Biography of Gilbert Billings, 1768-1856
Gilbert Billings (1768-1856) was 15 years old when he began a seafaring career that was to last nearly 40 years. During this time he was master of the brig REBECCA, the ship TWO FRIENDS, and the schooner ALLIGATOR. In the early 1800’s he retired from the sea with “considerable property” and settled in North Stonington, Connecticut. He later became extensively involved in real estate throughout Southeastern Connecticut and in Chenango County, New York. Billings subsequently moved to Griswold, Connecticut.
Restrictions
Restrictions on Access
Available for use in the Manuscripts Division
Restrictions on Use
Various copying restriction apply. Guidelines are available from the Manuscripts Division.
Index Terms
This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the G. W. Blunt White Library. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.
Persons:
Billings family
Billings, Coddington–Correspondence
Corporate Bodies (Including Vessels):
ALLIGATOR (Schooner)
Rebecca (Brig)
Two Friends (Ship)
Places:
Griswold (Conn. : Town)
North Stonington (Conn.)
Subjects:
Real property–Connecticut
Real property–New York (State)–Chenango County
Shipping
Administrative Information
Coll. 131, Manuscripts Collection, G. W. Blunt White Library, Mystic Seaport Museum, Inc.
Detailed Description of the Collection
The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.
| Papers; 1775-1856 | |||||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Shipping records relating to Brig REBECCA, Ship TWO FRIENDS, and schooner ALLIGATOR; 1795-1798 | |||||||||||
| Letter written from New Orleans to Gilbert Billings “of the Brig REBECCA” by Daniel Clark Juny; Oct 12 (unknown year) | |||||||||||||
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| 2 | Sailing instructions to Capt. G. Billings of ship TWO FRIENDS for a voyage “from New Orleans to the Havanna & New York” by Debuys & Remy, possibly agents for the owners, Wm. & Thomas Hersey of New York; undated | ||||||||||||
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| 3 | Letter from Debuys & Remy dated New Orleans, to Captain Gilbert Billings of Ship TWO FRIENDS in Havanna; 1769 Oct 12 | ||||||||||||
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| 4 | Receipt dated from New York, shows Capt. Gilbert Billings paid $ 566.37 to Joseph Thebana for freight consigned from New Orleans aboard the ship TWO FRIENDS; 1769 Jun 6 | ||||||||||||
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| 5 | Receipt dated from New York, showing Joseph Thebana paid owner of ship TWO FRIENDS $277.05 for freight from New Orleans; 1796 Jun 28 | ||||||||||||
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| 6 | Letter dated from Havanna, to “Mr. Billings” in New York, written by J. Gimbal sending harbor permit and asking him to bring various articles to Havanna; 1797 Mar 21 | ||||||||||||
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| 7 | Sales of 25 cases of sugar for Capt. G. Billings ($1499.94); undated | ||||||||||||
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| 8 | Articles of agreement between Wm. Dyckman and the undersigned crew of Ship TWO FRIENDS due to a cask of indigo being lost overboard; 1796 Apr | ||||||||||||
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| 9 | “Amount of Specia Shipped Aboard Ship TWO FRIENDS in New Orleans Bound for New York – Gilbert Billings, master”; undated | ||||||||||||
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| 10 | Debit – Credit memorandum of ship TWO FRIENDS; undated | ||||||||||||
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| 11 | Capt. G. Billings of ship TWO FRIENDS in account with William & John Harvey; 1795 Dec-1797 Mar | ||||||||||||
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| 12 | William & John Harvey in account with Gilbert Billings; 1795 Dec-1797 Mar | ||||||||||||
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| 13 | Gilbert Billings in account with Wm. & John Harvey; 1795 Dec-1798 Mar | ||||||||||||
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| 14 | Gilbert Billings, master of ship TWO FRIENDS, in account with Wm. & John Harvey, “Errors Excepted”; 1795 Dec-1797 May | ||||||||||||
