the billings family
hiram billings, his first wife nancy, and his second wife rosetta
By Sharla Cerra, with information provided by Billings descendant Holly Brinkman and other sources.
|
In July 2016, descendant and genealogist Holly Brinkman provided some information about the Billings family.
Hiram and Nancy Billings had three children:
HIRAM GOES OFF TO WARIn March of 1861, Nancy died. She was only 33. She left her husband and her three children, then ages 2, 4, and 8.
Later that year, Hiram left Table Rock and enlisted in the army in Ohio. Why he went to Ohio to enlist is unknown, but in December 1861 he did. He enlisted in Company B of the 67th Ohio Infantry. He was 43 years old. The 67th Ohio formed for a three-year enlistment but there was a reenlistment and they were not mustered out until many months after Lee's surrender at Appomattox. Their regimental history recounts their movements. Here is a summary and some highlights taken from "The Union Army" by Federal Publishing Company, 1908 - Volume 2 This regiment was organized in the state at large, from Oct., 1861, to Jan., 1862, to serve for three years, and left Columbus [Ohio] for the field, Jan. 19, 1862, going into western Virginia. More heavy losses were sustained at the battle of Chester Station. Ten days after that, they participated in a charge at Bermuda Hundred in which they again suffered heavy losses.
On Aug. 16, four companies charged the rifle-pits of the enemy at Deep Bottom and at the first volley lost a third of their men ; but before the Confederates could reload the rifle-pits were in possession of the Buckeye boys. Another regimental history follows the regiment's movements throughout the war. It can be found at http://www.civilwararchive.com/Unreghst/unohinf5.htm#67th.
That history comes to their involvement in the dramatic conclusion of the war, the pursuit of General Lee and then Lee's surrender at Appomattox, saying simply: Appomattox Campaign March 28-April 9. Fall of Petersburg April 2. Pursuit of Lee April 3-9. Rice's Station April 6. Appomattox Court House April 9. Surrender of Lee and his army. After months of guard duty, Hiram was released to return to Table Rock in the Fall of 1865.
motherless Baby Nancy Josephine goes to live with the dimons when her father hiram goes off to warHolly does not know what happened to James and Tilman Billings, then 4 and 8 years old, when their father went off to war. Her great greate grandmother Nancy Josephine Billings, who was only 2, went to live with Charles and Caroline Dimon. Here they are in their later years:
The Dimons were among the very earliest settlers in Table Rock. The Dimons arrived in Table Rock with others who made the journey from Pennsylvania in the Spring of 1857.
Charles and Caroline are cited a couple of times by Doralyn Steiner in her book, Stories of Early Settlers Along the Nemaha, copyright Doralyn Steiner 2016, published by the Table Rock Historical Society. Doralyn describes the Dimon's arrival, quoting in part from Chapman Brothers. Portrait and Biographical Album of Johnson and Pawnee Counties, Nebraska. Chicago, 1889: 'At Weston, Mo., they were obliged to disembark from the boat, as the river was full of ice, and was not navigable beyond that point. Mr. Dimon bought a yoke of cattle, and from that city they traveled in a wagon up through Kansas, and arrived at Table Rock on April 4, 1857.' The Dimons pre-empted 160 acres of prairie land three miles southeast of Table Rock, on the east side of the Nemaha River. |
Hiram Billings' first wife, Nancy, died in Table Rock in 1861. Her tombstone is one of the oldest in the cemetery.
Lee's surrender at Appomattox
Charles & Carolina Dimon o the occasion of their 50th wedding anniversary. Photo 684 of the Table Rock Historical Society.
Tombstone of Charles & Carolina Dimon in the Table Rock Cemetery. Charles, 1826-1902, Caroline, Caroline 1826-1905.
|
Thus, toddler Nancy Josephine Billings would have joined them in that cabin on the Nemaha. Holly Brinkman asked us a question:
According to family legend, Nancy Josephine was taken by the indians for a period of time. Do you know anything about that sort of thing?
We don't. We know that there were Indians about. Doralyn Steiner again cited to the 1889 Chapman Brothers book about an incident involving Caroline Dimon:
According to a story preserved in Chapman Brothers’ Biographical Album, a band of Indians dropped in on Caroline Dimon when her husband was away.
Seating themselves around the fire [they] made themselves quite at home, much to Mrs. Dimon’s alarm. When the fire needed replenishing she did not dare to go for firewood, fearing that her unwelcome guests would steal something while she was away. But when the temperature of the room became too cold for Messrs, lo they found their way to the woodpile, and returned to the house laden with fuel, and rebuilt the fire themselves, and prolonged their visits for some time.
