Son of Margaret "Peggy" Ann Banks and John Pilling.

Husband of Catherine Adams of Kaysville, Davis, Utah.

Second wife: Hannah Amanda Harmon

The following biography is by Maxine Rodgers ~ (Note: additions made by Shirleen Craig Farley are entered with * at the beginning and end of each addition)

It was in Waddington, Yorkshire, England on 28th of November 1833 that Richard Pilling was born as the fourth son and seventh child of John Pilling and Peggy Banks. Five years later his grandmother, Ann Campbell Pilling, was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Richard was baptized at age 15 and came with his parents to America in 1850. They arrived in New Orleans then traveled up the Mississippi River to St. Louis Missouri.

Six months later he and his parents journeyed to Kanesville, Iowa where Richard assisted in building a printing office under the direction of Apostle Orson Hyde. Later he, together with others, went up the Bayer River and built sixty houses for the poor saints. By 1853 they had prepared a wagon and supplies and began their journey to Utah. Richard was now in his 20th year and he had been of great service to his parents for he shouldered a large share of the responsibilities of the journey, guarding the cattle at night, driving teams and hunting game for food. After eight weeks they arrived in the valley September 13, 1853.

Richard had experience of building homes in Iowa; now he helped his parents build theirs in the Kaysville area. The most urgent need after the saints arrived was for food, and so irrigation became a key ingredient. Richard was schooled in this project by his father-in-law Elias Adams. Richard was also interested in good horses and cattle and received prizes at the fairs.

Richard Pilling began courting Catherine Adams and at the same time, Richard's sister, Mary Ann, looked glowingly at Catherine’s brother George Washington Adams. The four of them had wonderful times together and after their marriages in 1856, they even shared a log cabin together.

When Johnston’s Army approached Utah the saints were ordered to evacuate. The Pillings followed the orders and in 1858 they headed south to Springville. *During the move south in 1858 they packed all their possessions in a cart, having for a team, one ox and a cow. The covering of the cart consisted of two birch bows, over which a sheet was drawn.* The chaos was averted and they returned home. In Southern Utah the Indians led by Chief Black Hawk were warring against the saints and Richard was called into service to protect them.

While they lived in Kaysville the Lord blessed Richard and Catherine with ten wonderful children and the older ones were now at the marriageable age. In 1870 Richard was counseled by his bishop to choose a second wife. As unsettling as that was, he and Hannah Amanda Harmon were married. From this union came three daughters and one son; but, because of intense persecution on polygamy, this marriage was dissolved and Hannah married another man, Col. Robert Loney Williams. They moved to Arizona. As far as we know Richard never saw these children again.

Loretta Susanna Pilling/Williams MILLETT
Helen Isabelle Pilling KLEINMAN
Elizabeth Ermina Pilling SANDERS NELSON
A son, born in 1879, Franklin Norton or Norton Frank PILLING

It was 1887 when that they heard of a new settlement beginning in Canada and thinking that his sons would soon need homesteads, they started discussing the possibility of making the move. By the time they were ready to go they had twelve covered wagons filled with household needs, seeds, seed grain, tools and equipment. There were 25 people in the company. Richard brought 50 head of good horses and one hundred young, extra-good Shorthorn Durham cows and sixty young hens rode comfortably in a contraption on the back of a wagon.

*On 9 May 1889 they started for Canada with their family, traveling with six teams of horses and wagons. After sixty four days, they arrived at the St. Mary's River 13 July 1889, eight miles south of Cardston, Alberta, Canada. There, they were engaged in ranching and stock raising.*

Richard was now 56 years of age and Catherine was 51; four of their children were married and the other five ranged in age from 22 to 8. Within the next two years, a large two and a half story frame house was built near the river and it became known as “Hospitality House” for it was an automatic stopping place for any traveler. Their first garden spot covered two acres of ground and with the aid of a large water-wheel which Richard built, river water watered the garden and the plants flourished. The Pillings supplied produce to everyone who passed.

Richard did a lot to promote the dairy business in Cardston for he had 100 cows milked on his own ranch. He assisted in building a grist mill, and he helped build every building in Cardston. He was active in many of the community activities but probably his most successful contribution was in promoting irrigation. Because of all the experience he had had in Utah, he mapped out a route whereby water from the St. Mary River could benefit the whole area. He even traveled to Ottawa to meet with government leaders, for they had to give their approval. After surveying Richard’s plan in 1897, construction began and by September 1900 water was flowing down the streets of Lethbridge.

Ten miles was quite a distance for pioneers to travel to church especially when a team or horses and a wagon was the only means of transportation, so wards were formed in the outlying areas. In November 1893 Richard Pilling was called as Bishop of the Aetna Ward and he served until 1898. He then he served as a High Councilman of the Alberta Stake.

Richard was 68 years old when he had a stroke and was unable to walk or speak so his family had a special chair made for him which his sons carried him where he needed to go. It was four days after Christmas 29th of December 1906 when Richard passed away at his home on the St. Mary River. He was deeply mourned by many people and at the funeral they referred to his sterling integrity, good example, his faithfulness and his willingness to do that which lay in his power for the advancement of the work. At the time of his death he had 6 sons and three daughters living, 35 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren plus 4 children from his second marriage. He was buried in the Aetna cemetery high on a hill overlooking the valley that he loved so well.

