This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Surnames: BILLINGS, FISH, GRIBBLE, STEWART, RYAN, BARDON Classification: Obituary Message Board URL: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/nZB.2ACE/284 Message Board Post: The Hood River News, Hood River, OR., October 16, 1925, page 1 MRS. MARY BILLINGS, PIONEER, PASSES Mrs. Mary Billings, one of Oregon’s pioneers, passed away on Thursday of last week, at her home on Fair St., The Dalles. Mrs. Billings, who was the daughter of Walter and Catherine Fish, was born on the Abaqua, in Marion county, Oregon, September 26, 1847, a few weeks after her parents arrived from the long trip across the plains. Her parents soon moved to what was known as the Huckleberry woods, east of Canby; then later to Big Eddy at the bend of the Willamette, between Oregon City and Canby. The section of land her folks moved on to was at that time a vast forest of oak and fir, with their nearest neighbors four miles away. Wild animals were very numerous at that time, and often in later years, Mrs. Billings recalled that her cradle song was the howl of the big timber wolves. In September, 1861, she married Joseph B. Gribble, and moved to her husband’s farm on Gribble’s Prairie, south of Canby. To this union were born 11 children, of whom five survive: William S. and Raymond N. of The Dalles, Walter L. of Englewood, Calif., Elmir W., of Canby and Martin J., of Portland. Mr. Gribble passed away in 1885, and during the next three years, Mrs. Gribble, with the help of her boys, successfully managed her husband’s farm. She married A.B. Billings, in June 1888. To this union were born two children, Bruce M. Billings, who lives near Dee, survives. In 1894, after hearing of the Hood River valley and the government land to be had there, the family moved to the Upper Valley, arriving in October of that year. They settled on a tract of land, one and one-half miles south of Dee. At that time Mt. Hood was the only post office in the Upper Valley, with mail service but once a week. The nearest store was at Hood River. Mrs. Billings was always interested in the development of the Community, and for many years took an active part in its church and social life. During the latter years she spent most of her spare time with her flowers, developing one or two varieties of peonies that will, perhaps, rank with the finest in this section. Mr. and Mrs. Billings moved to The Dalles in the spring of 1924. She was at one time an active member of the Woman’s Relief Corps and the Oregon Pioneer Association. Besides the children mentioned, she is also survived by her husband, A.B. Billings, of The Dalles, two brothers, Judd S. Fish, of The Dalles, and James M. Fish, of Mojave, Calif.; three sisters, Roxana Stewart, of Eureka, Calif., Rachael Ryan, of Gresham, and Martha Bardon of McMinnville. This was posted for reference only. I am not related to, nor am I researching this family. If you have additional information about the person or event listed above, please post it as reply to this message.