The Ancestors of

D-1-1 William Elmer Billings (3)

-2 Samuel M. Billings (4)

-3 William Billings (5)

-4 Jasper Billings, Jr. (6)

-5 Jasper Billings, Sr. (7)

-6 John Billings (8)

D-2-1 John Mack Williams (4)

-2 Colon Williams (5)

D-3-1 Squire Jackson Irwin (5)

-2 William Irwin (6)

-3 Elijah Irwin (7)

-4 Thomas Irwin (8)

-5 Francis Irwin, Sr. (9)

D-4-1 James Andrews, Sr. (6)

-2 John Andrews, Sr. (7)

-3 William Andrews, Sr. (8)

-4 Henry Andrews, Sr. (9)

D-5-1 Jacob Crouse, Sr. (7)

D-6-1 vacant

D-7-1 Jesse J. Atwood (5)

-2 Thomas Atwood, Sr. (6)

-3 John T. Atwood (7)

D-8-1 Richard Sanders (6)

-2 Rosanna Sanders (7)

D-9-1 Charles Steelman, Sr. (7)

-2 Mathias Steelman, Sr. (8)

D-10-1 Thomas Royal (7)

-2 Joseph Royal (8)

-3 John Royall, Sr. (9)

-4 Henry Royall (10)

-5 Joseph Royall, Jr. (11)

-6 Joseph Royall, Sr. (12)

D-11-1 Abraham Cresson (8)

-2 Joshua Cresson, Jr. (9)

-3 Joshua Cresson, Sr.(10)

-4 Pierre Cresson, Jr. (11)

-5 Pierre Cresson, Sr. (12)

D-12-1 William Brouwder (10)

D-13-1 Gerrit Gerrietszen (11)

D-14-1 Pierre Claus (12)

D-15-1 Christopher Banks (13)

D-16-1 Robert Shepherd (9)

-2 George Shepherd, Sr. (10)

-3 Edward Shepherd (11)

D-17-1 Joseph Rash, Sr. (10)

D-18-1 David Edwards, Sr. (8)

-2 John Edwards, Sr. (9)

D-19-1 Thomas Day (11)

D-20-1 Adam Wagoner, Jr. (6)

-2 Adam Wagoner. Sr. (7)

-3 Henry Wagoner (8)

This book traces the ancestors of my mother’s mother, Opal Delores Billings.

BILLINGS

D-1-1 William Elmer Billings (3). My grandmother, Opal Delores (Lois) Billings, is the daughter of William Elmer Billings and Carrie Williams (D‑2‑1). They had one child.⁵³

1. *Opal Delores (Lois) Billings 11/16/1936

They lived in the Stratford section of Alleghany Co, NC.⁵³

Carrie Williams had first married Andy Brooks and had two children: Odis Vaughn Brooks (2/23/1926) and Annie Madge Brooks (10/1/1929).^53,65

According to the 1930 Alleghany Co census, Carrie was living with her parents in household #95: John Williams (62), Annie (60, wife), Carry Brooks (25, dau), Odis Brooks (4y 2m, son), and Anna Brooks (6 months, dau).²¹²

Elmer Billings had first married Isabel Thomas about 1924. They had one child Doloris E. Billings (1926).²¹² Their marriage or their daughter’s birth are not recorded in Alleghany Co, so perhaps they occurred in PA.

Elmer’s family is found in the 1930 Chester Co, PA, census in Valley Township #80, p27B, house #496/511: Elmer W. Billings (27, does layout at a platy mill), Esebell B. (23, wife), and Doloris E. (4, daughter). They were renting a place at $13 per month. When they married, he was 21 and she was 17. It says that he was born in NC, and that his parents were born in PA, but this must be an error. Isabel and Doloris (and both of their parents) are listed as being born in PA, but this may not be accurate.²¹² Elmer worked in a “platy mill” which may be a mill where minerals or rocks are processed – perhaps at a quarry or a coal mine.

1. Lois was born in Alleghany Co where her birth certificate gives her name as “Opal Dellois Billings”. The name appears to have been written in after the certificate was initially issued (Bk ?, p97).⁶⁵ She married Bill Brooks on 8/29/1953. They lived in Massillon, OH, for almost 20 years before returning to Alleghany Co in 1992.⁵³ [b^53,65]

D-1-2 Samuel M. Billings (4). William Elmore (Elmer) Billings was the son of Samuel M. Billings and Laura Ellen Irwin (D-3-1). They had the following children.^3,8,53,221 Ref 8, p271-2; Ref 221, p54-5.

