The BILLLNGS Family of Taunton in county Somerset, England, Dorchester in Suffolk co., Massachusetts and Stonington in New London co., Connecticut

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WILLIAM BILLINGS of Taunton
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WILLIAM BILLINGS (abt 1629 - 1713) Taunton, Dorchester and Stonington m. Mary Unknown
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EBENEZER BILLINGS (abt 1661 - 1727) of Stonington m. Anne Comstock
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ENS. JAMES BILLINGS (1688 - 1761) of Stonington m. Mary Hewitt
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ZIPPORAH BILLINGS (1715-1765-6) m. Capt. Joseph Palmer

First Generation

WILLIAM BILLINGS of Taunton

Parents: [Ref] proposes the following pedigree for William:

The above are described as 'inconspicuous country gentlemen', except for Sir Thomas. Sir Thomas died on 5 May 1481 and is buried in Bittlesden Abbey, Northants. He married first Katherine Gifford. He married second Mary Wesenham, widow of William Cotton. He was Chief Justice of the King's Bench 23 Jan 1468 - 5 May 1481. [Ref] cites Campbell in his Lives of the Chief Justices as saying, that he 'enjoyed the felicitous fate accorded to very few persons of any distinction in those times - that he never was imprisoned - that he never was in exile - and that he died a natural death.' Most of the great fortune that Katherine Gifford brought to the family passed out of it when Thomas's heir, Thomas of Astwell, left no sons.

Presumably William was a close relation of Roger Billings of Dorchestor.

Children of William Billings:

  1. William Billings married Mary Unknown.
  2. Joseph Billings died before 23 Jan 1649.
  3. Ebenezer Billings mentions his brother William who went to New England in his will, dated 23 Jan 1649. He left his tenement Deanes to his deceased brother Joseph's son Ebenezer. [Ref]

Second Generation

WILLIAM BILLINGS (abt 1629 - 1713) ) of Taunton, Dorchester and Stonington

Parents: William Billings

William Billings was born about 1629 in Taunton. [Ref] He died on 16 Mar 1712/3 in Stonington. [Ref] He is buried in the North Stonington Cemetery; his gravestone says, '1713 Here lies the body of William Billing who died in the 85th year of his age'. [Ref] He married Mary Unknown on 12 (12) 1657 in Dorchester. [Ref] Mary is buried in the North Stonington Cemetery,

William inherited the Somerset estate called Deanes from his father. [Ref] He sold it to his brother Ebenzer. [Ref]

He moved from Dorchestor to Stonington. [Ref] He was admitted to the Stonington church 29 Apr 1677. [Ref][Ref]

In his will, dated 3 Oct 1712 and proved 14 Apr 1713, William mentions his wife Mary, his sons William and Ebenezer, his daughters Margery, Mary, Lydia, Mercy, his daughter Abigail's daughters, his daughters Dorothy and Patience and Beriah Grant.

Children of William Billings and Mary Unknown. All of the births and baptisms are found in Spencer-Mounsey [Ref]

  1. Margaret Billings was born probably about 1659. She married 13 Aug 1678 Edmund Fanning. [Ref] Edmund, the son of Edmund Fanning, was born in 1651 and died in 1715. [Ref] They had three sons. [Ref]
  2. Capt. William Billings [Ref] was born about 1660. He was baptised on 1 Sep 1672 in New London. He was buried on 8 Jun 1738. [Ref] He married Hannah Sterry about 1688. [Ref] They had five sons and seven daughters. [Ref] William was an ensign on 15 Mar 1704. [Ref] He was a captain in the Preston company on 11 Oct 1716. [Ref] He was deputy from Preston on 13 May 1703. [Ref]
    William Billings owned the covenant at the first church in Stonington on 18 Apr 1689. [Ref]
  3. Ebenezer Billings was born about 1661. He died on 16 Sep 1727. He married Anne Comstock.
  4. Joseph Billings was baptised on 1 Sep 1672 in New London. He died young. [Ref] A Joseph Billings owned the covenant at the first church in Stonington on 18 Apr 1689. [Ref]
  5. Mary Billings was baptised on 1 Sep 1672 in New London. She married John, the son of Nathaniel Whiting, on 24 Dec 1688. [Ref 'presumably'] They had two sons and two daughters. [Ref]
  6. Lydia Billings was baptised on 1 Sep 1672 in New London. She died in Aug 1747. [Ref] She married first William Bromley. [Ref] William, the son of Luke Bromley was born about 1668 and died in 1700. [Ref] She married second Samuel Coye of Preston. [Ref] Lydia and William had two sons and two daughters. [Ref]
    Lydia Billings owned the covenant at the first church in Stonington on 18 Apr 1689. [Ref]
  7. Mercy Billings was born on 27 Oct 1674 in Stonington. She was baptised on 14 Mar 1674/5 in New London.
    She must be the Marcy Billings who had an illegitimate son named Beriah baptised on 24 Jul 1698 in Stonington. [Ref]
  8. A second daughter Mary Billings is said to have been baptised on 14 Mar 1674/5, but this is almost certainly not true.
  9. Abigail Billings was baptised on 1 Jul 1677 in Stonington. [Ref] She probably died in 1705 in Stonington. [Ref] She married John, son of John Randall, in 1695. [Ref 'doubtless']
  10. Dorothy Billings was baptised on 1 Jul 1677 in Stonington. [Ref]She married Daniel Mackey. [Ref]
  11. Elizabeth Billings was baptised on 28 Sep 1679 in Stonington. [Ref] She was dismissed to the church at Wrentham on 6 Apr 1701. [Ref] This was presumably to live with her sister Mary. [Ref]
  12. Patience Billings was baptised on 9 Apr 1682 in Stonington. [Ref]
  13. A daughter Prudence Billings is said to have been baptised on 4 Mar 1683, but there is no other record of her.

