People

Thomas A Dillon

Thomas A. Dillon (1823–?) was a miller and veteran of the California Gold Rush who spent the latter part of his working life in Carpentersville, Illinois, where he operated a flouring mill for approximately twenty-six years before retiring in 1882. Though born in New York and widely traveled before his arrival in Illinois, he is remembered locally as a long-serving figure in the milling trade of Kane County.

Known Activities

Dillon was born in Vienna, New York in 1823 and trained as a miller, practicing his trade at various points in New York, Ohio, and Michigan before the Gold Rush drew him westward. According to the Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County (1904), he participated in the California Gold Rush of 1849 — a significant formative episode that placed him among a generation of men whose restlessness and ambition brought them eventually to the Midwest frontier.

He came to Illinois in 1853, the same year he married Malvina Knowles. After several years of apparent movement within the region, he permanently located at Carpentersville in 1856 and established himself in the flouring mill trade. He operated the mill for twenty-six years, retiring in 1882. By the time of the encyclopedia's publication in 1904, he was described as a "retired miller," suggesting he remained in the area in his later years.

No record of children or further business activities has been identified in available sources.

Timeline

YearEvent
1823Born in Vienna, New York
1849Participated in the California Gold Rush
1853Arrived in Illinois; married Malvina Knowles
1856Permanently located at Carpentersville, Illinois
1856–1882Operated a flouring mill at Carpentersville
1882Retired from milling
1904Referenced as a retired miller in Kane County biographical encyclopedia
## Sources
  • Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County, 1904. Archive.org. Biographical entry for Thomas A. Dillon; describes his birth, trade history, participation in the Gold Rush, arrival in Illinois, marriage, and career at Carpentersville. (Source: Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois and History of Kane County (1904))