BILLINGTON REUNION 2016

SATURDAY,  AUGUST 20, WAS A DAY FILLED WITH FUN ACTIVITIES FOR THOSE ATTENDING THE BILLINGTON REUNION, HOSTED BY GOLDIE INDRELAND.
                   The names of those attending are listed at the end of this post.

The theme was Scottish Ancestry based on the recent research (see previous post) of our Scottish McDonald ancestry from Isle of Skye, Scotland.  We have not yet discovered where exactly on SKYE Charles McDonald lived, but we do know he had immigrated to Canada by 1846. While more research is ongoing, it is satisfying to know where some of our ancestors came from in the 1800's.

 It was good to see Zane Sampson and Sherrie Hagemo help set the Scottish atmosphere by wearing their kilts and providing the Flag of Scotland.

Posters of the  McDonald Crest, and bagpipes were up on the wall along with the Scottish Flag. A binder of our ancestry and pictures of Skye were passed around.  Four of the little cousins were taught by Becca Bell and then performed a little Scottish dance in their Scottish outfits.

Hali

Mikal

Hannah

Lizzy

Many enjoyed a hunt for "Scottish Fairy Houses" in the "Fairy Forest"  area.  It took a long time to find all 6 Fairy Houses.  This activity was originally set up for the kids to find, and take pictures when they found them, but the adults enjoyed watching or helping the kids.  The kids knew that the houses were really hidden there by adults, so they turned the table on the adults. While the adults weren't looking, some of the kids stole the houses, or doors to the houses,  and re-hid them in another area entirely and then recruited the adults to find them.  To further the fun, when the kids weren't looking, some of the kid's parents were give the houses..or doors to the houses  and took them home to have them "show up" at their home.

Hali and Amy

Chris  Tina  Sherrie   Goldie

Lizzy  Hannah  Sara  Tina

Add captiLizzy  Hali  Hannah   Becca

Lizzy   Hannah

Tina in back
Lizzie  Hannah  Sherrie
Amy and Hali 

Melanie  Eva  Emmitt  Cindy  Goldie
 Eden in front

                                                                               

Cindy   Emmitt

Melanie   Troy   Eva

Crystal  Tina  Goldie  Becca
Amy  Hali 

Goldie  Hannah  Lizzy  Mike  Emry

Troy

Lana  Sara  Mike

Michelle and Emry

THEY FOUND THEM!!!: 

The hunt was interrupted for a while by the arrival of Owen Indreland and his dog...
they were quite an attraction.  

Hannah  Hali  Lizzy  Owen  Eden  Emry

Emry  Lizzy  Hali  and Eden

Emmitt  Cindy  Lizzy, Owen  Hali
Troy  Eden  Emry  Hannah

Tina  Sara  Mike Crystal with Hali in back
Lizzy  Mikal  Eden with Emry   Owen  Goldie  Lana in front

 The pot luck was delicious and enjoyed by all

Goldie  Cindy  Emmitt  Kyle

Bill  Tina  James

Anna  Crystal  Mikal

Roger   Jackie   Jack   Hali

John

Besides enjoying the pot luck dishes, cousins visited with each other while relaxing both indoors and outdoors the beautiful Grant Creek area of Montana.  Some looked on the Family Search website for ancestors on a laptop computer.

Mike    John   Anna  Aaron B

James  Liam Colby

                                                                                             

Eden

James

Eden and Emry

Bonnie

Goldie

Roger

The kids enjoyed crafts, playing cards, and splashing in the creek.

