Pvt 45 ILL Inf
John Billington, 94-year-old veteran of the Civil war, who when a boy was employed in the law office of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, died at 5 p.m. yesterday at his home, South Third street. His death leaves only two surviving members of the Union army in Springfield. Mr. Billington's death followed a long period of declining health, although he had been fairly active until recent weeks and was able to participate in Memorial day services last May. He had been a resident of Springfield for eighty-five years and was engaged in carpentry contracting until his retirement fifteen years ago.
The veteran retained vivid recollections of Abraham Lincoln throughout his long life. Johnny, as Lincoln affectionately called Billington, was one of his favorite young friends. For several years it was the lad's duty to keep the law office of Lincoln & Herndon spick and span, and to build a fire in the wood burning sheetiron stove that reposed in the second floor rooms occupied by the prairie lawyer who was to become president. "I also distributed handbills for Mr. Lincoln," Mr. Billington recalled in a recent interview with a State Journal reporter. "He often told me that he realized more business from these papers than from any other way. Lincoln was a mighty nice man. I liked him as well as I did my own father. He was such a common man; no one in Springfield ever dreamed he'd be president."
Mr. Billington often recalled fond memories of strolls with his eminent friend and employer to convenient places in the city where the game of "town ball" could be played. Similar to the present hand ball, the game was one at which Lincoln excelled and of which he was very fond.
Mr. Billington's father resided on Ninth street near Jackson, where the back yard of Lincoln's home was close to that of the Billingtons. Tad Lincoln and young Billington were great friends. When Lincoln became president and the Civil war began Billington was only 14 years old and too young to enlist. Two years later at the age of 16, by claiming to be a year older, he enlisted at Springfield to fight for his beloved commander-in-chief. He became a member of Co. H, Forty-fifth Illinois infantry, and spent much of the remainder of the war in guarding government cattle in Tennessee and other border states, although he participated in several engagements. The battle of Kingston, N. C., was the principal one in which he fought. He was not wounded throughout the war and as soon as he was mustered out returned to Springfield.
Mr. Billington was born at Shrewsbury, England, on July 13, 1847, and came to the United States and to Springfield in 1856, when he was 9 years old. He came with his father, William Billington, who was a civil engineer and surveyor. His grandfather, John Billington, already had been in Springfield for several years as agent for the Marshall Thread Co. of England. An uncle, James Billington, was owner of the famous old Kokey's mill, located west of the city on Spring creek.
Shortly after arriving in Springfield, young Billington was engaged by Lincoln to look after his office. He did that work in his spare time for four years while attending the old Second ward school on Mason street. After the war he was employed by the Chicago & Alton railroad as a bridge builder for sixteen years, then for a long period was engaged in carpenter work. He became widely known as a builder of stairs. He built the grand staircase in the old Leland hotel and stairs in many other buildings and pretentious homes in the city. One of Mr. Billington's prized possessions was a gold pencil presented to him by Lincoln one Christmas.
The veteran is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Frank McConnell and Mrs. Mabel Harrison, city; two sons, Edward, city, and George, Chicago; two sisters, Miss Emma Billington and Mrs. Joseph B. Ruckel, both of Chicago; also eleven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. IL State Journal, Springfield, IL, 8-25-1941
John Billington, 94-year-old veteran of the Civil war, who when a boy was employed in the law office of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, died at 5 p.m. yesterday at his home, South Third street. His death leaves only two surviving members of the Union army in Springfield. Mr. Billington's death followed a long period of declining health, although he had been fairly active until recent weeks and was able to participate in Memorial day services last May. He had been a resident of Springfield for eighty-five years and was engaged in carpentry contracting until his retirement fifteen years ago.
The veteran retained vivid recollections of Abraham Lincoln throughout his long life. Johnny, as Lincoln affectionately called Billington, was one of his favorite young friends. For several years it was the lad's duty to keep the law office of Lincoln & Herndon spick and span, and to build a fire in the wood burning sheetiron stove that reposed in the second floor rooms occupied by the prairie lawyer who was to become president. "I also distributed handbills for Mr. Lincoln," Mr. Billington recalled in a recent interview with a State Journal reporter. "He often told me that he realized more business from these papers than from any other way. Lincoln was a mighty nice man. I liked him as well as I did my own father. He was such a common man; no one in Springfield ever dreamed he'd be president."