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| 15 | Gilbert Billings in account with Wm. & John Harvey; 1797 Mar-1798 Mar | ||||||||||||
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| 16 | Capt. Gilbert Billings in account with Wm. & John Harvey; 1797 Mar-1798 Mar | ||||||||||||
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| 17 | Wm. & John Harvey in account with Gilbert Billings; 1795 Dec-1997 mar | ||||||||||||
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| 18 | Letter dating from New York, detailing instructions for disposal of cargo on board schooner ALLIGATOR, Gilbert Billings, master; 1798 Mar 24 | ||||||||||||
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| 19 | Schooner ALLIGATOR and owners to Gilbert Billings – the sum of $203.00; 1798 May-Jun | ||||||||||||
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| 20 | Note in Spanish dealing with Gilbert Billings, New Orleans and Havanna; undated | ||||||||||||
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| 21 | Photograph, with “Billings” written in pencil on the back; undated | ||||||||||||
| 2 | Gilbert/Nathan Billings; 1799-1819 | ||||||||||||
| Deposition of Simon Kouse to Nathan Billings” sickness anddeliriumm in the fall of 1799, used before the court at Middletown; 1802 Jan | |||||||||||||
| Summons for Nathan Billings of Stonington to answer charges of failure to honor a $.90 debt; 1803 May 18 | |||||||||||||
| $77.12 estate debt owed to Samuel Hewit by Nathan Billings as executor of Joseph Billings” estate; 1804 Mar 7 | |||||||||||||
| Promissory note N. B. to Nathan F. Dixon: $4.49; 1804 Apr 14 | |||||||||||||
| Certificate by Stonington selectmen stating that Nathan Billings has no personal estate to satisfy the $77.34 debt owed to Samuel Hewitt; 1804 May 8 | |||||||||||||
| Connecticut General Assembly”s appointment placing Nathan Billings under care of Gilbert Billings and authorizing the sale of N. Billing”s land to satisfy the debt now amounting to $80.84; 1804 May 8 | |||||||||||||
| Sale of land of Nathan to Sanford Billings for 26 pounds; 1804 May 12 | |||||||||||||
| A petition by Coddington Billings demanding payment ($1204.97) owed him by Nathan Billings; 1805 Nov 15 | |||||||||||||
| Summons for Nathan Billings to appear and answer charges of failure to pay $ 11.96 – total debt: $14.00; 1807 Nov 4 | |||||||||||||
| Deed, Nathan Billings to Sanford Billings; 1806 Feb 22 | |||||||||||||
| Gilbert Billings acknowledging receipt of Nathan Billing’s note to Coddington Billings for $150.00, and Gilbert’s declaration of responsibility for the debt; 1814 Sep 15 | |||||||||||||
| Note from Nathan Billings requesting Gilbert Billings to charge $15.52 to his account for payment of debt; 1815 Jan 19 | |||||||||||||
| Nathan Billing’s discharge; 1815 Jul 18 | |||||||||||||
| Note from Nathan Billings to Gilbert Billings for $38.50; 1819 Nov 29 | |||||||||||||
| A Bill owed by Nathan Billings; undated | |||||||||||||
| 3 | Land transactions, deeds, quit claims, and related correspondence; 1792-1842 | ||||||||||||
| Deed recording David to Theo. Baldwin; 1792 Oct-1801 Nov | |||||||||||||
| Deed: Theo. Baldwin from David Baldwin, J.; 1792 Oct 13 | |||||||||||||
| Lease for land (4 years?) from Theo. Baldwin to Sanford and Gilbert Billings; 1800 Dec 16 | |||||||||||||
| Sale of land for $500.00 purchased by Gilbert Billings from Theo. Baldwin; 1801 Nov 9 | |||||||||||||
| Promissory note: David Baldwin, Jr. to C. Billings – $81.55; 1802 Sep 24 | |||||||||||||
| Promissory note: Theo. Baldwin to G. Billings – $536.00; 1802 Sep 24 | |||||||||||||
| Sale of land for $536.00 purchased by G. Billings from Theo. Baldwin; 1802 Sep 24 | |||||||||||||
| Account between G. B. and T. Baldwin totaling $416.19; 1808 Sep 26 | |||||||||||||
| Receipt and statement by Theo. Baldwin to the effect that G. Billings has discharged his obligation on his note to T. B.; 1808 Oct 2 | |||||||||||||
| Account between G. B. and T. Baldwin totaling $1650.53; 1802 Nov 9 | |||||||||||||
| Ephraimam William’s deed to Gilbert Billings; 1803 Jul 30 | |||||||||||||
| Deed: T. Baldwin to G. Billings; 1803 Aug 16 | |||||||||||||
| D. Baldwin mortgage to T. Baldwin: $1121.98; 1803?-Oct | |||||||||||||
