John Pitman 1853-1919

HEALD, WILKINS, WALL, PITMAN

Posted By: cheryl Locher moonen (email)
Date: 3/19/2020 at 05:40:40

Samuel Pitman was born in 1829 in Somersetshire, England. He and his wife, Eleanor Wilkins, also a native of England, both came to this country when young. They married in Buffalo, New York and came to Freeport, Illinois in the spring of 1852. The Illinois Central R. R. then ran from Freeport to Dubuque, where they were to meet a friend who would provide further transportation to their new home in Section 36 of Dodge Township, eighty acres of land Mr. Pitman had entered from the government. They were disappointed in the appointment with the friend and therefore walked the remainder of the distance-25 miles. Mr. Pitman farmed the rest of his life, dying in 1880. He was preceded in death by Eleanor in 1862 at the age of 29. Both are buried in John’s Creek.

The Pitman’s son John was born March 12, 1853, in Dubuque County. He was the eldest of four children. John was educated in public schools here and attended Bayless Business School in Dubuque. He inherited 100 acres of farmland from his father, also buying and additional 200 acres adjoining his property. He raised Percheron horses, Short-horned Durham cattle and Poland-China hogs until he was 44 years of age. In 1897 John moved into Farley and leased the farm for a term of ten years. He then engaged in a retail furniture business. Mr. Pitman served on the town council, was mayor from 1908-1910, and was president of the school board. He died Feb. 2, 1919.

John Pitman had married Miss Cora Heald, the daughter of A. K. and Juliette Heald on March 12, 1889. Cora lived from Nov. 24, 1864 -January 5, 1897. She is buried at Fairview Cemetery. Mr. Pitman married a second time on May 15, 1901 to Edith J. Wall who was born in Nov. 1875. Edith was the fifth of twelve children born to Arthur and Mary Wall. John and Edith had one daughter, Florence Mary.

Although the Pitman’s were Episcopalians, because of the infrequency of services of their church in Farley, they attended the Methodist Church here. John Pitman built the house at 104 First St. SW in the summer of 1905. The house is now owned by Rod and Bonnie Wagner.

The History of Farley, Welu Publishing, Copyright 1996