The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1890-10-09
FREDERICK BILLINGS.

The death of Hon. Frederick Billings
of Woodstock, which had been expected
at almost any minute for months, oc-
CURED at his home Tuesday evening at
10 o'clock. The news will be sad blow
to the wide circle of friends of this hon
ored and loved citizen of Vermont. AL
though not in good health for many
years, he had not been seriously i'll until
last winter, when partial stroke of par
alysis, ,complica ed with heart difficulty,
prOstrated him. He was taken from New
York to Woodstock, and has been failing
steadily since. Mr.. Billings was born at
Royalton, September 27, 1928 He was
the son of the late Del Billings and
Sophia Wetherbee, and was the fourth
of family of nine children, five of whom
still survive. When he was about twelve
years of age, his father moved from Roy
alton to Woodstock. He fitted for col
| lege in that town, and at the age of sew
enteen entered the University of Yer
mont, from which he graduated in 1874.
After leaving college he studied law, and
was admitted to the Windsor county bar
in 1S4S. He was appointed secretary of
civil and military affairs by Governor
Horace Eaton in 1916, and held that office
during Governor EatOn's two terms as
| Governor. In 1S4S, when the gold of
California began to excite the imagina-
| ton and desire for wealth and adventure
| in the young men of the East, Mr.. Bill
lings set sail with his brother, b. Sim
mons, who was captain of vessel ply
ing to and from the golden land. Locat-
| ing in San Francisco in the following
year, Mr.. Billings began the practice of
law. He was successful from the first.
He became a partner in the leading law
( firm of San Francisco, that of Halleck,
Peachy, Billings & Park, of which Cen
eral Halleck, subsequently for a time
general in chief of the Union armies, and
Trenor W. Peck were members. Mr..
Billings was active in all the measures
which the best element of California was
at this time striving to establish. In
1862, he married, at New York, Julia,
daughter of Eleazer Parmly, of that city.
Soon after this he closed up his business
in San Francisco, and, after a period
spent in foreign travel, he returned in
1854 to Woodstock to make his home
there. In 1869 he purchased the Marsh
estate, comprising the homestead of the
late Charles Marsh, the father of George
p. Marsh He also kept residence in
New York, where he spent his winters.
Soon after returning to Woodstock he
was elected president of the Woodstock
National Bank. In 1872 he was candi-
date for the Republican nomination for
Governor of Vermont. Little known to
many of the delegates, he was defeated
by the narrOwest possible margin. After
the nomination had been made, Mr.. Bill
lings addressed the convention, and, SC
charmed was it with his appearance, that
he was given evidence of approval and
esteem that must have been more accept
able than any public office could have
been. 1t was generally remarked at the
time that, had the speech been made be
fore the vote, Mr.. Billings would have
been nominated unanimously. He would
never consent again, however, to become
a candidate for public Office. In 1880 he
was chosen as a delegate to the Republi
can National Convention, and presented
the name of George F. Edmunds as the
choice of the Republicans of Vermont
for President in one of the best speeches
of the Convention. Mr.. Billings was
also a prominent member of the UmoI
League Club of New York. The busi
ness enterprise with which his name Ii
, most closely connected was that OF rals
, ing the fallen fortunes of the Northerl
} Pacific Railroad Company, after the fail
| ure of jay Cooke in 1873. Although tn,
I 1
lings invested literally and induced his
friends to do likewise. By his courage
/ and push the stock was brought up to
paying point, when he disposed o
enough Of his share to give Henry Willard
5 a controlling interest. The transaction
. with Willard added several millions t.
: Mr.. Billings fortune. He was also al
| extensive owner in the Delaware u Hud
son Company, and was one of its direct
ors. He was president of the Woodstock
5 Railroad, and was interested in othe
t railroad enterprises. The latest grea
j. commercial enterprise to which he CAV
b his name and help was the Nicaragu
t canal. He was one of the incorporation
0 of the company, and was earnestly inter
e ested in the project. Mr.. Billings fami
n ly life was peculiarly happy, Seven chill
I dren were born to him, five of whom
n with Mrs. Billings, survive him. TIL
$ oldest son, Parmly, died in 1883, and tn
q third, Ehrick, died about a year age
h The surviving members of the famil
Q will in their sad bereavement have
S sympathy as widely extended as wer
t Mr.. Billings good works and name
a Their friends in Woodstock especial
o will extend to them loving tenderness
@ most beautiful and comforting. -Wdtci
o man.