Jean Billington (1901-1909)

 

Jean Lilith Billington

 

Born: June 11, 1901   Died: March 11, 1909 Spearfish, South Dakota

Father: Demetrious Seldon Billington  Mother: Estella Loring Boyden

 

As told by Estelle Billington Fontana 

JEAN LILITH BILLINGTON was born June 11, 1901 and lived only 7 years until March 11, 1909. She died just a few days before her mother of a heart ailment.  Since that time, family members have concluded that she may have had a heart defect.  Some of the Billington girls in the family have had one kind of heart problem or another.  Jean’s may have been worse than doctors or parents in those days would have noticed.  People didn’t think of kids as having heart conditions at all.

Jean was a very loveable little child..just the apple of your eye.  She and Cecile were very close and rode horses and played together all the time.  The day mother Estella came home from the hospital with a new baby, Jean said she wasn’t feeling well. Dad came in and said he thought she was just a little out of joint because of the new baby. The family thought maybe she was reacting to the new arrival and wasn’t getting much attention. Cecile said she probably just didn’t want to do the dishes. Later Cecile grieved for a long time for saying that about Jean that day.

Earlier that day, after school, Estella had asked Cecil and Jean to go over the hill to the West Side Store for some warm stockings for the children. Estella was in critical condition with infection, but was advised by Dr. Ainsworth, she should go to the hospital. When they got home, Jean laid down in her mother’s room and said she didn’t feel well.  Dad came in and took her in the other room because she though she was a little pale.  He went to get the nurse who was tending mother.  The nurse thought Jean would be all right.  Dad laid down next to her, held her, and comforted her for a while. Then Dad noticed Jean began to labor at breathing, he immediately called the doctor.  Before the doctor could arrive, she had passed away. No one could give a good reason for her death.  They guessed she might have some childhood contagious disease such as scarlet fever. They recommended she be buried immediately so as not to contaminate others. 

Estella wanted to say good-bye to all the children before going to the hospital. All the children assembled except Jean. For the first and last time, Dad had to lie to his wife. He just didn’t have the heart to tell her in her weakened condition that Jean had died a few hours earlier. He told her the neighbors were going to watch her while he took her to the hospital in Deadwood. The doctors were going to prepare her for surgery. 

Dad insisted they have a funeral for Jean. He said no one would have to come but he insisted on a funeral. So it was scheduled for March 13. Mother Estella’s surgery was scheduled for the same day. After her surgery, Dee talked with Estella and she seemed to feel better so he left to attend the funeral of his daughter, Jean. Many people came inspite of the fact they were afraid of what she might have had.

After the funeral, Dee was about to rush back up the hill to see Estella, when a man came and told him the sad news that she had just passed away.

The local newspaper ran the story entitling it: “A Broken Home”

“Death Angel Visits the Billington Household Twice Within Three Days”

“Little girl Died on Thursday and her Mother Passed Away Saturday.”

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Copy of the newspaper clipping will be added to the blogpost of Estelle Billington Fontana in the near future. 

The newspaper article and this story was saved by Estelle Fontana to share here with all Billington relatives.  If anyone has a photo of Jean, please send it and it will be shared in a future update of this blog.  Comments welcome at lana.rankin@yahoo.com