Third Generation

EBENEZER BILLINGS (abt 1661 - 1727) of Stonington

Parents: William Billings and Mary Unknown

Ebenezer was born about 1661 (or maybe earlier, given the birth date of his first child). He died on 16 Sep 1727. [Ref] He is buried in the North Stonington Cemetery; is gravestone says, 'Here lies the body of Ensign Ebenezer Billilng who died Sep. 16th. 1727 in the 67th year of his age'. He married Anne Comstock on 28 Feb or 1 Mar 1680/1. [Ref]

Ebenezer owned the covenant at the first church in Stonington on 18 Apr 1689. [Ref] He was admitted to the first church in Stonington on 18 May 1712. [Ref][Ref]

In his will, dated 20 Feb 1726 and proved 5 Oct 1727, he mentions his wife Anne; sons Ebenezer, William, James, Increase and Benjamin; daughters Ann Hakes, Zipporah Strickland, Margaret Burch, Jemima Baldwin and Thankful Smith; grandchildren Mary Powers and Tristam Billing; his father William. [Ref]

Children of Ebenezer Billings and Anne Comstock. All of the births and bapisms are found in Spencer-Mounsey [Ref] and were in Stonington:

  1. Anna (Hannah) Billings was born on 7 Oct 1681 in Stonington. [Ref] She was baptised as 'Hannah' on 11 May 1690 in Stonington. [Ref] She died about 1752. [Ref] She married Solomon Hakes on 16 Jan 1717/8 [Ref] in Stonington. [Ref] He died about 1752. [Ref] They had three sons and one daughter. [Ref]
  2. Lieut. Ebenezer Billings was born on 1 Jan 1684 in Stonington. [Ref] He was baptised on 11 May 1690 in Stonington. [Ref] He died on 20 Jul 1760 in Stonington. [Ref][Ref] He married Phebe Denison on 2 Apr 1706 [Ref] in Stonington. [Ref] Phebe, the daughter of John and grand-daughter of Capt. George Denison, was born on 6 Apr 1690 and died on 30 Dec 1735. [Ref] Ebenezer was a lieutenant of the Second Stonington company on 14 Oct 1731. [Ref] He was deputy in 1721 and 1722. [Ref] They had 12 children. [Ref]
    Ebenenzer and Phebe owned the covenant at the first church in Stonington on 22 Jun 1707. [Ref]
    some descendants of Ebenezer Billings
  3. William Billings was born on 4 Apr 1686 in Stonington. [Ref] He was baptised on 11 May 1690 in Stonington. [Ref] He had six sons and six daughters. [Ref]
  4. Ens. James Billings was born on 4 Oct 1688 in Stonington. He was baptised on 11 May 1690 in Stonington. He died in 1761. He married Mary Hewitt.
  5. Zipporah Billings was born on 13 May 1691 in Stonington. [Ref] She was baptised on 5 Apr 1691 [!] in Stonington. [Ref] She married Thomas Strickland on 16 Mar 1714. [Ref]
  6. Margaret Billings was born on 11 Apr 1693 in Stonington. [Ref] She was baptised on 11 Jun 1693 in Stonington. [Ref] She married Jeremiah Burch on 8 Feb 1716/7. [Ref says 5 Feb] in Stonington. [Ref] Jeremiah, the son of Jeremiah Burch, was baptised on 14 Jul 1673. [Ref] They had six sons and two daughters. [Ref]
  7. Mary Billings was baptised on 8 Apr 1694 in Stonington. [Ref]
  8. Jemima Billings was born on 15 Apr 1695 in Stonington. [Ref] She was baptised on 26 May 1695 in Stonington. [Ref]. She married Unknown Baldwin. [Ref]
  9. Increase Billings was born on 13 May 1697 in Stonington. [Ref] He was baptised on 27 Jun 1697 in Stonington. [Ref] He died on 12 Oct 1777 in Preston. [Ref] He married first Hannah Hewitt on 26 Dec 1720 in Preston [Ref says in Preston] in Stonington. [Ref] Hannah, the sister of Mary Hewitt, was baptised on 19 Mar 1698/9 in Stonington. [Ref] She died on 17 Dec 1748. [Ref] He married second Sarah (Perkins) Stoddard, the widow of Robert Stoddard, on 16 Jul 1751. [Ref] Increase and Hannah had five sons and three daughters. [Ref] Increase was an ensign in the Second Stonington company in Oct 1737. [Ref] He was a deputy for Stonington on 11 May 1727. [Ref] He was Justice of the Peace for New London county in 1738-42. [Ref]
  10. Thankful Billings was born on 28 Sep 1703 in Stonington. [Ref][Ref says 5 Feb 1698/9] She was baptised on 19 Mar 1698/9. She died on 20 Jul 1740. [Ref] She married Daniel Smith of 18 Mar 1724/5 [Ref] in Stonington. [Ref] Daniel, the son of Daniel, was born on 1 Aug 1700 and died on 26 Aug 1741. [Ref] She had three sons and three daughters. [Ref]
  11. Capt. Benjamin Billings was born on 28 Sep 1703 in Stonington. [Ref] He was baptised on 5 Jun 1704. He died in 1742. [Ref] He married Mary Denison of 22 Jun 1724 in Westerly, RI [Ref says in Westerly] in Stonington. [Ref] Mary, the great-grand-daughter of Capt. George Denison, was born in 1705. [Ref] Benjamin had one son and five daughters. [Ref]

