Lambert J. Billington
Early Life
Lambert John Billington was born on April 26, 1895, in Rye, New York, the son of John Adams Billington Jr. and Nellie Murphy. He was raised in Rye in a working-class household and educated in the local school system, remaining closely tied to the community throughout his early life. He lived at 229 Purchase Street and entered the workforce as a carpenter, employed in construction work in nearby Harrison, New York.
His upbringing reflects the skilled trades environment that supported the rapid suburban and commercial growth of Westchester County in the early twentieth century.
World War I Service
Lambert J. Billington entered military service on November 28, 1917, when he enlisted in the United States Army at Fort Slocum, New York. He was assigned to the Quartermaster Corps and served at Camp Joseph E. Johnston, Florida, one of the Army’s principal logistical and supply training centers during World War I.
The Quartermaster Corps was responsible for supplying and equipping the Army, including food, clothing, fuel, and transportation, making it a critical component of the military’s operational capability. Billington’s duties would have involved support and supply operations essential to sustaining the American Expeditionary Forces, even though his service remained stateside.
He was promoted to the rank of Sergeant on April 19, 1918, reflecting leadership responsibility within his unit. His record indicates no overseas service and no wounds in action.
He was honorably discharged on January 13, 1919, following the demobilization of forces after the Armistice.
Life After Service
Following his military service, Billington returned to Rye and resumed his career as a construction carpenter, working for many years in the building trades. He later relocated to Port Chester, New York, where he continued his work and remained active in the community.
He married Rose Broun McLean, and together they raised a family that included a daughter, Dorothy Billington, and a son, John Joseph Billington, who later served in the United States Navy.
Billington was active in professional and civic organizations, including membership in Carpenter’s Local 77, the Port Chester Old Timers Athletic Association, and the Brooksville Terrace Senior Citizens, where he served as treasurer.
Lambert John Billington died in May 1968 at United Hospital in Port Chester, New York, at the age of seventy-three.
At the time of his death, he was survived by his wife, Rose Billington; his daughter, Mrs. Gedney of Rye; his son, John Billington of the United States Navy, stationed at Virginia Beach, Virginia; seven grandchildren; his sister, Mrs. Thomas Byrnes of the Town of Rye; his brother, Norman Billington of Rye; and several nieces and nephews.
He was buried in Greenwood Union Cemetery, concluding a life defined by military service, skilled labor, and long-standing ties to Rye and the surrounding community.