Amy and Hali

Hali and Amy

Melanie and Eden

Amy   Hannah   Hali

Mikal   Lizzy  Becca  Hali and  Hannah in back
David   Troy   Eden   Emry and  Mike in front

Colby and Troy on left  Emry and Eden on right  Sara holding umbrella

Jackie   Jack   Owen   Crysta  , Chris in back
Melanie   Mika   Hannah  and Eva's hands in front

Emry  Lizzy   Hali  Eva in front
Mikal  David  Amy  Hannah  and Melanie in back

David and Mikal in front
Amy   Hannah   Eva with Melanie   Hali and Lizzy   Emry    Mike with Eden

Goldie and Sherrie

Hali and Lizzy with Roger in back

Dave  Zane  Goldie with Emry in front

                                                                                 

Chris and Zane

                                                                           

Bonnie and Emry

Liam  Timothy  Melanie in back
Colby and Aaron G in front

Michelle and Eva

James

David  Troy  Eden
Timothy in front

Lizzy and Mikal

David

Aaron G with Timothy   Colby and James

Amy and Hannah

Those attending:

Roger and Bonnie Vetter
Jack and Jackie Billington
Jessica (Billington) Shaffer
Cindy (Billington) Kyle, and Emmitt Griswold
Goldie, Karen, Kelsey, and Wyatt; Mary, Rory, Abby, and Owen Indreland
Ted and Sherrie Hagemo
Zane and Anna Sampson
Chris, Crystal, and Mikal Chaussee
Bill, Lana, and Mike Rankin
David and Eva Wruck
Aaron, Emma, David, Timothy, Amy, Melanie, and Michelle Grigg
John, Tina, Lizzy, and James Cheney
Sara, Hannah, Troy, and Eden Bingham
Aaron, Becca, Hali, Colby, Liam, and Emry Bell


A Shutterfly photo book highlighting the reunion is available to view on line...it can be sent to your email address by request at: lana.rankin@yahoo.com. Use the same email address if you want any of the above photos sent to you directly by email. These photos and other Billington photos can be found on BILLINGTON'S REMEMBERED by Shutterfly, which can also be sent to you by request.
Also you are welcome to enjoy the FaceBook page:  Billington Family Reunion   where you will find some of these same photos.

We are looking for a new location for future Billington Reunions.....
Let us know if your family is willing to host the next one.

Isle of Skye, Scotland

Billington's have Scottish Ancestry!

Great-Grandmother Estella Loring Boyden Billington's mother was Ann McDonald. Recent research has found Ann's parents, who were married in Sydney, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia,  Canada, on March 26, 1846.

We found no details about her mother, Mary Campbell, 
but her father, Charles McDonald, was born in Scotland on the 
Isle of Skye.  Ann has many siblings which were all born in 
Sydney Mines, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. So with further research we may be able to find some current Canadian /Scotch relatives.

Charles McDonald was born December 1815 and at some point immigrated to Nova Scotia where he became a merchant at Sydney Mines, a coal mining town.  Resources about the area can be found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_Mines
http://sydneyminesheritage.ca/
sydney mines cape breton nova scotia canada   for images


Information about typical life of a Scottish immigrant can be found here:  http://www.blupete.com/Hist/Gloss/Scots.htm#ImmigrationN

The Scots who came to Nova Scotia during the last half of the 18th and first half of the 19th century were Highlanders.4 They came to the shores of Nova Scotia, and, unlike many other immigrants that also came during this time, the Highlanders stuck and generally did not bleed away to other parts.5 Truly, Nova Scotia, especially that of Cape Breton, reminded the new arrivals of their native land, the Highlands of Scotland. They found the same looking land and soil; the same weather; and, in time, the same people (their brethren who had arrived earlier).


The Isle of Skye resources can be found here:

Isle of Skye resources

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJb8ib4EskU

 https://www.isleofskye.com/skye-guide/top-ten-skye-walks/fairy-pools

http://www.kevinandamanda.com/fairy-pools-of-scotland/

  

http://static.visitscotland.com/pdf/highlands-movie-map.pdf

http://www.electricscotland.com/history/skye/mistyisleofskyei00macc.pdf

https://www.lonelyplanet.com/scotland/highlands-and-northern-islands/isle-of-skye

 http://www.isleofskye.com/

http://www.isleofskye.com/skye-guide/skye-landscape-gallery

http://www.clandonald.com/

The Island has a rich History covering many topics, such as: Dinosaur Fossils, Clan Warfare, Highland Clearances and the infamous ‘Bonnie Prince Charlie’ and the Jacobite Rebellion.
Both Clan MacDonald and Clan MacLeod have their Clan Castle’s on the Island and should be on your list of places to visit.

