His father, Elisha S. Bill, a farmer and shoemaker, and a prominent man in public affairs, was born in 1798, in that part of the old town of Groton that is now Ledyard, and died in Griswold, at the age of sixty-five. He was twice married. His first wife, Olivet, to whom he was united in 1818, was born in Preston in 1800, daughter of Jephthah and Olivet (Herrick) Geer. She died in March, 1837, having been the mother of the following children: Sarah Maria, born 1819, now deceased; James L., born August 16, 1821, now living at Clark's Falls, North Stonington; Jephthah G., born in 1823; Ann Elizabeth, born in 1825; Amos William, born in 1827; Sidney W.; Elisha, a farmer who died in middle life at North Stonington; and Ezra Gardner, a blind teacher, superintendent in the Blind School at Hartford. Amos W. Bill was a soldier in the Twenty-sixth Connecticut Infantry in the war of the Rebellion, and was detailed as a despatch bearer. He was at Port Hudson. Only three of these children are living today; namely, James, Jephthah, and Ezra. The father married for his second wife Celestina Lucy Ann Walcott Shaw, widow of Charles Barber, who was lost at sea. Six sons and four daughters were born of this union, and three of the family are now living, namely: Hibbard, who is in Massachusetts; Nelson, a mechanic in West Medway; and Nancy Ann Gennett, now Mrs. Richmond, of Greenville. The second Mrs. Bill survived her husband some years, and died at the age of fifty. Benjamin Shaw Bill, one of her sons, was a volunteer soldier from Connecticut in the late war, and died in Andersonville Prison. 

Mr. Jephthah G. Bill received a good common-school education, and made his home with his father until his marriage, in his twenty-fifth year. Forty-four years ago he settled on the old Benjamin farm of seventy acres, which was owned and occupied in the last century by Ezra Benjamin, his wife's grandfather, a great-uncle, John Benjamin, having bought a large tract of land, which was divided among his heirs. Mr. Bill owns about two hundred and fifty acres, and carries on general farming and dairying, making considerable butter. He has been a Justice of the Peace for many years, and has had charge of settling many estates. In this responsible position he has shown great executive ability and entire fidelity to the confidence reposed in him, and today no man in the community has a fairer reputation for integrity and absolute honor.

Mr. Bill was married on February 15, 1848, to Prudence Powers Benjamin, daughter of Eames and Prudence (Chapman) Benjamin. The family annals furnish a striking instance of longevity, one of Mrs. Bill's great-uncles, Abiel Benjamin, having lived to be nearly one hundred and four years old, and so vigorous on his one hundredth anniversary that he walked the distance of half a mile. The early Benjamins were Methodists, and Mrs. Bill was a member and active worker in the Methodist church. She died on the last day of June, 1896, at the age of seventy-five, after forty-eight years of wedded life. Shortly after retiring for the night, apparently as well as ever, she was stricken with heart failure, and expired almost instantly. Mrs. Bill was the mother of three children, of whom the following is a brief record: Benjamin Jephthah, the eldest, is a physician and surgeon at Genoa Junction, Wis., has a lucrative practice, stands high in his profession, and is active in the social and religious life of the community. He has four sons and two daughters. Harriet Prudence Bill married Ransom H.Young, and is the mother of four children-—three sons and a daughter. Ann Isabella Bill died when nearly fourteen years of age.

Mr. Bill united with the Methodist Episcopal church at the age of twelve years, and has ever since been an active Christian worker. He has been class leader and steward, and is associated with the work of the Sunday-school, and with all the benevolent and charitable activities of the church. He is a Republican in politics; and in 1870 he represented the town of Griswold in the State legislature, running far ahead of the ticket at the time of his election.

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