Jonathan Billings of Acton & Concord, Massachusetts.

The Acton and Concord, Massachusetts Clockmaker Jonathan Billings was born in 1777 and died in Acton on February 13, 1841. It is not currently known who trained him, and a significant number of the movements that he made do not resemble the work of other local Makers. The movement plates he designed in a number of his clocks feature a very unusual shape. They are often oversized and aggressively skeletonized. A high percentage of his wall clocks are striking clocks. These movements feature both countwheel and rack and snail striking systems. In 1818, while working in the village of Acton, he advertised himself as a watchmaker. In 1821, he moved to Concord and is working on the Milldam from 1822 through 1823. This is interesting to note because many other clockmakers were also working there. It appears that Billings stayed in Concord until he died in 1841. Billings is known to have made Patent Timepieces, striking banjo clocks, several Girandole clocks, and tall case clocks.

For more information regarding wall timepieces, please read Paul J. Foley’s book, “Willard’s Patent Time Pieces.”