Thedford in Lambton County, Ontario — Central Canada (North America)
The Founding of Thedford
Photographed by Tim Boyd, May 12, 2025
1. The Founding of Thedford Marker
Inscription.
The Founding of Thedford. . In 1858, during the construction of the Grand Trunk Railway through this region, Nelson Southworth purchased land here on the line, donated a site for a station and laid out a village plot which he named Thedford. The hamlet which developed, however, took the name of the depot, Widder Station, which opened to serve the nearby village of Widder. During the 1860's Widder Station grew steadily as a shipping point for square timber, lumber, grain and cattle, and by 1869 the community consisted of 350 inhabitants. The addition of several industries, including a steam saw and grist-mill and a planing mill fostered the villages growth and it was incorporated as the Village of Thedford by a County by-law of 1877.
In 1858, during the construction of the Grand Trunk Railway through this region, Nelson Southworth purchased land here on the line, donated a site for a station and laid out a village plot which he named Thedford. The hamlet which developed, however, took the name of the depot, Widder Station, which opened to serve the nearby village of Widder. During the 1860's Widder Station grew steadily as a shipping point for square timber, lumber, grain and cattle, and by 1869 the community consisted of 350 inhabitants. The addition of several industries, including a steam saw and grist-mill and a planing mill fostered the villages growth and it was incorporated as the Village of Thedford by a County by-law of 1877.
Location. 43° 9.808′ N, 81° 51.411′ W. Marker is in Thedford, Ontario, in Lambton County. It is at the intersection of Main Street and King Street, on the right when traveling east on Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 72 Main Street, Thedford ON N0M 2N0, Canada. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Southwest Ontario Area and in Southwestern Ontario. It is also in Central Canada. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once a British colony, the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, and Ruperts Land.
Beldens Historical Atlas of Lambton County (McGill Uiversity)
Credits. This page was last revised on May 24, 2025. It was originally submitted on May 19, 2025, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. This page has been viewed 145 times since then and 41 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on May 19, 2025, by Tim Boyd of Hamilton, Ontario. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
