Doc Tilton House

~ by Julia Pearson

When the pandemic brought a great pause to people’s lives, Jill Lane felt the beckoning of her Indiana roots.

Born in South Bend to teachers, Margaret and Lester Daniels, Jill was the middle child to brother, Eric, and sister, Leslie Ann. Her homebase was in New Mexico, where she had been inducted into the New Mexico Tourism Hall of Fame in 2018. She was known to many fans of her blog, “Jack’s Dog Blog Travelogue,” that chronicled her travels with her beloved bulldog, Jack, as they ventured forth and reported on petfriendly travel. Her famous sidekick Jack died in August of 2019.

A real estate listing for the historic Tilton house in Nashville immediately caught Jill’s attention. She had graduated from Indiana University and family members were living in Bloomington, making a relocation to Brown County an attractive retirement option.

Located at 23 North Jefferson Street, by the Village Green, tax records show the Victorian home was built in the late 1800s by William Pittman. It was purchased by James Lewis Tilton and his wife, Sarah Jane, both descendants of early Brown County pioneers who emigrated from Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Tilton taught school for fifteen years, and over time was also a farmer, assessor, and postmaster. He was elected as a Van Buren Township trustee in 1874. In 1888, he moved to the Jefferson Street address with his family, including sons, Frank and Ray, and daughter, Mamie. The Tiltons were the proverbial pillars of the growing community, opening a general store on the northwest corner of Van Buren and Main. A fuel pump was installed on the south side of the store when auto travel brought a market for gasoline.

Branching out in business, Tilton was a partner in a lumber business, a furniture store, and undertaking business. He was part of the organization of the Nashville State Bank in 1905 and served as president from1911 until his death in 1950 at the age of 99. He taught Sunday School and never missed attending the Old Settlers gatherings.

Frank Tilton attended Moor’s Hill College and Indiana Medical College in Indianapolis. He was married to Rachel Josephine Gore, and their family grew to include son, Gore, and daughter, Ruth.

Frank had a medical practice in Nashville, when he met Rachel, who was visiting her sister, Kate. A classmate from medical school told how Frank had plans to go into research until he met Rachel. True love intervened.

After Sarah Jane Tilton’s death, Frank and his family, moved into the house with his father in 1932, and continued his medical practice there.

Many tales of Doc Tilton’s medical practice and the patients he served are recorded in Brown County Remembers, published by the Brown County Historical Society.

In 1933, on a September day in Bean Blossom, Herb McDonald was shot in the right shoulder by James Jenkins, a member of the John Dillinger gang. Herb was taken to Doc Tilton, who determined that the bullet should be removed in the Columbus hospital.

In 1934, Doc Tilton rushed home to share with his family that he saw Eleanor Roosevelt as she stepped out of the Art Gallery on West Main Street, another noteworthy event in Brown County history.

The house was Ruth Tilton’s lifelong home. A wellknown musician, Ruth had three music degrees and taught vocal and instrumental music in the Brown County schools for 40 years. She also gave private piano lessons, and was organist for the Methodist church.

In her will, the property was passed on to her nephews, Tom and Frank, and niece, Janice. They eventually put the house on the market.

Jill Lane, owner of Doc Tilton House. photo by Cindy Steele

Jill Lane moved into the house on June 7, 2021, the same day as the real estate closing. She promptly immersed herself in the Tilton family lore and knew she would call it the Doc Tilton House

Taking six months to settle in, Jill opened a year-round Airbnb on October 1, 2021. With a nod to her late canine companion, Jack, it is pet friendly. She lives on-site in the former medical office.

Parlor of the micromuseum. photo by Jack E. Harden

To honor the Tilton family’s historical place in the community for 140 years, Jill has curated a micromuseum in the parlor, highlighting the house and Brown County characters. There is a piano as a special tribute to Ruth, and guests are welcome to play.

A “Curio Shoppe” is stocked with vintage treasures, locally made heritage craft items, and antiques. The parlor and Curio Shoppe are open Wednesday–Saturday, noon until 5 p.m. For information about the Airbnb contact Jill at <Jill.trvl@gmail.com>.