Fourth Generation

ENS. JAMES BILLINGS (1688 - 1761) of Stonington

Parents: Ebenezer Billings and Anne Comstock

Ens. James Billings was born on 4 Oct 1688 in Stonington. [Ref][Ref] He was baptised on 11 May 1690 in Stonington. [Ref][Ref] He died in 1761. [Ref] He married Mary Hewitt on 17 Mar 1714/5 [Ref] in Stonington. [Ref]

James was an ensign with the Second Stonington company on 11 May 1732. [Ref]

In his will, signed 23 Sep 1761 and proved 9 Oct 1761, he mentions sons Jesse, James, Amos (deceased), his daughter Eunice Babcock and his son-in-laws Capt. Joseph Palmer and Timothy Babcock. [Ref]

James Billings had the following children. All births and baptisms are found in Spencer-Mounsey [Ref].

  1. Zipporah Billings was born on 2 Oct 1715 in Stonington. She was baptised on 21 Oct 1716 in Stonington. She died in 1765-6. She married Capt. Joseph Palmer.
  2. James Billings was born on 20 Sep 1719 in Stonington. [Ref] He was baptised on 3 Apr 1720 in Preston. He married Margaret Fanning. [Ref] Margaret, the daughter of William, was born in 1727. [Ref] She died on 27 Mar 1752 [Ref] in Stonington. [Ref] They had five sons. [Ref]
    some descendants of James Billings
  3. Eunice Billings was born on 17 Aug 1721 in Stonington. [Ref] She was baptised on 14 Oct 1722 in Preston. She married Ezekiel Babcock on 26 Oct 1740 [Ref] in Stonington. [Ref] Ezekiel, the son of Robert, was born on 22 Jun 1716. He had two sons and three daughters. [Ref]
  4. Lois Billings was born on 6 Jan 1723/4 in Stonington. [Ref] She was baptised on 5 Apr 1724 in Stonington. She married Timothy Babcock on 1 Jul 1745. [Ref] Timothy, the son of James, was born on 12 Oct 1724 and died on 3 Dec 1795. [Ref] They had two sons and three daughters. [Ref]
  5. Amos Billings was born on 9 May 1728 in Stonington. He married Bethia Miner on 10 Jan 1749/50 [Ref] in Stonington. [Ref] She married second David Miner on 14 Nov 1753 [Ref] in Stonington. [Ref] Amos and Bethia had one daughter. [Ref]
  6. David Billings was born on 6 Sep 1730 in Stonington. [Ref]
  7. Capt. Jesse Billings was born on 18 Apr 1737 in Stonington. [Ref] He married Grace Breed on 5 Mar 1761. [Ref] He was a captain in the 25th Connecticut Regiment on 21 Oct 1778. [Ref]

Fifth Generation

ZIPPORAH BILLINGS (1715 - 1765-6)

Parents: James Billings and Mary Hewitt [Ref, p. 90]

Zipporah Billings was born on 2 Oct 1715 in Stonington. [Ref][Ref] She was baptised on 21 Oct 1716 in Stonington. [Ref] She died in 1765-6. [Ref, p. 90] She married Capt. Joseph Palmer on 10 Jul 1738 in Stonington. [Ref][Ref]

References

Creighton, Spencer-Mounsey, "The Billings Family of Connecticut," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 81, 1927, 156.

Hazen, Rev. Henry Allen, "Hon. Frederick Billings, A.M., LL. D.," New England Historical and Genealogical Register 45, 1891, 259.

Leavitt, Emily Wilder, Groups of Palmer Families from Walter Palmer of Charlestown and Rehoboth, Mass., Stonington, Conn., Privately printed by David Clapp & Sons, Boston, MA, 1901.

No Author, History of the First Congregational Church, Stonington, Conn., 1674-1874 with the Report of the Bi-centennial Proceedings, June 3, 1874, Richard A. Wheeler, T. A. David and Co., Norwich, 1875.

White, Lorraine Cook, ed., The Barbour Collection of Connecticut Town Vital Records, Vol. 1-55, Baltimore, Genealogical Publishing Co., 1994-2002.