John Sargent Pillsbury (July 29, 1827 – October 18, 1901) was an American politician, businessman, and philanthropist.

Pillsbury underwent a tour of the West in 1855, and decided to make St. Anthony, Minnesota, now part of Minneapolis his home.

[4][5] After the American Civil War, Pillsbury was elected as a third class companion of the Military Order of the Loyal Legion of the United States.

In particular, he helped the University of Minnesota recover from debt in its early years, and later served as a regent.

[14] He and Mahala had four children, daughters Addie, Susan May, and Sarah Belle, and then son Alfred.

[17][18] His daughter's Susan's only son, John Pillsbury Snyder (1888 –1959), was a survivor of the RMS Titanic in 1912.

John and his wife, Nelle, returning from their European honeymoon, are said to have been the first people to have entered the very first lifeboat, No.