Memories of Norman Arthur Billings
The Billings family settled in the Lyons, Colorado area about 1880. There were four Billings brothers: George, Ferdinand, Norton and Jabe. They came by covered wagon before the town of Lyons existed and settled in ranches near there. They were ranchers, woodsmen, saw mill operators, hunters and road builders.
Our great-grandfather, Norton Herbert Billings (1852-1918), was born in Massachusetts then moved to Iowa with his parents. He married Elizabeth Brower of Cambridge, Iowa. In 1872 they had a daughter Etta who was born in Marshall, Minnesota. Later a son, Norman Arthur (1874-1964), our grandfather, was born in the same city.
When Norman was born his mother passed away. His father Norton remarried and moved to South Dakota where he homesteaded land in Deuel County.
Norman was just 6 years old when he rode in the covered wagon from South Dakota to Lyons, Colorado with his father and stepmother. Norton was a woodsman and a sawmill operator near Estes Park in the Fish Creek area. Norman, our grandfather, operated this mill for several years. I recall spending some summers with my mother there. It seemed way back in the mountains and most of the women cooked for the sawmill crew who were always hungry. This area is presently filled with expensive mountain homes.
The family lived off the land for many years and Norman knew how to do it. He seldom had much money and had a growing family. They had trout and venison, sometimes lived in a tent and on one occasion had to farm out a child to keep going. He worked for his father in the sawmill business, ran his own sawmill business at Fishing Creek near Estes Park, drove stage coaches, was a toll gate keeper, and was the Town Marshall in Estes Park. We learned the hard way that he kept a loaded gun in his dresser. His grandson fired it through the floor one Sunday while we were visiting.
Norman was a quiet man in a family setting, just enjoying all the fun the family was having telling wild stories and laughing. I met, one time, a man who said when Norman was driving stagecoaches from Estes Park to Lyons that you could hear his calls to the horses for miles up and down the canyons. He didn't drink alcohol or smoke except on very special occasions. He was always very fit and able to do manual work around his home, even late in his life.
Our grandfather, Norman, married Bessie McCall on July 4th, 1894. She was raised near McCall Lake which is just west of Hygiene, Colorado. In fact, until a few years ago the sod house they lived in was still standing. In 1912 they moved to Estes Park and homesteaded on Fish Creek south of town.
Norm and Bessie lived in Estes for over 50 years. He and Bessie both died in 1964 after lots of hard work but never lacking in humor and a bag full of tricks.
Memories by his grandson, Oliver
Norman Billings, Park Resident Since 1912, Is Buried Wednesday
Norman A. Billings, 89, Estes Park resident for over half a century, died at Longmont Community Hospital Monday. He entered the hospital Friday.
Mr. Billings was born in Iowa, Nov. 5, 1874. He came with his parents to the Longmont area as a child and homesteaded with his family near Lyons. He moved to Estes Park in 1912. He was in the lumber and sawmill business many years, and at one time was town marshal of Estes Park.
He and his wife, Bess McCall, observed their 70th wedding anniversary July 4, 1963.
He was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge of Lyons, and attended the Community Church of the Rockies.
Survivors include his wife and three sons: Norton, of Longmont; Harry, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Ted, of Aurora; two daughters—Mrs. Clarence Lee of Longmont and Mrs. Paul Smith of Byers, Colo., half-brother, five half-sisters, nine grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Services were held at the Lewellen Funeral Home Wednesday with the Rev. Sticklen of the First Congregational Church officiating. Interment was at the Lyons cemetery.
Estes Park Trail, Colorado, Friday, February 7, 1964
The Billings family settled in the Lyons, Colorado area about 1880. There were four Billings brothers: George, Ferdinand, Norton and Jabe. They came by covered wagon before the town of Lyons existed and settled in ranches near there. They were ranchers, woodsmen, saw mill operators, hunters and road builders.
Our great-grandfather, Norton Herbert Billings (1852-1918), was born in Massachusetts then moved to Iowa with his parents. He married Elizabeth Brower of Cambridge, Iowa. In 1872 they had a daughter Etta who was born in Marshall, Minnesota. Later a son, Norman Arthur (1874-1964), our grandfather, was born in the same city.
When Norman was born his mother passed away. His father Norton remarried and moved to South Dakota where he homesteaded land in Deuel County.
Norman was just 6 years old when he rode in the covered wagon from South Dakota to Lyons, Colorado with his father and stepmother. Norton was a woodsman and a sawmill operator near Estes Park in the Fish Creek area. Norman, our grandfather, operated this mill for several years. I recall spending some summers with my mother there. It seemed way back in the mountains and most of the women cooked for the sawmill crew who were always hungry. This area is presently filled with expensive mountain homes.
