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Jim & Selma Burrows
James Babcock, the son of James Babcock and Elizabeth Saunders, was born on Sunday, 23 December 1688 o.s. in Westerly, Rhode Island. He died at the age of 42 on Friday, 9 April 1731 o.s. in Stonington, New London County, Connecticut.
James Babcock (aged 17) married Sarah Vose (aged 21) on Wednesday, 12 June 1706 o.s. in Milton, Massachusetts.
Sarah Vose, the daughter of Edward Vose and Abigail Sharp, was born on Tuesday, 9 September 1684 o.s. in Milton, Massachusetts. She died at the age of 74 on Friday, 5 January 1759.
Their children were:
There was a data-base corruption with the Babcock data causing some confusion
as to which dates were Old Style, and which New. I've returned them all to
the values in my hand-written notes. One date, Elias's baptism, wasn't in
any of my notes. Thus I'm not sure if the actual recorded date should be
11 or 18 May 1712, nor am I sure where the info came from.
The IGI birth records for James (1708), and Grace (1722) list the mother as
Sarah Vose. The record for Elizabeth (1713) lists the mother as Sarah, with no
last name. The records for Nathaniel (1709), Elias (1711), Martha (1716),
Isaiah (1718), Oliver (1720), and Timothy (1724) list no mother. A James
(presumably the son) m. Phebe Swan in 1730. There are several birth records to
James w/ no wife after that.
There are two James Babcocks at this time. One was born at Westerly, RI just
east of where James and Sarah lived. The other was born in Milton MA where
Sarah Vose was born. All of the secondary (tertiary) sources agree that our
James was the Westerly one. I haven't been able to prove it from the primary
sources.
The Milton family looks like this:
Samuel Babcock m. 1 Jul 1674 at Milton, MA to Hannah Emas
James Babcock b. 28 Mar 1677 in Milton, MA;
James Babcock m. 12 Jun 1706 at Milton, MA to Sarah Vose.
The source for the the Westerly Babcocks appears to be Wheeler, the town clerk
in Stonington, CT for 50 years as well as the author of the major book on the
town. The information is repeated by A.H. Davison in his book as well as in the
Falmouth book. The current town records are mostly Wheeler's copying and
reorganizing of the originals, thus his views may be reflected as much as the
actual town records. The true primary sources for this period appear to be
lost.
Wheeler's own book is: Old Stonington Families by Richard Wheeler, Town Clerk
of Stonington, Conneticut.
The entry from Wheeler includes the following information:
(39) b. 23 Dec 1688 m. Sarah Vose d. 9 April 1731
The Stonington Vital Records include the following entries:
Book Page
2 47 M James Babcock of Stonington & Sarah Vose of Milton
was married June the 12th by Mr. Peter Thatcher, pastor
" " B James son of James Babcock was born ye 29th of May 1708
Nathaniel " " " " " " March 6 1709/10
" " " Elias " " " " " " Feb 20 1711/12
" " " Elizabeth, daugther of James & Sarah Babcock was born
ye 25th day of August -- about one of ye Clock in ye
morning, being Thursday
Martha, daughter of James Babcocock was born March
18th 1716/17
" " D and dyed ye 18th of April 1717
" " B Isaiah, son of James Babcock was born January the 29th
1718/19, about 11 of Clock afternoon
Oliver, son of James Babcock was born the 27th of
July 1720 about 10 of ye clock afternoon
" " " Grace, daughter of James Babcock was born Decr 31 1722
about 8 or 9 of ye Clock afternoon being Monday
" " " Timothy, son of James Babcock was born October 12th
1724, about 9 or 10 of ye Clock afternoon, being Monday
" " D James Babcock departed this life April ye 9th 1731
3 28 M May ye 7th 1730 Then Mr. James Babcock & Miss Phebe
Sears was married by ye Rev'd Mr. Hez. Lord in ye
pressence of witnesses. Joseph Breed & Nathaniel Babcock
[Child: Phebe, Sarah, James, Elias, Abel, Martha.]
Stonington town records Vol 2, page 89, Thomas Bell or Boll sold land to John
Babcock in 1678. Page 90, Mary Tracy and Miriam Tracy witness another
transaction.