dan richard billingsley
1927-1968
Life Story
Early Life and Family
Dan Richard Billingsley was born on August 27, 1927, in Morton, Scott County, Mississippi, to Dewitt Billingsley and Zena Mae Hopkins Billingsley. He was the fourth child in what would become a large family of brothers and sisters.
By the time Dan was three years old, the Billingsley family had settled in Newton County, Mississippi, where his father worked as a farmer. Like many African American families in rural Mississippi during the Jim Crow era, the household was large and closely connected, with older children often helping care for younger siblings.
By 1940, census records show that Dan, then about twelve years old, had completed the second grade. The household at that time was headed by his mother, listed in records as Zannie or Zena, suggesting that she had assumed primary responsibility for the family.
Legal Troubles and Youth
Dan’s teenage years were marked by serious legal difficulties. On April 19, 1944, at just seventeen years old, he was convicted in Mobile County, Alabama, on charges of Burglary in the Second Degree.
The Alabama State Convict Register (Volume 24) records his incarceration and the details of his sentence. He received a sentence structure that included multiple burglary counts, resulting in several terms totaling multiple years.
When he was processed into the system on April 26, 1944, prison records described him as:
- Height: 5 feet 7 inches
- Weight: 152 pounds
- Complexion: Black
- Hair: Black
- Eyes: Brown
The records indicate that he served time within the Alabama prison system but was eventually released on February 21, 1948, and turned over to the Sheriff of Newton County, Mississippi, suggesting additional legal matters pending in his home county.
Return to Newton County
By 1950, Dan had returned to Newton, Mississippi, where he was living with his mother and several younger siblings on East Sub Drive.
At age twenty-two, he was working approximately 22 hours per week, contributing to the support of a household that included his sisters Mae Nell, Luzena, Judith, Lela, and Bernice, along with other family members. Like many men in rural Mississippi during this period, employment opportunities were often limited to manual labor and seasonal work.
Later Life on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
At some point during the following years, Dan relocated to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, eventually settling in Gulfport. Records indicate that his Social Security number was issued in Mississippi prior to 1951, suggesting he continued working within the state.
Although few details survive about his later employment, the move to the coast was a common path for many residents of Newton County, where shipyards, port work, and other industries offered more stable employment than rural farming communities.
Death and Funeral
Dan Richard Billingsley died on October 17, 1968, in Gulfport, Mississippi, at the age of 41.
His funeral service was held on October 29, 1968, at Union Chapel Methodist Church in Lawrence, Mississippi, with Reverend Rudolph Whitehead officiating. Burial followed in the church cemetery.
Surviving Family
According to his obituary, Dan was survived by:
Mother
Brothers
- Lewis Billingsley
- Albert Billingsley
- Allen Walter Billingsley
Sisters
- Bernice Billingsley Carter
- Mae Nell Billingsley
- Luzena Billingsley
- Judith Billingsley
- Lela Bell Billingsley
He was also survived by numerous nieces and nephews, along with extended family members throughout Newton County.
Summary Timeline
| Event | Date | Location | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birth | Aug 27, 1927 | Morton, MS | Obituary |
| Conviction | Apr 19, 1944 | Mobile, AL | Alabama Convict Records |
| Prison Intake | Apr 26, 1944 | Alabama | Convict Register |
| Release | Feb 21, 1948 | AL → MS | Convict Records |
| Residence | 1950 | Newton, MS | 1950 Census |
| Death | Oct 17, 1968 | Gulfport, MS | Obituary |
| Burial | Oct 29, 1968 | Lawrence, MS | Church records |
Resting Place
Union Chapel United Methodist Church Graveyard
Photos/Albums
Sources
- 1930 Federal Census
- 1940 Federal Census
- 1950 Federal Census
- The Newton Record, Dewitt Billingsley Obituary, Wed, Dec 22, 1965 ·Page 12
- U.S., Find A Grave Index, 1600s-Current
- Alabama, U.S., Convict Records, 1886-1952
- U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014
- U.S. WWII Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947
- The Newton Record, Zena Mae Hopkins Billingsley Obituary, Wed, Jun 22, 1994 ·Page 10
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