Clan Donald Gardens and Museum of the Isles. Clan Donald Skye is a magnificent 20,000 acre estate in south Skye.

Here are some of my favorite photos of the Isle of Skye: 

Ancestry & Genealogy

Charles (1815-1879 )and Mary(1823-1890) are buried in the 

Historical Presbyterian Cemetery, Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia.

The inscription on their gravestone reads: 

In memory of Charles MacDonald merchant of Sydney Mines who was born in the Isle of Skye Scotland. December _ A.D. 1815 and died December 11 A.D. 1879 in his 64th year He was an enthusiastic Highlander a true friend to all in need possessed in a prominent degree many of the excellent qualities peculiar to the Scottish character. (Side 2) Mary Campbell beloved wife of Charles MacDonald died June 7 1890? aged 67? years also asleep with Jesus their beloved daughter Mary Jane died Dec 22 1873 aged 16 yrs

Their chidren:

John, 1848

Ann, 1850-1870 md 1867 to Elijah Boyden

Charles, Jr., 1850 md 1873 to Alice Cann

Nathaniel, 1853

Catherine, 1855 md Peter Morrison

Duncan, 1856

Mary Jane, 1858-1873

Alexander, 1861 md 1887 to Sarah Ann Sharp

Robert Edward, 1862

Florence, 1885-1938 md 1891 to Daniel Duncan McKenzie

FYI:
The Clan Donald Library is housed in one wing of the Museum building. With over
 7000 books it has one of the best reference collections in northwest Scotland. 
Covering all aspects of Scottish culture and history, the Library specialties in Highland
 history, clan genealogies and family history. Collections also include 17th and 18th 
century material on the Jacobites as well as an extensive range of antiquarian and 
modern maps relating to Skye and the Highlands.
Visitors to Armadale are welcome to make use of the Library during their visit, 
which also houses archive collections including Lord Macdonald’s Estate Papers. 
These papers, which comprise charters and land grants, rent lists, correspondence, 
estate maps and financial accounts, provide a framework for local history and
 genealogy research, particularly for Skye and North Uist. A charge is made for 
consulting this archive, which contributes towards the cost of conserving and 
developing it.

Highland genealogy can be frustrating, especially to thoseunfamiliar with the places and
 people concerned, but our local knowledge can help you. The library team, led by our
 Museum Manager, is always on hand to assist if you require advice.

You can also find out if your surname is Scottish, its derivation and meaning, when you 
visit our Library. Our collection includes books on tartans, Highland dress, clan histories 
and much more.

From Easter to October the Library is usually open 10am-4.30pm, seven days a week. 
The Library may close at lunchtimes and for short periods when the Museum 
Manager is offering tours or other activities within the Museum. If you wish to consult
 the Library resources and are visiting on a schedule you are advised to book with the
 Library in advance.

Contact details
Telephone: 01471 844305

Email: library@clandonald.com

Boyden Family History--Elijah the photographer

E.L.Boyden --Nanaimo B.C. ---1885

Recent research as to your Boyden Family History has revealed many 
interesting stories to share here.  "Older Posts" (below this post) told of 
Elijah Boyden, but with additional researched information, his life 
story can now be extended.

 Elijah Loring Boyden (1836-1906)   Elijah's parents were:

Otis Boyden (1801-1878) and Eliza Loring(1801-1894) Maine 
  Otis's parents were:

Dolphe Boyden (1771-1858) and Polly Morse (1772-1836) Norfolk, Mass
  Dolphe's parents were:

Jacob Boyden(1744-1818) and Sarah Patten (1743-1854)Norfolk, Mass

Jacob was the adventurer who came down the St Croix River in 1781. and 
liked what he saw in the Boyden Lake area and settled there. More about
his story at another time.

Thanks to cousin Ellen (Chausee) Wilhelm who visted there last
summer, we now have pictures of many of the gravesites of our ancestors 
from the Boyden Cemetery, Boyden Lake and the Mill Stream near by.

