Estelle Margaret Billington -Sid's baby sister

 

Estelle Billington

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March 9, 1909  the 9th Billington baby was born to Dee and Estella Billington in Spearfish, South Dakota. They named her Margaret Billington.

A glorious birth, a glorious day, was darkened a few days later by the fact that the baby's sister, Jean, suddenly passed away, March 11, and mother Estella was fighting for her life with intense post partum infection. Dee arranged for two cars to leave Spearfish to take Estella to the hospital late that cold March night.  He also arranged for two cars to leave Deadwood at the same time to meet half way.  The steep winding gravel road was not dependable so they wanted to make sure they got her safely to the hospital.  Estella did not survive her surgery and Dee was left rushing back and forth from home to hospital, from baby, to Jean, to mother Estella. Arranging two funeral's back to back must have been a heavy burden for Dee and the family.  

Many of the townspeople became interested in the family situation.  Some told Dee he was just not going to be able to raise that baby girl and she should be adopted.  A rich couple in town really wanted her.  Some relatives from Canada wanted her.  People would actually get mad at him for insisting the family stay together. Dee gave the baby girl her mother's name, Estella Margaret, shortened to Stella.

Dee moved his family to the house next to the livery barn, which he owned, so he could be near his children. The same nurse that had been with her mother, took baby Stella home with her.  She lived on a farm.  She didn't take very good care of her.  Sister Binks and brother Sid went to see Stella one day and found her dirty and covered with flies.  The nurse was working out in the fields.  Binks went crying to Dad, "You've got to bring her home! She is going to die there!"  She was sickly apparently because she could not digest ordinary milk.

Dee went to get baby Stella and the nurse said, "You might as well leave her here, she's going to die anyway." 

Dee said, "Then she'll die at home and she'll be clean!"

Dee took the baby around to one friend after another begging someone to take care of her.  They would take one look at the sickly, skinny baby and shake their heads.  "She's going to die, Dee, and we don't want to be responsible."  Apparently she was allergic to breast milk, cow's milk and goat's milk.

Mrs. Billie Curry, a neighborhood black woman, heard about the situation and went to Dee.  She said, "Mr. Billington, I will take care of that baby and make her well."  Right away Dee hired Mrs. Curry to take care of Stella. Her sisters, Binks and Cecile, watched as Mrs. Curry boiled oatmeal, barley, and rice and poured off the liquid and gave it to the baby, instead of milk.  From that day on she gained weight and grew. Binks and Cecile made sure to take extra tender loving care of Baby Stella.  Mrs. Curry had raised eight children of her own and she had common sense about child care beyond what most "educated" people knew at the time. 

One day Dee came home and was horrified to find the baby outside in a box, stark naked.  He took her in and was about to scold Mrs. Curry, but she said,   "You put her right back where you found her, the sun is good for her!" 

Dee sold the livery stable when Stella was three years old (about 1912) and moved the family        back to their home on the edge of town.  Elva Anderson,  a friend that helped the family move, took Stella on her horse, boarded the creek, and brought Stella back to the Billington House. 

Mrs. Curry took care of Stella until she was 4 years old, then she left for Denver.  Mrs. Curry returned when Stella was in the 2nd grade. She took a job at Johnson's Cafe as a cook.  She knew Estella would be coming there for dinner, so she waited until then and scooper her up in her arms and shouted, "My baby, my baby!"   She was so excited to see her again.  Stella was excited to see Mrs. Curry as well, but she was embarrassed to be called a "baby." Mrs. Curry spent a lot of time telling Stella over and over how much her mother loved her; how her mother hugged and kissed her those few days after she was born.  Mother Estella was so proud of her baby girl, but she was too ill to do much mothering.  Mrs. Curry knew that Stella needed to hear about her mother's love for her. One tender moment Estelle retold was the day Mrs. Curry took her to the cemetery to visit her mother during an afternoon summer drizzle.  Estelle remembers being surrounded by a warm amber mist,  her hand gently, but securely, hanging onto one loving guiding finger, walking slowly down the road together. 