| Note from T. Baldwin asking D. Baldwin to pay C. Billings $85.12, D. B. refused to pay it; 1804 Jan 7 | |||||||||||||
| G. B. deed from Amos Crandal; 1804 Jun 20 | |||||||||||||
| Sale of land (New York) $1,000.00 purchased by G. B. from Joshua Downes; 1804 Oct 2 | |||||||||||||
| Certificate of the presence of the Downes/Billings deed dated Oct 2 1804 from the Clerk”s Office Chenango County, N.Y.; 1808 Sep 24 | |||||||||||||
| Sale of land $45.00 purchased by G. B. from Augustus Mowry; 1809 Jan 30 | |||||||||||||
| Sale of land $1572.02 purchased by G. B. from the estate of Charles Phelps; 1814 Jul 29 | |||||||||||||
| Real estate tax receipts on G. B.”s New York land; 1813-1821 | |||||||||||||
| Real estate tax receipts on G. B.”s New York land; 1822-1825 | |||||||||||||
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| 22 | Bond for purchase of land for $150.00 issued to “borrower” by Sanford Billings; 1817 Sep 20 | ||||||||||||
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| 23 | Letter discussing land deals, refers to Oct 1804 deed; 1817?-Jul 13 | ||||||||||||
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| 24 | Receipt from Treasurer”s Office, Albany, N. Y. for $13.98 to Gilbert Billings; 1825 Jun 30 | ||||||||||||
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| 25 | Letter dated from Pharsalia, N.Y., to G. Billings from John H. Wells concerning mortgages payments to Billings; 1828 Aug 22 | ||||||||||||
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| 26 | C. Billings deed to G. Billings; 1829 Apr 11 | ||||||||||||
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| 27 | Letter dated from Pharsalia, N.Y., to G. Billings from John Brown concerning taxes and land sales; 1829 Dec 5 | ||||||||||||
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| 28 | Letter dated from Pharsalia, N.Y., to G. B. from John H. Wells concerning mortgage payments to G. B.; 1830 Mar 2 | ||||||||||||
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| 29 | Letter dated from Pharsalia, N.Y., to G. B. from John Brown regarding land transactions; 1831 Sep 25 | ||||||||||||
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| 30 | Receipt: John Wells to G. Billings for payment of $3.27; 1831 Oct 6 | ||||||||||||
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| 31 | Bond of G. B. to John Wells for sale of land; 1831 Oct 6 | ||||||||||||
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| 32 | Map of John Brown”s land, Pharsalia, N.Y.; 1831 Sep 20 | ||||||||||||
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| 33 | Letter dated from Pharsalia, N.Y., to G. B. from John Brown discussing land purchased by Brown & Wells from G. B.; 1837 Jun 17 | ||||||||||||
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| 34 | Letter dated from Pharsalia, N.Y., to G. B. from John Wells demanding a sufficient deed for land purchased in 1835 from G. B.; 1837 Jul 31 | ||||||||||||
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| 35 | Letter dated from Pharsalia, N.Y., to G. B. from John H. Wells demanding a proper legal deed; 1837 Sep 25 | ||||||||||||
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| 36 | Memorandum between G. B. & John Wells concerning Well”s purchase of land from G. B.; undated | ||||||||||||
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| 37 | Letter dated from Pharsalia, N.Y., to G. B. from John H. Wells concerning land dispute with Peter Smith; 1838 Sep 3 | ||||||||||||
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| 38 | Deed: Gerrit Smith to G. B. – New York land; 1839 Jan 31 | ||||||||||||
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| 39 | Notification by G. B. of payment to Gerrit Smith of $25.00 for 10 acres of land – New York land; undated | ||||||||||||
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| 40 | Letter dated from Pharsalia, N.Y., to G. B. from John Brown concerning land transaction involving himself and Mr. Wells; 1839 Jun 2 | ||||||||||||
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| 41 | Letter to G. B. from C. Billings dealing with mortgage transaction; 1842 Jun 25 | ||||||||||||