We have received  much of this information through the local people living in the area now.  Perry, Maine is the small town near where our Boyden ancestors settled.   For those of you who want to learn more about Boyden Lake present day activities you can use this link:   boyden lake association.

Otis and Eliza Gravestone

Mill Stream

To see the family who runs the Christmas Tree Farm on the old Boyden property 
you can use this link: Boyden Lake Farm.

http://www.perrymaine.org/htmlfiles/History.html  website for Perry Maine

Town of Perry, Maine  facebook page

To see the fith generation Loring family use this link: Loring family

https://archive.org/stream/loringgenealogy00pope#page/83/mode/1up

Eliza Loring Boyden had a brother Davis Loring (1819-1891) who was 
one of the first dauguerreian photographers.
Some of the photographs housed at the Maine State Archives can 
be seen at the link below. Photographer Davis Loring is credited 
with producing many of the images.  He had a studio in Eastport 
during the years 1855-1888." from the link: Davis Loring Studio

Also one picture of Water Street taken by Davis Loring you can see
 here: http://tidesinstitute.org/place/viewArt.php?id=1038

Davis Loring

Elijah may have learned the photography trade
from Davis Loring and may have had this
dauguerreian photo below taken by Davis Loring..  
Thanks to our friends from Perry who found it at 
a garage sale and sent me an email copy .

Elijah Loring Boyden

Elijah Loring Boyden’s Time Line

Birth:   March 31, 1836  Perry Township, Maine

Student:  1850, Perry Maine

Artist:  1860, Perry Maine
Married: Helen Kelly (1836-1867) New Brunswick, Canada in 1865
Windower: 1867

Married:  Ann McDonald (1850-1869) (Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia)  1867

Child:  Estella Loring Boyden born  June 6, 1869

Widower:  1870 

Photographer: 1874-1875 Hancock, Michigan (E.L. Boyden & Company)

Land Owner:  Michigan. Marlette County, Webster and Scio County
Arrival: Deadwood 1876

Stereoscopic Photographer: South Dakota area 1880-1885
Studio Owner: Pollack and Boyden(Corner of Main and Gold Street) 
  (Daughter Estella and Elijah lived in the back section of the studio)
Studio Owner:  Nanaimo, BC. 1884-1886 (Diamond City Photo Gallery)

Studio Owner:  Deadwood, SD 1886-1898  (Pollack and Boyden)

Studio Owner: Spearfish, SD 1898 (Boyden's Gallery)

Lived with daughter: Spearfish, SD 1900-1906

Passed: Dec. 12, 1906, burial Rose Hill Cemetery, Spearfish, SD

From the Business and Commercial Directories , stage arrivals  1876-1879

Recorded E.L.Boyden, photographer, arrived  by stage in 1876 and is 
listed as a Deadwood Photographer.

Old photos of Deadwood here:  http://photos.legendsofamerica.com/deadwood

D. S. Billington did not arrive until 1879

Census 1880 Estella lived with her Dad at age 10
Census 1900 Elijah lived with his daughter Estella Billington and family.

*Nanaimo, BC:  E.L. Boyden had a photography studio and sold it in 1886 
to J.W.  Simpson located on 64 Commerical Street.  It was known as the 
Diamond City Photo Gallery before 1886 and Gold Star Studio after 1886 
as far as I can tell.  The location is just around the corner from a present
day local museum, but is probably no longer a studio.  I am speculating he 
had this studio for only a short time..1884-1886.The portrait picture of him
was produced in Naniamo, so we can assume he was about 50 years old
at the time.

Elijah Boyden and partner Albert Pollock produced stereocards of the
Black Hills area. This is what a steroscope looked like and they were 
very popular in America at the time:

Here are a few of his stereocards:

Spearfish Falls, SD

.