The family lived off the land for many years and Norman knew how to do it. He seldom had much money and had a growing family. They had trout and venison, sometimes lived in a tent and on one occasion had to farm out a child to keep going. He worked for his father in the sawmill business, ran his own sawmill business at Fishing Creek near Estes Park, drove stage coaches, was a toll gate keeper, and was the Town Marshall in Estes Park. We learned the hard way that he kept a loaded gun in his dresser. His grandson fired it through the floor one Sunday while we were visiting.
Norman was a quiet man in a family setting, just enjoying all the fun the family was having telling wild stories and laughing. I met, one time, a man who said when Norman was driving stagecoaches from Estes Park to Lyons that you could hear his calls to the horses for miles up and down the canyons. He didn't drink alcohol or smoke except on very special occasions. He was always very fit and able to do manual work around his home, even late in his life.
Our grandfather, Norman, married Bessie McCall on July 4th, 1894. She was raised near McCall Lake which is just west of Hygiene, Colorado. In fact, until a few years ago the sod house they lived in was still standing. In 1912 they moved to Estes Park and homesteaded on Fish Creek south of town.
Norm and Bessie lived in Estes for over 50 years. He and Bessie both died in 1964 after lots of hard work but never lacking in humor and a bag full of tricks.
Memories by his grandson, Oliver
Norman Billings, Park Resident Since 1912, Is Buried Wednesday
Norman A. Billings, 89, Estes Park resident for over half a century, died at Longmont Community Hospital Monday. He entered the hospital Friday.
Mr. Billings was born in Iowa, Nov. 5, 1874. He came with his parents to the Longmont area as a child and homesteaded with his family near Lyons. He moved to Estes Park in 1912. He was in the lumber and sawmill business many years, and at one time was town marshal of Estes Park.
He and his wife, Bess McCall, observed their 70th wedding anniversary July 4, 1963.
He was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge of Lyons, and attended the Community Church of the Rockies.
Survivors include his wife and three sons: Norton, of Longmont; Harry, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Ted, of Aurora; two daughters—Mrs. Clarence Lee of Longmont and Mrs. Paul Smith of Byers, Colo., half-brother, five half-sisters, nine grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Services were held at the Lewellen Funeral Home Wednesday with the Rev. Sticklen of the First Congregational Church officiating. Interment was at the Lyons cemetery.
Estes Park Trail, Colorado, Friday, February 7, 1964
Memories of Norman Arthur Billings
The Billings family settled in the Lyons, Colorado area about 1880. There were four Billings brothers: George, Ferdinand, Norton and Jabe. They came by covered wagon before the town of Lyons existed and settled in ranches near there. They were ranchers, woodsmen, saw mill operators, hunters and road builders.
Our great-grandfather, Norton Herbert Billings (1852-1918), was born in Massachusetts then moved to Iowa with his parents. He married Elizabeth Brower of Cambridge, Iowa. In 1872 they had a daughter Etta who was born in Marshall, Minnesota. Later a son, Norman Arthur (1874-1964), our grandfather, was born in the same city.
When Norman was born his mother passed away. His father Norton remarried and moved to South Dakota where he homesteaded land in Deuel County.
Norman was just 6 years old when he rode in the covered wagon from South Dakota to Lyons, Colorado with his father and stepmother. Norton was a woodsman and a sawmill operator near Estes Park in the Fish Creek area. Norman, our grandfather, operated this mill for several years. I recall spending some summers with my mother there. It seemed way back in the mountains and most of the women cooked for the sawmill crew who were always hungry. This area is presently filled with expensive mountain homes.
The family lived off the land for many years and Norman knew how to do it. He seldom had much money and had a growing family. They had trout and venison, sometimes lived in a tent and on one occasion had to farm out a child to keep going. He worked for his father in the sawmill business, ran his own sawmill business at Fishing Creek near Estes Park, drove stage coaches, was a toll gate keeper, and was the Town Marshall in Estes Park. We learned the hard way that he kept a loaded gun in his dresser. His grandson fired it through the floor one Sunday while we were visiting.
Norman was a quiet man in a family setting, just enjoying all the fun the family was having telling wild stories and laughing. I met, one time, a man who said when Norman was driving stagecoaches from Estes Park to Lyons that you could hear his calls to the horses for miles up and down the canyons. He didn't drink alcohol or smoke except on very special occasions. He was always very fit and able to do manual work around his home, even late in his life.
Our grandfather, Norman, married Bessie McCall on July 4th, 1894. She was raised near McCall Lake which is just west of Hygiene, Colorado. In fact, until a few years ago the sod house they lived in was still standing. In 1912 they moved to Estes Park and homesteaded on Fish Creek south of town.
Norm and Bessie lived in Estes for over 50 years. He and Bessie both died in 1964 after lots of hard work but never lacking in humor and a bag full of tricks.
