Clatsop County OR Archives Biographies.....Babbidge, Captain J. G. September 16, 1880 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Ila Wakley iwakley@msn.com February 6, 2011, 2:09 pm Source: History of the Columbia River Valley From The Dalles to the Sea, Vol. III, Published 1928, Pages 846 - 847 Author: The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company CAPTAIN J. G. BABBIDGE, who became widely known as a steamboat captain, disposed of his interests in river boats in 1922 and during the past six years has conducted Seaside's leading drug store, which he owns in association with William Gardner. He was born in Astoria, Oregon, September 16, 1880, his parents being Captain John W. and Julia (Kindred) Babbidge, the latter a native of old Fort Stevens, Clatsop county, this state, and a representative of an honored pioneer family here. Bartholomew C. Kindred, the maternal grandfather of Captain Babbidge of this review, was born in Indiana in 1818 and in 1836 removed to Iowa, where he resided until 1840. In the latter year he went to Missouri, in which state he was married to Rachel Myler and followed farming until 1844. He crossed the plains with a company commanded by Captain Gilliam that traveled in covered wagons drawn by ox teams and reached Milwaukie, Oregon, on Christmas eve of 1844. In the following spring he went down the Columbia river to Oak Point, Washington, and there he worked in Hunt's sawmill for a few years, while his wife prepared the meals for the mill men. In 1847 Mr. Kindred took up a donation claim of six hundred and forty acres at what is now Hammond, Clatsop county, the tract being almost entirely covered with timber. He made a clearing for his first log house and cultivated his land in later years. It is worthy of note that B. C. Kindred was one of the first bar pilots on the Columbia and Willamette rivers. He died March 13, 1904, having for six years survived his wife, who passed away January 2, 1898. They became the parents of twelve children, seven of whom are deceased, namely: Joel, Henry, James, Mrs. J. W. Babbidge, Mrs. Mary Mudd, Mrs. Amanda Matheson and David. The surviving members of the family are: Mrs. Nancy Fisher, a resident of Portland, Oregon; Mrs. Amelia Holt, living at Cathlamet, Washington; Mrs. Rosetta McGuire, who resides at Astoria, Oregon; Mrs. Sarah Mudd, of Hammond, Oregon; and William S. Kindred, who makes his home in Tokeland, Washington. John W. Babbidge, the father of Captain J. G. Babbidge, was born in Maine in 1842, and like most young men in the Pine Tree state at that time, took to the sea. He sailed on the Atlantic until 1864, when he made his way to the Pacific coast via Cape Horn as second mate on the bark Cambridge. This he left at Portland, Oregon, and shipped on the Alfred Crosby, running between Portland and Victoria, British Columbia, in the coasting trade. After a year on the Alfred Crosby he became master of the government sloop Belle, plying between Astoria and Fort Stevens, and in 1867 accepted a job as deck hand on the John H. Couch, owned by the Oregon Steam Navigation Company. He was quickly promoted and three years later was given the captaincy of the steamer Fannie Troup on the Cowlitz route. Subsequently he went to the Okanogan and the Julia and afterward commanded, successively, the Dixie Thompson, Emma Hayward, Annie Stewart, Josie McNear, Oneonta, Bonita, S. G. Reed, Mountain Queen, Willamette Chief, R. R. Thompson, Wide West, E. N. Cooke and other steamers of the Oregon Steam Navigation Company. In 1887 he began piloting deep-water vessels on the Columbia river but quit in 1889 to take charge of Devlin's cannery steamer City of Astoria, continuing on her until 1891. He then built the steamer R. Miller, which he operated on the Westport route from Astoria for several years. Later he built the Electra in partnership with his son, Captain J. G. Babbidge, and he was active on the river until almost the date of his death in 1919, being well known as an able river man to all the old-time captains on the Columbia river. John W. Babbidge was a charter member of the lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Astoria. To him and his wife, who passed away in 1896, were born four sons, as follows: Wilbur W., a resident of Portland; Alfred, of Portland; Edward, who also makes his home in Portland; and J. G., whose name introduces this article. All four became steamboat captains. J. G. Babbidge pursued his education in grade and high schools of Astoria and also attended a business college of Portland. Like his father and his brothers, he took to the river and followed steamboating on the Columbia. In company with his father he bought the Electra, which he ran in the United States government quarantine service at Astoria for several years. He was in the quartermaster's department on the government dredge Clatsop at Astoria and also served for some years as captain on the dredge tender Port of Astoria. He was only twenty-three years of age when in 1903 he received his license as captain and pilot. It was in 1922 that Captain Babbidge sold his interests in river boats and, in partnership with William Gardner, purchased the leading drugstore at Seaside, Oregon, which the two have conducted continuously and successfully to the present time. They carry a complete line of drugs and druggists' sundries, including stationery, and are accorded a well deserved and steadily growing patronage. An up-to-date soda fountain is one of the attractive features of their establishment. In July, 1905, Captain Babbidge was united in marriage to Miss Bessie Staples, a native of Astoria, Oregon, and a daughter of Marshall and Emily Staples, both of whom are deceased. The father, a native of Maine, was a pioneer bar pilot on the Columbia river and became a charter member of the lodge of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows at Astoria, to which Captain Babbidge now belongs and of which he is past noble grand. Captain and Mrs. Babbidge are the parents of two daughters: Emily Julia, born at Astoria in 1909, who is a graduate of the high school there and is now attending the University of Oregon at Eugene; and Frances Elizabeth, who was born at Astoria in 1922. 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