PETE OLSON GENEALOGY --- BILLINGS FAMILY

Peter Billings Olson, son of

Eleanor Reed Billings Olson (1928 - ), daughter of

Herman Bradford Billings, born on March 2, 1902 in Somers, CT. In 1920, age 17, he was single and living with his parents on Jones Street in Somers. Then in 1925 in West Springfield, MA, he married Hazelle Reed (b. 1905 and died April 1, 1967, Hartford, CT), daughter of Benjamin and Anna Reed of Springfield. (Benjamin worked as a machinist at the US Armory in Springfield.) Herman and Hazelle had a son, Herman Bradford Billings, Jr who was born and died in 1933. Herman Sr is not found on the 1930 census, but he is on the 1940 census, shown as a bookkeeper at a woolen mill, living in Somers with his wife and two daughters, Eleanor and Lillian. He died on May 29, 1988 and he and Hazel are buried in West Cemetery in Somers. He was the son of

Charles Andrew Billings, born June 3, 1870 in Somers. He married Alma Kibbe (1878-1955) on July 4, 1900 (see attached information regarding the Kibbe family).He was a tea and coffee merchant in Somers, according to The King Family of Suffield, CT (Google Books), but the censuses of 1900, 1910 and 1920 give his occupation as “salesman for retail grocery store.” In 1930, he reported that he was widowed, unemployed and living with his daughter, Sarah, who worked as a stenographer at an insurance company. Yet, Alma didn’t die until February 4, 1955 and she is reported on the 1940 census as living in Somers with their daughter, Sarah. Another discrepancy: Charles Andrew’s gravestone in West Cemetery says he died in 1925, but this is obviously incorrect as he was on the 1930 census. (The single gravestone with dates for Charles, Alma and Sarah can be seen at Find-A-Grave.com.) Charles Andrew was the son of

Andrew Billings, born August 17, 1830 in Somers. He was a farmer and, on October 25, 1869 he married Sarah “Sallie” Ryder (b. August 3, 1847; d. August 22,1903) when he was 39 years old and she was 22. She was the daughter of Zelotes and Lydia (Bill) Rider. The 1880 US Agricultural Schedule for Somers gives the following information about Andrew’s farm: he had 97 tilled acres, 3 pasture acres and 2 woodland acres; the value of his farm was $4,000, the value of his machinery and tools was $100 and the value of his livestock was $545. He has 2 horses, 2 working oxen, and 10 milk cows. His farm’s production was higher than most of his neighbors’ farms: 8 acres of corn yielded 350 bushels, 8 acres of oats yielded 150 bushels, 13 acres of rye yielded 100 bushels and his milk cows gave him 950 pounds of butter. After Sallie’s death, Andrew lived with his son Charles until his death on April 21, 1913. Andrew and Sarah are buried in West Cemetery in Somers. Andrew was the son of

Elijah Billings, Jr., born on January 19, 1794 (CT Church Records Abstracts). He married Martha ___, but she died on Valentines Day, 1821, probably in childbirth. On November 17, 1822, Elijah married Orrie (Aurelia) King (1795-1868). They had 5 children who lived as well as a stillborn child born in March, 1824 and baby who died in infancy on Christmas Day, 1828. The 1860 Somers Agricultural Schedule gives the following information about Elijah’s farm: he had 300 improved acres and 60 unimproved ones. The cash value of his farm was $20,000 (not a typo!). The value of his farm tools and machinery was $150. He had 2 horses, 14 milk cows, 8 working oxen, 8 other cattle, 50 sheep and 8 swine; their value was $1500. His farm that year produced 30 bushels of wheat, 300 bushels of rye, 500 bushels of Indian corn, 350 bushels of oats, 2000 pounds of tobacco and 200 pounds of wool. Windham County records say his farm was located on Hall Hill. Elijah died on April 11, 1865 and is buried in West Cemetery. He was the son of