The story of Col. Robert Loney Williams, the 2nd husband of Hannah Amanda Harmon PILLING, follows for any who care to read on:

History of Robert Loney Willams, As told by his daughter - Martha Laverna Williams.

"Robert Loney Williams was born in Kentucky, living there 'til he was 12 years old, then came with his parents to Hempstead County Arkansas in 1837. In his childhood he was the favorite grandchild and boon companion of his Grandfather, James Williams (born in 1763). Robert's great grandfather was scalped and killed by the Indians and a great great aunt was tomahawked and scalped, but fortunately recovered.

As a result of the close association between grand sire and grandson, the latter absorbed the grandfather's deep prejudice against, and relentless hatred for the Indian race. So, by the time he reached a man's estate, he had learned to regard them with the same anti-empathy with which he viewed a rattlesnake, and felt it his religious duty to kill them on sight. He became a hunter; and, in marksmanship and wood craft, had few equals in Southwest Arkansas. At age 18 he thought nothing of going into the woods alone, staying out two or three nights, slaying bears, panthers, deer and other game. He always hunted alone except for his dogs.

At age 24 he went to California in the gold rush. He was accompanied by his brother, Walker and "Little" John Johnson and Robert Scott. They left Arkansas in April arriving in California 9 months later. He remained in the gold fields 2 years. He found mining boring; he longed for excitement, action and adventure.

The great Indian war, or series of wars, lasting from 1851 to 1855 which makes such a bloody page in the history of Oregon, broke out about the time he was getting restless in California. He viewed this as his opportunity to avenge his great-grandfather's death and his great great aunt being scalped and tomahawked. He lost no time in hurrying to the scene of the fray, fought the savage until he cried "hold enough" and acquitted himself as one of the bravest and most efficient soldiers who participated in that bloody struggle.

His fearlessness and coolness in action attracted attention at the outset. He soon found himself captain of a company of hardy Oregon pioneers. He was in various fierce combats with the foe, always acquitting himself valorously. Finally promoted to Colonel, he was placed in command of all the Oregon troops in the field. For his gallant services in this fierce Indian war the legislature presented him with a magnificent horse, a silver mounted saddle and bridle and a gold mounted rifle.

While still in Oregon, prior to leaving for Utah, sometime in the 1860's, he was riding his horse along a trail at night. Suddenly the horse stopped so quickly that it almost unseated Robert. The horse had stopped because a bright light appeared on the ground in front of him. Robert dismounted to investigate the light and found it was a book. He took it with him and the next morning, when he could see, he found it was a Book of Mormon. He read it, but before he finished it, he was blessed with a very strong testimony that it was true.

He was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints January 23, 1867, when he was 42 years old. He was later endowed December 5, 1870 in the old Endowment House at Salt Lake City, Utah. In his later years he served the Indians a great deal in Arizona territory. He attributed his change of heart to a belief and testimony of the Book of Mormon; he knew that the Indians were a 'chosen people'."

Note: He met and married Hannah Amanda Harmon in 1880; she had three daughters and a son from a previous marriage. Together they had 6 children. Martha (his daughter) said that he never treated Hannah's children any differently from his own, and that she didn't even know they were not her full siblings until she was an adult.

According to Martha, her father was a tall man, over six feet with weight about 200 pounds.

Martha recorded, "As far as I can remember he always had curly grey hair and dark blue eyes. He had had both legs broken and in his time, I guess they just put a couple pieces of board or cut a limb from a tree and tied it around with rope or something, for they were very crooked and he sort of dragged one foot a little. As he grew older he had arthritis in his feet and legs, and it was quite difficult for him to walk. I remember every time he came in with a few minutes to stay, he would take off his shoes.

I don't know how much schooling father had, but I know that he read a great deal and his reading was not trash. I have in my possession at this time (February 1963) a volume of Lord Byron's Poems that he used to enjoy. I have seen him read many times, and also the Book of Mormon and other church books and newspapers. I have never seen him read a novel; it was always something uplifting and educational. He was also a beautiful penman. I have never heard him use profanity in any form, he was not even given to slang, he did not smoke nor use tobacco in any form nor tea or coffee and liquor.

I think Father enjoyed Christmas fully as much as we children,; I do not remember a time when he failed to be up early Christmas morning and have a nice big fire in the fireplace long enough before we awakened to have the house nice and warm when we got up. At the time, I sort of took it all for granted; but through the years I have come to appreciate my father's love and his planning and effort to make us happy; and when we were happy, he was extremely happy too. He loved children.

When I was 14.5, on May 17th and 18th, Father got very sick with stomach pains, but seemed to be a little better the evening of the 18th. Then early on the morning of the 19th I was awakened, hurriedly dressed and went to his room to see him. It frightened me, his face was an odd color, or rather colorless and the terrible pain he had been in all through the night had distorted his features.

I went out to my room and prayed for him to be relived of the terrible pain he was in. In just a little while Mother called me to come, for he had passed away. At the time they called it indigestion but as my experiences have taught me through my life, I'm sure he had appendicitis. It ruptured the evening when he felt better then the pain came back and lasted until Heavenly Father took him home. He was 74 years old."