{"id":107807,"date":"2026-04-13T11:21:16","date_gmt":"2026-04-13T15:21:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/?p=107807"},"modified":"2026-04-13T11:21:16","modified_gmt":"2026-04-13T15:21:16","slug":"the-billingsleys-part-ii-beyond-the-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/the-billingsleys-part-ii-beyond-the-law.html","title":{"rendered":"The Billingsleys, Part II: \u2018Beyond the Law\u2019"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> 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.<\/em><\/p>\n

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<\/em>\u00a0to Peter Billingsley of A Christmas Story<\/em>, as well as to the owners of the famous Stork Club.<\/p>\n

\"Photos
Photos (left to right): Sherman Billingsley at his celebrity Stork Club, taken from a 1951 Fatima Cigarettes ad; Barbara Billingsley as June Cleaver from the television program \u201cLeave It to Beaver,\u201d 1958; Peter Billingsley, from 2014, best known for portraying Ralphie Parker in \u201cA Christmas Story.\u201d<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In 1927, Logan Billingsley was profiled in The Bronx and Its People: A History 1609-1927<\/em>. \u201cHe is a man of unusual vision and of tireless energy, balanced with prudence and astuteness,\u201d stated the biographical sketch of the mogul, the president of 30 corporations.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: frontispiece and title page of \u201cThe Bronx and Its People: A History 1609-1927.\u201d Credit: Internet Archive.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

But eight years earlier, an editorial in Seattle\u2019s Post-Intelligencer<\/em> had stated: \u201cIn time we may be able to forget him,\u201d further remarking:<\/p>\n

\u201cOnly 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.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The editorial speculated that Billingsley could spend his last days behind bars when was he was \u201cold, decrepit and broke.\u201d Indeed, Logan Billingsley\u2019s meteoric rise in Gotham came after his recklessness had all but destroyed his life.<\/p>\n

Birth<\/strong><\/p>\n

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)<\/p>\n

Shotgun Wedding<\/strong><\/p>\n

On 12 May 1904, 20-year-old Logan and Chloe Wheatley, 18, wedded in Anadarko, Oklahoma, with the bride\u2019s and groom\u2019s fathers standing as witnesses at a \u201cshotgun wedding.\u201d The couple exchanged vows so Logan could avoid a statutory rape charge. Chloe gave birth to a son two weeks later.<\/p>\n

It didn\u2019t take long for trouble to follow.<\/p>\n

Murder Trial<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"An
Shawnee Herald (Shawnee, Oklahoma), 15 September 1904, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This article reports:<\/p>\n

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\u2019s daughter by Billingsley.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s back.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Dallas Morning News (Dallas, Texas), 30 May 1905, page 7<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

He appealed<\/a> the case in 1906, but the appeal was dismissed in 1907. \u201cBillingsley will now have to serve his term of four years in the penitentiary,\u201d stated a Dallas Morning News<\/em><\/a> article.<\/p>\n

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\u2019s plea was that he was forced to shoot Wheatley to save his father\u2019s life. (2) Extant newspapers reveal few trial details, only that Logan was cleared in 1910. (3)<\/p>\n

More Trouble for Billingsley<\/strong><\/p>\n

Oklahoma City police raided several alleged disorderly houses<\/a> in August 1911, arresting seven men, including Logan Billingsley, for \u201cconducting resorts.\u201d He and brother Fred were arrested and charged with possession of liquor in November 1911 during a raid<\/a> by the sheriff in Oklahoma City. A half-barrel of beer and several bottles of whisky were confiscated.<\/p>\n

Divorce<\/strong><\/p>\n

Chloe filed for divorce in April 1913, accusing Logan of \u201cimproper relations\u201d with Josephine Cassell. She alleged he operated a \u201cbootlegging joint\u201d from his pharmacy, Billingsley\u2019s Night and Day Drug Store.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Daily Oklahoman (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), 4 April 1913, page 5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The divorce<\/a> was granted in July.<\/p>\n

More Trouble<\/strong><\/p>\n

More trouble brewed for the Billingsleys in the summer of 1916 when deadly gunfire erupted at their Seattle warehouse.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Seattle, Washington), 25 July 1916, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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\u2019s nightwatchman. But before dying, the nightwatchman told police that he mistook the plain-clothes policemen for burglars.<\/p>\n

A warehouse search revealed a subbasement with \u201ca complete outfit for the manufacture of spiritous liquors including all the ingredients necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n

Prosecuting attorney Alfred Lundin made an order for the arrests<\/a> 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, \u201cacting under their instructions.\u201d<\/p>\n

First-degree murder charges against the brothers were dropped on 10 August 1916.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Oregonian (Portland, Oregon), 11 August 1916, page 2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another Arrest<\/strong><\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

Judgment day came on 19 April 1917.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Oregonian (Portland, Oregon), 20 April 1917, page 5<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

While Logan\u2019s 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<\/a> and made his escape during the early hours of April 22. Yet he surrendered<\/a> to federal marshals on May 10. He was released on bond the following day after the court granted a writ of error<\/a> in his case. Logan was scheduled to appear in court on October 9<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Movie Producer?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Logan announced plans to produce a movie<\/a> about his life as a bootlegger because he \u201cfigures 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.\u201d Plans for the film Beyond the Law<\/em><\/a> would go awry.<\/p>\n

Arrested Again \u2013 and He Vanishes<\/strong><\/p>\n

On November 10, Logan was arrested in Omaha, Nebraska, only to vanish hours later.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Omaha World-Herald (Omaha, Nebraska), 11 November 1917, page 1<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What happened to Logan Billingsley?<\/p>\n

To be continued\u2026<\/p>\n

Create a free account<\/a> at GenealogyBank for 7 days to start your journey and discover the stories your ancestors left behind.<\/p>\n

Note on the header image:<\/em><\/strong> old photos and correspondence. Credit: https:\/\/depositphotos.com\/home.html [051723<\/a>]<\/p>\n

______________<\/p>\n

(1) Logan Blaine Billingsley, no. 1163669906, \u201cU.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936\u20132007,\u201d online database, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com<\/a>: accessed 14 February 2025).
\n(2) \u201cBillingsley Trial,\u201d Anadarko [OK] Tribune, 4 February 1909, p. 1.
\n(3) \u201cState Items,\u201d Curtis [OK] Courier, 3 February 1910, p. 8.<\/p>\n

Related Article:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n