Elijah Billings, Sr., born on January 21, 1743 in Somers. On November 30, 1769, he married Mary Jones (1747-1826), daughter of Capt. Israel and Jenine Jones. Mary and Elijah had four children between 1770 and 1780. Then, family tradition says that Mary and Elijah renounced their marriage vows and joined the Society of Shakers (see minerdescent.com/2010/07/09/William-clark-jr/). (In the Shaker fellowship, marriage was not allowed; celibacy was seen as a preparation for the kingdom of God.) Established in the 1780s, Enfield was the location of the only Shaker community in CT. Elijah’s membership in the Shaker community explains why the 1800 census shows him living with 24 other people. Another sourcesays that Elijah Billings founded the Enfield Shakers, gave the land and erected the buildings at “South Family.” He remained a trustee of the organization until his death in 1814. He induced several families and his own relatives, over 40 in all, to embrace the faith. He was sued by one of his brothers for coaxing away two of that brother’s daughters; the brother lost the suit and his two daughters with it. “Elijah in his zeal and uprightness built up a community that washonored and respected by the peopleof of Hampden County of which Enfield was once a part.” (See “Our County and Its People:” A History of Hampden County, Vol 13, edited by Alfred Minot Copeland, 1902, page 617 in Google Books.) Shaker records in Enfield show Mary as having died at age 79 on October 29, 1826 and Elijah having died on June 5, 1814 at age 71. He was the son of

Samuel Billings, Jr., born November 18, 1706 in Somers. He served in Col. Phineas Lyman’s CT Regiment in the French & Indian War and he was a Corporal in the Revolutionary War. On March 8, 1732, he married Mary KIbbe (b.1709, died March 18, 1777). Samuel died on December 21, 1785 in Somers. He was the son of

Samuel Billings, Sr., born April 26, 1667 in Concord, MA. On January 13, 1699, he married Mary Barron (1680-1747), daughter of Ellis and Mary (Sherman) Barron of Watertown. Samuel died on March 10, 1749 in Middlesex Co., MA; he and Mary are buried in South Burying Ground in Concord, MA. Samuel was the son of

John Billings, born on July 2, 1637 or 1640 in Concord, MA. He married Elizabeth Hastings (1643-1737) on November 11, 1661. He owned 6 lots in Concord. (See Genealogical and Family History of the State of Maine, Lewis Historical Publishing Co., NY, 1909, Google Books.)He died on March 31, 1704 in Concord. He was the son of

Nathaniel Billings, Sr., the immigrant ancestor, who was born in Taunton, England around 1620. He came to Massachusetts sometime before 1640 when his name appears on the Concord records. In 1641 he became a “freeman” in Concord. He married Jane Hastings and settled in the south part of town which is now Lincoln (see yankeeancestry.tripod.com/firstsettlers.htm). He owned in 1655 seven lots containing 54 acres (G and F History of State of Maine mentioned above.) Nathaniel “was one of 93 citizens of Concord who signed the memorial of 1664 to the General Court, pledging their lives and estates to maintain their charter rights.” (See “Our Country and Its People” mentioned above under Elijah Billings.) He died in Concord on August 24, 1673.

PETE OLSON GENEALOGY --- KIBBE FAMILY

Peter Billings Olson, son of

Eleanor Billings Olson (1928 - ), daughter of

Herman Bradford Billings (1902-1988), son of

Charles Andrew Billings (1870 - ?), a coffee & tea merchant in Somers; he married ALMA KIBBE (alternate spelling Kibbey). She was born in April 1878 in Somers and died there on February 4, 1955. She was a daughter of

John Bradford Kibbe, born January 11, 1854 in Somers. He married Emma Isabel Hurlburt (1855-1938) on December 6, 1876. She was the daughter of Samuel and Mary (Bradley) Hurlburt. John Bradford Kibbe died on March 14, 1927 in Somers, and he and Emma are buried in West Cemetery in Somers. He was a farmer and the following was written about him in 1905: “Mr. Kibbe is a much esteemed and successful farmer and dairyman on the old homestead farm. Notwithstanding his busy life on the farm, he has found time to ably serve the town [of Somers] as Second Selectman in 1896, and to attend to the many duties of director of Somers Creamery Company. Mr. Kibbe is an earnest and honest Republican, much respected by his many friends at home and at the Capitol.” (from Taylor’s Legislative History and Souvenir of Connecticut, Vol. 5, 1905, by William Harrison Taylor, page 185; found by Googling.) He was the son of

