Born St. Mary’s County, Maryland 17 August 1754, moved to Baltimore County, Maryland with his parents and then to Guilford County, North Carolina with them. He married 2 June 1772 Jean Milsap, born North Carolina 7 May 1754. Original marriage bond on file at North Carolina Historical Commission at Raleigh and appears to have been filled out by John Billingsley himself as the signature and the body of the bond are the same writing. They moved to Rutherford County, Norty Carolina. From his father’s will he appears to have been given his share of the estate at the time of his marriage. He enlisted 1776-1778 Private, Captain John Arnold’s Company, Colonel Collier’s Regiment, served. six months; enlisted June 1780 and served to 25 December 1780, Private, Captains Britton Fuller, and Jacob Williams, Colonel Collier’s Regiment; enlisted again soon afterwards and served a few days Captain Thomas Williams, Colonel Collier’s Regiment. He was pensioned 23 December 1833 while residing in Warren County, Kentucky. He states in his claim that he was residing in Rutherford County at the time of his service On 4 January 1779 he entered 290 acres of land in Washington County (Tenn.). On 2 April 1779 he entered two tracts of 400 acres and 200 acres of land in Onslow County, North Carolina and these were issued to him 29 March 1780. (Land Rec. 38, fol. 11, 17.) On 11 June 1779 he again entered 300 acres of land in Washington County (Tenn.). On 26 April 1780 he entered 75 acres of land in Sullivan County (Tenn.) and this was followed by entries of 74 acres, 30 acres, and 15 acres in the same County before 1785. They moved from Rutherford County to Onslow County, North Carolina about 1781 where they resided to about 1794 then moved to Sullivan County (Tenn.), and his entries were issued to him 4 December 1795. (Land Rec. 84, fol. 158, 161, 162; 89, fol. 325, 387.) They then moved to Washington County, Tennessee in 1796 where they resided many years. Some time in the 1820’s John turned over his property to his youngest son, Jacob, with the provision that Jacob would care for John and his wife the rest of their days. Jacob appears to have converted most of the property into cash and moved to Cumberland County, Kentucky where they resided in 1830. It is also stated that Jacob soon ran thru with everything available leaving his parents in destitute circumstances and that John Billingsley, Junior, came and carried his parents to his home in Warren County, Kentucky. It was from this home that John made his application for pension 23 December 1833. Jean died 8 February 1842, and John died 19 September 1844 at the home of their son, John, Warren County, Kentucky.