Stella age 4

As Stella grew she was grateful she was not adopted by another family.  She was grateful to be raised by a wonderful father and family who loved her dearly.  She was also very grateful to Mrs. Curry for bringing her back to health and providing years of mothering she really needed.  

When Stella was about 8 years old Binks married Joe Colaw and they moved to Chicago.  Stella stayed with Binks for about 4 years, and while attending school there she had a teacher who called her Estelle.  She liked it better than Stella and kept that name from that time on.  During those 4 years she spent her vacation trips coming back home to spearfish by train. When she returned home for good,  about age 14, she went to high school and college in Spearfish.  

Stella in chair, Binks behind her

Estelle had a great relationship with her father.  Her sisters often said she knew a different father than they did.  When they were young he worked 12-15 hours a day so they didn't see much of him.  He had the livery stable and he was "all business." The livery business meant sometimes taking passengers, usually salesmen,  to Lead, or Deadwood,  or Sundance Wyoming, often staying on an overnight trip.  The male siblings left home when Stella was young, so the feeling of family was different. Sid had left when she was 1 1/2. She saw Sid for the first time when she visited Montana in 1928. Leo left when she was 2 and Les when she was about 9.  Les and his wife Dale did come back to Spearfish to visit a few times during their marriage.  Leo came back to Spearfish to raise his family there and Estelle became very close to his children, Douglas,  Betty, and Leo, Jr.  Betty even called Estelle her sister. 

One story from Estelle's youth is when she was about 8 or 9.  She saw a horse at her neighbor Heidi's house.  Somebody had come to visit them.   She thought they wouldn't mind if she took a little ride, so she untied the horse, and took off a little ways away over the railroad tracks.  But the horse stumbled on the tracks and she fell off.  Just as she was getting back on, Dee found her and said, "You know, they hang people for stealing horses!"  But Estelle insisted she didn't steal it..just borrowed it.

At another time she was with her dad getting a horse for her to ride.  Seeing one horse, Dee decided it wasn't the one he wanted for her.  So while he was getting the other horse, she got on the first one and decided to try a trick she saw a short time ago at the fair.  This trick didn't seem so hard to just go under the horse and up on the other side.  She got  under the horse all right, but couldn't get up.  The horse started galloping across the pasture with Estelle hanging on for dear life and one foot stuck in the stirrup.  She found out that trick riding was harder than she thought.

                        

Stories from one of Estelle's letters: 

"One morning during summer vacation Evelyn and I wondered what we would do that day.  They called us the Katzenjammer kids which gives you an idea how our minds worked.  Evelyn's mother was paid to keep me during the day when school was out. As the gypsies had recently paid their annual visit to Spearfish, we decided we would be gypsies that day.  We put cocoa on our faces and put on long skirts (her mother's I guess) and scarfs on our heads.  We took a deck of cards and started out panning the neighborhood.  Of course everyone knew us but played the game and gave us cookies or something, but no money.  Then we crossed the bridge and went to Mrs. Cowgill's house.  She was nearly ninety and almost blind.  She also was very superstitious.  We spread out the cards and told her "fortune." Lo and behold! she gave us each 50 cents.  That was a lot of money for a kid then.  We ran home to tell Mrs. Hurst (Evelyn's mother) thinking we were pretty smart.  Mrs. Hurst tho't it was funny and got a good laugh about it.  I couldn't wait for Dad to get home so I could tell him about it.  Instead of a laugh, I got that look that told me he was ashamed of me.  He said, "Are you a gypsy?"  

"No." 

"Can you really tell fortunes?"

 "Well, no."  

"Then you told a lie. You took money and didn't give her what you said you did.  That is stealing.  We are going to go give Mrs. Cowgill's money back and tell her you are sorry."

That was a long walk back to Mrs. Cowgill's.  It was hard for me to understand why I had to give my money back and Evelyn didn't, but I never forgot the lesson."

"Dad rarely ever told me I couldn't do something.  He would say, "I wouldn't do that if I were you." or "I'd rather you didn't" and tell me why.  Then it was up to me.  Sometimes I would rebel but then think better of it.  I knew he had his reasons.  Since he rarely said, "No" it had weight  when he did."

