Moody A. Pillsbury, a retired farmer of Webster and an exmember of the New Hampshire legislature, was born in this town, September 20, 1820, son of Moody A. and Abigail Wilkins (Dix) Pillsbury. His grandparents, Daniel and Eunice (Thurlow) Pillsbury, were natives of Newburyport, Mass. Daniel Pillsbury and a brother removed to Boscawen in 1788 and settled on land now traversed by Water Street. He was a carpenter and a millwright, which trades, together with farming, he followed during the active period of his life; and he died December 8, 1844. His wife died October 27, 1847. They were the parents of twelve children, of whom one died in infancy. The others were: Daniel, Enoch, George T., Moody A., Rebecca, Paul P., Joseph, Eunice, Mary, Sarah, and William T.
Moody A. Pillsbury, Sr., father of the subject of this sketch, was born in Boscawen, and reared upon a farm. He followed agriculture, and also operated a saw-mill for many years. In the State militia he was a Colonel and later a Brigadier-general. He died January 8, 1863. His first wife, Abigail, died May 9, 1852. A second marriage united him to Louisa F. Dix, his first wife’s sister, now living in Webster, and ninety years old. Timothy Dix, the father of both wives, was formerly a resident of Boscawen. He moved to Massachusetts and later to Canada, where his last days were passed. Moody A. and Abigail Pillsbury were the parents of four children, namely: Moody A., the subject of this sketch; George, born October 17, 1823; Charles W., born June 7, 1826, who was drowned May 17, 1828; and Charles S., born April 14, 1828. George married Lydia A. Marshall, and is now a farmer in Tewksbury, Mass. Charles S. wedded Mary Runals, and is engaged in agricultural pursuits in Londonderry, N.H.
Moody A. Pillsbury obtained his education in a common school and a private academy. When twenty-one years old he went to West Newbury, Mass., and for some years was employed as a farm assistant in that vicinity. One year after his marriage he returned to Webster, where for some time he was a clerk in a store. His principal occupation, however, has been farming. Formerly he and his father-in-law were joint owners of a good farm of two hundred acres, which he carried on for many years before his retirement from active labor.
On March 15, 1847, Mr. Pillsbury was united in marriage with Charlotte Couch, who was born in Webster, April 12, 1826, daughter of Amos and Hannah (Ray) Couch. Her father, a native of Salisbury, N.H., settled upon a farm in Webster in 1820, and some years later moved to Boscawen, where he resided for the rest of his life. He died November 29, 1883, aged ninety-two years. Her mother, who was born in Henniker, died July 27, 1853. Mr. Couch and his wife were: Hale, who died August 29, 1853; Eunice, who died November 22, 1888; and Charles, who died August 1, 1824. In politics Mr. Pillsbury is a Republican. He served with ability as a Selectman for six years, was Town Clerk for one year, represented his district in the legislature in 1887, and has been a Justice of the Peace for the past twenty-five years. He has been drawn for jury service six times. Both he and Mrs. Pillsbury attend the Congregational church, and are actively interested in church work.