Mr. Billington often recalled fond memories of strolls with his eminent friend and employer to convenient places in the city where the game of "town ball" could be played. Similar to the present hand ball, the game was one at which Lincoln excelled and of which he was very fond.
Mr. Billington's father resided on Ninth street near Jackson, where the back yard of Lincoln's home was close to that of the Billingtons. Tad Lincoln and young Billington were great friends. When Lincoln became president and the Civil war began Billington was only 14 years old and too young to enlist. Two years later at the age of 16, by claiming to be a year older, he enlisted at Springfield to fight for his beloved commander-in-chief. He became a member of Co. H, Forty-fifth Illinois infantry, and spent much of the remainder of the war in guarding government cattle in Tennessee and other border states, although he participated in several engagements. The battle of Kingston, N. C., was the principal one in which he fought. He was not wounded throughout the war and as soon as he was mustered out returned to Springfield.
Mr. Billington was born at Shrewsbury, England, on July 13, 1847, and came to the United States and to Springfield in 1856, when he was 9 years old. He came with his father, William Billington, who was a civil engineer and surveyor. His grandfather, John Billington, already had been in Springfield for several years as agent for the Marshall Thread Co. of England. An uncle, James Billington, was owner of the famous old Kokey's mill, located west of the city on Spring creek.
Shortly after arriving in Springfield, young Billington was engaged by Lincoln to look after his office. He did that work in his spare time for four years while attending the old Second ward school on Mason street. After the war he was employed by the Chicago & Alton railroad as a bridge builder for sixteen years, then for a long period was engaged in carpenter work. He became widely known as a builder of stairs. He built the grand staircase in the old Leland hotel and stairs in many other buildings and pretentious homes in the city. One of Mr. Billington's prized possessions was a gold pencil presented to him by Lincoln one Christmas.
The veteran is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Frank McConnell and Mrs. Mabel Harrison, city; two sons, Edward, city, and George, Chicago; two sisters, Miss Emma Billington and Mrs. Joseph B. Ruckel, both of Chicago; also eleven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. IL State Journal, Springfield, IL, 8-25-1941
Pvt 45 ILL Inf
John Billington, 94-year-old veteran of the Civil war, who when a boy was employed in the law office of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, died at 5 p.m. yesterday at his home, South Third street. His death leaves only two surviving members of the Union army in Springfield. Mr. Billington's death followed a long period of declining health, although he had been fairly active until recent weeks and was able to participate in Memorial day services last May. He had been a resident of Springfield for eighty-five years and was engaged in carpentry contracting until his retirement fifteen years ago.
The veteran retained vivid recollections of Abraham Lincoln throughout his long life. Johnny, as Lincoln affectionately called Billington, was one of his favorite young friends. For several years it was the lad's duty to keep the law office of Lincoln & Herndon spick and span, and to build a fire in the wood burning sheetiron stove that reposed in the second floor rooms occupied by the prairie lawyer who was to become president. "I also distributed handbills for Mr. Lincoln," Mr. Billington recalled in a recent interview with a State Journal reporter. "He often told me that he realized more business from these papers than from any other way. Lincoln was a mighty nice man. I liked him as well as I did my own father. He was such a common man; no one in Springfield ever dreamed he'd be president."
Mr. Billington often recalled fond memories of strolls with his eminent friend and employer to convenient places in the city where the game of "town ball" could be played. Similar to the present hand ball, the game was one at which Lincoln excelled and of which he was very fond.
Mr. Billington's father resided on Ninth street near Jackson, where the back yard of Lincoln's home was close to that of the Billingtons. Tad Lincoln and young Billington were great friends. When Lincoln became president and the Civil war began Billington was only 14 years old and too young to enlist. Two years later at the age of 16, by claiming to be a year older, he enlisted at Springfield to fight for his beloved commander-in-chief. He became a member of Co. H, Forty-fifth Illinois infantry, and spent much of the remainder of the war in guarding government cattle in Tennessee and other border states, although he participated in several engagements. The battle of Kingston, N. C., was the principal one in which he fought. He was not wounded throughout the war and as soon as he was mustered out returned to Springfield.
