Patience Billings (PEO.42)

Patience Billings’ Documents

Included here are scans, followed by transcripts, of documents containing a Billings Genealogy and a Memoir of the Death of Benjamin Billings written by Patience Billings circa 1843-1847 as well as additional documentation by unknown authors.

Patience Billings (Aug. 19, 1791-Nov. 14, 1849) was the daughter of Benjamin (1754-1826) and Abigail Closson (b. May 20, 1757) Billings.  She married Samuel Billings, the son of Benjamin’s brother Abel (b.1757) and Betsy Farrar Billings. Their children were Nancy (b. 1809), Calvin (b. 1814), Phebe (b. 1816), Mary Ann (b. 1820) and Cyrena (b. 1824).   Benjamin and Abel were born in Lincoln, Mass. the sons of John and Hannah Farrar Billings and lived in Sedgwick.

Transcript:
Rev. Frederic William Farrar
D.D Arch deacon of Westminster
cannon of WestminsterAbby
Queens Chaplain to the House of Commons
Son of Rev C.A. Farrar
Born 1831
London England

Cyrena Billings
died May 3 1847
age 23 years

Patience Billings
died Nov 14 1849

Transcript:
Sedgwick May 3d 1847
Dear Mary Ann agreeable to your wish I shall try to wright you a few lines  Cyrena remains about the same as she was when you was hear with the exception that she is weaker   had a very distressing night last night and is very feable to day Spends the most of the time in prayer when her breath is so short she can not  She will say I cant pray you must pray  o that the Lord would take me out of my suffering  I do not want to stay hear any longer  I am willing to die you must give me up  we have company nights  Johnson is at home yet  Calvin has began work for Mr Eaton  is at home nights  he wants to hear from you soon  Mary Ann Gray has gone home  Sarah helped me wash to day
Patience Billings

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Transcript of scanned handwritten documents:

Patience used verse for a prayer and for the story of the 1826 death of her father Benjamin from influenza.

A Prayer

P  atience dear Lord is what I need
A  nd for the grace I often plead
T  o soothe this painful path I tread
I   in sleepless hours upon my bed
E  very day I pass along
N  ew and joyful be my song
C  ome dearest Lord possess my heart
E  re from this world I must depart

B  egin my soul this day anew
I   n covanent with thy God be true
L  ord make me humble king good
L  earn now to put my trust in God
I   n the alone I hope for Heaven
N  o name on earth is given
G  ive to the Lord im mortal pray
S  ing of his love in endless days

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Lines written on the death of
Benjamin Billings Sedgwick who
Departed this life March 28 1826
In the seventy third year of his age
1
Come O my friends and hear the sound
For God is calling all around
He calls on us for to prepare
And meet our friend with Jesus dear
2
He had arrived to seventy two
Before he bid this world adieu
We felt the ties of nature strong
Although he was spared to us so long
3
The influenza was the ail
Which caused his life and breath to fail
And so we all must bow to God
When he uplifts his awful nod
4
It was nine days that he was ill
Before his time it was fulfilled
He was a man of humble mind,
For he with Christ was truly joined.
5
He said I am drawing near the grave
I cannot many hours live
Yet in the Lord I’ll put my trust
Although I soon must turn to dust
6
They asked him if he feared to die.
And meet the Lord above the sky
He said why should I be afraid
For Jesus has my ransom paid.
7
Unto his son he said draw near
My last and dying words to hear.
Remember what I say to you.
And as much as in your power do.
8
Take care of your poor Mother dear
Reward her for her pain and care
Provide for her what care She need
And bury her by me when dead.
9
But O do not forget your soul
Untill the bell for you doth tole
Study your Bible every day
And strive to watch and try to pray
10
But O how hard it was to see
Him sitting up continuly,
And never to lie down atall
Untill that he must give up all
11
He yealed up his latest breath
And fell into the arms of death
He was not heard to groan or cry
But bore his pain most patiently
12
And now he is gone to peace and rest
In robes of white we hope he is drest
But O his friends for him do mourn
Because to them he cannot return.
13
His partner dear is left below.
Which must soon follow him we know
And as they lived on earth in love
We hope they will meet in heaven above  14
She daily mourns with greaf and wo
Yet know its right it should be so
For him to go while she must stay
Gods will is done all she can say.
15
A husband kind when troubles rose.
A parent dear his children knows
A friend to all that knew him here
16
O may his children be prepared.
Like him to follow there dear Lord
Till death shall call their souls away
To meet the Lord in endless day.

---

The following Family Record entries for Samuel Billings through William Eaton appear to be in the handwriting of Patience Billings. The rest of the entries may or may not have been done by her. None of the entries have been researched for accuracy.

