Digitized Content from the Tom Tilton Letter | Illinois History and Lincoln Collections

The digitized content of the Tom Tilton Letter (Digitized Content) consists of a letter from Tom Tilton, a traveling salesman, to his parents in Harrison, New York.

Tom Tilton was a traveling salesman who lived in the United States during the 19th century and traveled to several cities in Illinois. His parents lived in Harrison, New York.

The digitized content contains a letter written by Tom Tilton to his parents, addressed to Millis Tilton, dated September 25, 1865. It describes Tom Tilton's travels throughout Illinois, reports on his sales progress, and recounts anecdotes from his trip. Tilton wrote the letter while in Galesburg, Illinois, and in it he mentioned past visits to Bloomington, Peoria, Henry, Princeton, and Lacon, Illinois, as well as an upcoming trip to Chicago. He described attending an Episcopal Church service and a lecture in Galesburg that raised funds for freed slaves. He also mentioned a controversy between the minister of the church he attended, Reverend Mr. Calcraft, and the Bishop of the Diocese, that he expected his parents had heard about.

The Tom Tilton Letter was completely digitized in 2026. The item is available online at the University of Illinois Digital Library. A preservation copy of the item is available to IHLC and digital preservation staff at the Library Digital Repository: https://medusa.library.illinois.edu/collections/2532