"Portrait and Biographical Record of Portland and Vicinity, Oregon." Authors: "a compilation of this work....by a number of writers". Chapman Publishing Co; Chicago, 1903. p. 702. JOHN B. PILKINGTON, M. D. Was well known in Portland and other sections of Oregon as a medical practitioner and as a man whose salient characteristics were such as to win for him the confidence and esteem of his fellow men. He died September 5, 1900, in Baker City, after a residence of twenty-nine years and six months in the state. He was born in Providence, R. I., February 23, 1834. His father, James Pilkington, was born in Manchester, England in 1806, and died at the home of the doctor in 1876. His wife was born in the north of Ireland, and was of Scotch-Irish descent. They reared their family in Illinois and afterward removed to California, where Mrs. Pilkington departed this life at the age of eighty-four years. It was in the early part of the '60s that they emigrated westward, crossing the Isthmus of Panama and thence proceeding to their destination, the different members of the family locating in or near San Francisco. There were eight children, of whom three are yet living: Thomas J., who is engaged in fruit-growing near San Francisco; Mrs. Volney D. Moody, of Berkeley, Cal.; and Mrs. William Hill, of Petaluma, Cal. In the early schools of his native state Dr. Pilkington acquired his education and remained upon the home farm until he attained his majority. He then went to St. Louis, where he prepared for his professional career, being graduated in the medical department of the college there. With the family he went to California, where he was engaged in mining. He became assayer at one of the Comstock mines and was quite successful. Later he resumed his professional work and pursued a post graduate course in the Cooper Medical College in 1870. In the early spring of 1871 he came to Portland, where for a considerable period he practiced medicine with success, being acknowledged as one of the leading representatives of the calling in the city. The doctor had been married in Virginia City, Nev., to Morella Whitcomb, who was born in Council Bluffs, Iowa, February 26, 1844, and who had gone to the mining regions of California with her brother and sister, crossing the plains with an ox team at an early day. She was a member of a family of thirteen children, of whom two are now living: Burchard Whitcomb, who is a merchant of Dayton, Ohio; and Mrs. Henry DeLong, of Council Bluffs. Unto Dr. and Mrs. Pilkington were born six children, three while they were living in California. Harold, the eldest, who was reared and educated in Portland, and who is a miner of Dayton, Nev., is married and has a family. Robert, a practicing physician of Astoria, Ore., and a graduated of the medical department of Willamette University is also married and has a family. John B. is a resident of Portland. Those born in Portland are Guy, a civil engineer in Mazatlan, Mexico, who is married and has a family; Paul, an actor, who makes Portland his home; and Gladys, a student in the high school. Believing that Portland offered a good opening for the practice of medicine Dr. Pilkington came to this city, and after five months sent for his family to join him here. He rented a home on the west side and lived there for several years, devoting his attention to the general practice with good success until 1884, when he abandoned his profession for a time. In the spring of 1900 he went to Baker City, Ore., where he again established an office and there he died very suddenly from an operation. He was a prominent member and worker in the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and also belonged to the Ancient Order of United Workmen of Portland. He held membership in the county and state medical societies and occupied the chair of medicine in Willamette University for several years. He was a man of great energy and force of character and made his way unaided in the world. Thought starting out without anything he managed to acquire an excellent education and to advance along those lines demanding strong mentality and marked capability. His political support was given the Republican party and his religious faith was that of the Unitarian Church. He was a man of public spirit, co-operating heartily and generously in all movements for the public good and tending to advance the interests of the people. His wife survived him for three years and died at the home of her son, J. B. Pilkington, April 9, 1903, at the age of fifty-nine years. She was a lady of natural refinement and may excellencies of character, and like the doctor occupied an enviable position in the regard of their many friends. John B. Pilkington, Jr., like the other members of the family, was reared and educated in Portland, having been a babe of but five months when brought to this city. After leaving school he engaged in the nursery business. In Portland Mr. Pilkington wedded Miss Nellie Clarke, the marriage taking place in 1894. She was a daughter of Orlando Clarke, of Rockford, Ill., who came to Oregon in 1882. Her death occurred in 1896; she left one son, John Clarke Pilkington, whose birth occurred November 29, 1895, and who is the third to bear the name of John Pilkington in this city. Mr. Pilkington belongs to the Ancient Order of United Workmen and the Woodmen of the World and is widely and favorably known in business and social circles of the city, where almost his entire life has been passed. ******************* Submitted to the Oregon Bios. Project in February 2006 by Diana Smith. Submitter has no additional information about the person(s) or family mentioned above.