John Henry Tillotson was born on this day in 1894, in Stokes County, to John Samuel and Mary Lunsford Tillotson.
John Henry spent his early years in Stokes County, and served in World War I. He came to Winston-Salem after the war and joined the police force in 1919.
Three years later he was promoted to the rank of street sergeant, and during his career he served as detective and jailer.
Sergeant Tillotson retired in 1954, with 34 years of service on the local police force. At this time, he held the department’s longest service record, and wore police badge No. 1.
At his retirement, Police Chief Waller said: “Sergeant Tillotson has devoted his life to law enforcement in order that we might have a safer city in which to live.”
Tillotson was married to Mary Alice Shore.
He passed away in 1954.
In the above photo, Tillotson is shown as part of the detective group known as the “Spider Gang.”
Photo courtesy of Forsyth County Public Library Photograph Collection.