"Dad hated a lie and didn't have much use for a liar. He expected us to be honest in every way.  In the fourth grade we were studying about Abraham Lincoln and how he walked six miles after work to return a few cents to a lady he had overcharged.  I thought that was wonderful and was telling Dad about it.  He said, "Of course, wouldn't anybody do that?"

"One time some kid came to the house that I didn't want to pay with.  I told Dad to tell him I wasn't home.  He said, "I can't do that.  You will have to tell him yourself."

I said, "Then he'll know I'm here."

Dad said, "That's right.  What can you do about it?"

"I'll have to tell him I don't want to play with him."

"That's right.  Tell him the truth, but do it in a nice way."

"Evelyn was a little older and smarter than I.  She could think of things to do and I was dumb enough to do them. On our way back to school one noon as 2nd graders, she said we would stop in Lowen's General Store. Only old Mr. Lowen was there at noon. She would pretend she wanted something on the dry good side.  I was to steal apples from the bushel baskets by the door hiding them in my black bloomer legs.  It was working pretty well until we started out the door and Mr. Lowen put his hand on my shoulder and demanded, "Who is going to pay for those apples?"

"What apples?"

"These apples!" he said picking me up and standing me on the counter and shaking the apples out of my bloomer legs.

He put me across the counter and gave me one good spanking saying, "Don't ever steal anything again as long as you live!" ..And I never did.  So ended my life of crime."

During her young adult years, Estelle attended Normal College of Spearfish. Both High School and College were in the same building. She studied to be a teacher which only required a two year certificate at the time. After college, Estelle had several teaching jobs in the South Dakota area. Her first job was at a one room school in Harding County. Her second job was over the mountain, 16 miles from Spearfish in Whitewood.  Her third job was at a country school in St. Onge, and then her fourth, right in Spearfish.

So when Estelle was 30, her friends were thinking she wasn't trying to find someone to date. Estelle wasn't really interested in anyone and didn't think she needed anyone because she had her Dad. But her friends used to invite her to parties and line up dates for her.  She insisted to come by herself and leave by herself to these parties/dances, etc.  At one party she met a photographer who wanted to take her picture.  She said she didn't like to have her picture taken.  He said maybe she hadn't found anyone who really knew how to take a good photo. So he convinced her to come to his studio and take six pictures.  She took one home and he enlarged the others and set one of the best in the window of  his studio down town next to pictures of Greer Garson and Barbara Stanwick. The next day her school children came to school telling her they saw her picture with the movie stars.

When her brother, Les, lost his wife, Dale, in May of 1938, Estelle and her father decided to spend some time staying with him in Merced, California.  She got a teaching job there for a  year, then applied for another job in Carmel, CA. Dee stayed 2 years in Merced and then joined Estelle in 1940 after she was settled there.  She happened to like music and dancing so when she heard about a USO dance for the soldiers in the area, she decided to check it out. At the dance she noticed a handsome young man who was not dancing and she asked him to dance, but he didn’t want to because he didn’t really know how, so she offered to teach him. Not sure he liked that idea, he obviously did like Estelle.  Jim Fontana married Estelle that next summer on June 11, 1944 in Carmel. She was proud to have her dad give her away on that special day.  Dee passed away the very next month, July 5. 

Estelle and Jim on Wedding Day

Interestingly, Estelle discovered that Jim's mother had nine children and died at the age of 38 with the birth of the ninth..a story that matched Estelle's.

Jim went to the University State College in Berkley, CA in 1945 after his Military Service.  From there he was recruited to teach alternative High School in Watsonville, CA.  Estelle was able to get a job there teaching 1st grade at Sunset Elementary. So the couple moved to Watsonville, CA.  Both her boys were born in Watsonville. James Dee was born April 17, 1946 and Robert Leslie, was born May 4 1949. Estelle was a stay at home mother until the boys started school, then she became a first grade teacher at Radcliff Elementary School. This class was designed for limited non-English speaking students, who were mostly Asian. She designed her own curriculum using instructional materials like wooden puzzles that were made in a shop class at a local Adult night school.

 

Estelle was well versed in Early Childhood Literature and read to her boys every night. 

She had a library of the best books for her family.

