Billingsley, Ray 1854- .

Ray Billingsley, a prominent lawyer and orchardist in Santa Ana, California at the turn of the 20th century, was born in 1854 at Richmond, Iowa. He attended the University of Iowa and in 1879 received his LL.B. and began practicing law in Vinton, Iowa. He married Eleanor A. Patterson in 1882 and they moved to Orange County, California in the summer of 1886. They settled on 84 acres of land in Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana and named their house "Villa Park". The land was bought at $125 to $225 an acre and about 2/3rd was eventually planted in orchard oranges, lemons, apricots, and walnuts and olives. T he Billingsleys had seven children: William Patterson, Helen May, Harlowe Ray, Carey Val, Hester Sophia and Maynard John (who died at 12 years).I n 1886, Ray Billingsley opened a law office in Santa Ana, about 9 miles from his home. He had various partners over the years (Painter and Cooke) and specialized in real estate including mortgages. By 1904, he stepped back from his law practice and concentrated on his orchard business - Villa Park Orchards - and worked for grower cooperatives for better fruit handling and prices. He also devoted time to his many civic interests (e.g. Orange County College, Serrano Water District), and business investments (e.g. Orange Auto Power Company, Mission Film Corporation). He was also instrumental in the foundation of the First Congregational Church of Villa Park in 1889 and served as an official for 20 years. He was a progressive Democrat and was a founder of the first Bryan Club in Santa Ana in 1896 to support the Presidential candidacy of William Jennings Bryan. He was an Orange County delegate to the Democratic State Convention in 1908.

From the description of Ray Billingsley papers, 1870 - 1928 1886 - 1900. (University of California, Irvine). WorldCat record id: 669186000

Historical Background

Ray Billingsley, a prominent lawyer and orchardist in Santa Ana, California at the turn of the 20th century, was born in 1854 at Richmond, Iowa. He attended the University of Iowa and in 1879 received his LL.B. and began practicing law in Vinton, Iowa. He married Eleanor A. Patterson in 1882 and they moved to Orange County, California in the summer of 1886. They settled on 84 acres of land in Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana and named their house "Villa Park". The land was bought at $125 to $225 an acre and about 2/3rd was eventually planted in orchard oranges, lemons, apricots, and walnuts and olives. The Billingsleys had seven children: William Patterson, Helen May, Harlowe Ray, Carey Val, Hester Sophia and Maynard John (who died at 12 years).

In 1886, Ray Billingsley opened a law office in Santa Ana, about 9 miles from his home. He had various partners over the years (Painter and Cooke) and specialized in real estate including mortgages. By 1904, he stepped back from his law practice and concentrated on his orchard business - Villa Park Orchards - and worked for grower cooperatives for better fruit handling and prices. He also devoted time to his many civic interests (e.g. Orange County College, Serrano Water District), and business investments (e.g. Orange Auto Power Company, Mission Film Corporation). He was also instrumental in the foundation of the First Congregational Church of Villa Park in 1889 and served as an official for 20 years. He was a progressive Democrat and was a founder of the first Bryan Club in Santa Ana in 1896 to support the Presidential candidacy of William Jennings Bryan. He was an Orange County delegate to the Democratic State Convention in 1908.

From the guide to the Ray Billingsley papers, Bulk, 1886-1900, 1870-1928, (University of California, Irvine. Libraries. Special Collections and Archives.)