1. May Effie Billings 2/13/1895 - 1/20/1963

2. Minnie Billings 1/ /1898 - 1906

3. Margie Billings 2/ 3/1900 - 9/24/1982

4. *William Elmer Billings 4/11/1902 - 5/12/1946

5. Bessie May Billings 3/ 4/1904 - 5/14/1998

6. Phoeba Jane Billings 10/25/1905 - 2/13/1999

7. Floyd James Billings 1/31/1907 - 12/16/1969

They are listed in the 1900 Alleghany Co, NC, census in Prathers Creek #5, p12A, #222: Samuel Billings (29, born July 1870, farmer), Ellen (25, wife, born Jan 1875), May E. (5, dau, born Feb 1895), Minnie (2, dau, born Jan 1898), Margie (5 months, dau, born Feb 1900), and Halie (80, mother, born Jan 1820, widow).³ Halie is Mahala Wagoner, Samuel’s mother. She was listed as having 6 children, all living. Ellen is listed with having 4 children and 3 still living. They had been married 6 years. Samuel’s father was born in VA.²¹²

They are listed in the 1910 Alleghany Co census in Gap Civil #12, p7B, house #61/62: Ellin Billing (35, widow, 6 children all living, father born in VA), Effa (15, daughter), Margie (11, daughter), Elmore (9, son), Bessie (7, daughter), Pheby (5, daughter), and Floyd (3, son).^3,212

They are listed in the 1920 Alleghany Co census in Gap Civil #14, p11A, house #184/188: Ellen Billings (40, widow, farming), Phebia (15, daughter), and Floid (12, son).²¹²

Ellen remarried in 1924, and her family is listed in the 1930 Alleghany Co census, Gap Civil #4, p5B, #108/109: Jesse McCoin (59, farmer), Ellen (54, wife), Minnie (17, daughter), Fay (9, daughter), Dot (7, daughter), and Bob Phipps (31, boarder).²¹² The children are from Jesse’s first marriage.

1. Effie married Mack Trealey Brooks on 1/5/1913 in Alleghany Co “at the home of the bride”.⁶⁶ They lived in Alleghany Co and are buried at Mt. View Bap Ch.³

[(1920 Alleg, Cherry Ln #12, p8B, #142/143)²¹²; (1930 Alleg, Cherry Ln #1, p2A, #26)²¹²] [b³, d³]

2. Minnie is buried in the Irwin Fam Cem.^48,221 [b^3,48, d^3,48]

3. Margie married Bryan McBride in November 1917 in Alleghany Co,^3,8,221 however, no marriage return has been found there.⁶⁶ They moved to Coatesville, Chester Co, PA,⁵³ where she died and was buried.²²¹ She had diabetes⁵³ and died of a stroke.⁸

[(1920 Harford Co, MD, 1^st Prec, 4^th Dist, Dist 96, p1B, #23/24)²¹²] [b^3,221, d^3,221]

4. Elmer was born in Alleghany Co where his delayed birth certificate was issued on 4/9/1943. One of the pieces of evidence used to issue the certificate was a Bible record which gave his full name “William Elmore Billings” (Bk ?, p23).⁶⁵

He first married Isabel Thomas about 1926, possibly in Chester Co, PA.^3,212 He married Carrie Williams in Alleghany Co on 10/30/1937 by the Justice of the Peace in Prathers Creek.^66,221 On 11/4/1937, The Alleghany Times says that “Mr. Elmore Billings and Mrs. Carrie Williams Brooks were married at the home of the bride’s parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Williams, Stratford, on Saturday, October 30.”²⁴⁴

He worked for the WPA and helped to build the Blue Ridge Parkway. He also worked in the coal mines of WV and PA. His death certificate says he was a carpenter.⁶⁴ He died in a car wreck on Highway 21 in Alleghany Co and is buried in the Irwin Fam Cem.^48,53,64,221 The car wreck was noted in The Alleghany Times in 1946:

Billings Killed In Auto Mishap

Elmer Billings, 41, of Cherry Lane, was killed instantly when the automobile he was operating left Highway No. 21, five miles south of Sparta, at 6:00 o’clock, Sunday evening.

His automobile left the highway and while attempting to bring it back on the highway, it overturned on the right shoulder of the road, State Highway patrolmen reported.

Mr. Billings suffered a broken neck and his body was badly crushed when the accident occurred. The car was also badly damaged.

Funeral services were conducted Tuesday afternoon at New Salem church with Eld. Walter Evans, Eld. S. G. Caudill and Eld. Mack Brooks, officiating. Interment followed in the Irwin cemetery in the Wolf Branch section.

The deceased was the son of Mrs. Ellen Billings and the late Sam Billings. He had made his home with his mother for sometime.

Surviving in addition to his mother are two daughters, Lois Billings and Doris Billings, both of Pennsylvania.²⁴⁴

[b^48,64,65, d^3,48,64] Ref 244 (11/4/1937, p5).

