co., Ohio Aug 29th 1849, went with his parents to Duplain Clinton Co. Michigan in the Spring of 1852 where they resided till Nov 1865 when they came to the town of Crete. He has made his home near the Stock yds in Chicago since about 1873, was married to Miss Clara Staeler March 4, 1878. There were born to them five children. A little girl died Apr 13, 1885 aged eight months, a boy died May 21st aged three months."
James's early death hit his father Franklin hard. Franklin, already ailing with what was probably early heart trouble, never recovered from the shock. His health declined steadily until his death in 1900.
James Francis Tillotson is buried in the family funeral plot in Crete, Will County, Illinois.
James was a freight inspector for the Western Railroad Association in the Chicago Stock Yards for over twenty years. The many letters he wrote to his mother Jane Ann provide glimpses of the type of work James did at the Stockyards.
James died at the age of 43 (see his funeral card). The cause of his early death is unknown but it was not sudden as he had time to draft his own obituary:
"James Francis Tillotson was born in Brunswick. Medina Co., Ohio Aug 29th 1849, went with his parents to Duplain Clinton Co. Michigan in the Spring of 1852 where they resided till Nov 1865 when they came to the town of Crete. He has made his home near the Stock yds in Chicago since about 1873, was married to Miss Clara Staeler March 4, 1878. There were born to them five children. A little girl died Apr 13, 1885 aged eight months, a boy died May 21st aged three months."
James's early death hit his father Franklin hard. Franklin, already ailing with what was probably early heart trouble, never recovered from the shock. His health declined steadily until his death in 1900.
James Francis Tillotson is buried in the family funeral plot in Crete, Will County, Illinois.
Gravesite Details
Dates, on headstone and in obituary, differ.
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