Wilson was born on a farm near Princeton, Canada West, on March 14, 1860, and went to school in Hamilton, Ontario. By the age of 21, he had designed and patented the first electric arc lamps used in Hamilton. He moved to the United States in search of opportunities to sell his ideas.
In 1892, Wilson discovered an economically efficient process for creating calcium carbide, which is used in the production of acetylene gas. In 1895, he sold his patent to Union Carbide.
In the same year, Wilson married Mary Parks in California and moved back to Canada. He built a house for his mother in Woodstock, Ontario in 1895. During 1900 and 1901, he moved to Ottawa and opened carbide plants both in Ontario (Merritton and Ottawa) and Quebec (Shawinigan). In 1911, he founded the International Marine Signal Company to manufacture marine buoys and lighthouse beacons.
Wilson was the first person to own an automobile in Ottawa.[1]
Willson's experimental phosphate mill in Gatineau Park
In 1907, Wilsom built a summer house on Meech Lake in what is now Gatineau Park. The house is now owned by the federal government and notable for being the site of negotiations on the Meech Lake Accord. In 1911, he began experimenting with the condensation of phosphoric acid in the manufacture of fertilizers at a mill on Meech Creek within the park. Due to this venture and running out of capital, he missed one interest payment and lost nearly all of his estate to his creditor, American tobacco king James Buchanan Duke. The Meech Lake estate was then sold to Arthur Vining Davis who would go on to further Willson's enterprising effort by establishing the Quebec aluminum industry at Arvida, the name of the town being a portmanteau of his own name.
Wilson died of a heart attack in New York City on December 20, 1915, while trying to raise funds for a hydroelectric project in Labrador. His dream was finally realized in 1974 as the Churchill Falls project. His name was given to an island on the Saguenay river, near the Shipshaw powerhouse.
Referencesedit
^Brook, Ashley (2017-09-24). "The Mystery of Meech Lake". CANADIANA web series. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
Paton, Jennifer (1998). "Willson, Thomas Willson". In Cook, Ramsay; Hamelin, Jean (eds.). Dictionary of Canadian Biography. Vol. XIV (1911–1920) (online ed.). University of Toronto Press.
Canadiana — "The Mystery of Meech Lake" - an episode of about Willson
January 01, 1970
thomas, willson, thomas, leopold, carbide, willson, march, 1860, december, 1915, canadian, inventor, willson, 1914born, 1860, march, 1860princeton, ontario, canada, westdieddecember, 1915, 1915, aged, york, city, york, united, statesoccupationinventorbiography. Thomas Leopold Carbide Willson March 14 1860 December 20 1915 was a Canadian inventor Thomas WillsonWillson c 1914Born 1860 03 14 March 14 1860Princeton Ontario Canada WestDiedDecember 20 1915 1915 12 20 aged 55 New York City New York United StatesOccupationInventorBiography editWilson was born on a farm near Princeton Canada West on March 14 1860 and went to school in Hamilton Ontario By the age of 21 he had designed and patented the first electric arc lamps used in Hamilton He moved to the United States in search of opportunities to sell his ideas In 1892 Wilson discovered an economically efficient process for creating calcium carbide which is used in the production of acetylene gas In 1895 he sold his patent to Union Carbide In the same year Wilson married Mary Parks in California and moved back to Canada He built a house for his mother in Woodstock Ontario in 1895 During 1900 and 1901 he moved to Ottawa and opened carbide plants both in Ontario Merritton and Ottawa and Quebec Shawinigan In 1911 he founded the International Marine Signal Company to manufacture marine buoys and lighthouse beacons Wilson was the first person to own an automobile in Ottawa 1 nbsp Willson s experimental phosphate mill in Gatineau ParkIn 1907 Wilsom built a summer house on Meech Lake in what is now Gatineau Park The house is now owned by the federal government and notable for being the site of negotiations on the Meech Lake Accord In 1911 he began experimenting with the condensation of phosphoric acid in the manufacture of fertilizers at a mill on Meech Creek within the park Due to this venture and running out of capital he missed one interest payment and lost nearly all of his estate to his creditor American tobacco king James Buchanan Duke The Meech Lake estate was then sold to Arthur Vining Davis who would go on to further Willson s enterprising effort by establishing the Quebec aluminum industry at Arvida the name of the town being a portmanteau of his own name Wilson died of a heart attack in New York City on December 20 1915 while trying to raise funds for a hydroelectric project in Labrador His dream was finally realized in 1974 as the Churchill Falls project His name was given to an island on the Saguenay river near the Shipshaw powerhouse References edit Brook Ashley 2017 09 24 The Mystery of Meech Lake CANADIANA web series Retrieved 2023 12 21 Paton Jennifer 1998 Willson Thomas Willson In Cook Ramsay Hamelin Jean eds Dictionary of Canadian Biography Vol XIV 1911 1920 online ed University of Toronto Press Canadiana The Mystery of Meech Lake an episode of about Willson Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas Willson amp oldid 1223747197, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
