John Billington
Sex: M
Individual Information
Birth: Abt 1580-1590 - England
Christening:
Death: 1 Sep 1630 - New Plymouth, Plymouth, Massachusetts
Burial:
Cause of Death:
AFN #:
Spouses and Children
1. *Ellen (Eleanor or Helen) (1587 - After 1638)
Marriage:
Status:
Children:
1. Francis Billington (1606-1684)
2. John Billington (Abt 1604-Bef 1630)
Notes
General:
ANCESTRAL SUMMARY:
The only clue to the ancestry of John Billington is a 1612 lease of 29 acres of land from the English Crown to a gentleman, Francis Longland, and two heirs of his choice. He chose Francis Billington, son of John, and Francis Newton, son of Robert. In 1650, a survey of the land stated that Francis Longland was still living in Welby, Lincolnshire, England, aged 70, and that Francis Newton was living in Swayfield, Lincolnshire, England, and that Francis Billington was living in New England, aged about 40.
Research is currently ongoing into the Newton, Longland, and Billington families of Lincolnshire. Preliminary discoveries made by researcher Leslie Mahler show that Francis Longland was the son of John and Mary Longland of Welby. Mary Longland names her son Francis, and a daughter "Katherine Newton" in will of 20 August 1613. Also mentioned in Mary's will, among others, is her goddaughter Mary Newton. It seems likely that Katherine married Robert Newton, and they had a son Francis Newton. This would make Francis Newton the nephew of Francis Longland. The connection between Francis Longland and Francis Billington has not yet been discovered, but research in this area continues.
There is a John Billington son of John baptized on 25 April 1604 in Thurlby Near Bourne, Lincolnshire, which seems like a good candidate for the John Billington II of the Mayflower. There is a Francis Billington bp. 24 June 1607 in St. Michael, Stamford, Lincolnshire son of William which should be "watched" when further research is made, because this shows there are two Francis Billington's of the same age in the same county.
"Francis Billington & Lincolnshire", article reprinted by FTM. Survey of 1650, Manor of Spalding, Lincolnshire. REfer to two parcels of land near Cowbit, a small village about three miles south of Spalding on the road leading to Crowland and Peterborough. Folio 388 describes two parcels of land containing 19 acres; on 389 reference is made to "Frances Billington son of John Billington"; and on 390 it is stated that "Francis Billington (as it is informed) was lviing about a year since in New England aged forty ears or thereabouts.
He was a lessee together with Francis Newton son of Robert Newton; shall soe long live under the yearly of two and forty shillings and four pence payable at Michalemess and Ladyday by equall portions/ But the same are more worth upon improvement.
Francis Billington as it is informed was living about a year since in New Engladn aged 40 years or thereabouts adn the said FRancis Longland is now the immediaet teant.
According to Bradford in his History of Plymouth Plantation, "they came from London, and I know not what friends shuffled into their company"(Bradford 75, 87-8, 156-7, 234, 442, 1952). There is evidence, however, that the Billingtons had connections to the gentry in Lincolnshire (NEHGR 124:116-118, 1970). The English crown granted, on 7 Febuary 1611/1612, a lease of 29 acers of land in the village of Cowbit, near Spaulding, Lincolnshire to Francis Longland, gentleman, then about 32 years of age. This "lease for three lives" allowed Mr. Longland to select his heirs, or successors to the lease after his death. He named two small boys: Francis Billington, the youngest son of John Billington and Francis Newton, son of Robert Newton (NEHGR 124:116-18, 1970, and Genealogist's Magazine 17:327-329, 376-7, 1973). The children were very probably related to Francis Longland; cousins or nephews, perhaps his namesakes. If nephews, then Longland's sisters were the mothers of Francis Billington and Francis Newton. Proof of any such relationships has yet to be found.A survey of crown lands was made in February 1650 to find out the present condition of the land and whether the primary lessee or either of his two successors were then living. It was determined that the origional lessee and immediate tenant, Francis Longland, then aged 70 years was still living in Welby, Lincolnshire; Francis Newton, aged 40, was living in Swayfield in that country; and Francis Billington "was living a year since in New England aged forty years or thereabouts" (NEHGR 124:116-18, 1952). Whether Francis Billington actually inherited the lease is unknown, however he never seems to have had interest in any substantial real estate which is presumably where he would invest..
