Background
Pillsbury was born in Sutton, New Hampshire of English descent, the son of John and Susan (Wadleigh) Pillsbury. He was a descendant of Joshua Pillsbury, who emigrated from England to Newburyport, Massachusetts in 1640.
Pillsbury was born in Sutton, New Hampshire of English descent, the son of John and Susan (Wadleigh) Pillsbury. He was a descendant of Joshua Pillsbury, who emigrated from England to Newburyport, Massachusetts in 1640.
A Republican, he served as the eighth Governor of Minnesota from 1876 to 1882. In 1851, he opened a store in Warner, New Hampshire, partnering with Walter Harriman, a future Governor of New Hampshire and Civil War general. Pillsbury Company
Pillsbury came to Minnesota from the Eastern United States. in 1855 and settled in Saint Anthony (now part of Minneapolis).
Pillsbury attended the University of Minnesota, where he joined Chi Psi.
Political career
Pillsbury served in the Minnesota Senate for several years before becoming the 8th Governor of Minnesota. He served as governor from January 7, 1876, until January 10, 1882.
During the Grasshopper Plague of 1877, Governor Pillsbury called for a day of prayer on April 26, 1877. A subsequent sleet storm killed all the grasshoppers.
In Cold Spring, Minnesota, a chapel was built to honor the miracle.
Philanthropist
Pillsbury was a noted philanthropist and often anonymously donated funds to causes he favored. In particular, he helped the University of Minnesota recover from debt in its early years, and later served as a regent. Since then, he has become known as "The Father of the University." Pillsbury Hall at the University of Minnesota is named in his honor.
A 1901 magazine article described him as follows:
impulse always was: "Acting.
Acting now; act effectively. Acting for the greatest good." He belonged to the type of man who "does things.".