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| 42 | Auction notes for lands belonging to the estate of the late Elisha Williams in Chenango County, New York; undated | ||||||||||||
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| 43 | Township range map; undated | ||||||||||||
| 4 | Notes and Receipts; 1801-1855 | ||||||||||||
| Receipt: Baldwin to John Foster for 218 pounds of hay; 1801 Oct 13 | |||||||||||||
| Receipt: S. Baldwin to Gilbert Billings, balance due on hay, rum, etc.; 1801 Nov 9 | |||||||||||||
| Receipt: T. Baldwin to G. Billings; 1801 Dec 14 | |||||||||||||
| Promissory note for $27.56, Squire T. Coleston to G. Billings; 1806 Jan 22 | |||||||||||||
| “Promise to pay” note, Gilbert Billings, Stonington; 1806 Mar 11 | |||||||||||||
| Probate Court appointment of G. Billings and others as executors of the estate of Amos Swan of North Stonington, Connecticut; 1814 Mar 7 | |||||||||||||
| Request of G. Billings for a pair of gravestones, New London; 1814 Jun 21 | |||||||||||||
| Tax receipt of G. B., North Stonington; 1817 Mar 6 | |||||||||||||
| Receipt: Elias Brown to G. B.; 1819 Apr 9 | |||||||||||||
| Promissory note: Lucy Euston to G. B., North Stonington; 1819 Dec 11 | |||||||||||||
| Bill (balance due) E. Downing to G. B., Griswald, Connecticut; 1860 Apr 30 | |||||||||||||
| Promissory note: Elisha Brewster to G. B., Griswald; 1822 Apr 3 | |||||||||||||
| Promissory note: G. Billings to Robert Billings, Griswald; 1824 Dec 2 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: G. B. owes Nathan D. Palmer $5.42, Preston, Connecticut; 1829 Jan 26 | |||||||||||||
| G. B. account sheet for Robert (H?) $71.44; 1833-1835 | |||||||||||||
| Account book: G. B., record of C.C. Maney; 1838 | |||||||||||||
| G. B. account to Joseph Frink, Griswald, also 2 receipts to G. B. for the New London Gazette, Griswald,; 1839 Sep, 1840 Apr 18 | |||||||||||||
| Joseph Frink to G. B.; 1839-1841 | |||||||||||||
| Receipt from B. M. Gay to G. B. for “medical attention,” $29.75; 1855 Jan 22 | |||||||||||||
| Note from Sally Davis to G. B.; undated | |||||||||||||
| Sally Davis order in favor of Robert Herrick; undated | |||||||||||||
| Miscellaneous notes on notebook pages; undated | |||||||||||||
| 5 | In account with S. A. Maine & Co.; 1833-1856 | ||||||||||||
| Bill: $1.41; undated | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $4.41; unknown year, Nov 22 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $2.05; unknown year, Aug-Oct 20 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $3.28; 1852 Aug 7-1854 Mar 7 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $1.34; 1852 Nov 21 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $1.71; 1854 Jun | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $2.57; 1854 Jul 13 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $2.43; 1854 Aug 2 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $3.01; 1854 Dec 6 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $0.53; 1855 Jan | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $0.83; 1855 Jan 5 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $4.44; 1855 Jan 20 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $1.02; 1855 Jan 23 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $1.68; 1855 Feb 6 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $8.56; 1855 Apr 30 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $7.20; 1855 Jul 11 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $1.78; 1855 Dec 1 | |||||||||||||
| Bill: $1.03; 1856 Feb 21 | |||||||||||||
| 6 | Business activities and accounts with Coddington Billings; 1801-1836 | ||||||||||||
| Receipt for $500.00 of Coddington Billings, by the hand of Gilbert Billings for acc of Amos Crandall; 1801 Mar | |||||||||||||
| Gilbert Billings to Coddington Billings: account with attached receipt; 1802 May-1803 Oct | |||||||||||||
| Account between Gilbert and Coddington Billings “of certain notes left by our Father”; 1806 Apr 25 | |||||||||||||
| G. B. in account current with C. B.; 1803 Apr-1808 Mar | |||||||||||||
| G. B. in account current with C. B., with attached receipt dated Preston, CT, Aug 19, 1809; 1808 Mar-1810 Mar | |||||||||||||
| Account sheet: Coddington Billings to G. B.; 1810 Oct-1818 Nov | |||||||||||||