One summer Estelle wanted her boys to see Mt. Rushmore because it played such an important role in her younger years. She had watched as dynamite exploded on the exterior of the mountains and the carving began. She remembers children looking down in the vast grassland, finding Indian arrowheads while the adults stood watching the monument emerge arguing over the controversy of it all. One of the curator’s lived near the family and he brought home a small piece of Washington’s nose and gave it to Estelle as a souvenir. She kept it for years, but it was lost in the move to California. That trip in her old 1951 DeSota was a trip to be remembered. They stayed with her long time friend who still lived in Spearfish. She showed the boys her first teaching job in the badlands area..the one room school house. She told the boys all about the Spearfish Park and the surrounding areas where she played growing up.

She was a delightful 1st grade teacher for many years, but when retired, she went right on helping in the community. She played the piano for her local church group which often met at her house. She was very strong in her faith and she was always so kind; she never had a bad thing to say about anyone. She looked on the bright side, even when she had strange things happened. For example, in 1989 she was a Pink Lady Volunteer at the local hospital in Watsonville when an earthquake struck the region. She happened to be in the elevator at the time, and it stopped mid floors, so after waiting for hours, she pried the door open a little bit, but could barely see people feet. When she couldn’t get anyone’s attention, she grabbed someone by the ankles. So surprised to see her they said, “Oh, are you all alone down there.” She replied, “Not exactly alone, the Lord is with me!”

 Estelle had white hair early, by the time she was about 40 years old.  This seems to run in the family. Dee had white hair at 40, the same with Estelle's son, Bob. 

Bob Fontana

Estelle spent a lot of time reading in her rocking chair, and telling stories of her days in South  Dakota. She also loved to retell the stories that her father told her about his life from Texas to Missouri to South Dakota Territory.  She would laugh while sharing the humorous stories and she used western vernacular when sharing direct quotes from the characters. She had no TV, but she had a friendly dog, and a collection of wonderful books.

Stephanie, Estelle and Rebecca Rankin

For years Estelle collected tiny fascinating doll house miniatures and kept them on three book shelves in her living room.  The grandkids and nieces all loved those doll house miniatures and even though they were told not to touch, they did, and Estelle could always tell when something had been moved out of its place. She often did crafts with her children, grandchildren, and nieces, especially at Christmas time. Angels, Santa Claus with his sleigh, and other outdoor decorations made special holiday memories. 

She spent many days in her backyard flower garden. Her lawn and her pink rose bush were  meticulously cared for and her holly tree in the front yard was her pride and joy.  She was known as the snail killer.  It was part of her daily ritual to check on her flowers and look for the dreaded snails.  This yard and garden was a prize she shared with everyone who came by.

Johnathan Tina and Stephanie in back
Mikey, Sara with Scotty in front

She had an especially bright sunny yellow breakfast nook which she wallpapered herself.  Grandkids, relatives, and visitors always felt warm, cozy, and welcomed there. Estelle was well known for her thoughtful, cheerful, and positive manner.  Much of her time was spent visiting others, especially her sister Cecile who was in a convalescent home near the end of her life. Estelle made a point of visiting friends and family to share their grief or to share their triumps..she was there for them.  She was a great example of a Christian woman.  On “Grandma’s Day”  her preschool granddaughter, Stephanie, would go along with her on these visits. Stephanie could feel her giving spirit, which is now a trait Stephanie and other grandchildren have acquired  just by following in her footsteps.

Thankfully Estelle shared so many of her stories and her father's stories with us.  Much of this blogpost information came from Estelle's letters, her son Jim's memories, and the memories of her granddaughters Rachael and Stephanie, and her nieces Jean and Kathleen Harrah.

During her golden years, although she had lost some memory,  Estelle still remembered her roots  and expressed her desire to be buried back in Spearfish, Rosehill Cemetery, near her father and other family members.  She was granted her wish in 2001.

Anyone wanting to add photos, stories, or corrections to this blog, please contact me at  lana.rankin@yahoo.com and I will made updates on the next blogpost. 

