Abram C. Pilkenton was born on a farm one mile west of Fortville, Indiana, in Hamilton County. He was the son of Jesse F. and Elizabeth J. (Cottrell) Pilkenton. Jesse F. Pilkenton was born in North Carolina and died on August 8, 1886. He was educated and raised in North Carolina and came to Indian and took up his residence in Hamilton County when a young man. He farmed all his life. He married Elizabeth J. Cotrell, who was a native of Indiana and whose parents were also farmers. They were the parents of the following children: Abram C., who is the subject of this sketch; Lydia, who married Marion Brooks, of Vernon township, Hancock County; William A., who is engaged in the mercantile business in McCordsville, Hancock County; George, who is a miner living in California; Thomas, who is working with the street car company of San Francisco; James S., who is engaged in the mercantile business in Oklahoma and the following, who are all deceased; Nancy, who married John Blonton, was born on July 5, 1849, and died on February 10, 1881; John, who was born on May 1, 1851, and died on August 18, 1874; Mary M., who was born on July 19, 1897, and died on October 17, 1881; Susan J., who married John Anderson, was born on April 24, 1853, and died on October 11, 1914. The mother died on September 3, 1907. Both she and her husband were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church. Mr. Pilkenton was a Republican in politics.

Abram C. Pilkenton, the subject of this sketch, was born on April 7, 1855. He lived on the farm on which he was born for fifteen years and at that time was thrown on his own resources. He worked from that time on at any sort of manual labor he found to do until he had received sufficient education to procure a teacher's license. He then taught school for six years. His first teacher's license was a six-months' license and his second was a three-years' license-the best that could be granted at that time. He began the drug business at Fortville on November 7, 1881, and continued there in that business until June 1 1895, at which time he moved to Greenfield and established a drug store, at which place of business he remained until April 1, 1913, when he sold his business to W. P. Johnson, who had been in his employ for thirteen years. While he lived in Fortville, Mr. Pilkenton served several yeas on the school board. He was later appointed one of the trustees of the school for the blind at Indianapolis. This appointment was made by Gov. Winfield T. Durbin on January 1, 1902. He was later re-appointed to the same position by Governors Durbin, Hanly and Marshall and still holds the appointment. At the present time and for several yeas he has held the position of president of this board of trustees. He was also appointed and later elected president of the state pharmaceutical board.

On May 25, 1882, Abram C. Pilkenton was married to Annie F. Brown, who was born in Salem, Indiana, on January 27, 1858. She was the daughter of Robert R. and Mary T. Brown, who were both born and raised in Salem, Indian. They were the parents of the following children: William A., who resides in Marion, Indiana; Paul D., who lives in Indianapolis; Carl T., who is a physician claiming his residence in the state of Texas but who spends most of his time in traveling; Bessie B. Hackett, who lives at Rochelle, Illinois, and Annie F., who is the wife of the subject of this sketch, and the following, who are deceased: Mary S., Robert A. and Earl. Robert R. Brown died on April 24, 1899, and his wife died on September 30, 1907. They were both members of the Methodist Episcopal church and Mr. Brown was a Republican in politics.

Abram C. and Annie F. (Brown) Pilkenton are the parents of the following children: Neva Chittick, who resides at Frankfort, Indiana, and who was born on September 24, 1883; Marie, who married S.B. Hughes and resides in Omaha, Nebraska, was born on February 15, 1885, and Robert Jesse, who was born on June 17, 1886, and who died in infancy.

Mr. Pilkenton is a man of varied activities in addition to the activities already stated he is a thirty-second degree Mason and was elected for three consecutive times as one of four representatives of Murat Temple to attend the Imperial Council, once at Chicago, once at Los Angeles and once at St. Paul, Minnesota. He is a member of the Columbia Club and of the Marion Club. He has traveled very extensively, having visited every state in the union. He also toured Europe in 1905.

Transcribed from History of Hancock County, Indiana, Its People, Industries and Institutions by George J. Richman, B. L., Federal Publishing Co., Indianapolis, Indiana, 1916. Pages 873-875.

Submitted by Sylvia (Rose) Duda, Laingsburg, MI September 20, 2001.

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