George Tilles

Birth: Sep. 11, 1859 Saint Louis, St. Louis City, Missouri, USA

Death: Nov. 26, 1929 Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas, USA

George and Ella had five small children when Ella died in 1899. George Married her sister Lillian and had a daughter in which they named Ella.

Parents:

 Louis Tilles (1830 - 1875)

 Rosalie Peck Tilles (1837 - 1872)

Spouses:

 Lillian Wormser Tilles (1871 - 1953)

 Ella Wormser Tilles (1862 - 1899)*

Children:

 Naomi Rosalie Tilles (1884 - 1908)*

 Lois Dee Tilles (1886 - 1918)*

 Ferol Claudia Tillis Carver Smith (1890 - 1980)*

 Clayton Marian Tilles Unger (1892 - 1969)*

 Ella Tilles Falk (1902 - 1999)*

• Calculated relationship

Burial: Jewish Cemetery Fort Smith Sebastian County Arkansas, USA

Created by: Stone Shooter Record added: Mar 28, 2010 Find A Grave Memorial# 50359997 http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=50359997

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George and Ella had five small children when Ella died in 1899. George Married her sister Lillian and had a daughter in which they named Ella.

When George Tilles became the president of the Progress Club formed by Jews in 1892, he pushed for the erection of a clubhouse. In 1912, they completed a three story building on North Sixth Street, which cost the sizable sum of $45,000. Tilles became so well known that he would receive out of state letters simply addressed to "George Tilles, Arkansas." His father, Louis Tilles, served as a federal soldier stationed in Fort Smith during the Civil War, and decided to settle in the town after the war. Louis died unexpectedly in 1875, and fifteen year old George and his four siblings were placed in a local Catholic orphanage. As news spread of the Tilles family plight, Jewish families in the community stepped forward and took care of the young children.

George founded his first business, a cigar factory, at age sixteen, and in the 1880s established the town's first telephone exchange. He worked as secretary-treasurer and editor of the Fort Smith Tribune and managed the Fort Smith Opera House. An active Republican, Tilles ran for a seat in the state senate and carefully followed developments in local, state and national politics. His passion for Fort Smith history led him to establish the Fort Smith Pioneer Club, and he penned a history of the town from the Civil War era through the turn of the century.

In the early 20th century, the Jewish population in Fort Smith continued to grow as immigrants from Eastern Europe began to arrive in increasing numbers. In 1905, 179 Jews lived in Fort Smith. By 1937, 350 Jews lived in town.

In 1913, A group of Eastern European Jewish immigrants established an Orthodox congregation name B'nai Israel. One of the Jewish leaders in the Fort Smith area was a man named George Tilles. George Tilles founded the towns first telephone exchange, managed the Fort Smith Opera House, was a politician, became the leader of several clubs, including both, the Progress Club and Pioneer Club.

When George married Ella Wormser of Little Rock in 1882 George took in his three siblings.

George Tillis was a self made man with a varied career. After his busines was destroyed by fire in 1882, he opened the first telephone exchange in the city which he sold to Bell Telephone Company. As a Repulican he ran unsuccessfully for the state senate. George Tillis was a man of history as well as current events.It was said there was no better informed man of Fort Smith on local and national events. As were his brothers, George was an active Mason. He was one of a committee of seven Masons who sponsored and campaigned statewide for funds to erect a children's building at the State Tuberculosis Sanatarium at Booneville. In three years the funds were collected and the building erected debt free. George visisted the children often at the sanatarium, and at Christmas he made sure that every child received a gift.

George's brother, Cap, moved to St.Louis where he prospered greatly. In 1912 George, Cap, and his two sisters established in memory of their mother, the Rosalie Tillis Children's Home for orphaned children.

This is the first census after the death of his wife:

1900 United States Federal Census 1900 United States Federal Census Name: Geo Tillis [Geo Tilles] Age: 40 Birth Date: Sep 1859 Birthplace: Missouri Home in 1900: Fort Smith Ward 2, Sebastian, Arkansas [Sebastian] Race: White Gender: Male Relation to Head of House: Head Marital Status: Widowed Father's Birthplace: Austria Mother's Birthplace: Germany Household Members: Name Age Geo Tillis 40 Naomi R Tillis 16 Lois D Tillis 13 Ferol C Tillis 10 Clayton M Tillis 8 George Tillis 6 Gillie Wormser 27

Family links: Parents:

 Louis Tilles (1830 - 1875)

 Rosalie Peck Tilles (1837 - 1872)

Spouses:

 Lillian Wormser Tilles (1871 - 1953)

 Ella Wormser Tilles (1862 - 1899)*

Children:

 Naomi Rosalie Tilles (1884 - 1908)*

 Lois Dee Tilles (1886 - 1918)*

 Ferol Claudia Tillis Carver Smith (1890 - 1980)*

 Clayton Marian Tilles Unger (1892 - 1969)*

 Ella Tilles Falk (1902 - 1999)*

• Calculated relationship

Burial: Jewish Cemetery, Fort Smith, Sebastian County, Arkansas, USA