An Historic Moment for Town as Ingersoll Statue Unveiled

Saturday, August 26, 2000 - It was an historic moment for the residents of Ingersoll this morning as the long awaited statue of Thomas Ingersoll, founder of the town, was unveiled. The eight foot statue was created by internationally acclaimed artist Neil Cox, a native of Ingersoll. It resides in the lobby of the Town Centre where it will be the centre of attention for years to come. Over eight feet tall, it is carved from a single basswood tree.

The idea of commissioning a statue of the town's founder as a Millennium Project, was conceived by Ernie Hunt, president of the Ingersoll Historical Society and a member of that committee. He also felt it was important that the work be done by an Ingersoll artist. Cox, presently of Toronto, has spent a year researching and carving the statue. Thomas Ingersoll was born in Westfield in 1750; moved to Great Barrington, Mass. In 1774; married Elizabeth Dewey in 1775. One of their four children was Laura Ingersoll, who later became the heroine Laura Secord after the family moved to the Niagara District in Canada and she met her Captain. After Elizabeth died Thomas married a widow, Mrs. Mercy Smith. They had no children and she died in 1789.

His third wife was Mrs. Sara Whiting Bacus and they had six children including James who was born in the log cabin his father built (near the present day gazebo). Following the American Revolution John Graves Simcoe, anxious to created settlements in undeveloped land issued a number of charters for Upper Canada. Thomas Ingersoll and several others were among those who received such a gift. Based on information given by Joseph Brant of the Six Nations, he laid claim to land along La Tranch (Thames River) and that was the beginning of the Oxford settlement. Unfortunately Governor Simcoe was recalled in 1805 and much of the land that had been granted to settlers was taken away.

Ingersoll had spent a great deal of his money building roads, including one from the Govemor's Road to the Thames River, and clearing trees from large tracts of land. He also served as an officer in the Oxford Militia. He was totally discouraged when so much of the land was taken from him.

He moved his family to a settlement at Etobicoke. Thomas Ingersoll died in Port Credit in 1812. He left a legacy on which his sons built when they returned to Oxford after the War of 1812.