Joseph Pilmore

Background

He was born on October 31, 1739 at Tadmouth, in Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom. His name also appears as Pilmoor.

Education

At the age of sixteen he was converted under the preaching of John Wesley, who regarded him as a promising recruit and sent him to the school at Kingswood, near Bristol. Here Pilmore acquired a fair English and classical education.

Career

At an early age he became one of John Wesley's lay assistants, working as an itinerant preacher in various places, but especially in Wales and Cumberland. In 1769 Wesley issued a call for volunteers to go to the American colonies and Pilmore and Richard Boardman offered themselves. They were accepted and at once sent out, arriving in Philadelphia in October of the same year. Boardman went to New York, where there was a society already organized; Pilmore remained in Philadelphia, where he found about a hundred Methodists.

He was remarkably successful, his willingness to adapt himself to any situation standing him in good stead; his first preaching was from an improvised stand in the race track. He later itinerated from Boston to Georgia, meeting with all sorts of adventures.

On January 2, 1774, he returned to England, probably because of the disturbed condition of the colonies. He was assigned work first at London and subsequently on the Norwich circuit and at Edinburgh, Nottingham, and York. He vigorously opposed Wesley in the matter of the Deed of Declaration of 1784, and as a consequence of the resulting friction he abandoned Methodism and returned to America. Here he joined the Protestant Episcopal Church which was just then in the process of organizing.

He was ordered deacon on November 27, 1785, by Bishop Samuel Seabury; his ordination to the priesthood occurred two days later. Pilmore then returned to Philadelphia where he at once became rector of the United Parish of Trinity (Oxford), All Saints' (Lower Dublin), and St. Thomas's (Whitemarsh), all in the vicinity of Philadelphia. He added to these duties that of assistant minister, or evening preacher, of St. Paul's, Philadelphia.

He was a delegate from the diocese of Pennsylvania to the General Convention sitting at Philadelphia. From 1793 to 1804 he was rector of the newly organized Christ Church in New York City, formed by seceders from Trinity Church, who were offended by the refusal of the vestry to call Pilmore as assistant minister of Trinity and evening lecturer.

In 1804 he returned to Philadelphia as rector of St. Paul's Church and retained this cure until the end of his life in 1825, though he did little work after 1821.

Achievements

• Joseph Pilmore was the first Methodist preacher in Philadelphia. He was famous not only as a preacher, but also as the rector of the United Parish of Trinity (Oxford), All Saints' (Lower Dublin), St. Thomas's (Whitemarsh), Christ Church in New York City. Besides, he served on the committee on the revision of the Book of Common Prayer and on the sub-committee on the Communion Service in Philadelphia.

Religion

Around 1784 he abandoned Methodism and joined the Protestant Episcopal Church which was then in the process of organizing in America.

Politics

He was a stanch Loyalist.

Personality

Pilmore was a man of massive frame and robust constitution. His bearing was dignified and his voice described as sonorous. He must have been an amiable, kindly man, for there is a tradition in Philadelphia that he was known popularly as "Daddy Pilmore. "

Connections

About 1790 he married Mary (Benezet) Wood, daughter of Daniel Benezet and widow of Joseph Wood; they had one child, a daughter, who died young.

Spouse:

Mary (Benezet) Wood

father-in-law:

Daniel Benezet

influencer:

John Wesley

colleague:

Richard Boardman