William J. Pilkington

PILKINGTON, STEWART, LOVETT, GRAYSON

Posted By: Debbie Clough Gerischer (email)
Date: 12/13/2008 at 07:36:42

WILLIAM J. PILKINGTON, secretary, treasurer and general manager of the United Business Builders, Incorporated, with offices in the Insurance Exchange Building, Des Moines, an organization which functions through putting on campaigns for better buildings for retail merchants throughout the United States, is
a substantial and honored citizen who is a native son of the Hawkeye State and who has achieved independence and worthy prosperity entirely through his own ability and efforts.

Mr. Pilkington was born in Clayton County, Iowa, August 4, 1868, and is a son of John and Elizabeth (Stewart) Pilkington, the former of whom was born in England and the latter in Pennsylvania, they having come to Iowa about 1860, and Mr. Pilkington having represented this state as a loyal soldier of the Union during the final year of the Civil war. John Pilkington devoted his entire active career to productive farm enterprise, and in this connection gained pioneer honors in Iowa, where both he and his wife remained until their death, secure in the high regard of all who knew them. Of the four children three are living; Mrs. C. E. Lovett resides at Volga City, Clayton County, where her husband is engaged in the poultry business: William J., of this review, is next younger; and Charles S., a commercial traveler, resides at Westerville, Ohio. The late John Pilkington was reared in the faith of the Church of England, and in the United States he retained that faith as a communicant of the Protestant Episcopal Church, the while his wife had membership in the
Presbyterian Church.

William J. Pilkington passed the period of his childhood and early youth on the old home farm in Clayton County, and that he profited by the advantages of the public schools needs no further evidence than the statement that at the age of seventeen years he initiated his successful service as a teacher in the district schools of his native county. He thus continued a representative of the pedagogic profession two years, and thereafter he was employed two years as clerk in a retail mercantile establishment. He next had several years of experience as a commercial traveling salesman, and he then became editor and publisher of a weekly newspaper at Webster City, the judicial center of Hamilton County. After being thus engaged about three years he became the owner of the Merchants Trade Journal at Des Moines, and he continued to publish this periodical nineteen years, at the expiration of which he made an advantageous sale of the plant and business. Thereafter he was retired from active business for a time, and finally he organized the American Homes Company, of which he was the president, the major functions assigned to this corporation being to assist citizens in the adjusting and handling of their taxes, the service being one that has met with marked popular appreciation.

In politics Mr. Pilkington maintains an independent attitude and gives his support to men and measures meeting the approval of his judgment, regardless of strict partisan lines. He and his wife are zealous members of the University Christian Church and he has given many years of service as a member of its
Official Board.

In 1893 was solemnized the marriage of Mr. Pilkington and Miss Susan M. Grayson, who likewise was born and reared in this state, where her father, Emmanuel Grayson, gained rank as a successful exponent of farm enterprise. Mr. and Mrs. Pilkington have no children.

~A Narrative History of The People of Iowa
with SPECIAL TREATMENT OF THEIR CHIEF ENTERPRISES IN EDUCATION, RELIGION, VALOR, INDUSTRY, BUSINESS, ETC.
by EDGAR RUBEY HARLAN, LL. B., A. M.
Curator of the Historical, Memorial and Art Department of Iowa
Volume IV
THE AMERICAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY, Inc.
Chicago and New York
1931

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