A native of Lancashire, England, Martha Pilkington Wilson was descended from Sir Richard Pilkington, first bishop of Durham. The bishop is remembered for his revision of Book of Common Prayer.
Martha came to New York with her family as a child; later they moved to Illinois where her father died in 1830 when she was a young girl. A few years later, while she was visiting her older married sister in New York, she married Jasper Wilson. Jasper had courted Martha back in Illinois, where their families were neighbors.
Jasper bought a large farm in Illinois and the Wilsons settled down to a busy and prosperous life raising three children. Then suddenly in 1862, Jasper and two of their children died -- probably victims of an epidemic. Martha then began to devote her life to her only remaining son David.
They toured England in 1869, returning to the U.S. so that David could enter the University of Illinois in 1870. But after only a year of school, David's health failed.
Like a hen with one chicken, Martha bundled up her frail son and brought him west for his health. They settled in Santa Cruz where her brother, Thomas Pilkington, had already established himself as a pioneer member of First Congregational Church.
David regained his health and went on to Washington state where he was a successful businessman. Martha led a busy social life here, organizing the Women's Aid society and serving as its first president. Her private charities were many and unsung.
A year after she built her big house, Martha knew for sure that she would spend the rest of her days in Santa Cruz. She went back to Illinois, disinterred her dead husband and children, brought West and re-interred in the Santa Cruz I.O.O.F. cemetery.
As long as she lived, Martha kept fresh flowers on their graves. Today she lies buried with them.
- "Santa Cruz Sentinel", Volume 110, Number 297, 18 December 1966, Margaret Koch, Sentinel Staff Writer
Martha came to New York with her family as a child; later they moved to Illinois where her father died in 1830 when she was a young girl. A few years later, while she was visiting her older married sister in New York, she married Jasper Wilson. Jasper had courted Martha back in Illinois, where their families were neighbors.
Jasper bought a large farm in Illinois and the Wilsons settled down to a busy and prosperous life raising three children. Then suddenly in 1862, Jasper and two of their children died -- probably victims of an epidemic. Martha then began to devote her life to her only remaining son David.
They toured England in 1869, returning to the U.S. so that David could enter the University of Illinois in 1870. But after only a year of school, David's health failed.
Like a hen with one chicken, Martha bundled up her frail son and brought him west for his health. They settled in Santa Cruz where her brother, Thomas Pilkington, had already established himself as a pioneer member of First Congregational Church.
David regained his health and went on to Washington state where he was a successful businessman. Martha led a busy social life here, organizing the Women's Aid society and serving as its first president. Her private charities were many and unsung.
A year after she built her big house, Martha knew for sure that she would spend the rest of her days in Santa Cruz. She went back to Illinois, disinterred her dead husband and children, brought West and re-interred in the Santa Cruz I.O.O.F. cemetery.
As long as she lived, Martha kept fresh flowers on their graves. Today she lies buried with them.
- "Santa Cruz Sentinel", Volume 110, Number 297, 18 December 1966, Margaret Koch, Sentinel Staff Writer
A native of Lancashire, England, Martha Pilkington Wilson was descended from Sir Richard Pilkington, first bishop of Durham. The bishop is remembered for his revision of Book of Common Prayer.
Martha came to New York with her family as a child; later they moved to Illinois where her father died in 1830 when she was a young girl. A few years later, while she was visiting her older married sister in New York, she married Jasper Wilson. Jasper had courted Martha back in Illinois, where their families were neighbors.
Jasper bought a large farm in Illinois and the Wilsons settled down to a busy and prosperous life raising three children. Then suddenly in 1862, Jasper and two of their children died -- probably victims of an epidemic. Martha then began to devote her life to her only remaining son David.
They toured England in 1869, returning to the U.S. so that David could enter the University of Illinois in 1870. But after only a year of school, David's health failed.
Like a hen with one chicken, Martha bundled up her frail son and brought him west for his health. They settled in Santa Cruz where her brother, Thomas Pilkington, had already established himself as a pioneer member of First Congregational Church.
David regained his health and went on to Washington state where he was a successful businessman. Martha led a busy social life here, organizing the Women's Aid society and serving as its first president. Her private charities were many and unsung.
A year after she built her big house, Martha knew for sure that she would spend the rest of her days in Santa Cruz. She went back to Illinois, disinterred her dead husband and children, brought West and re-interred in the Santa Cruz I.O.O.F. cemetery.
As long as she lived, Martha kept fresh flowers on their graves. Today she lies buried with them.
- "Santa Cruz Sentinel", Volume 110, Number 297, 18 December 1966, Margaret Koch, Sentinel Staff Writer
Martha came to New York with her family as a child; later they moved to Illinois where her father died in 1830 when she was a young girl. A few years later, while she was visiting her older married sister in New York, she married Jasper Wilson. Jasper had courted Martha back in Illinois, where their families were neighbors.
Jasper bought a large farm in Illinois and the Wilsons settled down to a busy and prosperous life raising three children. Then suddenly in 1862, Jasper and two of their children died -- probably victims of an epidemic. Martha then began to devote her life to her only remaining son David.
They toured England in 1869, returning to the U.S. so that David could enter the University of Illinois in 1870. But after only a year of school, David's health failed.
Like a hen with one chicken, Martha bundled up her frail son and brought him west for his health. They settled in Santa Cruz where her brother, Thomas Pilkington, had already established himself as a pioneer member of First Congregational Church.
David regained his health and went on to Washington state where he was a successful businessman. Martha led a busy social life here, organizing the Women's Aid society and serving as its first president. Her private charities were many and unsung.
A year after she built her big house, Martha knew for sure that she would spend the rest of her days in Santa Cruz. She went back to Illinois, disinterred her dead husband and children, brought West and re-interred in the Santa Cruz I.O.O.F. cemetery.
As long as she lived, Martha kept fresh flowers on their graves. Today she lies buried with them.
- "Santa Cruz Sentinel", Volume 110, Number 297, 18 December 1966, Margaret Koch, Sentinel Staff Writer
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
See more Wilson or Pilkington memorials in:
- Santa Cruz Memorial Park Wilson or Pilkington
- Santa Cruz Wilson or Pilkington
- Santa Cruz County Wilson or Pilkington
- California Wilson or Pilkington
- USA Wilson or Pilkington
- Find a Grave Wilson or Pilkington
Advertisement