The parish registers of Lincolnshire contain many baptism and marriage entries for persons of the surnames Longland, Billington and Newton, but so far the individuals in our little drama have not been identified in any of the parish records for Lincolnshire, England.
SOURCES:
Harriet Hodge, Mayflower Families through Five Generations: Edward Winslow and John Billington, volume 5 (Plymouth: General Society of Mayflower Descendants, 1991).
R.N. Whiston, "Francis Billington and Lincolnshire," New England Historical and Genealogical Register, 124(1970):116-118.
Eugene Aubrey Stratton, Plymouth Colony: Its History and Its People, 1620-1691 (Ancestor Publishers: Salt Lake City, 1986).
William Bradford and Edward Winslow. A Relation or Journal of the Beginning and Proceedings of the English Plantation settled at Plymouth . . . (John Bellamie: London, 1622).
William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation, ed. Samuel Morison (New York: Random House, 1952).
Source Material: MF5G, 1991, General Society of Mayflower. To mention but a few among sources to check for this family include Plymouth Town Records, various; Plymouth Colony Records, various; George Ernest Bowman, Mayflower Descendant, various; Rehoboth records, various; Middleboro records, various; New England Genealogical Historical Register various; The American Genealogist; updated Mayflower Society material, as well as vital records, land deeds, probate records, etc., for towns in which family members lived or resided.
John Billington, his wife Elinor, and two adolescent sons, John (ca 16) and Francis (ca 13), were passengers on the Mayflower. Seemingly, he was willing to debate any point with just about anybody; ten years after the Mayflower disembarked he was the first person in the English colonies executed for murder.
William Bradford, the 2nd Governor of New Plymouth, was critical of the Billingtons from the beginning. His references to them (written years later) almost invaribly chronicle their misconduct. His History is nearly the sole record of any of these events, and it is doubts that he was being entirely truthful. George F. Willison in his remarkable Saints and Strangers tells us that Bradford's verasity is questionable at best. "Bradford," he says," was disingenuious at times. He was not above politic distortion of facts...more than once he misrepresented the sequence of events, cleverly transposing cause and effect, in an attempt to justify some dubious action. His remarks about those who opposed him or his brethern in any way are often unreliable and always savage. He never wearied of repeating against them the most slanderous gossip and libels" (4). With that said let's see what can be made of the evidence we have.
John Billington may well have been a leading voice among the dissident passengers on the Mayflower who apparently argued that New Plymouth's government should be independent of the separatist church from Leiden. We do know that their was a bitter quarel among the passengers which led to the formation of two factions called "the Saints" and the "Strangers." Before going ashore they had to "begin the first foundation of their govermente in this place" because they had heard of "discontented and mutinous speeches that some of the strangers " had uttered (Bradford 89). Part of Willison's chapter dealing with the conflict is relevant here;
John Billington acknowledged and presumably accepted of the conditions by being the 25th signer of the Mayflower Compact. The date was 11 November 1620 on board ship while anchored in Provincetown Harbor at the tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts [Bradford's History (1952) (75, 87-8,156-7,234,442]. His signature is far down the list. As Willison puts it Billington may very well have been "invited or commanded to sign." There is reason to believe that he was at the forefront of this mutiny because of subsiquent events.
It is known that the colonists formed themselves into two distinct groups even while aboard the Mayflower. Each group had its epithet, "Saints" meaning the Separatists of the Leyden church and their supporters on one side, and the rest were called "Strangers," meaning the colonists who attached themselves to the group while in England preparing for the migration. Many of these were apparently Church of England supporters. Billington was apparently one of the latter group, according to Bradford's History of New Plymouth, and he was not averse of expressing his dissident opinions.
Bradford obviously disliked the entire clan, as he called them "one of ye profanest families amongst them." The word 'profain' was applied in this period as a name-calling ephithet like 'hippie,' 'niger' or 'commie' were in the mid-to-late 20th century and 'profane' meant someone who was not of Thee church, rather than as literally meant 'heathen' or 'unholy' [Oxford English Dictionary]. Had they truely been wholely unChristian rather than Church of England supporters, they would more than likely have been sent back with the crew of the Mayflower as were the roudy settlers on the Fortune which arrived a year later. How Brandford was using the word 'profane,' however, is inconclusive.
