When Estella died, Dee moved the kids to the house
next to the livery stable, so he could be near them. Mrs. Curry came to help
them with the newborn, Margaret Estelle. When he sold the livery, they moved
back to the house on the edge of town. It is still there today, but since the
city limits has moved about a mile west of there and a mile north, it would be
closer to downtown now. There are too many trees now to see the hill and many
other houses are built close by surrounding it.
D.S. Billington was appointed postmaster at the
post office on Main Street on Dee 29, 1914 and served until Sept. 1, 1923. That
building has been torn down and so the post office has had several different
locations. A new post office is now being built on the north edge of town.
D. S. knew the history of Spearfish by heart and could
tell you all about the people, places and activities. He always remembered the
funny incidents and the funny people. Dr. Woodburn often visited with D. for
hours because he wanted answers about some point in local history..
He was President of Spearfish Normal College. Dr.
Fayette Cook was the first president of the college and he was a friend of the
family also. Hazel Billington was best friends with Dr. Cook's niece, Helen. In
those days there was no high school. There was high school classes offered in
the college at that time. Both Cecil and Estelle attended high school there and
then Estelle went on to college there so she was ready to teach school in just
a few years. Through the college years and even some of her school teaching
years, Estelle lived at home with her Dad.
Estelle has always said D. was a wonderful father.
He said he'd never remarried because he just couldn't see anyone else in his
wife’s place. He was not a complainer and kept busy and didn't feel sorry for
himself. After the post office job, the job at the city park kept him busy
except in the winter. He took daily trips downtown just to talk with the townsfolk. His son Leo and his family were there in Spearfish also, so they spent
holidays, Christmas and Thanksgiving together. Sometimes he'd stop by and sit on their
porch swing and talk with his grandchildren. The two families also held family
dinners together. Leo and his family were still there when Estelle went out of
town for her teaching assignments, and Leo was good to visit his Dad often.
Bracky's general store was where Leo worked. D. liked to come and visit Leo at
the store and at his home. He told tales of Spearfish beginnings to family and
friends to keep the history of Spearfish and pass it on.
Added notes
from Estelle: .
"DAD WAS INFLUENTIAL IN
GETTING CABINS ADDED TO THE SPEARFISH PARK AREA. IT IS 150 ACRES OF PUBIC USE.
THESE CABINS ARE FOR USE FOR OVERNIGHT CAMPERS. THERE USED TO BE A BIG DANCE
PAVILION THERE.
THE HOUSE WE LIVED IN IN SPEARFISH IS NOW MEIR AVENUE, NAMED
AFTER JOSEPH MEIR WHO BROUGHT THE PASSION PLAY THERE FROM LEUNAN, GERMANY. (IT
IS OLDER THAN THE OBERAMOGAU PLAY. THE CAST IS JEWISH, SO THEY FLED GERMANY AND
HITLER.) AT THAT TIME IT WAS A SECLUDED WOODSY AREA. A SMALL HOUSE AND A LARGE
YARD. NOW THERE ARE THREE HOUSES THERE. THERE USED TO BE A OLD SWINGING BRIDGE
CROSSING THE CREEK A SHORT WAY IN FRONT OF THE HOUSE. OUR LOVELY PLAY AREA
BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND THE BRIDGE AND DOWN ALONG THE CREEK IS ALL BUILT UP NOW.
YOU CAN'T GET TO THE BRIDGE, IT IS PRIVATE PROPERTY."
******
In his later life,
Dee retired to Carmel California to live with
Estelle. His heart though, was still in South Dakota and he spent many hours
walking the beach and rocking in his rocking chair thinking about his life. It
was during this time that he shared his stories with her
and she in turn has shared them with us, his descendants,
for which we are truly grateful. He life portrays a portion of the
Great Western American History.
Estelle and her dad came back to visit their old
home near Meier Ave sometime after moving to Carmel, California . In the summer
evening they sat on the porch of their light yellow house and just as the
sunset, they looked up on the hill side where someone had placed three wooden crosses out on the pasture land. They were placed there as scenery for the
Passion Play that had become a popular summer tourist attraction for Spearfish.
The play was put on outdoors not far from the old house. The hill in the front
yard was terraced so as to make room for the house. The builder of the house
was a civil war veteran. His sister lived behind the house. There was a house
below and one more back and around the hill. Hendricksons lived in the house
just before the Billingtons. Elijah Boyden, Estella's father bought the house
for them when it was determined that they were not farmers and the farm at St.
Onge did not work out for them.
Dee was able to attend Estelle’s
wedding to James Fontana on June 11, 1944, just one month before his death July
5, 1944, at age 89, and one day before his birthday. He fell peacefully asleep while sitting up in his rocking chair. He is buried in the Rosehill Cemetery,
Spearfish South Dakota.
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