Laura Billings, d/o Oel Billings and Sophia Wetherbee was born March 9, 1820 in Woodstock, VT, She married Capt. Bezer Simmons March 16, 1845, went to California in Feb 1849, and died April 24, 1849 in San Francisco, a few weeks after arriving at San Francisco from her journey with her husband over the Isthmus of Panama, via the steamers Falcon and Oregon.
5 months later, Capt. Bezer learned of the death of his Mother, Polly Perkins in Woodstock SEP 15 1849. With his brother Nathan, he returned Laura's remains to Woodstock via the Isthmus in Feb 1850, to lay her to rest and to attend to the affairs of his mother's estate in Woodstock. The brothers returned to San Francisco via the Isthmus, arriving in June, arriving on the Steamer Tennessee. By September 25, 1850 Captain Bezer Simmons SF business interests had been caught in fire, and financially collapsed, Capt, Bezer succumbed to the same fever that had claimed his wife nearly 18 months earlier. There was the largest procession of San Franciscans to date in his funeral entourage. His brothers returned his remains to Woodstock, Vermont where he lay alonside his wife Laura Billings in the Billings Family Plot; River Street Cemetery, Woodstock, Windsor County, Vermont. In Eternal Peace