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From: "Ronald Babbitt" <>
Subject: Fw: Charles Babbitt Biographical Review
Date: Mon, 21 Jun 1999 19:33:15 -0400


----- Original Message -----
From: Ronald Denes <>
To: Ron Babbitt <>
Sent: Saturday, June 19, 1999 4:18 PM
Subject: Charles Babbitt Biographical Review

> "Biographical Review" page 186-7, Found in the Cooperstown, Ny NYSHA:
>
> "Charles Babbitt, a farmer, has a pleasant home and a well-conducted farm
in
> his native town of Otsego, where he was born December 2, 1834. He springs
> from the old pioneer stock of the county, and is a son of Daniel Babbitt,
> who was also born in Otsego, and a grandson of Warren Babbitt. The
> grandfather of our subject was a native of Connecticut, there grew to
> manhood, and was married to Sally Delano, who was also born in that State.
> In 1798, accompanied by his bride, he left the old home to dwell in the
> forest wilds of the State, the momentous journey being made with an
oxteam.
> He secured quite a large tract of land bordering on Oak Creek, and after
> building a log house for shelter, entered bravely upon his hard pioneer
task
> of clearing a farm and preparing the soil for cultivation. He and his
good
> wife passed their remaining years on the farm reclaimed by so much labor
> from the wilderness.
> The father of subject was reared under stern pioneer influences. In
his
> boyhood the country was sparsely settled, and as there were no railways,
> mills or markets near, the people had to draw their surplus grain and farm
> products to Albany, seventy-eight miles distant, and for some time Mohawk
> was the nearest millling point. Mr. Babbitt learned the trade of
shoemaker
> in his youth, and was employed at it a number of years. In 1837 he bought
> the farm now owned and occupied by his son, of whom we write, and devoted
> his energies to its improvement. Here he rounded out his life in his
> eightieth year, dying in March, 1884. He was twice married, and his
second
> wife, Catherine Popple, died in June of the same year in which he departed
> this life. His first wife, mother of subject, died in 1844. Her maiden
> name was Anna Woodward, and she was a native of this county, a daughter of
> Abijah Woodward, a native of Connecticut, and an early pioneer of the
> county. She was the mother of five children --Susan, Andrew J., Warren,
> Charles and Daniel. One of her sons, a member of Company F, 121st New
York
> Infantry, fell while fighting for his country in the Battle of the
> Wilderness, May 5, 1864.
> Charles Babbitt attended school in his native town, and worked on his
> father's farm in his boyhood. At the age of eighteen he commenced to
learn
> the trade of a carpenter, and gave his attention to it until his health
> failed. Since then he has been chiefly engaged in farming on the old
> homestead, which is now in his possession, and has done well in
agricultural
> pursuits. His farm compares favorably with others in the locality in
point
> of improvements and cultivation, and yields a good annual income. Mr.
> Babbitt is interested in forwarding all schemes for the improvement of
> agriculture and of the livestock bred in this section, and is a member of
> the Cheviot Sheep Breeders' Association of the United States and Canada.
> Politically, he is a stanch supporter of the principles of the Republican
> party. He and his wife are closely identified with the religious
interests
> of the Methodist Episcopal Church, of which he is steward at the present
> time and which he has served as trustee.
> Mr. Babbitt was married in 1853 to Miss Sarah Green, a native of
Oneonta,
> and a daughter of Clark Green, who is supposed to have been born in the
same
> town, and was a son of Robert Green. He followed the trade of shoemaking
in
> addition to farming. He died on his farm April 15, 1885, in his
> eighty-fourth year. His wife born the maiden name of Freelove Gile, and
she
> was a native of the same town as himself, a daughter of Ray and Molly
> (Hodge) Gile. She died April 20, 1888. Mr. and Mrs. Babbitt's otherwise
> happy wedded life has been shadowed by the death of their three children,
> two of whom died in infancy, and the eldest, Theron, at the age of
sixteen.
> They did not let the loss of these children sadden their whole lives, but
> transferred the care and tenderness that would have been lavished on their
> own, on an adopted son, whom they took to their home and hearts at the age
> of seven, naming him Charles Babbitt, Jr. and at the age of twenty-four he
> is their stay and comfort in their declining years."
>
>

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