 Favorite photos:

 

Estelle and Lana with Scotty (seated)
Johnathan, Sara, Stephanie, Rachael, Mikey

Fontana's and Rankin's
Stephanie, Mikey, Tina, Johnathan, Sara, Estelle, Jim, Scotty
Becca

 

Back Yard Bloopers!   

Leo and Leslie Billington--Sid's brothers

 

Leo Sheldon Billington

According to the local newspaper, The Black Hills Daily Times: "Born--At Deadwood, Monday, August 22, 1887, to the wife of Dee Billington, a son.  The little shaver tips the beam at 12 pounds, and is a hummer."  Dee and Estella decided to name him Leo Sheldon Billington. This was Estella and Dee's first surviving son. Their first son, Bertie Meriot Billington,  passed away at 5 months old the previous year.       

       

Leo about age 4

Leo about age 10

The newspaper also announced that Leo's grandmother, Florinda Billington, came by stagecoach from Kansas City, Missouri to see him in October of that year.  The following year, in June of 1888, another Billington boy was born.  They named him Leslie Loring. Loring was his mother's middle name, his grandfather's middle name and his great grandmother's maiden name.

                                      

Leslie Loring Billington about 1 year old

Leslie 

As the boys grew, their grandfather, Elijah Loring Boyden, loved taking photos of them in his photography studio, (Boyden's  Gallery) in Spearfish.  

    

Sidney

Leo

In 1888 Dee moved his family to Spearfish, SD and  became a part owner of a livery stable on Main Street. The words  DEE BILLINGTON'S BARN were written in huge letters on the side of the livery.   In addition to offering to rent out stable stalls to the public, Dee bought an automobile which the newspaper was quick to announce:  "Dee Billington appears with the handsomest, most substantial and most comfortable three seated carriage, treating friends to a delightful spin about town."

Although Dee believed that you can never replace a good horse, perhaps he thought he should let the townsfolk decide how they wanted to travel.  So these two boys, so close together in age were 4 and 5 years old before their little brother Sidney Albert came along in September of 1892. The three of them grew up around the livery stable, loving to be around horses and automobiles. They went to school in Spearfish, but you can be sure, Dee had a bunch of chores for them to do after school. They learned to be good mechanics as well as good horsemen.  

The tale we heard about those boys is that they didn't always go straight to the livery after school.   Sid was often told by more than one townsfolk, "Hey, Sid, your Dad's looking for ya!"  To which he replied, "Well, maybe if I lay low, he'll find Les first!" 

Leo and Les' sister, Edna, was born in September of 1890, but only lived two months.  Their sister Hazel, was born in 1895; Cecile in 1899; and Jean in 1901.  The girls attended the local school together. Their mom, Estella, made a practice of always having a surprise ready for them when they came home.  It could be a baked goodie, new doll clothes, doll furniture or some toy she had made especially for them while they were at school.  Perhaps she was doing her best to make sure they came home quickly and did not wander off like their brothers did.  

When Leo was 21, Les  20, and Sid 16, their baby sister was born, March 6, 1909.  Unfortunately, their mother, Estella, had a severe infection following childbirth and passed away on March 13.  To add to the tragedy, their sister Jean also passed away the same week, on March 11. The family was shocked of course, but Dee did his best to keep the family together and keep going.  He moved the family from the house on the edge of town, to a house next to the livery so he could go back and forth as needed by his family and his business.  He also hired a local lady, Mrs. Curry,  to take care of the baby, and tend her needs as she was allergic to milk of all kinds.  

Friend, Baby Estelle, Hazel

Leo received a message from the family's close friend, Elva Russel, which read, "Leo, you must be your Papa's right hand now, for I know his heart is shattered and he can not see his way clear but it will soon be clear if you take the hold that is left to you.  Words are such little things in time of trouble and we, ourselves, are so weak but strength will be given you from a higher power and some sweet day you will know the wisdom of it all.  I only wish I could be near you today but since I can't, I must write and tell you that I, too, share your sorrow." 

