As a family, we have lived long enough in the world to know
how to live wisely, and therefore, well.
Rev. Charles Henry Babcock, 1903
The Babcock name is an old one meaning "Son of Bartholomew" Defiantly, English, most probably Saxon in origin. It can also be found written as Badcock, Babkirk, Badco, Badcocke, Badcoke
Steven Babcock, author of "The Babcock Genealogy" referring to the "American Family Antiquity", writes that the Badcock family was founded in 449 AD by a Saxon warrior "in the ranks of Hengist and Horsa" who came with a Saxon army to fight the Picts and Scots. The name is especially prominent in the Essex area but also strongly represented in the areas of Cornwall, Devonshire, Lincolnshire, and Middlesex. In his Genealogy Steven Babcock refers to a narrative written by a Sir William Seager who said that in 1612 he visited a Sir Richard Badcock in Essex County who was the 19th descent from the first holder of the family mansion there. If this is indeed the case, it would place the family in a prominent position in Essex at the time of the Norman Conquest in the early 11th century
Joseph Babcock, my ancestor probably descends from this line that was so prominent in Essex, England. Joseph was born in New York but his parentage is unknown at this time. There has been some speculation from other researchers that his father was also a Joseph and his mother was Handy? That his family immigrated from Rhode Island to New York. To the best of my knowledge this has not yet been proven.
I have found 3 possible immigrant ancestors for Joseph. James, George and Robert. All of them were in colonies in the 1640's.
It is thought by many that the first Badcock to settle in New England was James Badcock. According to Family Tradition James, (a younger brother of the above Sir Richard) a clergyman of the Church of England, exiled in 1620 to Leyden, Holland for religious reasons. Tradition has James sailing in 1623 on the ship "Queen Ann" arriving in Plymouth. Later moving to Portsmouth Rhode Island. Just when James came to be in New England is not known, There are no records to substantiate James ever settling in Plymouth. Indeed there is no record of any Badcock in the colonies that early. It is much more likely that James arrived about 1640. The first recorded mention of him was when he was "admitted an inhabitant" of Portsmouth Rhode Island, on February 25,1642.
A David Badcock, along with George and Robert are all mentioned in the early records of Dorchester Massachusetts (now Milton). David, a member of the Church of Dorchester 1640, was probably the father of George Badcock and Robert Badcock, both of Milton, and setting aside Family Tradition David was more then likely the father of James also. W. W. Babcock in his Babcock genealogy certainly believes that the three were brothers. At the very least the 4 men were most certainly related in some way.
James, a blacksmith and gunsmith was born 1612 in England. Died 12 Jun 1679 in Westerly, Washington County, Rhode Island. There are many references to James in Portsmouth between 1642 and 1662 when in 1664 he sold his home and moved to Westerly. He held the office of Commissioner from 1656 to 1659. During 1670 he gave testimony, calling his age 58, his son James 29, and his son John 26.
James was married twice, first to Sarah Unknown, But no date or place has been found. Sarah died about 1665 or shortly after. They had four children.
James, born 1641, married
James second wife is known only as Elizabeth, they were married in 1669, and had three children.
born about 1670, married Dorothy Key
George, born in England about 1622. Was appointed supervisor of highways in Dorchester in 1656. George died in Dorchester Massachusetts his will was dated will dated 26 Sep 1671, and was proven 2 FEB 1672.
George married Mary in Massachusetts about 1650. They had 11 children,
Mary, born about 1650, possible spouse
Robert was born about 1610 in England. He was a Rater for Dorchester 1657; Supervisor of Highways 1660; and a Selectman of Milton 1678 and 1691. Robert Badcock was appointed Sergeant and later Captain in the Indian Wars. In 1672 he bought land "beyond Medfield at that place commonly called Bogistow," now Sherborn, and at Natick. Robert died 12 Nov 1694.
Robert married Joanna Phillips, in 1649 in Dorchester, they had 11 children.
Samuel, baptized 7 July
1650, married Hannah Ames
I have not been able to trace Joseph back to either of the immigrant ancestors, indeed there might not be any connection, all though this seems highly unlikely. Josephs ancestry is a puzzle to many Babcock researchers, there is a lot of speculation but no body has been able to find any proof of his parentage at all.
What is know about Joseph is that he was born in New York December 14, 1801. Married Charlotte Fosdick in 1824 in New York. Their oldest son George was born in New York in 1825. Two years later they had migrated to Ohio where their second child Ann was born in 1827. The family remained in Ohio until 1845 or 46. moving then to Walworth Co. Wisconsin where both Joseph and Charlotte died. Charlotte in 1853 and Joseph 2 years later in 1855. They had 10 children.
George Franklin, born March 13,1825 in Utica, New York, married Julia Barker
The coat of arms below is recognized in several Heraldry books as a Babcock coat of arms. However it seems to of been made up from several different Babcock/Badcock coat of arms. There are four coats of arms borne by different families of the Babcock- or rather Badcock named in England, and this one is not one of them. One of the four pertains to the Badcocks of St. Winow, county Cornwall; another is displayed by the family in Essex and Middlesex; a third is distinctive of the Devonshire branch, while the fourth is borne by Lieutenant Colonel Lovell Benjamin Badcock, of Lincolnshire/Bucks. This crest resembles, but is slightly different from each of them, though is closest to the Devonshire version, which is a cock's head or demi cock colored gules, ore red.
"Deus Spes Mea" which means "God is my hope"
(See Coats of Arms Pages for details)
Direct Descendants of Joseph Babcock
1 Joseph Babcock 1801 - 1855