Thomas Charles Paxton (November 27, 1820 – July 3, 1887) was a Canadian politician, businessman and sheriff.

He won four elections to the provincial parliament, where he served in office from 1867 to 1881, and took interest in legislation for railways and the timber industry.

He resigned from the legislature in 1881 to serve as sheriff of Ontario County until 1887, when succeeded by his son, J. F. Paxton.

In 1846, he and his brother George Paxton established the first sawmill on Lake Scugog to be operated by a stationary steam engine.

[2][4] Paxton later partnered with local postmaster Joseph Bigelow, with whom he operated a flour mill for 20 years.

[19] During the mid-1870s, Paxton built his private residence, "Buena Vista", which was one of the largest houses in Port Perry and featured a tower and large front porch on a property of 14 acres (5.7 ha).

[26] Paxton began serving as sheriff of Ontario County on June 20, 1881,[27] and soon after relocated his family to Whitby.

[28] He operated an iron ore mine in Lutterworth Township which supplied foundries in Canada and the United States during the early 1880s.