Family Record
Samuel Billings born in Sedgwick July 30 1784
Patience Billings born August 19 1791
Nancy September 24 1809
Calvin January 20 1814
Phebe July 15 1816
Mary Ann born May 7 1820
Cyrena Do  May 16 1824

Benjamin Billings born in Lincoln Mass December 12 1754
Abigail Closson Billings born in Old York May 20 1757
Benjamin Jr.  Apriel 27 1776
Jesse Sept 21 1777
Elizabeth July 18 1781
Hannah May 24 1785
Enoch February 18 1783
Nathan July 24 1788  Abigail May 11 1790
Patience August 19 1791
Phebe Feb 4 1794
Pamelia July 29 1797

Abel Billings born in Lincoln Mass Feb 16 1757
Elizabeth Farrar Billings born in Sudbery Mass Sept 15 1762
John born August 13 1780
Samuel born july 30 1784
Abel born july 22 1786
Solomon june 10 1789
Reuben born Apriel 29 1791
Polly born October 24 1794
Elizabeth born jan 25 1797
Lucy born March 12 1799
Martha born jan 5 1802
Deborah born Feb 23 1804

Deaths
John Billings Died Dec 1803
Hannah his wife Dec 1806
Benjamin Billings March 28 1826 aged 72
John Billings killed in battle at Castine August 1779
Deac Solomon Billings died March 21 1821 aged 62
Lucy Flowers died January 1792
Hannah Howard died June 1833
Azuba Hooper died October 1825
John Hoper drowned Oct 22 1809
Solomon Billings d Oct 11 1822
Dea Abel Billings died Nov 27 1833 aged seventy seven years
Amos E Wood died Oct 1 1832 aged one year eleven months
Susan wife of Nathan Billings died jan 26 1836 aged 41
Benj Billings jr died Sept 22 1836 aged 60
John Hooper died Dec 30 1836 aged 86
Asa Hooper died Apriel 11 1838 aged 53
Lois wife of Timothy Billings aged 40
jeremiah Billings died july 17 1840 aged 36
Deac Samuel Billings died Sept 30 1840 aged 56 ye 2 month
widow Abigail Billings died Oct 4 1840 aged 83 years 9 months
Sam Knowls Dec 6 1840
Timothy Billings died Feb 9 1841
Grace Carter died juel 12 1842
Capt Elisha Billings died july1842 aged 36 of Mt Dessert
John C Eaton Sept 6 1842
George E Wood Nov 30 1842
Samuel g Wood Dec 6 1842
William N Eaton died jan 16 1843 aged 8 years and 9 months

Brooks Grindle Born Feb 20^th 1816
MaryAnn B Grindle Born May 7^th 1820
Sarah Elizabeth Grindle born Oct 20^th 1843
William Brooks Grindle born

Capt Brooks Grindle Died at Sea Dec 28 1847
Mary Ann B Grindle Died in Lynn Mass De 1899
Sarah Elizabeth Grindle married E.N. Nye called herself Lizzie M Nye Died Dec 24 1920

John Billings
One of the first settlers for the Town of Naskeag now Sedgwick Maine.  Born in Lincoln Mass 1720 moved to Naskeag with his family about 1750 and died in 1803.
Hannah Farrar wife of John Billings born in Sudbury Mass 1720. Died in 1806
Their children
Timothy, Daniel, Solomon, Hannah, John, Isaac, Abel, Benjamin, Elizabeth

John Billings Son of John Billings and Hannah Farrar born in Naskeag 1753 killed in battle at Castine August 16 1779   Nany Closson his wife born in Blue Hill Maine
Their children John and Abel

John Billings son of John Billings and Nancy Closson born in Naskeag in 1779, moved to Unity about 1826 afterward to Albion Maine where he died in 1866, his children were, Tobias, Simon, Jane, Elizabeth, John, Judson, Amos, Susan, Chelsey
His wife was Jane Gray

Chelsey Billings
Son of John Billings and Jane Gray born in Sedgwick Maine Aug 15 1819 Died Sept 15 1872  Sarah Carr his wife born 1819 died 1873.
Their children
Charles, Emma, Abby, John, Edward, Mary, Chelsey, Clifton
Edward Billings Son of Chelsey Billings and Sarah Carr.  Born in Searsport Maine Jan 16, 1847  Died   His wife Helen Gibson born in Cambridge Mass  June 16 1847  Died July 30 1894  Their only child Alice Billings born Sept 5 1869

On a separate page:
Rev Frederic William Farrar
D.D  Archdeacon of Westminster
Cannon of Westminster Abbey
Queens Chaplain to the house
of commons
Son of Rev C.R. Farrar
Born 1831
London England

__________

Cyrena Billings died May 30 1847 age 23 years

Patience Billings  died Nov 14 1849

__________

The following undated poem appears to be in Patience Billing’s handwriting.

O what in a world like this is found
Better than a constant friend
When the brightest joys have changed to gloom
And memory lingers oer the tomb
And the fondest hopes lies buried there
And youthful pleasures turned to care
O what is found in a world like this
To raise the soul to its former bliss
Though ye light with smiles the drooping eye
The tear of sadness will linger nigh

__________

Transcription by Pam Simmons
Sargentville, Maine and Redwood City, CA,
from documents in the possession of:
Janet Williams
Sedgwick, Maine  November 2020.