It is reasonable to assume that Billington was sincere in his criticism, enough to be seen as 'loyal opposition' by enough colonists that Bradford couldn't expell him. A few days after landing, 5 December 1620, one of the Billington sons, we are not told which, in his father's absence, fired a gun near an open half-keg of gunpowder in the crowed cabin of the Mayflower, endangering ship and passengers, "and yet, by God's mercy, no harm done [Mourt's Relation (31,44,69-70)]."
In March 1621, Bradford chronicled "the first Offence since our arrival is of John Billington and is this month converted before the whole company for his contempt of the Captain's (Miles Standish's) lawfull command with oppobrious speeches, for which he is adjudged to have his neck and heels tied together. But upon humbling himself and craving pardon, and it being the first offence, he is forgiven [Pilgrim Reader (124-5)]."
Early in January, shortly after the settlement at Plymouth, son Francis Billington saw from the top of a tree on a high hill "a great sea as he thought" which he later explored with one of the ship's crew. The two lakes thus discovered have ever since been known as "Billington Sea [Mourt's Relation (31,44,69-70)]."
John Billington, Jr. lost himself in the woods in May of 1621, but was found and cared for by Indians on Cape Cod. Chief Massasoit sent word to Plymouth that young Billington was safe, and in June ten men set sail in the Pilgrim's company's shallop toward Nauset (Eastham) to bring the boy home. With this encounter the colony began a long and beneficial friendship with the Cape Indians which is commereated by the corn in our Thankgiving dinners. [Bradford's History (1952) (75, 87-8,156-7,234,442 and Mourt's Relation (31,44,69-70)].
In the Division of the Land at Plymouth in 1623, John Billington received three acres "on the South side of the Brooke to the Baywards. [Mayf Dec 1:151-2, 228]." Why the Billingtons, who all four miraculously survived the first bitter winter, received only three acres is a mystery. Families were allotted one acre for each household member, including servants. Possibly John, Jr. had been indentured as a servant to some other family. In the 1627 Division of Cattle, we know that young John Billington was listed with the Warren and Soule families, while his parents and brother Francis were grouped with the Hopkinses [Mayf Dec 1:151-2, 228].
Bradford described at length the 1624 confrontation of the Governor's Council with John Oldham and the minister, John Lyford. The two culprits had listed "120" highly critical accounts of affairs at Plymouth in letters to English movers and shakers. These were intercepted by Governor Bradford and his associates from the ship Charity before it sailed for England. "After the reading of (Lyford's) letters before the whole company, he was demanded what he could say to these things. But all the answer he made was, that Billington and some others had informed him of many things and had made sundry complaints, which they now denied. And this was all the answer they could have, for none would take (Lyford's) part in anything but Billington and any whom he named denied the things and protested he wronged them and they would have drawn them to such and such things which they could not consent to, though they were sometimes drawn to his meetings. [Bradford's History (1952) (75, 87-8,156-7,234,442]."
So we know that Billington was willing to publicly acknowledge his dissident role while no others would and that he attempted to actually organize a sort of opposition party by conducting meetings at his home. After this 'trial,' Oldham and Lyford were banished from Plymouth Colony, but nothing is said of punishment for Billington. Perhaps his signing of the Compact insolated him in some way, as his signing made him thereafter, a member of the group, whether Bradford liked it or not.
A number of other disgruntled settlers left voluntarily about this time. One wonders that John Billington was not expelled or at least urged to depart, but he remained at Plymouth, an outspoken critic and persistent rebel. On 9 Jun 1625 William Bradford, in a letter to Robert Cushman in England, wrote: "Billington still rails against you and threatens to arrest you, I know not wherefore. He is a knave, and so will live and die [Pilgrim Reader (284)]."
The story of John Billington's execution for murder has often been embellished with fanciful details in prose and poetic fiction. But the only contempory eyewitness account was written by Bradford:
1630: This year John Billington the elder, one that came over with the first, was arraigned, and both by grand and petty jury found guilty of wilful murder, by plain and notorious evidence. And was for the same accordingly executed. This, as it was the first execution amongst them, so was it a matter of great sadness unto them. They used all due means about his trial and took the advice of Mr. Winthrop and other the ablest gentlemen in Bay of the Massachusetts, that were then newly come over, who concurred with them that he ought to die, and the land to be purged from blood. He and some of his had been often punished for miscarriages before, being one of the profanest families amongst them; they came from London, and I know not by what friends shuffled into their company. His fact was that he waylaid a young man, one John Newcomen, about a former quarrel and shot him with a gun, whereof he died. [Bradford's History (1952) (75, 87-8,156-7,234,442]."
