BIOGRAPHIES:  Ernest V. BABCOCK, Barron, Barron County, WI

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Vic Gulickson <vic@indy.net>  31 May 2002	
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Ernest V. Babcock, for a number of years an active business man of wide
experience, and now clerk of the circuit court of Barron County, was born
on a farm at Eau Claire, Wis., Oct. 10, 1873, son of Charles and Charlotte
(Walker) Babcock. As a boy he attended district school to the age of 14,
but in the meanwhile, at the age of 12, he had the misfortune to lose his
right arm as the result of a runaway accident on the farm. Thus physically
handicapped for the career of a farmer, he sought other occupations, and
after attending school at Chetek for four years, at the age of 18 he
received a teacher's certificate, and for two years subsequently taught
rural school. In 1893 he entered into the hardware and implement business
at Chetek, in association with his brothers, Levant A. and Theddie J., and
was thus occupied until 1898, when the firm sold out. He then became a
traveling salesman for the Deering Harvester Company of Chicago, remaining
with that concern until 1900. Then, with his brothers, Theddie J. and
Charles H., he started in the general mercantile business at Bruce, Wis.
After four years as a merchant there, in 1904 he returned to Chetek and
built and operated the telephone exchange at that place. Two years later he
sold the telephone business and in the fall of 1906 went to Spokane, Wash.,
as traveling agent for the International Harvester Company. Returning to
Barron County, Wis., in 1908, he bought the telephone exchange of Dallas,
which he converted into a rural line, selling the stock to the farmers.
During the winter of 1909-10 Mr. Babcock was engaged in the logging
business at Hawkins, Rusk County, Wis. In the following summer, that of
1910, he went to Winnipeg, Canada, as traveling salesman in the interests
of the Townsley Manufacturing Company of Minneapolis, but in the following
year became bookkeeper in a hotel at Drinkwater, Canada. After remaining in
the Dominion until February, 1913, he returned to Barron, where he has
since remained. He was elected clerk of the circuit court in the fall of
1916 and has since held that office. In addition to this employment he owns
a farm in Stanley Township, which he conducts, and also sells farm
machinery. On January 25, 1898, Mr. Babcock was united in marriage with
Claudia F. Davy, daughter of George R. and Mercie M. (Lindsay) Davy of
Eleva, Trempeauleau County, Wis., where she was born Dec. 25, 1875. Mr. and
Mrs. Babcock are the parents of four children: Holles D., born May 27,
1903; Floyd P., born Aug. 15, 1905; Coral E., born March 7, 1908, and
George, born April 28, 1912. Mr. and Mrs. Babcock are members of the
Methodist Episcopal Church in Barron. Politically he is a Republican.
Energetic and capable, Mr. Babcock has won success and is numbered among
the prominent and respected citizens of Barron County.

--Taken from: History of Barron Co., Wisconsin, H. C. Cooper, Jr. & Co.,
1922, pp. 482-483.