Local History Speaker Series returns with “Oxford Pioneers”

Discover the fascinating stories of some of Oxford’s earliest settlers and their descendants

Oxford County Library and Oxford County Archives present the final Local History Speaker Series event for 2025:

Oxford Pioneers
Saturday, October 4, 2:00 – 3:00 p.m. 
Oxford County Library, Ingersoll branch  

Join local historian Scott Gillies for a riveting discussion about the pioneers who helped shape Oxford County as we know it today. The presentation will examine an array of Oxford County’s earliest settlers and their descendants, particularly those who helped put Oxford “on the world map.”  

This event is part of the Local History Speaker Series, co-organized by the Oxford County Library and the Oxford County Archives. Presentations in the series focus on topics related to the history of Oxford County and its broader region.

This is a drop-in event; no registration is required. However, registration (with an email address) is necessary for the online format.

To register for the live Zoom format, call the Tillsonburg branch (519-842-5571) or Ingersoll branch (519-485-2505) libraries for assistance, or register online via the Programs and Events calendar at www.ocl.net.

About the speaker

Scott Gillies, a long-time resident of Ingersoll and Oxford County, is a Western University alumnus who graduated with a degree in History and English from Huron College in 1979. Since then, he has been able to continuously apply his academic studies in various roles, including museum curator, historical interpreter, tour guide, local historian, author, and newspaper columnist. His work has taken him to places such as Milton, Norwich, Winnipeg, Southampton, and Mississauga. A much sought-after public speaker, Gillies brings his passion for the past to life through dynamic and engaging presentations described by others as “truly spellbinding.”