From this account came all the others; here's an example from freelance writer Clif Garboden in a clipping from some publication which was saved by Art E. Allen, "The crime: In 1630, John Billington got into the equivalent of a bar fight with Colonist John Newcomen. Later Billington caught up with Newcomen and blew him away with a blunderbuss. And the Punishment: A jury of 12 conviced Billington of 'willful murder by plaine & notorious evidence' and sentenced him to death. [Not true, the petty jury of the period was the governor's assistances (3) sitting in committee; and the grand jury was the General Court which consisted of virtually every male Freeman of the colony which gathered mid-summer. Action was taken in the General Court by simple majority. And the Saints had had that majority since the Mayflower disembarked.]
Another paperback account comes from Bloodletters and Bad Men, 1975, "One of John Billington's bitterest enemies was John Newcomen, a neighboring settler. Their feud raged for a number of years until 1630 when Billington decided to end it with murder. Hiding behind a rock, Billington waited in the woods until Newcomen, hunting for game, appeared. Leveling his blunderbus, Billington shot and killed him at close range. He was quickly tried by the little band of pilgrims and hanged." Now all this is conjecture based on the word 'waylaid' in Bradford's account. We have no idea if the killing was truely "premeditated" and where does he get the idea that it was a "speedy trial" rather than a near linching. The use of these words colors our interpretation of what we read and make the capital sentence seem justified when we have heard only from the prosecution. He ends his account with the words, "Ironically, dozens of present-day Americans lay claim to being related to Billington, murderer or not." What does he expect us to do, falsify or distort history as he does!
The Pilgrims doubted their authority to carry out the sentence and appealed to Massachusetts Bay Colony Governor John Winthrop, who with typical self-contradictory Old Testament flair advised that Billington 'ought to die and ye land be purged from blood.' The fact that the Governor felt compelled to have the sentenced sanctioned by the Bay Colony might presumably indicate that there were extenuationg circumstances which led Bradford to believe that he might be tried for murder if he carried out the sentence. Billington was then hanged, drawn and quartered--the first casualty in a 360-year-long debate over capital punishment. And perhaps the first American executed because society didn't much care for him or his opinions in the first place.
The tradition that the execution took place in September is borne out by John Winthrop who wrote merely: 1630--"Billington excuted at Plymouth for murdering one [New England History (43)]. In as much a Winthrop arrived at Cape Ann 12 Jun 1630 and at "Mattachusetts" 17 Jun 1630, he was "lately come over" that summer when consulted about the legality of the trial [MA Pioneers (508)].
John Billington, Jr. died before his father, but the widow Elinor and son Francis remained at Plymouth, retaining John Billington's land, and acquiring new grants according to their rights as origional settlers. It is clear that John Billington, Sr. had some friends, for in the land records there is, under date of 14 Sep 1638: "Memorand that whereas Wllm Tench and John Carman (sic) did bequeath 2 acers of land unto John Billington, dec'd., now Ellinor Billington his widow and Francis Billington his sonn sell sd. land, two acers lying in the South side of the second brook [Ply Col Recs 11:33-4; 12:28-9,37,93-4]." William Tench and John Cannon (surely the same man as "Carman") came to Plymouth on the Fortune in November 1621 and were allotted two acers in the 1623 Land Division, near Billington [Mayf Dec 1:151-2,228].
Evidently they died or left the colony before the 1627 Division of Cattle, having named John Billington their heir. Elinor, often witten "Ellen" or "Helen" by Bradford or by Plymouth Court clerks, invariably was called "Ellinor" in her own and her son's land records. Ellinor Billington, widow, on 8 Jan 1637/8 for "natural love I bear unto Francis Billington my natural son," conveyed to him all her land at Plain Dealing in New Plymouth, reserving enough of the land for her own use during her lifetime. On 28 Aug 1638 Ellinor Billington, widow, entered into a marriage contract with Gregory Armstrong; and by 21 Sep 1638 Gregory Armstrong and Ellinor now his wife, with her son Francis sold land [Plymouth Col. Recs 11:33-4,; 12:28-9,37,93-4]. On the last date at which Ellinor is known to have been living, 2 Mar 1642/3, Francis Billington of Plymouth, planter, sold three lots of land at Plain Dealing within the township of Plymouth: provided that Ellinor the wife of Gregory Armstrong be allowed to occupy one of the three said lots during her lifetime. [Plymouth Col. Recs 11:33-4; 12:28-9,37,93-4].
