Cumberland County, Maine - William Leonard Billings
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Biography
William Leonard Billings
Biographical Review
Cumberland County, Maine
Boston
Biographical Review Publishing Company
1896
Page 383-384


William Leonard Billings, who is retired from active business, owns and occupies
the commodious brick residence at the corner of Franklin and Cumberland Streets,
Portland, having lived there since 1853. He is an excellent representative of
Portland's native-born citizens, the date of his birth being October 17, 1832.
His paternal grandfather, Leonard Billings, Sr., was born and reared in
Massachusetts. In the prime of life, a married man and a father, he came to
Maine with his family, settling for a while in Farmington, but eventually
removed to Butterfield, Ohio, where he died in 1843, aged seventy-six years.

Leonard Billings, Jr., son of Leonard, Sr., and father of William L., was born
at Sharon, Mass., July I1, 1793, and was fifteen years of age when his parents
removed to Farmington, he himself at the same time coming directly to this city,
where he was first employed in an eating-house, owned by a Mr. Quincy.
Ambitious, energetic, and versatile, Mr. Leonard Billings, Jr., was engaged in
various occupations until 1844, when he became one of the organizers of the
Portland Steam Packet Company, which began business in a modest way with but two
propellers, the "General Warren" and the "Commodore Preble." These packets were
used chiefly for freighting, but carried a few passengers. The business
increased rapidly; and before his death, which occurred July 31, 1872, a regular
line of passenger steamers, commodious and elegantly furnished, plied between
this city and Boston.

Ann I. Knight, who was married to Leonard Billings, Jr., on January 30, 1828,
was the daughter of Benjamin Knight, a pioneer merchant of this city, who in
early life was prosperously engaged in the clothing business, but later was
interested in the steamship line. She was a native of Portland, born July 13,
1804; and she died June 20, 1887, having survived her husband nearly fifteen
years. Four sons were born to them, as follows: William Leonard, who died in
infancy; Alvas Ray, who died young; William Leonard, the special subject of this
biographical sketch; and George Washington, deceased.

William Leonard Billings, having acquired a substantial education in the public
schools of this city, learned the cooper's trade, and was for some time engaged
in that occupation. After reaching years of maturity, he entered his father's
office, being at first engaged as a clerk, but later, as his father's health
failed, to a large extent bearing the burden of the management of the business,
and, after the death of the father, holding for a time the position of agent of
the company, his whole term of service embracing a score of years. For the past
twenty years Mr. Billings has lived practically retired, enjoying leisure and
freedom from business cares.

On April 9, 1870, Mr. Billings was united in marriage with Miss Laura Helen
Cushing, daughter of Rufus Cushing, one of the old settlers of the town of
Freeport, where her girlhood days were passed, her birth having occurred there
December 17, 1833. Liberal minded and charitable, Mr. and Mrs. Billings are
sincere members of the Universalist church, having been born and reared in that
faith.