Deadwood, SD

and his cabinet card  photos:

Daughter Estella about 1884

Grandson Sid about 1898, Spearfish SD

Paul Horstead, author-photographer, published a book using a few of 

Pollack/Boyden's photos. He revisited those same areas, photographed 

from the same view point and published both side by side.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Black-Hills-Yesterday-Today/dp/0971805334

Here are the photos (old and new) from his book. 

Add caption

We have learned much about our adventurous Elijah yet so many more

questions about him  are  unanswered:

Why did he travel to Canada?  How did his first wife, die and where is 

she buried?.

Where did his second wife die and who raised his daughter up to age 10?

Why did he travel to Nanaim British Columbia for a short time, and 

then back to SD?

Where are the pictures he took of the Canadian countryside?

Why's are not easily answerd through census records and written facts..

but a diary by one of his uncles is now being transcribed in Pembroke, 

Maine. Elijah is mentioned in this diary, so we may soon get information 

that will give us some answers.  In the meantime, we are grateful for 

Elijah's adventurous life and his dedication to his daughter, our great 

grandmother...Estella Loring Boyden Billington, and his grandchildren 

raised in Spearfish South Dakota. 

THE PAST IS YOUR PRESENT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON

THE PAST IS YOUR PRESENT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON.



Here is a Christmas story from the past about Sid Billington as told by his daughter, Blondie:

"Dad took his sleigh to the Post Office in Clyde Park one December day. 
An orange crate from California had been waiting for him, saved near the
pot belly stove so it would not freeze.  Dad put it under blankets in the sleigh,
hurried home, then stored it near the wood burning stove until Christmas morning.
The family was expecting to have juicy California oranges for breakfast, but
when Dad opened the crate, it was hard Christmas Ribbon Candy..now all melted
into one big piece! Dad just laughed, grabbed his hammer and chiseled off chunks
for all the kids.   Dad loved being with his family."

Merry Christmas to all...


Coming soon....New research information about our ancestral families:
Boydens, MacDonalds,Suttons, and Stottlemyres's!  Watch for next blog posts.

SIDNEY ALBERT BILLINGTON "JACK" part 1

SIDNEY ALBERT BILLINGTON, JR. – born January 14, 1942

Cousin Goldie Christopher and Jack 1942 

  

Jack Billington was born Sidney Albert Billington, Jr., named after his dad.  When he was born the nurses in the Missoula hospital nicknames him “Jack” and the name stuck.  Some say the name came from “Lumberjack,” because he was stocky built. Some say it was because he had such a loud cry.  His sister Blondie says it was because he was 14 lbs… the biggest baby they had ever had in the hospital.  Some say he was called Jack because Jack Dempsy was the Boxing Heavyweight Champion of the World at the time.  Jack says he was always told he was only 10 lbs. but that he did have a loud, wild cry. He was born on January 14, 1942 as the 8^th and last child of his father, Sid Billington and his mother Eva Lanora (Sutton) Billington.  He came home from the hospital a few days later to join his family on their ranch in Arlee. His sister Carol was 7 years old at the time. His sister Donna was 9, Jo was 15.  El Dee was 18.  His siblings living away from home were Blondie 19, Stella 20 and Billy, 22.

Goldie and Jack  1945 Winter

Roger Vetter  Goldie Christopher  Jack Billington

Jack and his Dad 1945

Goldie and Jack with Watermelon

The ranch was a great place for a little guy to grow up. Before long he was toddling along with their farm animals. We have only one picture of Jack with his dad, but we can imagine that he followed him around the ranch as chores and projects were done. His dad died when Jack was only three years old. Eva sold the ranch and moved into Arlee and began working as a cook in the Log Cabin Café. She rented a little house close to work and to the school so the kids could walk to the Arlee Elementary School. Jack attended first through fourth grades there.  Most of the time he enjoyed playing outside with his dog and his friends.

Jack and Goldie in Eva's yard

One day Bill Hayline (owner of the 4B’s Restaurant Chain) ate at the Log Cabin and was impressed with Eva’s cooking.  He was looking for a cook for the Missoula 4B’s restaurant and offered her the job.

