Pilgrim, William Mawer 1839-1920

PILGRIM, CROFT, WASHBURN, THOMAS

Posted By: Marilyn Holmes (email)
Date: 1/16/2011 at 13:07:27

The Grinnell (IA) Herald; Sept. 21, 1920

WILLIAM PILGRIM

William Pilgrim, brother of the late Croft Pilgrim of this city, died Friday, August 27, at his home in Long Beach, California, aged 80 years, 9 months and 25 days. His long life was filled with helpful activity and business success.

William Mawer Pilgrim was born in Lincolnshire, England, November 2, 1839, one of a family of seven children born to John and Elizabeth Croft Pilgrim, who came to this country in 1849 and established their home at French Grove, Peoria county, Ill. At the age of 14 years William was thrown upon his own resources, his sole assets his clothing and 50 cents in money. He saved $100 from his first year's wages for labor on a neighboring farm, amounting to $144 in all and this marked the beginning of his successful business career; a career which marked him a real man of affairs and an asset in every community blessed by his presence.

At the beginning of the Civil War Mr. Pilgrim enlisted at Toulon, Ill., in Company B, 37th Illinois Infantry. His company served actively throughout the war, being engaged in the battles of Perry's Landing, Pea Ridge, Island No.10, the siege of Vicksburg and the capture of New Orleans. At New Orleans Mr. Pilgrim was appointed chief ward master in the hosptial corps and served in the hospital service at New Orleans and at Brownsville, Texas. He received his honorable discharge at the close of the war and established his home in Stark county, Ill., where he purchased a small farm, which he continued to operate for three years, when he moved to Bradford where he taught vocal and instrumental music for the following three years. He then established in Bradford a general merchandise store which rapidly grew to a large business which engaged his attention for the next 35 years.

In June, 1865 Mr. Pilgrim was married to Mrs. Washburn, who died in 1879. In 1885 he married, Mrs. Ada Thomas. To this union was born one son, Arthur O. Pilgrim, who with his wife's son, W. Fred Thomas, had alway received Mr. Pilgrim's fatherly care and devotion.

In 1905 the Pilgrim family moved to California, establishing their home first in Riverside. Last December they moved to Long Beach, where his death occurred after a short illness. The funeral was held in Riverside.

Mr. Pilgrim was a man of broad public spirit deeply interested in every thing pertaining to the best interests of the community in which he lived. In Illinois he served as township supervisor, school trustee, president of the town board and later as member of the 39th Illinois Legislature. He was commander of the G.A.R. post at Bradford, was a 32nd degree Mason, a Knight Templar and Shriner and was past patron of the Order of the Eastern Star at Riverside. He was a musician of marked ability, was a charter member of the Shriners band of Los Angeles and in his younger days generously gave his service in church choirs and Sunday school orchestras. He was passionately devoted to music and by natural and acquired gifts greatly aided the communities in which he lived.

In Illinois he was one of the organizers of the Universalist church at Braford and during much of his life in Riverside he affiliated with the First Congregational church. In speaking of Mr. Pilgrim the Riverside Daily Press says: "William Pilgrim was a man of character modest, unostentatious in manner, a bit diffident in public matters but ever ready in unstinted measure to give of his time, strength and means for the advancement of the community's best. Patriotic to the core, he was a tireless worker during the recent world war along all patriotic endeavors; in Red Cross activities and in Liberty bond drives he was conspicuously at the front.

"He loved God and served his fellowman. He ever sougth to do justly and love mercy and to walk humbly with his God. He was a devoted husband and father and his wife and two sons with the daughter-in-law will ever cherish the memory of the unselfish life whose passion for the hearthstone sought their personal comfort in generous devotion."