Everett Cicero Babcock, oldest son of Heman A. and Retta (Bristol) Babcock, was born in Dakota, Wisconsin, June 27, 1863, and lacked only eleven days of being 68 years old. His father who had already enlisted in the army, left soon after and did not again see the baby boy for two years.

His parents moved to Brookfield, Missouri in 1866, but in November 1872, came to Valley County, Nebraska with the very first settlers, where the nine-year-old boy took up the life of a typical pioneer. Here he went through a terrible prairie fire, an awful tornado, the devastating grasshopper plague, and other incidents. He was one of the pupils in the first school in the valley, in a dug-out near the bank of Mira Creek, where the village of North Loup now stands, then in a log schoolhouse at the same place. For four years he walked into school daily from his father's homestead five miles away, except in bad weather when he stopped with his uncle's family. The log-house on the father's place was the last one left standing in the valley and long a landmark. To this pioneer life Mr. Babcock was indebted for much of the strength and beauty of his character. He was proud of being a pioneer and never tired of reminiscences with old friends.

When his father was elected County Clerk of Valley County, in 1876, they moved to Ord, where he attended school. He finished high school at Hastings, took one term in Doane College, at Crete, and two years at Alfred University at Alfred, New York, then a business course at Burlington, Iowa.

Since 1888, he has lived in Lincoln, where he was for 8 years in the State Auditor's office and 8 years as Deputy Treasurer under Peter Mortensen, succeeding his father who died in office.

Mr. Babcock had been an active practicing public accountant for the past twenty-one years and became a certified public accountant in 1914, being probably the third man in Nebraska to receive a certificate under the laws of our state. He was the first man in Nebraska to pass the examination for membership in the American Institute of Accountants, a national organization. In 1916, when the government made its first call for expert accountants to assist in the figuring and applying the income tax, he was chosen with others from this district. He was in the employ of the government until 1920 when he returned to the practice of public accountant, in which he remained until his appointment to position of state accountant by State Auditor Marsh, in January of this year. He also served one year as one of the examiners in the recent state investigation of failed state banks.

He was a member of the society of the Sons of the American Revolution and the American Institute of Accountants, served as President of the Nebraska Society of Certified Public Accountants. In the First Presbyterian Church of which he was a most devoted member for over 40 years, he served for fourteen years as Elder and Clerk of the Session, was Treasurer of the State Sabbath School Association for many years, also he was former treasurer of the Presbyterian Church and a member of the state Y.M.C.A. Board.

In December 4, 1888, he married Miss Lora Bristol, of Dupuyer, Montana, and their home has always been in Lincoln. To them were born two daughters, Rettie May who died in infancy, and Mrs. R. H. VanBoskirk, and one son, Harry L., both of Lincoln. Five grandchildren and one brother, Roy O., of New York City, also survive him.

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