Elisha (Badcock) Babcock (1753 - 1821)

Born 10 Aug 1753 in Milton, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Ancestors

Died 7 Apr 1821 at age 67 in Hartford, Connecticut, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Babcock Name Study.

Elisha Babcock was born BADCOCK, and altered spelling after the Revolutionary War. His family of birth used "Badcock" rather than "Babcock" ^[1].

Elisha Babcock earned the rank of Major in the Revolutionary War. ^[2]

Elisha was an early American Printer and Publisher, importer of books, and co-owner of early paper mill. He published the Hampshire Gazette of Springfield, and later the longstanding American Mercury of Hartford.^[3]

Elisha Babcock married Dorothy (Dolly) Welles daughter of Deacon Jonathan Welles, granddaughter of Jonathan Welles and Ruth Bull.^{[4] [5]}

Their children included:

1. Jonathan Wells Babcock d.1808 age 28
2. Charles b about 1719 m. Almira Strong
3. Emeline Babcock d.1807 age 10
4. Dorothy (Dolly W) d 1852 unmarried
5. James d. 1852 age 69
6. Elizabeth (Betsey) m. Henry Kilbourn

Elisha appears associated with a "free" black servant named Racheal Dee in his employment previous to 1800 and in 1805. Or it could be she had been a slave who by law was to be free at age 21. Slavery was being slowly phased out at this time. ^[6]

Death

Died in this city on the 7th inst. Major Elisha Babcock, senior editor of the American Mercury, aged 68.^[7]

Much about his life and character is seen in his various Obituaries^[8][9] His death was announced In the Providence Gazette (Rhode Island) : "Major Elisha Babcock , at Hartford, Ct., aged 68 years; the Major has long been known as publisher of the " American Mercury" one of the oldest papers in Connecticut." ^[10]

Sources

1. ↑ The Family of Badcock of Milton p.7
2. ↑ Babcock papers at Connecticut Historic Society. Much information but summary misidentifies Elisha's Grandfather.
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Mercury_(newspaper)?wprov=sfti1
4. ↑ page 663
5. ↑ Wife Dolly's Find A Grave
6. ↑ Elisha was present master of Racheal Dee
7. ↑ Hartford Courant Hartford, Connecticut 10 Apr 1821, Tue • Page 3
8. ↑ The Rutland County Herald Rutland, Vermont 24 Apr 1821, Tue • Page 3
9. ↑ The National Gazette Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 14 Apr 1821, Sat • Page 3
10. ↑ Arnold, James Newell. Vital Record of Rhode Island, 1636-1850 (Narragansett Historical Pub. Co., Providence, R.I., 1903) Vol. 13: Deaths. Providence Gazette, 1762-1830, Page 143.

• Find A Grave: Memorial #128492848

• Connecticut Historical Society Biographical Sketch

• Barbour's Families of early Hartford

• 1813 Letter from Elisha Babcock to General Thomas H Cushing describing persecution of newspapers which destroyed a number of Republican newspapers in Connecticut