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- CLINTON BABBITT, who for fifty-four years was an influential
- citizen of Beloit, Wis., was a native of Westmoreland, N.H.
He was born November 16, 1831, to Nathan G. and Eunice (BREWSTER)
BABBITT, the former a lawyer by profession and an associate judge
with the eminent jurist and legal authority, Joel PARKER. Our
subject's paternal grandfather was a physician and served as
such in the Revolutionary War. His mother was a direct descendant
of the noted Elder BREWSTER.
- Our subject acquired his education in his native state, attending
- school at Keene, and on attaining his majority in 1852, removed
to Beloit, where he made his home during his life time. From
the first, he took an interest in all that related to the development
and welfare of his adopted home, and with an abiding faith in
its future, loyally and enthusiastically supported every movement
tending to its betterment and growth.
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- For a score of years Mr. BABBITT traveled on the road in
the interest of business houses, but during thirty years lived
on what became widely known as "Hemdoka Stock Farm,"
which he owned until about a year prior to his decease.
- Mr. BABBITT was, throughout his life, a consistent Jeffersonian
Democrat, and it was on the
- Democratic ticket that he was elected a member of the first
common council of Beloit on its incorporation as a city. This
first public honor came as a surprise to him and his friends,
who had little if any hope of electing their ticket. He next
came prominenently before the public as the Democratic nominee
for congress in 1880, when General Hancock was the presidential
nominee, but failed on an election. Ten years later in 1890,
he was again nominated for congress, and although his district
was overwhelmingly Republican, such was the effectiveness of
his personal canvass of the district as "The Farmer's Candidate,"
that he was elected by a handsome majority. During his congressional
term, he met Mr. William [an obvious omission of some words here]
....... comradeship that drew them into most intimate fellowship
and that lapse of years never lessened. In congress he did good
service and it was he who, when the matter of an appropriation
for the World's Columbia Exposition was under the discussion,
suggested the compromise appropriation of $2,500,000, which was
finally made. During President Cleveland's administration Mr.
BABBITT served as postmaster at Beloit, with great credit to
himself and eminent satisfaction to the city and community. As
secretary of the State Agricultural Society, an office which
he filled from 1885 till 1890, he rendered to the state most
valuable service, having in charge the state fairs that were
held in various parts of the commonwealth and with his headquarters
at the state capital.
- Mr. BABBITT was a man of pleasing personality, refined in
his tastes, sympathetic, generous and
- open-hearted, and readily won and retained friends. His hospitalities
were distributed with a lavish hand and he counted among his
friends men high in the councils and affairs of the state and
nation; and all who came within the range of his influence were
attracted to him by the charm of his friendliness and the manliness
of his character. He was domestic in his tastes and loved his
home and family and here found his highest enjoyment.
- (Allow me to add this anecdote: Mr. BABBITT and my father,
though differing in politics, were
- always very good friends. While occupying one of our stores,
many years ago, with a dry goods business, which for some reason
did not succeed, Mr. BABBITT called one evening at our old home
and said to my father; "I've got to fail. I have been advised
to put away a small sum, pay what debts are owed in and around
Beloit, then take the benefit of the bankruptcy act and let my
eastern creditors go unpaid. But somehow I don't like that plan.
What would you advise?" Said my father: "My advice
would not be worth anything if you don't take it." Mr. B.
replied, "I have so much confidence in your judgment, that
whatever you suggest I am included to do." Then my father
said, "Write to your eastern creditors telling them the
situation, that on account of unavoidable business depression
you cannot meet your obligations, but will turn in all your property
and deal fairly by all your creditors, as far as your means will
reach." "If I should do that," said Mr. BABBITT,
"I would have nothing left." "Yes, you will,"
was the reply. "What would I have?" "Your credit."
"Well," continued Mr. BABBITT, "that is the honest
way. I like that, and will do it." Not many days after he
reported results. "I wrote to my eastern creditors exactly
as we agreed and here is their reply: 'You are just the sort
of man we don't want to have fail. Never mind our account. If
you need new goods send to us and settle when times are better.'"
Mr. BABBITT took them at their word and in due course worked
his business out all right. --W. F. B.)
- On June 10, 1857, he married Miss Sarah S. JOHNSON, of Salem,
Mass, who, with five of the
- ten children born to them, survives. The surviving children
are: Alice H., who is married to F. E. LURTON, and lives at Fergus
Falls, Minn.; Arthur and Ralph, of Livingston, Mont., and Bertha
and Edith, who live at home with their mother in Beloit.
- The sudden death of Mr. BABBITT on the afternoon of March
11, 1907, came as a great
- surprise to his many friends in and about Beloit, and his
demise was universally mourned as a public loss. His loss to
the city, while keenly felt, is more poignant to his immediate
family who, however, find consolation in the thought that he
left to them the rich heritage of an unsullied and honored name.
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-
- Taken from "Rock County, Wisconsin, Vol. II"
by William Fiske Brown, (c)1908, pp. 799-801; lithograph from
"Rock County, Wisconsin, Vol. I," p. 76.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
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