5. Bessie married Chester Worth Smith on 2/20/1924 in Alleghany Co in Sparta.⁶⁶ She “attended Wolf Branch and Rich Hill schools. Later she managed the Doll House Antique Shop, was an interior decorator, and served as caretaker for summer homes in the Roaring Gap area.”³ Mr. and Mrs. Worth Smith were mentioned in the Alleghany Star-Times on 3/28/1940.²⁴⁴ On 10/3/1940, the newspaper mentions “Mrs. Worth Smith” who won second place at the Alleghany Fair for Embroidery, best vanity set.²⁴⁴

She was buried at Antioch United Meth. Ch.¹⁴¹

[(1930 Alleg, Cherry Ln, Dist 1, p10B, #185)²¹²] [b^3,141, d¹⁴¹] Ref 141, dated 5/21/1998; Ref 244 (3/28/1940, p6), (10/3/1940, p5).

6. Phoeba married Everette Dale (Dot) Holcomb on 11/12/1922 in Alleghany Co.^66,221 The 1930 census lists her as “Edith Holcomb”.²¹² On 6/12/1941, the Alleghany Star-Times mentioned “Mrs. Dot Halcom”.²⁴⁴ Her last residence was Glade Valley, Alleghany Co.¹⁹³

[(1930 Alleg, Gap Civ #4, p4A, #75)²¹²] [b^3,193,221, d¹⁹³] Ref 244 (6/12/1941, p4).

7. Floyd first married Sadie Edith Crouse on 10/19/1932 in Grayson Co, VA.³ On 5/12/1938, The Alleghany Times reported on cases being held in Alleghany Co Superior Court: “State vs. Floyd Billings. Non-support. Pleaded guilty of abandonment and non-support of a minor. Prayer for judgment continued for three years, on condition that he pay $6.00 per month for use and benefit of Doris Billings.”²⁴⁴

On 8/31/1942, Sadie filed papers stating that Floyd had not complied with the child support (now $7.50 per month) since 3/20/1942. She said that he had entered the Army about 4/10/1942 and was currently stationed at Leesville, LA. On 4/20/1943, Floyd gave his deposition asking for a divorce, while he was in the Army in Sparta, WI. He said they had not lived together since 11/20/1937 and that the separation was her fault. Before separating, they had tried to live in Devotion, Surry Co, NC; in PA; and in Winston-Salem, NC, since he could not find work in Alleghany Co. However, she preferred to live at home and at times “was very abusive in her language” and “on one occasion she threw a table glass and struck me in the face.” He said he had paid the child support through the current month. Finally, in court on 4/29/1946, Sadie “withdraws her answer filed in this cause,” and they were divorced. (Alleghany Co Civil Cases).¹⁷¹

Floyd married his second wife Edith Blackburn Brooks on 12/24/1948 in Alleghany Co at the home of the Justice of the Peace.^3,66 He died of cancer in Alleghany Co and is buried at Woodruff Prim Bap Ch.^48,193,221

[b^3,48,193,221, d^3,48,193,221] Ref 244 (5/12/1938, p1).

On 3/16/1902, S. M. Billings bought 20.4 acres from H. T. Caudill and N. C. Caudill for $180. The land was in Prathers Creek Township, adjacent to D. C. Caudill, J. A. Irwin, John Williams, and others. (Alleghany DB P, p40-1).⁶⁷

On 9/6/1904, S. M. Billings and his wife Ellen sold 20.4 acres to Lee Petty for $200. The land was adjacent to D. C. Caudill, J. A. Irwin, John Williams, and others. (Alleghany DB R, p541-2).⁶⁷

D-1-3 William Billings (5). Samuel M. Billings was the son of William Billings and Mahala Wagoner (D-20-1). They had the following children.^3,64 Sources: Ref 3, p759.

1. Sarah Billings 9/30/1848 - 8/15/1933

2. Granville Billings 10/ /1853 - 5/ 5/1935

3. Matilda Billings 2/25/1855 - 5/28/1938

4. Lucinda Billings 2/ /1860 - 1901

5. Alice J. Billings 6/29/1869 - 8/ 8/1930

6. *Samuel M. Billings 7/ /1872 - 1908

They are listed in the 1850 Ashe Co, NC, census, house #206/206: Wm. Billings (20, born NC), Mahala (18, born NC), and Sarah (2). His real estate was valued at $130.¹¹³

They are listed in the 1860 Alleghany Co, NC, census, Gap Civil Township, p46, house #348/299: Wm. Billings (25, farmer), Mahala (25), Sallie (12), Granville (7), Matilda (5), and a baby girl (4 months). Their person