Memories by his grandson, Oliver
Norman Billings, Park Resident Since 1912, Is Buried Wednesday
Norman A. Billings, 89, Estes Park resident for over half a century, died at Longmont Community Hospital Monday. He entered the hospital Friday.
Mr. Billings was born in Iowa, Nov. 5, 1874. He came with his parents to the Longmont area as a child and homesteaded with his family near Lyons. He moved to Estes Park in 1912. He was in the lumber and sawmill business many years, and at one time was town marshal of Estes Park.
He and his wife, Bess McCall, observed their 70th wedding anniversary July 4, 1963.
He was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge of Lyons, and attended the Community Church of the Rockies.
Survivors include his wife and three sons: Norton, of Longmont; Harry, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Ted, of Aurora; two daughters—Mrs. Clarence Lee of Longmont and Mrs. Paul Smith of Byers, Colo., half-brother, five half-sisters, nine grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Services were held at the Lewellen Funeral Home Wednesday with the Rev. Sticklen of the First Congregational Church officiating. Interment was at the Lyons cemetery.
Estes Park Trail, Colorado, Friday, February 7, 1964
The Billings family settled in the Lyons, Colorado area about 1880. There were four Billings brothers: George, Ferdinand, Norton and Jabe. They came by covered wagon before the town of Lyons existed and settled in ranches near there. They were ranchers, woodsmen, saw mill operators, hunters and road builders.
Our great-grandfather, Norton Herbert Billings (1852-1918), was born in Massachusetts then moved to Iowa with his parents. He married Elizabeth Brower of Cambridge, Iowa. In 1872 they had a daughter Etta who was born in Marshall, Minnesota. Later a son, Norman Arthur (1874-1964), our grandfather, was born in the same city.
When Norman was born his mother passed away. His father Norton remarried and moved to South Dakota where he homesteaded land in Deuel County.
Norman was just 6 years old when he rode in the covered wagon from South Dakota to Lyons, Colorado with his father and stepmother. Norton was a woodsman and a sawmill operator near Estes Park in the Fish Creek area. Norman, our grandfather, operated this mill for several years. I recall spending some summers with my mother there. It seemed way back in the mountains and most of the women cooked for the sawmill crew who were always hungry. This area is presently filled with expensive mountain homes.
The family lived off the land for many years and Norman knew how to do it. He seldom had much money and had a growing family. They had trout and venison, sometimes lived in a tent and on one occasion had to farm out a child to keep going. He worked for his father in the sawmill business, ran his own sawmill business at Fishing Creek near Estes Park, drove stage coaches, was a toll gate keeper, and was the Town Marshall in Estes Park. We learned the hard way that he kept a loaded gun in his dresser. His grandson fired it through the floor one Sunday while we were visiting.
Norman was a quiet man in a family setting, just enjoying all the fun the family was having telling wild stories and laughing. I met, one time, a man who said when Norman was driving stagecoaches from Estes Park to Lyons that you could hear his calls to the horses for miles up and down the canyons. He didn't drink alcohol or smoke except on very special occasions. He was always very fit and able to do manual work around his home, even late in his life.
Our grandfather, Norman, married Bessie McCall on July 4th, 1894. She was raised near McCall Lake which is just west of Hygiene, Colorado. In fact, until a few years ago the sod house they lived in was still standing. In 1912 they moved to Estes Park and homesteaded on Fish Creek south of town.
Norm and Bessie lived in Estes for over 50 years. He and Bessie both died in 1964 after lots of hard work but never lacking in humor and a bag full of tricks.
Memories by his grandson, Oliver
Norman Billings, Park Resident Since 1912, Is Buried Wednesday
Norman A. Billings, 89, Estes Park resident for over half a century, died at Longmont Community Hospital Monday. He entered the hospital Friday.
Mr. Billings was born in Iowa, Nov. 5, 1874. He came with his parents to the Longmont area as a child and homesteaded with his family near Lyons. He moved to Estes Park in 1912. He was in the lumber and sawmill business many years, and at one time was town marshal of Estes Park.
He and his wife, Bess McCall, observed their 70th wedding anniversary July 4, 1963.
He was a member of the Odd Fellows Lodge of Lyons, and attended the Community Church of the Rockies.
Survivors include his wife and three sons: Norton, of Longmont; Harry, of Scottsdale, Ariz.; Ted, of Aurora; two daughters—Mrs. Clarence Lee of Longmont and Mrs. Paul Smith of Byers, Colo., half-brother, five half-sisters, nine grandchildren, and 7 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
Services were held at the Lewellen Funeral Home Wednesday with the Rev. Sticklen of the First Congregational Church officiating. Interment was at the Lyons cemetery.
Estes Park Trail, Colorado, Friday, February 7, 1964
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