Babcock, Varnum, 1798 - 1855
Varnum Babcock alias Varnum Niles was born in Hopkinton, RI on August 22, 1798. Like many in coastal New England, Varnum took to the sea as a young man. While the extent of his career as a mariner is not fully known, he did depart New London headed towards the South Seas on December of 1822 on the newly built brig Hersilia. He was listed as 23 years old, 5 foot 10 inches tall and residing in Stonington.
By the time he married Almira Cuffee in Preston on April 2,18351 it seems Varnum had put a life at sea behind him. He lived near enough to the Eastern Pequot reservation to work occasionally for the overseer and the tribe. On March 18, 1834 Varnum was paid along with several others for the working on stone wall boundaries of the tribe’s land.
Varnum had at least three children: Varnum Robin ( alias Robin Babcock or Varnum Robins Thomas) born May 16, 1836, Charles W. (alias Charles Niles ) born ca. 1841 and daughter Mary Ann was born March 8, 1844.
Varnum was enumerated in the 1850 census as head of household in Preston. At age 49 and a laborer, the household consisted of his wife Almira, age 46, son Robin Babcock age 14 and daughter Mary Ann, age 6
Varnum died in Preston on June 22, 1855 at the age of 57. He was buried in the Preston Small Pox and Indian Cemetery. Varnum’s record of death indicates that he was a farmer and was married, leaving a widow, Almira Cuffe Babcock.
Brown and Rose, Black Roots, 16, 176; Crew List, Mystic Seaport ; Eastern Pequot Overseer Records from March 18, 1834 to June 11, 1835; Connecticut, Town Marriage Records, pre-1870 (Barbour Collection), Preston Vital Records Part I 1687-1850,Ancestry.com; 1850 US Federal Census, North Stonington; Findagrave.com
- 1. Another source indicates a marriage to Fannie Jackson Watson in Stonington on December 31, 1839. Tius is despite the fact that subsequent records indicate a continued marriage to Almira, Varnum is enumerated with Almira and children in the 1850 census and Varnum’s death notice mentions his widow Almira. It is possible that the marriage to Fannie Jackson Watson was actually previous to his marriage to Almira or that Varnum and Almira had gotten divorced and then remarried each other. Varnum’s three children are, depending on the record, attributed to either Fannie or Almira.
Alias(es)
Varnum Niles
Born:
August 22, 1798Died:
June 22, 1855Ethnicity