MOSES F. BILLINGS,

 Bio-Pen Pictures

a resident of the Hamilton District, owns a fruit-farm of ten acres,  which is situated on Los Gatos Creek, near the Meridian road. Mr. Billings bought this property on the twenty-third of January, 1884, it then being part of a stubble-field. All the improvements have been made by him since that time,—buildings erected and orchard planted. The latter work he accomplished in the spring following his purchase of the place. The orchard contains 400 prune, 350 apricot, and 100 peach-trees, besides a general variety for household use, comprising cherry, plum, apple, pear, nectarine, fig, and almond trees. In 1887 nine tons of apricots were gathered and sold for $270, while the whole crop realized a sum of over $500,—a result which was rather unusual for a three-year-old orchard.

        Mr. Billings' birth took place in the town of Fayette, Kennebec County, Maine, June 19, 1829. He is the son of William and Eliza (Rice) Billings, both of
whom were natives of that State. His mother, now eighty-seven years of age, is yet living there. When fourteen years of age, the subject of this sketch left the old farm to learn the carpenter's trade. At nineteen years of age he decided to try his fortunes in the West, and removed to Wisconsin, living in Berlin one year, and thence going to Wausau, same State, where he lived many years, engaged in working at his trade. Here he married, on the ninth of November, 1856, Miss Harriet M. Millard. She is a native of Allegany County, New York, where she was born, August 13, 1839. She is the daughter of Arnold and Maria Millard. Her father died in Ohio about 1844, but her mother was, in 1888, living at Rockford, Illinois. In 1865 Mr. and Mrs. Billings removed to Rockford, Illinois, and the following year again removed to Minneapolis, Minnesota. They made this State their home until they became residents of Santa Clara County, in 1884. During sixteen years of their residence in the State of Minnesota, Mr. Billings conducted a farm in connection with his carpenter work. Mr. and Mrs. Billings are the parents of two children, living: Annie M. and Frank B., both of whom make their home with their parents. Mr. Billings is connected with the Republican party, in politics. 

Pen Pictures From The Garden of the World or Santa Clara County, California, Illustrated. - Edited by H. S. Foote.- Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1888.
Pg. 432-433

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