Russell family 

Leo did get right to work helping his dad, but the next summer (1910) he worked on a ranch in Wyoming. When he came back home again, he met a young lady from near by Sturgis, S.D.,  Ashley Lawrence (1887-1967) and they were married in 1911.  By 1916  he had two children, Douglas and  Elizabeth. They were living in Wasta, South Dakota and  Leo worked at the Wasta Mercantile Company. Leo, Jr. was born in 1917. They lived a short time in Marysville, Kansas and then moved back to Spearfish where Leo worked as an auto mechanic and electrician at Bracky's General Store around 1926 until 1942. His draft registration in April of 1942 states he was working at the Oregon ShipBuilding Corporation, in Portland, Oregon. From there he went to Great Falls, Montana and passed away in December of 1942.

Douglas was the first of Leo's children.  He was very close to his sister Elizabeth (Betty). She tells us that when he was three years old he was reading to his neighbor friends who were older, but they couldn't read.  When he was 11-12 years old he had a chemistry lab in the basement and by the time he was in the eleventh grade, the chemistry teacher had him teach the class several times.  The teacher proudly told the towns people all about Douglas. He went on to earn  B.A., M.A., and PHD  Degrees in chemistry and metallurgy. Betty mentioned that he was one of eight scientists that discovered Beryllium and that all eight men lost their hair while working in that lab. When Douglas realized what the atom bomb could do, it abhorred him, and right then he dedicated himself to peace-time use of nuclear energy. He often conducted institutes in Italy, France, and Switzerland on peace-time use of nuclear energy. Douglas was a staff member of the Naval Research Lab in Washington, D.C. and worked for 28 years with the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Oak Ridge Tennessee.  When he was home from his many working trips across the U.S. and Europe, his wife, Lenora O'Neil and daughter Linda, where happy to see him enjoy his painting hobby, playing basketball or golfing. He also enjoyed building model railroads and reading science fiction.  Active in the community Art Center, the local Country Club, and Elks he still took time to join professional organizations and serve on advisory boards of the Journal of Nuclear Materials and the Journal of Physics and Chemistry of Solids.   Douglas was well known in the scientific community of his time.  He lived out his retirement years in Oak Ridge, Tennessee until  April of 1982.

                                     

Douglas 

               

Douglas and Leo, Jr.

Dr. Douglas S. Billington

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Elizabeth Jean Billington

Elizabeth Jean Billington, born June 19, 1916, Spearfish, SD. by age 3 was in Marysville City, Kansas with her two brothers, while dad worked as a mechanic on automobiles at the local service station. They family missed Spearfish and came back about 1921 and Betty and brothers all attended Spearfish schools, along with their cousin Estelle. Betty was able to complete all of her schooling in Spearfish.  She cherished the fact that Estelle always called her "little sister."  They remained close their entire lives. 

Betty also had a close relationship with her Grandpa Dee.  He often stopped by at their house and sat on the porch swing telling stories about his experiences.  He was free with his thoughts of philosophy of life, and when she was about ten years old, she first began to listen to him carefully.  One of his sayings that influenced her was when he said, “The people of the world must get together and tell their leaders they are not going to kill one another to solve the leader’s problems.” Betty came to adopt his point of view.

Dee with Roger Bishop, Jr, Estelle, 
Betty, and Leo Jr. 

Betty married Daniel Dwight Felton on Aug. 1, 1936 in Crook County, Wyoming. Dan was from Clough, Meade County, South Dakota. Betty probably met Daniel through his cousin Maxine Felton who went to school in Spearfish with Betty their senior year in 1936.  Betty was 20 and Dan 22.  Maxine, Betty and Dan were probably good friends that year and spent the summer together. By 1940 the the Feltons lived in Spearfish and Daniel was an educator and the High School Coach. They had two little girls, Gladys Fay and Lynn Ashley. Two more daughters, Jean Cedelia, 1940 and Elizabeth Arlene 1941 soon joined the family. 

At some point they moved to the Seattle Washington area and Betty also became an educator and she began to direct programs of student exchange.  The American Field Foreign Student Exchange Program was the first one she directed in Renton, Washington.   This was a 2 year program, but no other teacher wanted it, so she continued the program for the rest of her teaching career. Betty hosted and arranged for students from Europe, South America, and later worked as a volunteer with American Cultural Programs hosting students from Center American and Japan.  Also working with the World Affairs Council, an organization that promotes world peace by dialogue and trade, she arranged home visits for government guests and even hosted many herself.

