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An excerpt from The Pilgrim Republic By John Abbot Goodwin
Billington's name seemed for a time to be one of ill-omen. His widowsucceeded to his farm at Plain Dealing (two miles north of PlymouthRock), and for her cattle was, in 1636, authorized by the court to mowthe adjacent grass; but " what is too much for her" was to go toDeacon John Doane. A controversy ensued, doubtless as to this " toomuch," and the deacon, charging the dame with slander, sued for £100damages. The court gave the complainant nothing; but evidently findingthe slander very flagrant, sentenced the defendant to a fine of £$, tosit in the stocks, and to be publicly whipped. In 1638 the widow gavethe farm to her only living child in terms which sound oddly now; forshe declared the gift to be from "the natural love I bear unto FrancisBillington, my natural son." Later in that year she married withGregory Armstrong, at which time she had two cows, a house, garden,and land for fifteen hundred hills of corn. If she survived, she wasto have all Armstrong's property, " except some things for hisfriends." If he survived, he was to retain the use of her property,but was to give two yearling heifers to " the natural children ofFrancis Billington, the said Eleanor's natural son." The word"natural" was then used to distinguish one's own child from astep-child, child-in-law, or adopted child; and it often occurs in therecords, to the misleading of careless and censorious readers. (Thus,in 1685, William Walker was excused from training because he was weak,and also had " two natural sons" in the train-band; and in 1686 IsaacRobinson, son of the Leyden pastor, conveyed land to his " naturalson" Peter, — meaning his son by nature.)
Armstrong died at Plymouth, November, 1650.
From The Pilgrim Republic By John Abbot Goodwin
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1585 - 1643 (57 years)
