Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1909-01-22
ANOTHER PIONEER GONE.
William Billings Passes Over The Great

The death of William Billings
Sunday morning. leaves wide gap
in the line OF pioneers who hravcd the
hard~hip> OF frontier life over halt
century arc.
He was among the early gold
seekers. who sailed for California. IN
Isis. 10y way of Cape Horn. on Il
whaling ship which touched at Hon
olulu and then came on TO San ran
cisco. where he arrived in 1919. After
IA short time spent in the mines. II"
came on to Portland. Oregon. in lo1o.
where he acquired considerable realty
that. had he kept it. would have made
him a man OF wealth Bat like many.
he disposed of il and, in the fall OF
lS5l. came to this city. which had
virtually been his home ever since.
He came from Ripton. Vermont,
where he was born Oct. -. 1877.
From this place he has made sew
eral expeditions, mostly with mining
intent. One of these trips was to
Queen Charlotte Island, he with 9th
ers having bought the brig Eagle in
which to make the voyage. The
vessel was wrecked and for a time
the voyagcrs lived with the natives
of the Island. They were finally
rescued by an English ship and
brought to Puget Sound.
In the early 30S he visited the
Florence Idaho. and the Salmon and
Fraser river mines. but did not
strike pay dirt.
Here deceased was an ever active
entity of the developing forces of the
new country. A portion of his time
was spent in the Indian service of
the Territory. but most of his efforts
were devoted to development of lat
ent resources. He started. in Il
small way. the manufacture of will
low-ware. by convict labor, but row
ing cattle DESTROYED his patch of will
lows and the promising enterprise
came to a sudden and disastrous end.
In 1879. with Oliver Shead and J.
II. Smith, he contracted for the care
and Safc-keeping of the Territorial
convicts, and to render the enter
prise, much as possible self-suS-
tanning, built large woodworking
factory at Seatco, and established a
brick making plant there, which
they maintained and operated until
the penitentiary was provided at
Walla Walla and supervision of the
convicts was assumed by the Terri
tory.
Mr. Billings served as a volunteer
in the Indian war of 1906, in Capt.
Hays company.
In every field of duty he seems to
have planned well and brought to
bear a commendable industry. but
the peculiar guiding spirit of luck
was not his to any apparent degree.
He was liberal in allhiS dealings, and
that he commanded in an eminent
degree the confidence of his fellow
men is shown in the fact that he was
for quarter of q century cOntinu-
Ously elected Sheriff Of Thurston
county. and that he at one time held
the combined authority of Deputy
U. S. Marshal, Sheriff and City
Marshal.
He leaves a widow and four des-
cendants, all grown-Mrs. Cleora Me-
Vey, Miss Blanche, Charles A., and
Alden Billings.
He was buried with Masonic hon
OrS, in their cemetery and with the
beautiful service of the order, Tues
day afternoon. A large concourSc
of citizens, and many of the old set
tiers as well as new corners, testified
their respect to his memory by their
presence. Many floral offerings were
also in evidence as mute testimonials
of esteem.