Roberta Elizabeth Odell Tilton
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Roberta Elizabeth Odell Tilton (September 20, 1837 – May 28, 1925) was an American-born Canadian social reformer. She helped found the
National Council of Women of Canada The National Council of Women of Canada (NCWC, french: Conseil national des femmes du Canada, (''CNFC'')) is a Canadian advocacy organization based in Ottawa, Ontario, aimed at improving conditions for women, families, and communities. A federati ...
. The daughter of Daniel Ingalls Odell and Hannah Elizabeth Peavey, she was born Roberta Elizabeth Odell in
Whiting, Maine Whiting is a town in Washington County, Maine, United States. The town was named after Tate Whiting, an early settler. The population was 482 at the 2020 census. The town was originally known as Orangetown. Geography According to the United Stat ...
. In 1858, she married John Tilton. Originally a businessperson in
Saint John, New Brunswick Saint John is a seaport city of the Atlantic Ocean located on the Bay of Fundy in the province of New Brunswick, Canada. Saint John is the oldest incorporated city in Canada, established by royal charter on May 18, 1785, during the reign of Ki ...
, he came to
Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...
to join the federal civil service. Born a Unitarian, Tilton became an
Anglican Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of th ...
like her husband. In 1878, she was named first vice-president for the Ontario
Woman's Christian Temperance Union The Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) is an international temperance organization, originating among women in the United States Prohibition movement. It was among the first organizations of women devoted to social reform with a program th ...
(WCTU). Tilton became a founding member of the Ottawa WCTU in 1881; she also was president and chair of the
Sunday school A Sunday school is an educational institution, usually (but not always) Christian in character. Other religions including Buddhism, Islam, and Judaism have also organised Sunday schools in their temples and mosques, particularly in the West. Su ...
department. At the national level of the WCTU, she served as treasurer from 1892 to 1895, as superintendent of soldiers and volunteer camps/militia from 1895 to 1897 and as official auditor from 1898 to 1901. Tilton was the main founder of the women's auxiliary to the Missionary Society of the Church of England in Canada, later known as the Anglican Church Women (ACW). She was secretary for the auxiliary in the diocese of Ontario. In 1886, she became corresponding secretary for the auxiliary at the provincial level and later served as provincial president. From 1902 to 1908, she was president of the dominion (national) auxiliary. In 1889, Tilton reorganized the Ottawa chapter of the
Girls' Friendly Society The Girls' Friendly Society In England And Wales (or just GFS) is a charitable organisation that empowers girls and young women aged 5 to 25, encouraging them to develop their full potential through programs that provide training, confidence bu ...
. She was also founder and president of the Protestant Orphans' Home in Ottawa. Tilton died in Ottawa at the age of 87 and was buried in
Beechwood Cemetery Beechwood Cemetery, located in the former city of Vanier in Ottawa, Ontario, is the National Cemetery of Canada. It is the final resting place for over 82,000 Canadians from all walks of life, such as important politicians like Governor Genera ...
. The Anglican Church of Canada commemorates her life every May 30. The Church of the Ascension in
Hamilton Hamilton may refer to: People * Hamilton (name), a common British surname and occasional given name, usually of Scottish origin, including a list of persons with the surname ** The Duke of Hamilton, the premier peer of Scotland ** Lord Hamilt ...
has a stained-glass window depicting Tilton.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tilton, Roberta Elizabeth Odell 1837 births 1925 deaths Canadian temperance activists Canadian Anglicans