The Babcock Genealogy lists Joseph Babcock's birth as being Feb. 3,1735-6, and his death as "Mar. or Apr. , 1804 (?)." On Mar.31,1765 he married Hannah Champlin, dau. of Samuel and Hannah ClarkChamplin. Hannah was born in South Kingston, Dec. 9, 1747, and diedin 1767, just two years after the marriage, in Westerly RI. They hadone daughter, Hannah, b.Jan 2, 1767, at Westerly. This Hannah married[ Nov. 17, 1796] Arnold West [born Sept. 11, 1762] son of James andSusanna West. Joseph married Hannah Ross in 1771. They had 11children. Thankfully, none were named Hannah! SOURCE: Babcock,Stephen, THE BABCOCK GENEALOGY, Eaton & Mains, N.Y., 1903, p. 75
"The Immigrant." James Badcock was born in 1612, "probably" in EssexCounty, England. It is not known exactly when he immigrated or wherehe landed. The first official mention of James Badcock was when hewas "admitted an inhabitant" of Portsmouth, RI, February 25, 1642. Hewas almost certainly related (very possibly a brother) to twobrothers, Robert and George Badcock, who settled in Dorchester (nowMilton) MA, somewhere between 1630 and 1650. The tradition that Jamesarrived in North America on the ship "Anne" in 1623 and brought withhim four children born in England has been proven to be spurious.The records of Portsmouth, RI, contain many references to JamesBadcock between 1642 and 1662. He moved with others from Portsmouthto a new settlement being started at "Squamucuck" or "Misquamicut",now Westerly, RI, in that year. In 1665 he sold his house and farm inPortsmouth. The new settlement was formally incorporated as Westerlyin May 1669 at which time, among the 24 freemen in the town four wereBadcocks -- James and his three sons, James, John and Job. Hisfirst wife is identified only as Sarah_______, and no date for themarriage has been found. Sarah died in 1665 "or later." They hadfour children: James, born 1641, married Jane Brown; John, born1644, married Mary Lawton; Job, born 1646 (?), married Jane Crandall;and Mary, born 1648 (?), married William Champlin. James marriedin 1669 (?) a woman identified only as Elizabeth. They had threechildren: Joseph, born 1670 (?) and Nathaniel and Elizabeth, dates ofbirth unknown. In his 59th year, (1678) James was baptised andunited with the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Newport and Westerly,RI. SOURCE: Babcock, Stephen, BABCOCK GENEALOGY, 1903, pp 1-6,plus Introduction. Note on name: I have never seen this inwriting, but I remember well my father telling me that he believed thederivation of the name Badcock, came from an individual or family whoraised fighting cocks, back in the days when cock fighting was acommon and popular "entertainment". My father speculated that hesupposed this unknown ancestor may have achieved distinction (ornoteriety!) for owning, or having raised a particularly "bad" (read"successful") fighting cock. Whether there is anything to thisexplanation of the name, I don't know -- though it contains a certainlogic. It should also be noted that the Babcock Coat of Arms,pictured in the Babcock Genealogy (see above) features a cock's headas the crest, as well as three more cocks on the shield. So theassociation of the name with that of someone associated with raisingcocks is lent some credance. The name may be of Saxon origin. TheBabcock Genealogy refers to an "assertion" made in American FamilyAntiquity, vol. iii, p.199, that the Badcock family was founded in 449A.D. by a Saxon warrior "in the ranks of Hengist and Horsa" who camewith a Saxon army to fight the Picts and Scots, but this is nowhereelse substantiated that I know of. The author of the Genealogy statesthat the name is "numerous" in England, being found in Cornwall,Devonshire, Lincolnshire, Middlesex and especially in Essex. Herefers to a narrative written by a Sir William Seager who said that hevisited in Essex County (in 1612) a Sir Richard Badcock who was the19th in descent from the first holder of the family mansion there.If this narrative is true, this would take the family back to aboutthe time of the Norman Conquest in the 11th Century. Conjecture leadsto the possibility that a Saxon family of that name existed earlierbut was only formally recognized at that time. That the familyexisted and was well established in Essex from very early times, seemsrather certain. SOURCE: The Babcock Genealogy, 1903, "Coat ofArms and Family Origin" -- Bryce Babcock
"The Immigrant." James Badcock was born in 1612, "probably" in EssexCounty, England. It is not known exactly when he immigrated or wherehe landed. The first official mention of James Badcock was when hewas "admitted an inhabitant" of Portsmouth, RI, February 25, 1642. Hewas almost certainly related (very possibly a brother) to twobrothers, Robert and George Badcock, who settled in Dorchester (nowMilton) MA, somewhere between 1630 and 1650. The tradition that Jamesarrived in North America on the ship "Anne" in 1623 and brought withhim four children born in England has been proven to be spurious.The records of Portsmouth, RI, contain many references to JamesBadcock between 1642 and 1662. He moved with others from Portsmouthto a new settlement being started at "Squamucuck" or "Misquamicut",now Westerly, RI, in that year. In 1665 he sold his house and farm inPortsmouth. The new settlement was formally incorporated as Westerlyin May 1669 at which time, among the 24 freemen in the town four wereBadcocks -- James and his three sons, James, John and Job. Hisfirst wife is identified only as Sarah_______, and no date for themarriage has been found. Sarah died in 1665 "or later." They hadfour children: James, born 1641, married Jane Brown; John, born1644, married Mary Lawton; Job, born 1646 (?), married Jane Crandall;and Mary, born 1648 (?), married William Champlin. James marriedin 1669 (?) a woman identified only as Elizabeth. They had threechildren: Joseph, born 1670 (?) and Nathaniel and Elizabeth, dates ofbirth unknown. In his 59th year, (1678) James was baptised andunited with the Seventh Day Baptist Church of Newport and Westerly,RI. SOURCE: Babcock, Stephen, BABCOCK GENEALOGY, 1903, pp 1-6,plus Introduction. Note on name: I have never seen this inwriting, but I remember well my father telling me that he believed thederivation of the name Badcock, came from an individual or family whoraised fighting cocks, back in the days when cock fighting was acommon and popular "entertainment". My father speculated that hesupposed this unknown ancestor may have achieved distinction (ornoteriety!) for owning, or having raised a particularly "bad" (read"successful") fighting cock. Whether there is anything to thisexplanation of the name, I don't know -- though it contains a certainlogic. It should also be noted that the Babcock Coat of Arms,pictured in the Babcock Genealogy (see above) features a cock's headas the crest, as well as three more cocks on the shield. So theassociation of the name with that of someone associated with raisingcocks is lent some credance. The name may be of Saxon origin. TheBabcock Genealogy refers to an "assertion" made in American FamilyAntiquity, vol. iii, p.199, that the Badcock family was founded in 449A.D. by a Saxon warrior "in the ranks of Hengist and Horsa" who camewith a Saxon army to fight the Picts and Scots, but this is nowhereelse substantiated that I know of. The author of the Genealogy statesthat the name is "numerous" in England, being found in Cornwall,Devonshire, Lincolnshire, Middlesex and especially in Essex. Herefers to a narrative written by a Sir William Seager who said that hevisited in Essex County (in 1612) a Sir Richard Badcock who was the19th in descent from the first holder of the family mansion there.If this narrative is true, this would take the family back to aboutthe time of the Norman Conquest in the 11th Century. Conjecture leadsto the possibility that a Saxon family of that name existed earlierbut was only formally recognized at that time. That the familyexisted and was well established in Essex from very early times, seemsrather certain. SOURCE: The Babcock Genealogy, 1903, "Coat ofArms and Family Origin" -- Bryce Babcock