Neil Tillotson

Neil Tillotson was an international businessman who mainly made his fortune in the rubber industry and owned a diversity of businesses. He died in 2001, at the age of 102, bequeathing the bulk of his fortune to philanthropic initiatives to develop local communities here in Coaticook as well as in New Hampshire, Vermont and Guatemala.

Neil Tillotson grew up in Beecher Falls, Vermont.

When he was 16 years old, Neil Tillotson worked at a rubber company called Hood Rubber. A few years later, he transferred to the company’s research department. During this time, he came up with several innovative ideas.

The war was under way, and Neil happened to attend military manoeuvres by the 7th Cavalry Company. He promptly left his job at the factory to sign up, and spent the next two years on horseback fighting Pancho Villa along the Mexican border!

In 1954 Neil Tillotson acquired the Balsams Grand Resort in Dixville Notch, at an auction. Coming back to his roots, he settled in the region that had been left behind by his great-grandparents. His factory relocated its operations near the hotel, and this would be where the first latex medical glove was invented.

The Balsams Grand Hotel in Dixville Notch nowadays

In 1964 Tillotson had Dixville Notch incorporated so that the town’s residents could vote on site, and introduced midnight voting. To this day, New Hampshire continues to be the state with the earliest-opening polling stations during American elections.

Neil Tillotson remarried for the third time in 1958. His wife Louise would be his spouse and life partner for 43 years.

At age 100, Tillotson was still shuttling back and forth between his headquarters in Boston and his home in Dixville Notch.
To share his considerable assets with the community, he set up a foundation, the Tillotson North Country Foundation Inc., based in Dixville Notch. Its mission was to preserve the environment and to promote the health, education and culture of residents of New Hampshire, Vermont and the municipalities of East Hereford and Saint-Herménégilde.

Upon his death in 2001, Neil Tillotson bequeathed the lands he owned in Hereford to the local community—all 5,600 hectares of it, including Mount Hereford.

Neil Tillotson was born in 1898 and grew up in Beecher Falls, Vermont. His parents announced their separation when he was 16 years old. He left the family home to work in Boston, at a rubber company called Hood Rubber.

The war was under way, and Neil happened to attend military manoeuvres by the 7th Cavalry Company. He promptly left his job at the factory to sign up, and spent the next two years on horseback fighting Pancho Villa along the Mexican border! When he returned, he resumed his employment at the factory before transferring to the company’s research department. His bosses were thrilled by several of his innovations. In 1931, during the Great Depression, Hood Rubber closed down for two weeks. This period of unemployment proved inspirational for Neil and, with the help of his family, he invented a balloon with cat ears thanks to a latex-dipped cardboard mould. That same year, he sold five million balloons, netting a $5,000 profit.

Five years later, in 1937, he founded his own business in larger facilities. After the Second World War, his range of products expanded to include latex gloves and baby diapers. The Tillotson company devised a number of innovative processes at its facilities.

In 1954 Neil Tillotson acquired the Balsams Grand Resort in Dixville Notch, at an auction.
In 1964 Tillotson had Dixville Notch incorporated so that the town’s residents could vote on site, and introduced midnight voting.

At 92 years old, he invented nitrile medical gloves. At age 100, he was still shuttling back and forth between his headquarters in Boston and his home in Dixville Notch.
He died in 2001, at the age of 102, bequeathing the bulk of his fortune to philanthropic initiatives. Tillotson was dedicated to the development of local communities, here in Coaticook as well as in New Hampshire, Vermont and Guatemala.