(Seth-Elkanah-Isaac-Elkanah-Elkanah-Edward)
Mr. John W. Babbitt passed away with heart trouble and other diseases at his home in
Sussex Ave., Morristown, N. J., on the first day of July, 1909, in his eighty-ninth year.
The story of his life reads like a romance, and there is not a farm house or scarcely a
cowpath in Morris County that "Babbitt" as he was familiarly known, has not
entered or trod. He comes from old Jersey stock and was born in Berkshire Valley, Morris
County near Dover, an Nov. 10, 1820, son of Hannah Wire and Seth Babbitt, a soldier of the
War of 1812.
He was brought up in a log cabin and at ten years of age his father died of cholera
contracted while at work on the Morris Canal. His mother finding it a hard struggle with a
large family bound him out to Andrew K. Blake, who had a large farm near Kenvil, until he
was 21 years of age. For faithful service he was to secure from Mr. Baker when of age, one
yoke of oxen and six sheep. Mr. Baker had a large family of children and after John had
worked hard all day, his closing duties were to milk eight cows and help take care of the
children. The surrounding country was wild and thinly populated and our aged friend said
the farmers had to watch their sheep closely, for bears would frequently steal down the
mountain and carry off the lambs.
When he became a young man he worked on Mr. Baker's farm in summer and in winter carted
iron ore from Mine Hill to the Canal, Berkshire Valley and Dover. He would handle 3500
pounds twice over per day and for this strenuous service received the sum of $8.00 per
month. When twenty-three he helped the surveyors on the Morris Canal. In the good old days
as a young swain, he went one evening to call on his young lady friend, and on his way he
had to pass a dark swamp, when suddenly a wild-eyed animal sprung at his horse. The faster
Babbitt galloped, the faster the animal went, and poor John and his horse were nigh
exhausted and when the edge of the swamp was reached, the animal disappeared as if by
magic.
Mr. Babbitt worked on a farm in Mendham, N. J., after marriage and then he moved to Mt.
Kemble Ave., and worked for Dr. Ebbin Woodruff of Morristown. He was then appointed a mail
carrier between Morristown and Somerville and made three trips a week for three years. He
then moved a short distance from Morristown and lived eleven years on the farm of Mr.
Samuel Jones. After this he moved in Morristown.
In 1881 his numerous friends persuaded him to run for Constable and ever since has never
failed of election. He was the oldest active constable and always proved faithful in New
Jersey. He has also been Overseer of the Poor. Since the days of Lincoln he has always
voted the Republican ticket. In 1875 the wife of his youth died and after a period he
married the widow Bradshaw of Brookside, who died on Mr. Babbitt's eighty-sixth birthday,
which is remarkable.
He is a living monument of activity and work to the young men at this age. He was a kind
and good father and after his death we could hear them say on the streets, for he had a
great many friends, "what a nice man Mr. Babbitt was." He was of the Methodist
faith.
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