Life Story of John Pilote

PILOTE, HANEY, MORRISON, DUCKWORTH, KIRKENDALL

Posted By: Valorie Richards (email)
Date: 11/4/2001 at 08:08:02

He was born in Quebec, Canada, March 4, 1844 and died at his home in Pittsburg, Wed., Oct. 23, 1929, aged 85 years, 7 months and 21 days. His parents were from France. His mother died when he was 9 years of age, which necessitated his becoming an apprentice to his uncle, who was a Captain in the English Navy.

He remained as a sailor for 15 years, having passed his examinations successfully for all of the offices, including first mate, and had his papers from the English government as a Captain. The last five years of his connection with the Navy was spent on a British war vessel, doing police duty in the waters of Labrador, Hudson Bay, Baffin Bay. They were wrecked in the Gulf of Bothia. Out of a crew of 136 sailors, excluding officers and boat stewards, there were but 4 who reached the mainland and went into winter quarters with the eskimos.

A war vessel was sent in search of the one that was known to be lost, and it was this vessel that carried the 4 surviving members of the ill-fated crew back to civilization.

On leaving the English Navy, he returned to his native home, and sailed on the St. Lawrence River, going on missions for his friends; some of whom were very wealthy. In the early 1880's, he came to Van Buren County.

His work in the timber business is well known to the average reader of the Republican. The friendship of the Capt. W. A. Duckworth family was the most cherished thing in his life. He knew the children so well that he often referred to them as "children" after they were of grandparents age.

In 1888 he married Mrs. Mary Haney Morrison and to this union no children were born. Mrs. Morrison had two boys, William Aaron and Orry Charles Morrison, both of whom are now living. W. A. lives in Boulder, Colo., where he has been engaged as a teacher for many years. O. C. is a physician at Carroll, Iowa. His wife Mary died in 1919 from the effects of an old goiter which became active, and her heart muscle was destroyed as a result, which terminated her life. After her death he wanted to remain at home in preference to any substitute, and did so til his death.

His neighbors were wonderfully kind and good to him. He was buried beside his wife in Pittsburg Cemetery, by the ritual of the Masonic lodge of which he was a member for many years. His Brother Sir Knights were pallbearers.

He was an ardent supporter of our state public school system. He knew, as do the few, the real value of this system to the advantage of the poor. He insisted that the boys should be in school, and took delight in their study of mathematics. He was skillful in the use of the instruments of the surveyer, and helped Surveyer Kirkendall often in disputed boundaries.

While his name was never entered upon the roll call of any school on earth, yet he was an ardent disciple of public schools and its opportunities. Religious conflict kept him from school. His Uncle who was Capt. on an English War vessel, and later Commander, taught him the fundamentals of education. He was fortunate in his possession of learning, and not schooling. He was trusted in honor and obligation. They lived in Block 38 west of Pittsburg school.

This article was located in the 1975 Pittsburg, Iowa Bicentenial booklet written by Maxine Hughes of Pittsburg. A copy of this booklet can be located in the Donnellson, Iowa library.