Individual Details
John Babcock
(1644 - 31 Dec 1684)
John Babcock, (originally Badcock), was born 1644 in Portsmouth, Newport, Rhode Island. He was the son of James and Sarah BROWN Badcock.
John married Mary LAWTON in Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island. Their children were James, Anna, Mary, John, Job, George, Elihu, Robert, Joseph, Oliver and Joseph.
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John Babcock was born about 1644 in Newport County, Rhode Island, the son of James Babcock and Sarah Brown. John's father made a deposition in 1670 in which he stated he was 58, his son James was 29 and son John was 26 years old. Tradition and family records say that John Babcock, after failing to get her father's consent to marriage, eloped with Mary Lawton in 1658. She was the daughter of George Lawton and Elizabeth Hazzard of Newport. It is said that the couple went into the wilderness, one night by boat from Newport, and coasting along the shore, landed on the present site of the town of Westerly. They were welcomed by friendly Indians, and he was the first white man who settled in Westerly. Unfortunately, history doesn't seem to support this romantic tale.
John Babcock and his father actually were members of the Misquamicut Company and went to the site of Westerly with the first permanent settlers in about 1660. At that time John was about eighteen years of age. He received an apportionment of land, the same as other settlers. He settled on the banks of the Pawcatuck River, near what is now Avondale, Rhode Island. Some of the original homesteaded land was still in the possession of descendants in 1903. John was admitted freeman at Westerly on October 28, 1668.
In 1675, when King Philip's War broke out, most of the settlers in Westerly fled to Rhode Island for safety. John and his family stayed. He joined the Stonington, Connecticut Militia. Tradition says he fought in the Great Swamp Fight on December 19, 1675 and that his son Elihu was born that day. Connecticut then controlled Westerly, but after the war control passed back to Rhode Iaslnd. Westerly was claimed by both Connecticut and Rhode Island, and it wasn't until 1728 that Connecticut gave up its claim.
After the war, the settlers began to return to their homes. On June 12, 1678, he was chosen by the Rhode Island Assembly as Conservator of the Peace for Westerly. On September 17, 1679 he took the oath of allegiance. From 1682-84 he was deputy from Westerly to the Rhode Island Colonial Legislature. John died in Westerly on December 31, 1684 without leaving a will, and the town council disposed of his estate. The inventory of his estate, 790 Pounds, made on June 25, 1685, was the largest estate in the town for many years. The most unusual entries appear near the end of the inventory, "one negger boy valued at 20 pounds, and two injin men and Indian garls valued at 30 pounds." John is buried in the James Babcock Ground in Westerly.
Information for this biography from "The Slade-Babcock Genealogy" by Carl Boyer; "The Babcock Genealogy" by Stephen Babcock; "The Ancestry of the Babcock Family" by Gwen Babcock
I (J.L.) was in the process of reading a book about John Babcock to create a summary for this memorial when I was sent the above bio by Ken Smith (#46985536)
John married Mary LAWTON in Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island. Their children were James, Anna, Mary, John, Job, George, Elihu, Robert, Joseph, Oliver and Joseph.
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John Babcock was born about 1644 in Newport County, Rhode Island, the son of James Babcock and Sarah Brown. John's father made a deposition in 1670 in which he stated he was 58, his son James was 29 and son John was 26 years old. Tradition and family records say that John Babcock, after failing to get her father's consent to marriage, eloped with Mary Lawton in 1658. She was the daughter of George Lawton and Elizabeth Hazzard of Newport. It is said that the couple went into the wilderness, one night by boat from Newport, and coasting along the shore, landed on the present site of the town of Westerly. They were welcomed by friendly Indians, and he was the first white man who settled in Westerly. Unfortunately, history doesn't seem to support this romantic tale.
John Babcock and his father actually were members of the Misquamicut Company and went to the site of Westerly with the first permanent settlers in about 1660. At that time John was about eighteen years of age. He received an apportionment of land, the same as other settlers. He settled on the banks of the Pawcatuck River, near what is now Avondale, Rhode Island. Some of the original homesteaded land was still in the possession of descendants in 1903. John was admitted freeman at Westerly on October 28, 1668.
In 1675, when King Philip's War broke out, most of the settlers in Westerly fled to Rhode Island for safety. John and his family stayed. He joined the Stonington, Connecticut Militia. Tradition says he fought in the Great Swamp Fight on December 19, 1675 and that his son Elihu was born that day. Connecticut then controlled Westerly, but after the war control passed back to Rhode Iaslnd. Westerly was claimed by both Connecticut and Rhode Island, and it wasn't until 1728 that Connecticut gave up its claim.
After the war, the settlers began to return to their homes. On June 12, 1678, he was chosen by the Rhode Island Assembly as Conservator of the Peace for Westerly. On September 17, 1679 he took the oath of allegiance. From 1682-84 he was deputy from Westerly to the Rhode Island Colonial Legislature. John died in Westerly on December 31, 1684 without leaving a will, and the town council disposed of his estate. The inventory of his estate, 790 Pounds, made on June 25, 1685, was the largest estate in the town for many years. The most unusual entries appear near the end of the inventory, "one negger boy valued at 20 pounds, and two injin men and Indian garls valued at 30 pounds." John is buried in the James Babcock Ground in Westerly.
Information for this biography from "The Slade-Babcock Genealogy" by Carl Boyer; "The Babcock Genealogy" by Stephen Babcock; "The Ancestry of the Babcock Family" by Gwen Babcock
I (J.L.) was in the process of reading a book about John Babcock to create a summary for this memorial when I was sent the above bio by Ken Smith (#46985536)
Events
| Birth | 1644 | Portsmouth, Newport County, Rhode Island | |||
| Marriage | 1662 | Rhode Island - Mary Lawton | |||
| Death | 31 Dec 1684 | Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island | |||
| Burial | 1685 | James Babcock Ground, Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island |  |  |
Families
| Spouse | Mary Lawton (1646 - 1711) |
| Child | Job Babcock (1671 - 1755) |
Notes
Burial
James Babcock Ground, Watch Hill Road, Westerly, Washington, Rhode Island, British Colonial AmericaEndnotes
1. Find A Grave Memorial 82913716.