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Any photos not otherwise credited are from the personal collection of Frank Passic, Albion Historian.
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Morning Star, March 28, 2025, pg. 7 Among the Albion area's early settlers was the Billinghurst family. Daniel Billinghurst (1810-1896) and his wife Jane Hatch (1814-1859) came to Michigan from their native New York State in September, 1844. They settled a 130-acre farm in Sheridan Township on the north side of B Drive North, on both sides of 25 ½ Mile Road and raised their nine children. One, Charles Hatch Billinghurst (1849-1946) was "Albion's Greatest Hunter" whom we've written about previously in this column. In 1859, Daniel's wife Jane passed away, and so he subsequently married her sister Aurelia (1827-1894). The couple had two children. In 1861, Daniel and Aurelia purchased the 200-acre J. F. Shattuck farm located across the road, in Sections 31 and 32 west of 25 ½ Mile Road. This acreage included a schoolhouse that was subsequently named the Billinghurst School. That operated until 1966. The Billinghurst farm remained in the family for nearly sixty years until it was sold in March, 1920 to Oscar Wilder of Bloomington, Illinois. The farm was later sold to Starr Commonwealth for Boys, which used it as their dairy farm for many years. The former Billinghurst farmhouse still sits there today on a hill. The Billinghurst family and their many descendants have left their footprint on Albion-area history. Some of my maternal cousins are Billinghurst descendants. This week I'd like to focus on one particular son, Colon Christopher Billinghurst (1845-1921). His is a story of "from rags to riches." Colon grew up here, but apparently the farm life was not too successful for him. On Thursday, March 21, 1867 the day following his 22nd birthday, Colon left Albion with no money, and had only the clothing he wore. He arrived that day in Muskegon, Michigan. His 1921 obituary related Colon's first night upon his arrival in Muskegon: "He has often told friends here of his experiences that first night, stating he knew no one and that after walking about a while, he went to the Methodist Church, where he attended a prayer meeting. The following day he called on Captain T. J. Rand, president of the only bank in the village, and applied for work. His banking career began that hour." Colon was employed by the Lumberman's National Bank (which operated under various names) there, and through the years he worked his way up through the ranks. Starting as an errand boy and janitor, he became the Bank cashier on January 17, 1873. He remained in that position until October 3, 1910, when he was elevated to the position of Bank president. He served as Bank president until his death on July 29, 1921 at the age of 76, at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, several weeks after surgery. He was interred in Evergreen Cemetery in Muskegon (Findagrave listing #7709646). Among the many persons attending the funeral were his Albion siblings and relatives. Colon was very active in civic affairs in Muskegon during his lifetime, and earned the high respect of the community and its business leaders. It is also known among kin that at Christmas he would give his relatives $25 each. His long funeral eulogy, which was published in the Muskegon Chronicle (August 2, 1921) included these words, "No solicitor for such an organization as the Salvation Army ever went away from him empty handed. He delighted to contribute to the worthy poor, to all those who he thought, were seeking the uplift of their fellowmen. When he was sojourning in the South he contributed freely to the colored churches." Continuing, "He was a product of the farm, and his interest in farms and farmers never lagged. He loved the fields and the forests, the lakes, and streams. Before advancing years deprived him of the necessary energy, his recreation was mainly confined to fishing and hunting. In later years it was largely confined to drives in the country and to visiting and revisiting scenes that had been familiar to him from boyhood [Albion]." From our Historical Notebook this week we present a photo of Colon Billinghurst. Our second photograph is of a $10 National Bank Note of the National Lumberman's Bank of Muskegon, with Colon's large hand signature in the lower right corner as bank president. In those days, the U.S. Treasury issued bills with the name of the local National bank on it (including Albion; I'm looking for one), and the notes were hand-signed by the bank president and cashier. Ironically, Colon's son Jay Billinghurst (1873-1960) was also later a cashier at the bank, and during his era his signature as cashier would be found in the lower left. How many of our readers are Billinghurst-clan descendants?  Colon Christopher Billinghurst (1845-1921)
 $10 National Bank Note of the National Lumberman's Bank of Muskegon
All text copyright, 2025 © all rights reserved Frank Passic
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