Historic leaves, volume 6, April, 1907 - January, 1908

Their son, Caleb Pillsbury, father of the subject of this sketch, was born and reared in Loudon, N. H., and acquired ed a good education. In early life he taught school, but eventually turned his attention to farming. He removed to Bridgewater, N. H., where he resided until his death, which occurred when he was eighty-seven years of age. He was a man of practical ability and sound judgment, and served as selectman and town clerk in Bridgewater for a period of ten years. His wife, Nancy (Nelson) Pillsbury, was a native of Ipswich, Mass., and a daughter of William Nelson. She was the mother of twelve children (of whom Luther B. was the youngest), and died at the age of fifty-three, when Luther B. was sixteen years of age.

Luther worked on the farm in early life, and by his own efforts was fitted for college at the New Hampton Institute. He taught while yet a student, beginning his first school before his sixteenth birthday, and also was engaged in teaching winters while pursuing his college course at Dartmouth, from which he graduated in 1859. Among the towns he taught in during this period are Campton, N. H., North Sandwich, Mass., South Yarmouth, Mass., Deering, N. H., and Cedarville (Sandwich), Mass. After graduating, he continued to teach for a period of twenty years in grammar and high school positions in Massachusetts. He taught in Canton and in the Reading, Hopkinton, and Bridgewater high schools. For one year he was principal of the Prescott grammar school, Somerville, resigning to accept a submaster's position in the Charlestown high school, which he held several years. He also held a similar position in the Somerville high school.

Over his pupils he exercised a great influence. A teacher who had an intimate acquaintance with his methods asserted that ‘he never saw a man who could keep such good order with so little apparent effort as he.’

Mr. Pillsbury removed to Somerville from Bridgewater, Mass., in 1872, and for many years resided at 45 Sargent avenue, formerly Mills street, where he reared his family. In 1883 he turned his attention to the real estate business, in which he continued until his death.