Because of Grandpa Dee’s influence, Betty also took each of her grandchildren, when they were 10 years old, to another country to live with a family for a month to 6 weeks.  The idea was to show them that people are the same the world over.  This experience for them was similar to Dee’s interest and experience living with Indian tribes to observe their social structure, beliefs, customs, and government. Betty was a major influence in her community and  her family until her death in July of  2004.

Betty with Eva Billington

Leo, Jr. 

Leo, Jr. 

Leo Lawrence Billington, born September 20, 1917 in Spearfish, DT was known as Leo, Jr. He attended college for two years then enlisted in the Army Air Corp in Oct 31, 1941, Misssola, Montana. He worked on his uncle Pat Bishop's Ranch in Dixon, Montana for some time in 1940. Then he worked at the Jocko Camp, Potomac, Lake, Montana, for J. R. Swanson early in 1941. For a time he lived in the Seattle area and his job was to work on maintenance of their monorail there. One of the things he did was wash the windows on the monorail using a new invention..the squeegee. So when he visited his cousin, Roger Bishop, Jr., at his two story farm house in Oregon, Leo volunteered to wash all the windows and he was very efficient at it.  Such a kind young man, warm and gentle, so much so that when talking to the little Bishop children, he would get down on their level and listen to them with much attention.  Little is known of why he moved to Texas sometime before 1984. He lived in Conroe, Texas where he was employed at one of the City of Conroe’s Warehouses.  According to the Conroe City Directory, 1984, his wife at that time was named Mary.  Except for their death dates of 1987 and 1990 in Conroe, any further information about this couple is not yet known.

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In the meantime, Les was in Flagstaff,  Arizona in June 1917 working for the Navajo Copper Company as a mechanic.  During WWI he went into the US Army 158 Infantry 40 Division and served as a cook for his fellow soldiers.  He married Dale Hattie Ferrell around 1920 and was an auto mechanic in San Francisco, CA.  From 1935-1940 Les was a proprietor for a local retail grocery store in Merced, California. Dale and Les made several trips to Spearfish to visit family over the next few years. Dale passed away in 1938. His dad, Dee, and sister Estelle, stayed with him for some time in 1940 after Dale died.  Some time later he married Fern Hope Wells and    Les worked as a master mechanic at the Merced Irrigation District until his death  May 16, 1949.  Estelle's second son, Robert, was given the middle name Leslie, just two weeks earlier, May 5, 1949. Les is buried in the Golden Gate National Cemetery for Veterans in Bruno, San Mateo, CA.   

Les did not have children that we know of, but he surely loved his nephews and nieces back in    South Dakota and Montana.  One December he sent the Montana family a Christmas present packed in a California orange crate.  Sid picked it up at the post office and placed the crate next to the wood burning stove to keep the oranges from freezing.  Christmas morning the kids, who were expecting to have oranges for breakfast, quickly opened the crate to discover a mountain of melted ribbon candy.  Sid just laughed and called for his hammer and chisel and whacked off a piece for each of the kids.  Much to their delight, that candy lasted until March.

Anyone who has additional photos/facts/stories about our Billington cousins featured in this blog, please send the information to me at lana.rankin@yahoo.com and I will add them as an update on the next blogspot.

Next Blogspont:  Estelle Margaret Billington Fontana

 

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

Hazel Atkinson Billington Colaw- Sid's sister

 

Hazel Atkinson Billington was born Jun 24, 1895 in Spearfish, South Dakota. She has her grandmother's maiden name as her middle name. (Florinda Atkinson Billington)  She was the oldest girl and she became the mother of the house after her mother, Estella Loring Boyden Billington, died in 1909. She was only 13 years old at the time.

                                                    

                                                    

Hazel's nickname, "Binks" came from one of her brothers. He love to tease, as all brothers do. He had a dog named Billy Binks, and just to taunt her, he would call his sister "Binks". I suppose just to get back at him, she might have thought "Binks" was infinitely unique for a girl and far more intriguing than Hazel, and she didn't like the name Hazel anyway, so it was a keeper from that time on.