Mr. Billington was born at Shrewsbury, England, on July 13, 1847, and came to the United States and to Springfield in 1856, when he was 9 years old. He came with his father, William Billington, who was a civil engineer and surveyor. His grandfather, John Billington, already had been in Springfield for several years as agent for the Marshall Thread Co. of England. An uncle, James Billington, was owner of the famous old Kokey's mill, located west of the city on Spring creek.
Shortly after arriving in Springfield, young Billington was engaged by Lincoln to look after his office. He did that work in his spare time for four years while attending the old Second ward school on Mason street. After the war he was employed by the Chicago & Alton railroad as a bridge builder for sixteen years, then for a long period was engaged in carpenter work. He became widely known as a builder of stairs. He built the grand staircase in the old Leland hotel and stairs in many other buildings and pretentious homes in the city. One of Mr. Billington's prized possessions was a gold pencil presented to him by Lincoln one Christmas.
The veteran is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Frank McConnell and Mrs. Mabel Harrison, city; two sons, Edward, city, and George, Chicago; two sisters, Miss Emma Billington and Mrs. Joseph B. Ruckel, both of Chicago; also eleven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. IL State Journal, Springfield, IL, 8-25-1941
John Billington, 94-year-old veteran of the Civil war, who when a boy was employed in the law office of Abraham Lincoln in Springfield, died at 5 p.m. yesterday at his home, South Third street. His death leaves only two surviving members of the Union army in Springfield. Mr. Billington's death followed a long period of declining health, although he had been fairly active until recent weeks and was able to participate in Memorial day services last May. He had been a resident of Springfield for eighty-five years and was engaged in carpentry contracting until his retirement fifteen years ago.
The veteran retained vivid recollections of Abraham Lincoln throughout his long life. Johnny, as Lincoln affectionately called Billington, was one of his favorite young friends. For several years it was the lad's duty to keep the law office of Lincoln & Herndon spick and span, and to build a fire in the wood burning sheetiron stove that reposed in the second floor rooms occupied by the prairie lawyer who was to become president. "I also distributed handbills for Mr. Lincoln," Mr. Billington recalled in a recent interview with a State Journal reporter. "He often told me that he realized more business from these papers than from any other way. Lincoln was a mighty nice man. I liked him as well as I did my own father. He was such a common man; no one in Springfield ever dreamed he'd be president."
Mr. Billington often recalled fond memories of strolls with his eminent friend and employer to convenient places in the city where the game of "town ball" could be played. Similar to the present hand ball, the game was one at which Lincoln excelled and of which he was very fond.
Mr. Billington's father resided on Ninth street near Jackson, where the back yard of Lincoln's home was close to that of the Billingtons. Tad Lincoln and young Billington were great friends. When Lincoln became president and the Civil war began Billington was only 14 years old and too young to enlist. Two years later at the age of 16, by claiming to be a year older, he enlisted at Springfield to fight for his beloved commander-in-chief. He became a member of Co. H, Forty-fifth Illinois infantry, and spent much of the remainder of the war in guarding government cattle in Tennessee and other border states, although he participated in several engagements. The battle of Kingston, N. C., was the principal one in which he fought. He was not wounded throughout the war and as soon as he was mustered out returned to Springfield.
Mr. Billington was born at Shrewsbury, England, on July 13, 1847, and came to the United States and to Springfield in 1856, when he was 9 years old. He came with his father, William Billington, who was a civil engineer and surveyor. His grandfather, John Billington, already had been in Springfield for several years as agent for the Marshall Thread Co. of England. An uncle, James Billington, was owner of the famous old Kokey's mill, located west of the city on Spring creek.
Shortly after arriving in Springfield, young Billington was engaged by Lincoln to look after his office. He did that work in his spare time for four years while attending the old Second ward school on Mason street. After the war he was employed by the Chicago & Alton railroad as a bridge builder for sixteen years, then for a long period was engaged in carpenter work. He became widely known as a builder of stairs. He built the grand staircase in the old Leland hotel and stairs in many other buildings and pretentious homes in the city. One of Mr. Billington's prized possessions was a gold pencil presented to him by Lincoln one Christmas.
The veteran is survived by two daughters, Mrs. Frank McConnell and Mrs. Mabel Harrison, city; two sons, Edward, city, and George, Chicago; two sisters, Miss Emma Billington and Mrs. Joseph B. Ruckel, both of Chicago; also eleven grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. IL State Journal, Springfield, IL, 8-25-1941
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