Valirus Kibbe, a farmer, born October 3, 1813 in Somers. Valirus married Laura Wood (1811-1883) of Somers. He died September 16, 1904 in Somers and is buried in West Cemetery. On the 1860 Agricultural Schedule for Somers he is the most prosperous of 30 farmers listed on one page. He owned 120 improved acres and 35 unimproved acres, together worth $8,000. His tools and machinery were worth $150. He owned 2 horses, 7 milk cows, 4 working oxen, 12 other cattle, and 4 swine – all worth $1,000. That year, his farm produced 25 bushels of wheat, 60 bushels of rye, 200 bushels of corn, 100 bushels of oats and 3,000 lbs of tobacco. (Note: It is possible that these figures refer to Valirus’s father’s farm rather than his own.) A biographical sketch of him written in 1895 says that in that year, Valirus Kibbe enjoyed the distinction of being the oldest man in Somers. He lived in the Woodville section of town. It goes on to say: Valirus was educated in the Somers district school and at a selectschool run by a Mr. Stiles. He helped his father on the family’s farm until he was 25 when he went to work for a palm-leaf fan and Shaker bonnet shop kept by Enos Pease in Somers. After 3 years at this shop, Valirus bought a part of his father-in-law’s farm and over the next 50 years he increased its acreage. While he practiced general farming, he also grew tobacco and engaged in dairying on an extensive scale. For many years, he was a cattle dealer of wide reputation and very successful. Valirus was originally a Whig, but became a strong Republican. He represented Somers in the General ssembly of 1876, serving on the Committee of Roads & Bridges. He was also Chairman of the Board of Selectmen and a strong supporter of the Congregational Church. He was a hard worker all his life and he accumulated a fair amount of property. He was much esteemed in his community as a thoroughly honest and reliable man. (from The Commemorative Biographical Record of Tolland & Windham Counties, Vol. 1, 1895, by J.H. Beers & Co., page 305.) Valirus was the son of

Valirus Kibbe, farmer, born in Somers on June 2, 1789. He married Eunice Cushman (1790-1885) of Ellington, CT. He died on November 30, 1866 in Ellington and is buried in the Ellington Center Cemetery. He was the son of

Captain Amariah Kibbe, born in 1747 in Somers. Amariah’s first wife, Anna Buell, died in 1777, two years after they were married – probably in childbirth. In 1778, he married Hannah Kibbe, a cousin (1759-1823). Hannah was Valirus’s mother, and most of her children were born in the family’s house on Somers Street in Somers. After Hannah’s death in 1823, Amariah took a third wife, Maria Groves, in 1825. Four years later, on October 5, 1829, Amariah died in Somers. He is buried in North Cemetery. He was commissioned as a Captain in the Revolutionary War, and he fought at the Battle of Bunker Hill with his father and 2 of his brothers. He was the son of

Daniel Kibbe, born September 20, 1720 in Enfield, CT. He was the 7^th of 8 children. When he was 22, he married Mary Pratt (1721-1803) of Sherborn, MA. He owned a saw and grist mill on a branch of the Scantic River. When the Revolution broke out, he enlisted as a private. After the war, he returned to operating his mill. He died on December 15, 1810 in Somers and is buried in North Cemetery alongside his wife Mary. (Her father, Capt. Ebenezer Pratt, is also buried there.) Daniel was the son of

James Kibbe, born December 27, 1675 in Salem, MA. On January 20, 1703, James married Hannah Kelsey of Hartford and it was probably right after their marriage that they settled in Somers. James died on January 20, 1730 at only 55 years old. He is buried, probably, in North Cemetery near his children. He was the son of

Elisha Kibbe, born on November 20, 1644 in Boston or Cambridge. He was baptized on September 30, 1645. He became a joiner by trade and moved to Salem, MA at the age of 19. He married Rachel Birdsall Cooke (1645-1740) on October 12, 1667 in Salem. Then in 1680/82, the family moved to Enfield, CT where they were among the town’s earliest settlers. Elisha became active in the affairs of the town, serving as both selectman and constable, among other offices. Elisha died in Enfield on April 3, 1735, at the age of 91. Rachel Birdsall Cooke was the 4^th of ten children of Henry and Judith (Birdsall) Cooke. She had a twin sister who didn’t survive. Her mother, Judith, also gave birth to a set of triplets. Rachel’s father died when she was 16. Rachel lived to be 95 years old. Elisha was the son of

Edward Kibbe, Jr, born on May 11, 1611 in Dorchester, MA and he died November 1, 1694 in either Muddy River, Suffolk Co., MA or Wakefield, MA. He married Mary Partridge sometime before 1645. He was a sawyer by occupation and he had a sawmill iin Brookline, MA. In 1674, he contributed to a fund to build a second meeting house in Roxbury, MA. In an unspecified town, he was the Clerk o fMarket from 1666-1683 and an intermittent Surveyor of Highways (see Kibbe Family at freepages.rootsweb.com/~walkersj/genealogy/Kibbe.htm). Edward was the son of

Edward Kibbe, born in Exeter, Devon, England in 1586. He married a woman named Deborah and is said to have died on June 1, 1690 – which would have made him 104 years old.