Since little Nancy Billings is not mentioned, she may not have come to live with the Dimons yet, but in any event this is the environment in which she was raised. Her father was still away at war.
|
An unusual event occurred in Table Rock when Nancy was 5 years old. She surely was not aware of it, but the grown ups certainly were. Andrew Fellers caught two horse thieves. They ran away but were eventually caught. They and a fellow who harbored them were hanged in Table Rock, two on Christmas Eve of 1864 and the other shortly after. There is a long and detailed story about the event, very dramatic in a series in the Table Rock Argus published in 1893.
|
The 50th anniversary of Charles & Caroline Dimon. The young lady between them is presumably Nancy Josephine. Check out the pictures of Nancy Josephine in her elder years and compare. Photo 6908. color added by Steve Bixenmann.
Nancy josephine billings gets married, lives to be 101
Holly continues recounting the story of Nancy Josephine Billings:
So, she lived in Table Rock through a good deal of her 20's and married my great-great-grandfather, Martin Higinbotham on March 21, 1878 in Pawnee County.
They had five kids: Bert Elmer (1880-??), Gracie (1882-??), Blanche (1889-??), Roy Lewis (1891-1971), and Nellie (1898-1970).
I know from the census research that I've done that she and her husband Martin lived next door to Hiram in 1885. I'm not sure why that blew my mind...but it did.!
I believe they moved to Kansas for 15ish years before moving to Akron, Colorado.
Anyway, Nancy Josephine lived to be 101 and according to my mom and my great uncle who knew her, she was a real spirited character!
Holly brought Nancy Josephine to life. As with so many of the pioneers, only photos of them in their old age exist. But you must look into those eyes and think where they have been and what they have done!
Holly produced three photographs. Here is a photograph of Nancy with her husband Martin Higinbotham:
Holly produced three photographs. Here is a photograph of Nancy with her husband Martin Higinbotham:
Holly Brinkman says of Nancy Josephine and Martin that after Martin died, Nancy Josephine had a difficult time. She adds:
Everyone I've ever talked to about her said that Martin adored her and that she was a really beautiful woman. I feel like it was probably difficult to lose him.
Martin, who was born in 1854, died in 1931. Nancy, who was born in 1859, as 72 at the time, and lived 29 years without him.
Here is a photograph of Holly Brinkman's mother, Marilyn Higinbotham. With her are three of her four great grandmothers, who include Nancy Josephine, who is on the far right: Holly note that all of these great grandmothers lived to be at least 100 years old!
Here is a photograph of Holly Brinkman's mother, Marilyn Higinbotham. With her are three of her four great grandmothers, who include Nancy Josephine, who is on the far right: Holly note that all of these great grandmothers lived to be at least 100 years old!
Anna Baker, Marilyn Higinbotham (the little girl), Elvessie Harrington and Nancy Josephine Higinbotham.
Finally, here is a newspaper clipping about Nancy Josephine on the occasion of her 100th birthday:
hiram marries rosetta mcneal after the war.
Their children & grandchildren
|
After the war, Hiram married Rosetta McNeal. She was the little sister of of Civil War veteran William McNeal, the only Table Rock boy known to have died in the war. William's remains were not recovered, and a military stone has been secured but has not yet been placed.
Hiram and Rosetta moved to Lewiston, Nebraska at one point as their daughter was born there. They had at least four children together, a daughter, Mary Ann, and sons Thomas, Will, and Charles. Mary Ann married Charles Brock in 1885; they are buried in Table Rock, as are their children Baid Dee Brock (1888-1950)(who married Cora Tenk) and Verta Brock Wasmund (1894-1934). Hiram died in 1904, and Rosetta in 1906. They, too are buried in Table Rock. |
|
Hiram and his second wife, Rosetta McNeal Billings are lie near Nancy. He died ij 1904, she in 1906.
For some reason, the Argus was not doing regular obituaries at the time that Hiram died. His is very brief; others are of similar brevity. His simply says this. Note that the recollection of his being county commissioner in 1862 is inconsistent with his Civil War service. However, the article was obviously provided by family members who were not old enough to have known such a detail.
There are a number of Billings family members in the area. How they are related to Hiram Billings, if at all, I do not know. I wonder whether Nancy Billings Saathoff was given a family name, or whether she was named Nancy by chance. I will have to ask her kids.....