Grandmother Agnes is the oldest living female member of the Takelma tribe which has resided in Southern Oregon for 22,000 years. She has been named a treasure and a living legend of her people and has touched many around the world in her 8 decades of life. She is granddaughter of Chief George Harney, the first elected chief of the Siletz Confederated Tribes. She has five generations in her own family, 18 grandchildren 27 great grand children and one great-great grandchild.
Agnes Pilgrim is an alumni of Southern Oregon University and was elected Alumni of the year in 2003. She sits on the MRIPA (Mid- Rogue Independent Physicians Association) board in Grants Pass. Agnes has been on the Culture, Sacred Lands and Heritage Committee for over thirty years. Since 2004 she has been an honored member and chair of the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers.
Grandmother Agnes Pilgrim has been a tireless “voice for the voiceless” trees, animals and plants. In 1994 Grandmother Agnes Pilgrim restored the Sacred Salmon Ceremony on the Applegate River which ran there for 13 years. The Salmon Festival then moved to the Rogue River for the last 2 years.  This year in 2009 will be the third year on the Rogue River. Since the restoration of the Salmon festival, the numbers of Salmon have increased. Because of her leadership efforts, the Power House Dam was taken out which allowed more salmon to run and the natural ecology of the land to come into balance. The Dam was then renamed Tilomkh Falls after the original peoples of the land.
On the corner of Main and Lithia Way in Ashland, Oregon a 20 foot monument to honor the First Nations of Southwest Oregon is carved with the likeness of this loved and devoted member of the community. To recognize her influence and standing, in 2007 a mountain east of Ashland was named after her in her native name, Taowaywee Peak.