This old English name was established early in Shropshire, where it flourished over five hundred years before the Puritan emigration. It is also found in Wiltshire, Herefordshire, Yorkshire and Stafford. The name is derived from a weapon, which was a sort of battle-ax, and was, doubtless, assigned as a surname to one who used the weapon in war. Good authority traces the name from Denmark to England, where it was early connection with literature. Dr. Thomas Bill, born about 1490, was a prominent physician, an attendant of Princess Elizabeth in 1549. John Bill, born 1576, was a well-known publisher in London, where he appears in 1613, as "Publisher to King James I, Most Excellent Majestie." One of his earliest publicatoins was a work prepared by the kind, and he brought out many editions of the Bible. This work was closely guarded by the king, and after Bill received the royal license his place of busienss became known as Printing House Square, its present (1910) name. His first wife, Anne, daughter of Thomas Mountford, D.D., was the author of a book entitled "Mirror of Modestie," published in London, 1621; a second and very rare edition was published in 1719. She died May 3, 1621, aged thirty-three years. He married (second) Joan Franklin, of Throwley, Kent. His will, made in 1630, made a bequest to the parish of Much Wenlock, where he was born, and he was buried in St. Anne's, Blackfriar, London.
Child of first wife:
John.
Children of second wife:
Anne, Charles, Henry and Mary.
The elder of the second wife's sons succeeded his father as publisher of Bibles and other books in London.

(I) The first authentically known ancestor in the Bill line of the present sketch is Philip Bill, who was born about 1620, in England, and lived at Pulling Point, then a part of Boston, where his mother and brother James were living. Soon after 1660 he went to Ipswich, whence he removed about 1668 to New London, Conn. Locating on the east side of the river, he became an extensive landholder and died July 8, 1689. His widow, Hannah, married (second) Samuel Buckland, of New London, and died in 1709.
Children:
Philip, Mary, Margaret, Samuel, John, Elizabeth, Jonathan and Joshua.

(II) John, third son of Phiip and Hannah Bill, was born about 1667, at Ipswich, and went with his parents to New London as a small infant. He settled in what is now Lebanon, Conn., where he bought one hundred acres of land from Joseph Elderkin. Several land transactions appear in his name. He was surveyor of highways in 1712, and died in 1738-39. His will, executed April 21, 1736, was proved Jan. 28, 1739.
He married (first) Mercy Fowler; (second) March 30, 1726, Hannah Rust.
Children:
John, Abigail, James, Laurana and Benajah.
The first two born in Groton and the others in Lebanon.
Children:
Lucretia, Mary, Eleazer, Benejah, Eliphalet and Ruby.

(IV) Eliphalet, youngest son of Benajah and Mary Bill, was born Aug. 25, 1750, in Lebanon Crank (now Columbia, Tolland county), and settled in Hartford, Vermont, about 1790. He was probably among those who went from Lebanon to that region through the influence of Rev. Eleazer Wheelock, founde of Dartmouth College, owned considerable land in Hartford, and often served the town in official capacity.
His last days were passed in Cabot, Vermont, where he died in Sept., 1825.
He married, about 1772, Dorothy, daughter of Joseph and Dorothy (Mason) Marsh, of Lebanon, who died in March, 1835, in Orange, Vermont.
Children:
Benajah, Eliphalet, Mary, Dorothy, Roswell, Betsey, Noadiah and Almira.
The last four born in Hartford, Vt.

