As we have seen, Billiken first appeared as a character in the Canada West magazine in drawings by Miss Florence Pretz. After the Billiken figurine was launched in Chicago in May of 1908 his popularity was almost instantaneous.
Here is an article that appeared in July of 1908 where the Canadians claim him as one of their own:
A couple of years later, a charming story appeared that told a bit more about Miss Pretz and her roommates (one of whom was likely Sarah Hamilton Birchall, author of the original Billiken stories, aka “the poet”). This piece is from Canada Monthly, the successor publication to the Canada West, as it appeared in January, 1910. You can see how the Billiken had assumed his final god-form:
And finally, we have an interview of sorts with the lovely Miss Pretz, who notes the Pretz predilection for “Bills”:
