George A. Babcock Biography


	This biography appears on pages 353-354 in "History of Dakota 
	Territory" by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. V (1915) and was 
	scanned, OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				GEORGE A. BABCOCK. 

	George A. Babcock, a merchant of Custer, was born at Hazel Green, 
Grant county, Wisconsin, on the 16th of March, 1855, of the marriage of 
George W. and Elizabeth (Martindale) Babcock, natives, respectively, of 
the state of New York and of England. In early life the father engaged 
in carpentering and later became a chemist. About 1847 he removed to 
Wisconsin and for a time gave his attention to contracting, while 
subsequently he was connected with the operation of a lead mine in 
Grant county. In 1864 he was called to his reward. His widow survived 
for many years and died at the home of G. A. Babcock in 1908. George A. 
Babcock, who is the youngest of a family of three children, attended 
school in Grant county, Wisconsin, and also in Albion, Michigan. He was 
but nine years of age when he left his home in Wisconsin and went to 
live with an uncle in Michigan, with whom he resided for three years. 
In 1868 he removed to Iowa and was employed in a livery barn at Cedar 
Falls for five years, after which he became connected with a larger 
establishment of the same character in Waterloo. In 1875 he went to Des 
Moines, where he drove a public carriage for fourteen months, and then 
returned to Michigan, where he remained until the following spring. He 
next went again to Waterloo and during the summer was connected with 
the livery business there. The following two years he campaigned 
trotting horses in St. Paul, Minneapolis, and all over the Illinois, 
Ohio and Michigan circuits. In the fall of 1878 he returned to Waterloo 
and began conducting a boarding barn. After sixteen months he disposed 
of his business and was employed in a livery barn until 1887, when he 
removed to South Dakota. For the first year after arriving in this 
state he was employed on a ranch near Custer and then squatted on a 
ranch thirty miles west of that city. He and his family continued to 
reside there until 1896, when they removed to Custer and he engaged in 
the livery business for three years. He next turned his attention to 
retailing feed of all kinds, but after a year began dealing in general 
implements and coal. He is at present conducting a store for the sale 
of farm machinery and carries the International truck and many other 
standard makes of implements and also garage supplies. He is also a 
stockholder in the Custer Electric Light, Heat &Power Company and is 
local agent for the Standard Oil Company. His interests include the 
ownership of considerable business and residence property in Custer and 
he is known as one of its substantial citizens. 

	Mr. Babcock was married in June, 1880, to Miss Helen Barro, who 
was born in Baden, Badcn, Germany, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Caspar 
Barro. About 1857 the family crossed the Atlantic and continued their 
journey westward, settling near Freeport, Illinois. Subsequently they 
removed to Waterloo, Iowa, and the father engaged in business there, 
although he had previously been an agriculturist. He passed away about 
1879 and his widow survived for several years. They were estimable 
people and highly respected by all who knew them. Mr. and Mrs. Babcock 
have four children. George C., who was born in April, 1881, married 
Miss Nellie Truax, of Hill City, by whom he has a son, Caspar A., who 
was born December 9, 1914. The family reside upon a ranch thirty miles 
west of Custer. William M., whose natal day was December 28, 1882, is 
residing near his brother, George C., and is also a rancher. Fred, born 
February 11, 1885, married Miss Effie Russell, and is a farmer residing 
near Winfield, Kansas. Eva C., the only daughter, was born on the 4th 
of January, 1894, and is now the wife of Fred Richardson, a resident of 
Big Horn, Wyoming. They have one child. 

	Mr. Babcock is a republican and is now serving his sixth year as 
a member of the town council. He is the present noble grand of the Odd 
Fellows lodge at Custer and is an enthusiastic member of that great 
order. His life has been one of continual industry and has been 
characterized by a spirit of enterprise that is common to western 
people and his activities have been a force in promoting the 
advancement of the localities in which he has lived.