Eva worked at the 4B’s café in Missoula for several years. Jack and Eva stayed on Sussex

street with Jo and Lyall and Jack attended a local school from fifth to eighth grade.

When Eva married Fred Deschamps in 1956,  Jack moved to the Deschamps Ranch at Fred Lane in the Frenchtown area.  Jack enjoyed living on the ranch; the horses, the cattle, and all of the space. He attended Frenchtown High School and graduated in 1960.Many family members came to visit the ranch. Jack was always willing to hitch up the horses for them to ride. At Christmas time, if there was enough snow, he and Fred would put the sleigh bells on the horses and hitch them up to the old sleigh and take everyone on an old fashioned sleigh ride. Also, everyone enjoyed sledding down the big hill beside the barn.

Jack and Jackie

One year Jack got a motorcycle and he would use it to pull his nieces and nephews up the hill and then they would sled down. This would go on for hours until Grandma Eva called everyone in for hot chocolate and cookies.

After graduation Jack worked on the ranch and worked at Point Six clearing the roads.  He joined the Air Force, but they rejected him because he had flat feet.  Then he went to work in Seattle at his uncle Harold’s machine shop.  When he came back to Montana he worked for the Bureson Glass Shop.

When Jack was a bit older, he had a serious accident on his motorcycle. He didn’t see a train coming while he was driving down the road. He attempted to cross the tracks and got hit by the train. His motorcycle was totaled. Jack was in the hospital, unconscious, for several days and lost about a week’s worth of memory. Miraculously he survived with only a broken collar bone and no permanent damage or brain injury.  He was back to work in three weeks.

Jack began to work at the Fuller Auto and Window Glass Shop with his uncle, Lyall Spooner, who was the manager at the time. He became a glazier and learned the trade well.  The name of the shop was changed to Creative Paint and Glass and Jack continued to worked there until he retired in 2010, but continues to work when needed at the shop.

Jack married Jackie (Jacqelyn Williams) in 1968. Jack adopted Jackie’s three year old son Anthony. This began their little family at 12300 Fred Lane, Frenchtown.  Cynthia Lou (Cindy) joined the family in 1969.  Jay Dee Billington arrived in 1972. They enjoyed living there for many years as the children grew into adulthood.

Kelly Blondie Donna  Stella  Jack and Jo on Eva's birthday

Blondie Donna Stella Jo and Kelly    Sisters of  Jack at their mom, Eva's,  funeral

Roger Vetter,  Blondie, Jack

Jackie and Jack

Jack and Jack with Cindy Jessica and Cooper

Jack and Jackie at home

Tony’s daughter, Jessica, was born on June 30, 1990 and was raised by her mother in Idaho, attended college in Dillon, Montana and is now married and living and working in Missoula.  Jack and Jackie enjoyed watching their first grandchild “Jessie” grow into a wonderful young lady.

Tony married Shannah Lynn Schlegel in 2002 and their children Dylan Marie, born May 23, 2004; Braidy Rose, born April 1, 2007 and Rhett Dawson, was born January 15, 2010. They live in the Kallispell area. Now Jack and Jackie enjoy watching these delightful little ones as they grow.

Cindy married Kevin Griswold in 2003 and their first child, Cooper Jack was born on May 11, 2004.  Irene Carol was born July 6, 2006, Kyle Richard was born May 22, 2009 and Emmitt Cole was born January 25, 2011. They live in close by Missoula and are able to visit Jack and Jackie often

adding more fun and excitement to the “grandparenting” stage of Jack’s life.

Jay Dee married Nancy Patenaude and with her children Kate and Cale, lived in the Six Mile area for awhile and also resided in Missoula’s Miller Creek area. Now they are living in Colorado.  Jack and Jackie were so pleased to add to their growing grandchildren, now numbering 10!

Jessica Jack and Kate

Cindy Kevin, Jay Dee, Jackie, Jack

Jackie continues to enjoy sewing and tailoring. Jack has always liked fishing and is now able to do more.  They both love being with their children and grandchildren as often as possible. Now that Jack is retired they also like to travel and visit relatives.