It has often been pointed out that almost all we know about the Billington family was written by William Bradford, who obviously disliked and criticized the entire family from the beginning, and didn't know them well enough to know Ellinor's name. The Billingtons were not in sympathy with the aims and tenents of the Plymouth Church, but one wonders that they were not more cooperative with those in authority who heavy-handedly struggled to establish and maintain such a fragile colony on the hostile shores of New England. John Billington, however, stoutly supported individual choice and freedom of speech, raising the voice of America's first 'opposition' to governing authority, undoubtedly at great personal sacrifice, when he disagreed with the rule of govenment. He and his descendents surely have contributed to that integral part of the American character by having the courage to just say "No."
Francis Billington, the sole surviving son: John's son Francis was one of the first Pilgrims punished for premarital sex. How he and Christian Penn were 'caught' is unknown; their first child Elizabeth wasn't born until a year, to the month, after their marriage. He lived at Plymouth until 1669; then he moved to Middleboro and lived on land granted to him as one of the "First Comers." (Plymouth Colony LR 1:344; 3:129 (Francis Billington) He lived there until his death, except for a few years when he took refuge at Plymouth during the King Philip's War.
On 18 April 1642 he apprenticed his daughter Elizabeth (Plymouth Colony Record 2:38) and 14 Jan 1642/3 he bound-out son Joseph, "aged vi or vii" and two daughters, probably Martha and Mary, one five years old and the other even younger. (Plymouth town records) Bradford in his History (446) stated in 1651 that Francis Billington had eight children. In his old age, Francis was dependent on his son Isaac for support and died intestate. No probate record appears, although Isaac petitioned the probate court in 1703/4 for title to his father's Middleboro lands, stating he had had sole care of his parents in their old age. (Plymouth Co. PR)
A Plymouth County Court case of Sep 1722, brought by Isaac's daughter Desire (Billington) Bonney and her husband, James, shows that Francis Billington died intestate leaving issue, two sons and five daughters [see below]. Isaac as the eldest undoubtedly got a double portion as there were a total of eight shares in the estate. (Plymouth Co. CT Records, 1686-1859, 5:145) A 1719 quitclaim deed from Francis's grandson, Francis Billington (Family #12) reading "my father Francis and grandfather [unnamed] Bilington" seems to imply a son Francis, Jr. But in the absence of any mention of such a son in contemporary Plymouth records, coupled with the fact that Francis's deed evidently transferred the shares of Joseph Billington, we conclude that the deed contains a clerical error. The origional must have read "my father Joseph and grandfather Francis Billington." (Ply. Co. LR 14:255) Indications are that the seven children named in the Bonney suit and their progeny were the only survivors of Francis Billington. A more detailed account has been published in the Mayflower Quarterly 52:137-44; and The Genealogist 3:231-2 vol , 1980.)
EAC 19 Aug 1996; rev. 24 Jun 1997, 2 Oct 1999 İEdward A. Cooper
Bradfor, William. History of Plymouth Plantation, 1620-1647. New York: Russell and Russell, 1968.
Finally, in the only known eyewitness account, Bradford relates (Bradford History MF5G V:33) that in 1630 "John Billington the elder, one that came over with the first, was arraigned, and both by grand and petty jury found guilty of wilful murder, by plain and notorious evidence. And was for the same accordingly executed . . ." " He and some of his had been often punished for miscarriages before, being one of the profanest families amongst them; they came from London, and I know not what friends shuffled into their company. His fact was that he waylaid a young man, one John Newcomen, about a former quarrel and shot him with a gun, whereof he died."
Bradford's writings, however, continue to present Billington as contentious, unmanageable and undesirable. In a 1625 letter to Robert Cushman in England (Governor Bradford's Letter Book,MD V:79, New-Plymouth, June 9, 1625), Bradford writes: "Billington still rails against you, and threatens to arrest you, I know not wherefore; he is a knave, and so will live and die." [Mr. "Cusksnan" died before this letter arrived.]