Frederick H. Billings
Encyclopedia
Frederick Billings was an American
lawyer and financier. From 1879 to 1881 he was President of the Northern Pacific Railway
.
He was born in Royalton
, Windsor County, Vermont, graduated from the University of Vermont
in 1844 and went on to pursue a career in law. In 1848, during the California Gold Rush
, he moved to San Francisco, becoming the city's first land claims lawyer. Later he would partner with Henry Halleck, in the law firm of Halleck, Peachy & Billings
, which became a leading law firm in San Francisco. While in California, he was a trustee of the College of California
(later, the University of California at Berkeley) and suggested that the college be named for George Berkeley
.
In 1864, he returned to Woodstock, Vermont, and in 1869 purchased George Perkins Marsh
's former estate. Billings had read Marsh's pioneering volume on ecology called Man and Nature
, and set about to put into practice his theories on conservation. Billings and his heirs set about purchasing many failing farms and reforesting much of the surrounding hillsides with Norway Spruce
, Scots Pine
, European Larch
, and many native species. Today, the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
in Woodstock manages and interprets what is probably the oldest managed forest in the United States. The Billings Farm & Museum is a working dairy farm and museum, just across the street is the gateway to learning about Vermont's agricultural history.
Billings later purchased one of the original twelfth interests in the Northern Pacific Railway
and, from 1879 to 1881, served as its president. He constructed a chapel for the Congregational Church
of Woodstock. Although he never owned a home in Billings, Montana, a railroad town established in 1882 and named after him, he provided the money to build the First Congregational Church and the first school in that town. He also built and endowed Billings Library, completed in 1885 for The University of Vermont
, and purchased the George Perkins Marsh collection of 12,000 volumes for it.
At the time of his death, legend states that Billings had hidden a chest full of millions of dollars of gold in the Beartooth Mountains
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer and financier. From 1879 to 1881 he was President of the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
.
He was born in Royalton
Royalton, Vermont
Royalton is a town in Windsor County, Vermont, United States. The population was 2,603 at the 2000 census. It includes the villages of Royalton, South Royalton, and North Royalton...
, Windsor County, Vermont, graduated from the University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
in 1844 and went on to pursue a career in law. In 1848, during the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
, he moved to San Francisco, becoming the city's first land claims lawyer. Later he would partner with Henry Halleck, in the law firm of Halleck, Peachy & Billings
Halleck, Peachy & Billings
Halleck, Peachy & Billings was one of the leading early law firms in San Francisco, California and specialized in land cases. The firm was organized by Frederick H. Billings and Archibald Carey Peachy in 1849, who were joined soon after by Henry Wager Halleck. Halleck, Peachy & Billings was...
, which became a leading law firm in San Francisco. While in California, he was a trustee of the College of California
College of California
The College of California was the predecessor of the University of California system of public universities. The private college was founded in 1855 by noted educator Dr. Samuel H. Willey...
(later, the University of California at Berkeley) and suggested that the college be named for George Berkeley
George Berkeley
George Berkeley , also known as Bishop Berkeley , was an Irish philosopher whose primary achievement was the advancement of a theory he called "immaterialism"...
.
In 1864, he returned to Woodstock, Vermont, and in 1869 purchased George Perkins Marsh
George Perkins Marsh
George Perkins Marsh , an American diplomat and philologist, is considered by some to be America's first environmentalist, although "conservationist" would be more accurate...
's former estate. Billings had read Marsh's pioneering volume on ecology called Man and Nature
Man and Nature
Man and nature; or, Physical geography as modified by human action is a book written by George Perkins Marsh in 1864.It is one of the first works to document the effects of human action on the environment and it helped to launch the modern conservation movement. Marsh argued that ancient...
, and set about to put into practice his theories on conservation. Billings and his heirs set about purchasing many failing farms and reforesting much of the surrounding hillsides with Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce
Norway Spruce is a species of spruce native to Europe. It is also commonly referred to as the European Spruce.- Description :...
, Scots Pine
Scots Pine
Pinus sylvestris, commonly known as the Scots Pine, is a species of pine native to Europe and Asia, ranging from Scotland, Ireland and Portugal in the west, east to eastern Siberia, south to the Caucasus Mountains, and as far north as well inside the Arctic Circle in Scandinavia...
, European Larch
European Larch
Larix decidua, common name European larch, is a species of larch native to the mountains of central Europe, in the Alps and Carpathians, with disjunct lowland populations in northern Poland and southern Lithuania.-Description:...
, and many native species. Today, the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park
Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park is a United States National Historical Park in Woodstock, Vermont. The park preserves the site where Frederick Billings established a managed forest and a progressive dairy farm. The name honors Billings and the other owners of the property:...
in Woodstock manages and interprets what is probably the oldest managed forest in the United States. The Billings Farm & Museum is a working dairy farm and museum, just across the street is the gateway to learning about Vermont's agricultural history.
Billings later purchased one of the original twelfth interests in the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
and, from 1879 to 1881, served as its president. He constructed a chapel for the Congregational Church
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
of Woodstock. Although he never owned a home in Billings, Montana, a railroad town established in 1882 and named after him, he provided the money to build the First Congregational Church and the first school in that town. He also built and endowed Billings Library, completed in 1885 for The University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
, and purchased the George Perkins Marsh collection of 12,000 volumes for it.
At the time of his death, legend states that Billings had hidden a chest full of millions of dollars of gold in the Beartooth Mountains
Beartooth Mountains
The Beartooth Mountains are located in south central Montana and northwest Wyoming, U.S. and are part of the 900,000 acre Absaroka-Beartooth Wilderness, within Custer, Gallatin and Shoshone National Forests. The Beartooths are the location of Granite Peak, which at 12,807 feet is the highest...
.
Legacy
- Billings, MontanaBillings, MontanaBillings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
- Billings, MissouriBillings, MissouriBillings is a city in Christian County, Missouri, United States. The population was 1,143 at the 2009 census. It is part of the Springfield, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Billings is located at ....
- Billings Library, University of VermontUniversity of VermontThe University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
, Burlington, VermontBurlington, VermontBurlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal.... - Billings Farm & Museum, Woodstock, Vermont
- Camp Billings, Fairlee, VT
- Billings County, North DakotaBillings County, North Dakota-National protected areas:* Little Missouri National Grassland * Theodore Roosevelt National Park -Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 888 people, 366 households, and 255 families residing in the county. The population density was 0.79 people per square mile . There were 529 housing...
Sources
- Yellowstone Genealogy Forum: Frederick Billings Biography
- UVM Gift Societies and Clubs: Frederick Billings Society
- Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park
- Biographical Sketch