April 13, 2026
Introduction: In this second of a six-part series, James Pylant tells the saga of the Billingsley family in America, a tale involving genealogy, crime and Hollywood. James is an editor at GenealogyMagazine.com and author for JacobusBooks.com, is an award-winning historical true-crime writer, and authorized celebrity biographer.
Here is the second article about the Billingsley family. Touching on genealogy, crime, and celebrity, it traces the family connections from Barbara Billingsley of Leave It to Beaver to Peter Billingsley of A Christmas Story, as well as to the owners of the famous Stork Club.
In 1927, Logan Billingsley was profiled in The Bronx and Its People: A History 1609-1927. “He is a man of unusual vision and of tireless energy, balanced with prudence and astuteness,” stated the biographical sketch of the mogul, the president of 30 corporations.
But eight years earlier, an editorial in Seattle’s Post-Intelligencer had stated: “In time we may be able to forget him,” further remarking:
“Only a zeal that amounts to folly would prompt any official to bring Logan Billingsley back to Seattle. Seattle has to put up with enough nonsense, but Billingsley is a humiliation to the law-abiding element of this community.”
The editorial speculated that Billingsley could spend his last days behind bars when was he was “old, decrepit and broke.” Indeed, Logan Billingsley’s meteoric rise in Gotham came after his recklessness had all but destroyed his life.
Birth
Logan Blaine Billingsley was born on 20 December 1883 in Claiborne County, Tennessee. He was the first child of Robert Wiley Billingsley and Emily (Collingsworth) Billingsley. (1)
Shotgun Wedding
On 12 May 1904, 20-year-old Logan and Chloe Wheatley, 18, wedded in Anadarko, Oklahoma, with the bride’s and groom’s fathers standing as witnesses at a “shotgun wedding.” The couple exchanged vows so Logan could avoid a statutory rape charge. Chloe gave birth to a son two weeks later.
It didn’t take long for trouble to follow.
Murder Trial
This article reports:
Logan Billingsley, son of a well-to-do farmer six miles north of this city, shot and killed his father-in-law, A. C. Wheatley, here today [Anadarko]. It was the result of a street fight growing out of the hard feeling existing between the families on account of the seduction of Wheatley’s daughter by Billingsley.
Before the fatal shot was fired the parties had a fierce fist fight in which Billingsley was assisted by his father. Wheatley was severely bruised and beaten and it was after bystanders had stopped the fight that the shot was fired that took effect in Wheatley’s back.
Logan and his father were arrested and jailed, but the grand jury only indicted the son. On 9 May 1905, Logan was found guilty of second-degree manslaughter and given a four-year prison sentence.
He appealed the case in 1906, but the appeal was dismissed in 1907. “Billingsley will now have to serve his term of four years in the penitentiary,” stated a Dallas Morning News article.
However, the case was appealed to the Supreme Court and remanded to the district court for a new trial. In 1909, he and his father were jointly indicted for manslaughter. Logan’s plea was that he was forced to shoot Wheatley to save his father’s life. (2) Extant newspapers reveal few trial details, only that Logan was cleared in 1910. (3)
More Trouble for Billingsley
Oklahoma City police raided several alleged disorderly houses in August 1911, arresting seven men, including Logan Billingsley, for “conducting resorts.” He and brother Fred were arrested and charged with possession of liquor in November 1911 during a raid by the sheriff in Oklahoma City. A half-barrel of beer and several bottles of whisky were confiscated.
Divorce
Chloe filed for divorce in April 1913, accusing Logan of “improper relations” with Josephine Cassell. She alleged he operated a “bootlegging joint” from his pharmacy, Billingsley’s Night and Day Drug Store.
The divorce was granted in July.
More Trouble
More trouble brewed for the Billingsleys in the summer of 1916 when deadly gunfire erupted at their Seattle warehouse.
The story unfolded when policeman Robert Wiley, who was driving fellow officer John Weedin home on 24 July 1916, encountered two men running in the street near the warehouse. The two unidentified men excitedly told the officers that a Japanese man had attempted to rob them. Wiley found the alleged would-be robber hiding at the corner of the warehouse, which turned into a violent confrontation. Gunfire exchange left the two officers and their suspect wounded. The gunshots proved fatal for the policemen and the suspect, identified as I. Suehiro, who was the warehouse’s nightwatchman. But before dying, the nightwatchman told police that he mistook the plain-clothes policemen for burglars.
A warehouse search revealed a subbasement with “a complete outfit for the manufacture of spiritous liquors including all the ingredients necessary.”
Prosecuting attorney Alfred Lundin made an order for the arrests of brothers Logan, Fred, Ora, and Sherman Billingsley and their father, Robert W. Billingsley, saying that the two officers were shot by Suehiro, an agent of the Billingsleys, “acting under their instructions.”
First-degree murder charges against the brothers were dropped on 10 August 1916.
Another Arrest
In December 1916, Logan Billingsley was arrested in San Francisco and returned to Seattle to answer indictments for violating federal law for importing whisky. He pleaded guilty to having conspired to violate interstate commerce law by making false entries of liquor shipments. Additionally, he faced two other indictments relating to the fraudulent use of the U.S. Mail in connection with the shipment of liquor. Two of his brothers were involved as well.
Judgment day came on 19 April 1917.
While Logan’s attorney prepared to present an argument that his client earned immunity by testifying against the mayor and others, Logan, held in a detention station, hacksawed through iron bars and made his escape during the early hours of April 22. Yet he surrendered to federal marshals on May 10. He was released on bond the following day after the court granted a writ of error in his case. Logan was scheduled to appear in court on October 9.
Movie Producer?
Meanwhile, Logan announced plans to produce a movie about his life as a bootlegger because he “figures that he will get enough out of this film to cover all legal costs of appeal and trial and give him a big piece of money in royalties as well.” Plans for the film Beyond the Law would go awry.
Arrested Again – and He Vanishes
On November 10, Logan was arrested in Omaha, Nebraska, only to vanish hours later.
What happened to Logan Billingsley?
To be continued…
Create a free account at GenealogyBank for 7 days to start your journey and discover the stories your ancestors left behind.
Note on the header image: old photos and correspondence. Credit: https://depositphotos.com/home.html [051723]
______________
(1) Logan Blaine Billingsley, no. 1163669906, “U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936–2007,” online database, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com: accessed 14 February 2025).
(2) “Billingsley Trial,” Anadarko [OK] Tribune, 4 February 1909, p. 1.
(3) “State Items,” Curtis [OK] Courier, 3 February 1910, p. 8.
Related Article:
