The Washington herald., 1911-10-27

Benjamin Franklin Pilson, for years a
well-known railroad man of Washington,
died yesterday afternoon at his home,
Leroy and Phelps place northwest, of
chronic stomach trouble. Mr.. Pilson had
been in poor health for several months,
and his death was not unexpected by his
family and physicians.
Funeral services will be held from the
family residence tomorrow afternoon at 3
o'clock. DR.. c. Ernest Smith, rector of
st. Thomas Episcopal Church, of which
Mr.. Pilson was a member, will officiate.
Interment will be private in Rock Creek
Cemetery.
Until a mausoleum can be erected. the
| body will be placed in a vault, according
to the wishes of Mr.. Pilson. The pail
bearers have been selected from among
the closest friends of the family. Those
who will officiate include F. d. Speare
and F. F. Fitzpatrick, OF New York
City; ]. S. Henderson. of Philadelphia;
E. P Burnett, of Roanoke Va; L. T.
De Long. of Chicago, and Col. T. r. Mar
shall. Of this city.
kilograms of Coincidence.
a dozen different cities, expressing to the
family sympathy and coincidence, were re-
1ceived when the news of his death was
learned.
Connected with six manufacturing and
equipment companies, and one Of the best
known railway supply men Of the coun-
try, Benjamin F. Pilson was one of the
active business forces OF Washington. He
was a product OF the modern railroads,
and spent his life officially connected with
| them or providing the supplies and equip
ment necessary to their development and
efficiency.
Mr.. Pilson was born in Baltimore,
June ., 1852, the same month that the
Democratic national convention nomi-
mated Franklin Pierce for the Presi-
denCy and the Whig convention nOmi-
mated Gen. Winfield Scott. and the same
year that saw the passing of John c.
Calhoun. His boyhood was passed amid
the political excitement which antedated
the civil war. and his father. Capt. S.
S. Pilson, then connected with the en-
gineering department of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad. following his Convic-
tions. went into the Confederate army,
leaving the mother. who was Anna
Weatherby, and her children to fight the
battle OF life alone. Young Pilson was
then just of school age. but his efforts
were required in breadwinning for the
family, ana MS medEST tuuCdllOIl was
obtained in a night school in Baltimore.
After the war, Capt. PilsOn became chief
engineer Of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail-
road, and later in life held similar pO-
sitions with the S. NJ. ?. Railroad and
with the Louisville and Nashville system.
In 1890. Mr.. PilsOn withdrew from serv-
ice with the Southern Railway and es-
| tablishcd the business of which he later
became the head, and which he followed
eldest son being his faithful assistant.
His Business Connections.
He was vice president OF the Ajax
Metal Company, of Philadelphia. and OF
the Armspear Manufacturing Company,
of New York. He was representative in
Southern territory of the Railway Steel
Spring Company. of New York; of the
! Chicago Railway Equipment Company, of
the Weir Frog Company. of Cincinnati.
! and the Halekilburn Company, OF Phlla-
| delphia and New York.
! In the early railroad days, Mr.. Pilson
welded Miss Margaret Huston, of Louis
vilRa. who belonged to one of the noted
| families, and was herself a celebrated
| beauty of the Blue Grass State. Ray
mond H. Pilson, Maurice c. PilsOn, Mrs.
| Amelia F. Wood, of Boston; Samuel IL.
| Pilson, Zelma T. PilsOn, Edwin II. Pill
son, and Olga Pilson are the children.
Mr. Pilson never held political office
and belonged to no clubs or societies.