Early Settlers: Edwin Till (rancher)

The following is from a work-in-progress about the history of Fullerton. You can support my ongoing research and writing on Patreon.

Edwin Till was born in London, England in 1856, the son of Edwin and Eliza Till.

In 1884 he married Adelaide Wyatt in London. They had two sons: Fredric and James.

The family immigrated to the United States and settled in Philadelphia, opening a dry goods store.

“From Philadelphia he went to Chicago, and from Chicago to New York; and in each of these places he conducted a dry goods store for a year,” biographer Samuel Armor wrote in 1921. “When he returned to Philadelphia it was to resume the selling of dry goods, and in that city and field he continued until 1894, when he sold out and came to California.” 

In 1892, he returned to England to witness the coronation of King Edward. 

He lived in the town of Latin, near Los Angeles, for six years, 

In 1900, he purchased a 10-acre ranch in Orangethorpe, just south of Fullerton, which he planted with oranges.

Adelaide Till was one of the organizers of the Parent-Teachers’ Association of the Orangethorpe school district.

To learn more about the town of Orangethorpe, check out Terry Galvin’s excellent article HERE.