Joseph Billington and Grace

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Husband Joseph Billington

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           Born: 1636 - Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts
     Christened: 
           Died: After 7 Jan 1684-7 Jan 1685 - prob Block Island, RI
         Buried: 

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         Father: Francis Billington (1606-1684)
         Mother: Christian (Penn) Eaton (1606-1684)

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       Marriage: 16 Sep 1672 - New Shoreham, Block Island, RI

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Wife Grace

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: After 1680
         Buried: 

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Children

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General Notes (Husband)

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In 1642 (Records of the Town of Plymouth 1:12) numerous of the children were put out. "Concerneing the placeing and disposing of ffrancis Billingtons children according to the Act and order of the Court:

"It is ordered and agreed upon that John Cooke the yonger shall have Joseph until hee shalbe of the age of twenty and one years (being now about vi or vii years old) and fynd him meat drink and apparell during the said terme."

One can imagine the psychological hurt of a young child being put out of his home, and it is noted in the records that as a child (MF5G V:39) "he (Joseph) repeatedly ran away from his master to return to his parents; in July 1643 he and they were sternly admonished." This Joseph, who is later found at Block Island, was apparently considered lazy and shiftless. He is repeatedly ordered in the town records to go to work and support his family.(NEHGR 105:179, Notes on Block Islanders of Seventeenth Century.) A probable son Elisha is cited as having following his father's shiftless ways. (NEHGR: 106:105, Two Block Island Documents)

4 July 1643 : "Whereas Joseph, the sonnof Francis Billington, according to the order of the Court, was by the towne of Plymouth placed w'th John Cooke the younger, and hath since beene enveagled, and did oft depte hs said masters service, the Court, vpon longe heareing of all that can be said or alleadged by his pents, doth order and appoynt that the said Joseph shalbe returned to his said master againe immediately, and shall so remaine w'th him during his terme; and that if either the said Francis, or Christian, his wyfe, do receiue him, if he shall againe dept from his said mater w'thout his lycence, that the said Francis, and Christian, his wyfe, shalbe sett in the stocks euery lecture day during the tyme thereof, as often as he or shee hsall so receiue him, vntill the Court shall take a further course w'th them ; and also, that if Benjamin Eaton,now liueing w'th the said Francis Billington, shall counsell, entice, or enveagle the said Joseph from his said master, that then he shall haue the same punishment w'th his father and mother."
Plymouth Colony Records, Vol. 2, p. 58-59.

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General Notes (Wife)

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She was still alive in 1680, as she was brought before the court for the second time for theft. In Block Island, Rhode Island.

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