| Promissory note: G. B. to C. B., Griswald, Connecticut; 1818 Feb | |||||||||||||
| G. B. in account with C. B.; 1819 Jan-1825 Feb | |||||||||||||
| Account sheet: G. B. to Coddington Billings; 1820 Feb-Apr | |||||||||||||
| Notice of stock transfer to G. B. by C. B. (Whaling Bank), New London, Connecticut; 1835 Sep | |||||||||||||
| Dividend receipt to G. B. from C. B. for stock shares in Whaling Bank, New London CT; 1836 Feb 16 | |||||||||||||
| Dividend receipt to G. B. from C. B. on 100 shares in Whaling Bank; 1836 Jul | |||||||||||||
| 7 | Letters from Coddington Billings; 1817-1839 | ||||||||||||
| Letter: Coddington Billings to Gilbert Billings, New London, CT; 1817 Apr 28 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: C. B. to G. B., New London; 1834 Jan 18 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: C. B. to G. B., New London; 1835 Sep 9 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: C. B. to G. B., New London; 1835 Nov 10 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: C. B. to G. B., New London; 1836 Feb 23 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: C. B. to G. B., New London; 1836 Mar 14 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: C. B. to G. B., New London; 1839 Jan 10 | |||||||||||||
| 8 | Letters received; 1790-1851 | ||||||||||||
| Letter: to Gilbert Billings (New York) from R. Palmer (Philadelphia); 1790 Feb 20 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to G. B. from G. Debuys (New Orleans); 1797 Jul 7 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to G. B. (Stonington, Ct) from an attorney (New York); 1799 Nov 2 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to attorney Robert Bogardas Esq., attorney for the plaintiff (ie. Gilbert Billings & John Coates) from C. J. Bogart, defense attorney; 1799 Nov 25 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to G. B. (Stonington) from Denison Randall (Norwich, CT); 1803 Jan 20 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to G. B. (Griswald, CT) from Stephen Much; 1833 Mar 14 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to G. B. (Griswald) from N. & W. W. Billings (New London); 1834 Apr 14 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to G. B. from William C. Crump (New London); 1845 Feb 10 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to G. B. (Griswald) from Ralph (?) (Norwich); 1845 Feb 17 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to G. B. from William Main (San Francisco); 1851 Ju 11 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: G. B. from ?; undated | |||||||||||||
| Letter: G. B. (Griswald) from Horation Billings; undated | |||||||||||||
| 9 | Miscellaneous family correspondence; 1798-1854 | ||||||||||||
| Letter: Cath. Surget from Peter Surget (son), New York; 1798 Mar 28 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to Lucy Billings (Griswald, Ct.) from Sarah Edmund; 1801 Feb 11 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to Gideon Kinney (Griswald) from Robert Billings, Baltimore; 1830 Aug 22 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to Benjamin Billings (Griswald) from Robert Billings, Maryland; 1831 May 8 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: Recipe for cookies, Lucy Billings; undated | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to Ann Sarah Billings from Ann P. Billings (mother) Griswald; unknown year Sep 30 | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to Sadie from Lucy H. Billings, Preston, Conn.; undated | |||||||||||||
| Letter: to “Daughter” from Ann P. Billings (mother) and “Father,” Griswald; 1854 Oct 27 | |||||||||||||
| 10 | Miscellaneous documents; 1775-1810 | ||||||||||||
| Bond of Daniel Billings to Sanford Billings for 100, Stonington, CT; 1775 May 29 | |||||||||||||
| Notice of small pox exposure and inoculation authorization, Stonington; 1781 Nov 6 | |||||||||||||
| Summons for Dudley Hewitt (?) to be delivered by the sheriff of New London County; 1796 Sep 13 | |||||||||||||
| Instruction for John Davis to summon Remington Sears to appear before Sanford Billings, Justice of the Peace, New London County; 1797 Jan 14 | |||||||||||||
| Will of Lucy Billings, mother of Gilbert Billings, North Stonington, CT.; 1810 Feb | |||||||||||||