Photographs of Thomas Wilson Family and Business

Photograph

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History Center of Lake Forest - Lake Bluff

"By 1918, Wilson and Co. meatpacking assets were valued at over $129 Million, which is over 1 billion today. Thomas moved to Lake Forest and helped found Knollwood Golf Club on land just north of his estate. Thomas established Edellyn Farm on 450 acres just north of Lake Forest, named for his son Ed and daughter Helen. Thomas raised Scottish Clydesdale horses and champion Scottish short horn cattle."

"By 1918, Wilson and Co. meatpacking assets were valued at over $129 Million, which is over 1 billion today. Thomas moved to Lake Forest and helped found Knollwood Golf Club on land just north of his estate. Thomas established Edellyn Farm on 450 acres just north of Lake Forest, named for his son Ed and daughter Helen. Thomas raised Scottish Clydesdale horses and champion Scottish short horn cattle."

Name/Title

Photographs of Thomas Wilson Family and Business

Entry/Object ID

2026.11.21

Description

3 photos of Thomas Wilson and his family and business.

Photograph Details

Type of Photograph

b/w glossy

Context

"Thomas Wilson was born in Canada in 1868 to a Scottish family. Thomas started work in the stockyards checking rail road cars, but rose quickly through the ranks. By 1916, he was running his own company with operations stretching from Canada to Brazil. Thomas hired Murdo MacKenzie from Tain, Scotland to be his manager overseeing herds of cattle distributed over 9 million acres.