Now you see them, now you don't...

The following is extracted from the History of Hardin County, Iowa (Union Publishing Company, 1883), Pg. 547 and refers to Henry Pilgrim and Zylpha Prtichett. Until I found this reference, I didn't know where the Pilgrims were in the 1850s.

The Pilgrims
This township [Buckeye] is located in the western tier of townships in Hardin county. The first settlement was made by two brothers by the name of Pilgrim, who located on the southwest quarter of section 12 in the summer of 1853. They here built a double log house, each part being about sixteen feet square, one story in height, covered with shakes. The body of this house is yet standing, and occupied as a residence. The house was on the stage route from Dubuque to Fort Dodge, and was a station on the route -- the only one between Cedar Falls and Webster City. The Pilgrims, while agents at this station, would feast their guests by spreading the cloth on a dry goods box for a table. When the meal was completed, the cover of the box was removed, and what remained of the repast, together with the dishes, were placed inside.

The Pilgrims were pioneers in the true sense of the term. They remained in this township only until 1855, when they sold out and went farther west. Their place of residence is unknown by those who were interviewed by the historian.

So what happened to them? This next extract holds the answer. It's from a 4 Sep 1890 newspaper article (believed to be The Nebraska Eagle newspaper):

The Pilgrims
After the Lapse of More Than a Third of a century Their Whereabouts is Ascertained

Some History
In the "History of Hardin County, Iowa," I find on page 547 - chapter XXI - Buckeye township - the following account of "The Pilgrims."

"This township is located in the western tier of townships in Hardin county. The first settlement was made by two brothers of the name of Pilgrim, who located on the southwest quarter of section 12 in the summer of 1858(sic). They here built a double log house, each part being about sixteen feet square one story in height, covered with shakes. The doby of this house is yest standing, and occupied as a residence. The house was on the stage route from Dubuque to Ft. Dodge, and was a station on the route - the only one between Cedar Falls and Nebraska City. The Pilgrims, while agents at this station, would feast their guests by spreading the cloth on a dry goods box for a table. When the meal was completed the cover of the box was removed, and what remained of the repast, together with the dishes, were placed inside.

The Pilgrims were pioneers in the true sense of the term. They remained in this township only until 1855, when they sold out and went further west. Their place of residence is unknown by those who were intereviewed by this historian."

Place of residence unknown? Can any one doubt but these are our Dakota county Pilgrims? You have not forgotten our pioneer register - William Pilgrim, and don't you remember the late Uncle Henry Pilgrim? Well, his noble pioneer wife is still living in Omadi, where they settled more than a third of a century ago. I asked this aged woman if she knew who those Pilgrims were that the Hardin county history referred to, when she replied, "Why, bless you, that was me and Henry, and his brothers Michael and William, and William's son Robert." Was it you that used the dry goods box for a table? "You bet it was" she replied, and seemed much pleased to talk about her exciting experiences in the wild primeval lands of Iowa.

When the Pilgrims left Hardin county in 1855 they settled in Dakota county, Neb. Among the first to arrive here were William and his son Robert who were with the Jesse Wigle party, which crossed the Missouri river at Sargeant's Bluffs Aug. 18, 1855. This was the first actual settlement made in Dakota county although Geo. T. Woods and others had previously selected claims.

William Pilgrim from the start was a leading citizen of this county, and in the fall of 1855 was appointed by the governor of the Territory of Neb. as the first register of Dakota county, which office he filled with redit to himself and the pioneers. He was an able thinker and a good scholar, and did much to start the county off on its prosperous career. He has long since gone to his eternal rest, but his boy Robert is still living in the county - a gray haired grand-father now. I asked Robert why he did not select a good piece of land as he could have had his choice of all the land in Dakota county, replied: "Why, I never expected to see the land worth a cent, I supposed all it would ever be good for was to hunt over it for, ducks and geese, and shoot wild turkeys alongs the bluffs. I am surprised to see this county what it is to-day; it seems like a vision - but yesterday I crossed with the rist party to settle here, and to-day wealth and prosperity everywhere abounds."

The next to arrive was the late Uncle Henry Pilgrim and family who settled on the old Col. Warner place in the spring of 1856. Here they lived to endure the hardships of pioneer times, and witnessed the transformation of a wild primeaval land into the rich and beautiful country of to-day. They greeted many of the pioneers to the county as they came down the old Military Road at "Pilgrim's Hill." It was a balmy day in spring the 1st of May, 1855, Mr. Pilgrim had just finished his dinner and stepping to the door he beheld a huge wagon load of children and household goods coming down the hill. It was Michael Kennelly and all he had in the world packed into one wagon. "Hello there" said Mr. Pilgrim. "Hello yourself" replied the dusty emigrant, "I'm hunting for the land of milk and honey, where is it?" "You're standing on it now" said Mr. P.

Well, this is the simple story of the whereabouts of "The Pilgrims," and I hope Hardin county will now know what became of them when they left there in 1855.
M.M. Warner

Henry and Zylpha spent the remainder of their lives in Dakota county, Nebraska. Both are buried in the Omaha Valley cemetery. The following pictures show all that remains of their headstones. The first photo is Henry's, the second is Zilpha's.