THOMAS A. PILLING of Garner Township, Section 4, is one of the enterprising and well-known citizens of the township. He has been a resident of this county since June 1856. He was born in Lancashire at Berry, a large manufacturing town of England, April 23, 1854, the son of Ashton and Mary (Howarth) Pilling.

The parents were born and reared in Lancashire and on April 23, 1856, when Thomas was but two years old and with two other children, Elizabeth and Mary, they started for Kanesville now Council Bluffs. They landed at Castle Garden, New York, and came across the state of New York by canal, then by the lakes to Cleveland, Ohio, then across Ohio by canal to Cincinnati, then down the Ohio River and up the great rivers to Kanesville, where the family settled. The father was a spinner and weaver by trade, but while in Council Bluffs he engaged in well digging as it was a good paying business. He was the first to follow well digging as a trade in Council Bluffs. The father lived in this place until his death, which occurred in 1867 or 1868; the mother died in 1861.

Thomas A., our subject, by the death of his father at the tender age of twelve years was thrown upon his own resources. First he was chore boy in a store, next he was employed by a gardener, and finally he settled on the land where he now resides January 15, 1880, of which forty or fifty acres were improved, and on which was a small frame house. Here Mr. Pilling has since resided; he now owns 200 acres of land all in a body and which is well improved. He engaged in farming and general stock raising.

In his political principles Mr. Pilling is a Democrat. He has served as a member of the School Board with credit to himself and the township. Although but a young man he has gained a good position in the county, socially, politically and financially, and is well informed on general topics, frank and cordial in manner and a popular citizen. He was married December 24, 1879, to Miss Coquella C. Garner, a daughter of William and Sarah Garner. Mr. Garner is one of the pioneer and well-known citizens of Pottawattamie County. Mr. and Mrs. Pilling have three children: Carl Ashton, Guy Thomas and Maggie. The great loss of Mr. Pilling's life was the death of his wife, February 7, 1887.