(V) Dr. Noadiah, fourth son of Eliphalet and Dorothy (Marsh) Bill, was born April 7, 1794, in Hartford, died Feb. 22, 1876. He studied medicine with his elder brother, Dr. Eliphalet Bill, of Orange, Vermont, beginning his practice at that place. Later he located at Cabot and removed to Albany, Vermont, in 1819. He enjoyed a large practice, served as justice of the peace several years, and was representative in 1866.
He married (first) Jan. 14, 1814, Ruth Richardson, of Strafford, Vermont, born Oct. 9, 1792, died Aug. 13, 1829. He married (second) Jan. 7, 1830, Ruth Putnam Coburn, born Jan. 30, 1803, in Cabot, died at Albany, Vermont Nov. 4, 1880.
Children of first wife:
Louisa M., married Winthrop Howard, and resided in Albany, Vermont.
Josephine, married (first) Joseph T. Howard, (second) Charles C. Doty, died at Craftsbury, Vermont.
Emeline, married (first) Dwight S. Strong, (second) Warren White.
Lucinda, wife of Charles Howard, resided at Irasburgh, Vermont.
Mary (Mrs. Joshua C. Rowell), resides at Albany, Vermont.
Dyer Richardson, born Feb. 27, 1829, died Jan. 30, 1894.

Children of second wife:
Frank Coburn, born May 21, 1831.
Curtis Harvey, born July 2, 1835, died July 24, 1905.
James Rawson, see forward.
Dwight Strong.
George Augustus.
The colonial ancestry of Mr. Bill is of interest, among others, he is eighth in descent from Governor John Webster, 1590-1661; Major John Mason, 1600-1672; Secretary Edward Rawson, 1615-1693; and from that Elizabeth St. John, who married, in England, Rev. Samuel Whiting, and came to Boston in 1636, and whose pedigree is outlined in volume XIV, N.E. Historical and Gen. Register.
He is sixth in descent from Captain William Fowler, and Captain John Putnam, 1627-1710, and fourth in descent from Colonel Joseph Marsh, Governor of Vermont, 1727-1811.

(VI) James Rawson, fourth son of Dr. Noadiah Bill, and third child of his second wife, was born Nov. 16, 1836, in Albany, Vermont, where he attended the town schools in early life. He fitted for college at the academies of Craftsbury, Newbury, and Barre, Vermont, but decided to enter upon a mercantile career and abandoned the college course.
Going to Lyme, New Hampshire, he was employed three years in a general store as clerk and salesman, after which he ws two years in the general merchandise store of Cutting & Bill, at St. Johnsbury, Vermont. After serving in a similar capacity for one year in the store of Russell, Webster & Company, at Plymouth, New Hampshire, he purchased an interest in the business, which was conducted during the next ten years under the style of Russell, Bill & Company. In 1873 he removed to Ogdensburg, New York, and engaged in the milling business with Sidney Brown, under the title Brown, Bill & Company. Subsequently he bought the interest of his partner, and later admitted as partner Henry Rodee, the business being under Rodee, Bill & Company. Upon the death of Mr. Rodee the business ws incorporated under the present (1910) title of Bill, Bell & Company, of which Mr. Bill has continued as president to the present time. Its product of one hundred thousand barrels of flour per annum is chiefly marketed in the eastern states.
Immediately after the failure of the Judson Bank of Ogdensburg, in 1881, Mr. Bill founded the National Bank of Ogdensburg, of which he has continued as president from the beginning. Its original capital ws $100,000 and its capital and surplus now amount to over $300,000.
An active and progressive citizen, Mr. Bill participates in the social life of the town, and is a member of the Ogdensburg and Century clubs of Ogdensburg, and member of the Board of Trade, as well as many other organizations.
He has been for many years a trustee of the Presbyterian church, and is a steadfast Republican in politics.
He married (first) in 1873, Julia Z. Colt, of Hadley, Mass., who died in 1876. He married (second) Feb. 22, 1887, Florence Campbell Seeley, of Potsdam, N.Y., daughter of John Henry and Roxana (Coryell) Seeley.
They have three daughters:
Ruth Coburn, born March 13, 1889.
Dorothy Seeley, April 1, 1893.
Helen Virginia, Feb. 11, 1897.
The eldest graduatedf from Mrs. Wheeler's private school at Providence, Rhode Island, and from the Damroach Musical School of New York, continuing her musical studies with Mrs. Hattie Clapper Morris, of New York.
Dorothy Seeley is a student at Mrs. Dow's School, Briar Cliff Manor, New York.
Helen Virginia is a student at the Brearley School, New York City.

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