Ledyard Bill

Born in Ledyard, Connecticut, in 1836, he became known as an American author, book publisher, and later a politician. He was active in New York publishing before settling in Massachusetts, where he also worked as a farmer and local historian.

His writing had a practical, wide-ranging feel. Alongside works such as History of the Bill Family and The History of Paxton, Massachusetts, he published books including A Winter in Florida and Minnesota; Its Character and Climate, reflecting an interest in place, travel, and everyday life as much as formal history.

Late in life, he entered state politics and served in the Massachusetts House of Representatives and then in the Massachusetts Senate for two terms. He died in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1907.