Hazel followed her mother's example of being neat and tidy and taking much time and effort to dress well. She enjoyed looking her best at all times. She was stylish and feminine. She loved to dress up her little sisters also. She made little dresses for sister Estella when she was a baby.

                                        

Friend, Estelle, Binks

Binks in 1918

Binks in the middle
Estelle in middle front

Hazel followed both her parents in her love to read.  The family subscribed to a number of good magazines and the local newspaper.  Tons of books were always available in their home. Hazel's love  of reading often led her to day dreaming.  She dreamed of young love like most teenagers do.  But Hazel made no bones about what she was dreaming  in a future beau.  She told her dad she would marry no one unless he was a handsome young Virginian, well dressed, tall, dark, slender, with brown eyes, and  black hair.  Dee thought she got that dreamboat idea from one of her novels.  He told her the chances of finding a beau like that..out here in the west ...was close to impossible.  But Hazel continued to keep her expectations alive for many years by watching all newcomers who came to Spearfish during her young adult life.  She was popular around town and she often hung around the post office where her father worked because she knew that's where new people would be coming. To everyone's surprise, one day "he" did arrive. Joe Colaw fit the description of her perfect beau.  Of course, we can't say what she did to get his attention, but she surely did. 

                                    

Joseph Marvin Colaw (1891-1972) was a civil engineer for the N.Y Central Railroad and often came to Spearfish from the Chicago headquarters on railroad business. It wasn't long before the young couple discovered they were right for each other. The townspeople around town told 8 year old Estella, "You'll be losing your sister." She didn't know exactly what that meant, until the day Binks and Joe were married, June 4, 1917. When the minister asked, "Who gives this woman?" Her father responded,   "I do, " and Estella threw such a fit that they had to take her out of the church!

Joe and Hazel lived in Chicago for a while and Estella lived with them and even went to school there. Maybe that was to prove to Estella she wasn't ever going to "lose" Binks.  Later the Colaw couple moved to Monterey, Virginia where Joe was born.  His parents still lived there and he was going to join them in their lumber and cattle business ventures.

Estella went back home to Spearfish to live with her dad. It was during the time in Chicago that Estella changed her name to Estelle. A teacher there called her by that name and she liked it better. 

Colaw's Arithmetic book

                         

John Marvin Colaw

Joe's parents were John Marvin Colaw (1860-1940) and Josephine Margaret Judy Colaw ( 1864-1893). John was a Commonwealth Attorney, Commissioner of Accounts to the Circuit Court, Town Mayor, and Councilman for many terms. He is also was a joint author for a series of Arithmetic textbooks used in schools from 1900-1914. A son Owen Dyer Colaw (1887-1957), was born just four years before Joseph. After his wife passed away in 1893, John married Mary Elizabeth Newman. After she died Joseph and Hazel came back to Monterey to be with John after living several years in Boston and Washington D.C. The Colaw family comes from a long line of Swiss/German pioneers who settled in the Shenandoah Valley even before Monterey was a town.  At that time, their name might have been spelled Kohler, Koler or Coler. 


Hazel and Joe often went to vacations to places like Cuba. They collected antiques, they entertained often, and they cherished their family history. Hazel was instrumental in connecting with "Uncle Toss."  She wrote to him in 1913 when she was 18 years old  to ask about his role in the Civil War. She wrote again when she was married about age 37. We are lucky to have a copy of letters he wrote back to her. That's another Billington story.

 Years later, when Joe died in 1971, in Monterey, Virginia, Estelle went to stay with Hazel for about a year, then Hazel moved to Watsonville to a small apartment to be near sisters Cecile and Estelle until her death January 24, 1978. The three sisters always had a close bond. Hazel had no children of her own, but is loved dearly by her nieces, nephews and cousins.

Hazel, Cecile, Estelle

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Thanks to Kathleen and Jean Harrah, Barbara Bishop Gordon, and Estelle Billington Fontana

for photos, stories, and facts for this Blogpost. Please feel free to add any photos or stories to this blogpost and they will be added to the next Billington blogpost. Send them and any comments to: 

lana.rankin@yahoo.com