Was a Tauntonian, born, bred, educated, married, worked, lived
and died there. Historians of the old town give him but little space in their writings,
but I have found ample evidence that he was entitled to a conspicuous place among the men
who brought Taunton through the trying times of the first half of the last century.
Mr. Babbitt was a genius. They say "he could do anything with tools and could make
the tools to do it with." How he came by his knowledge I do not know, but that he was
a scientific and skilful workman in metals of all kinds is beyond question. And so we find
him in 1810, at the age of 23, so well established in business as a gold and silversmith,
and such a master of his trade as to employ indentured apprentices and teach them the
"mysteries of the art." Later he added watch and clock making and became a
dealer in jewelry, fine tools and hardware, sporting goods and supplies. He was among the
first, if not the first, to make percussion caps for the firearms that supplanted the old
"flint locks" of former days, designing and building the machine which produced
the copper shells. Many of the "Grandfather's clocks" so highly prized by
collectors of antique furniture, bear the stamp "Charles Babbitt, Maker."
About 1830, he invented a cast steel hone for putting a fine edge on razors, etc., which
found a market throughout the United States of those days, and quite recently inquiry has
been received for a quantity of "Spiral Drill Stocks, formerly made by Charles
Babbitt," for export. As a "side line" he relieved suffering humanity by
"pulling teeth," "fitting glasses," and "adjusting ear
trumpets," and while his methods may not have satisfied the present laws concerning
dentists, oculists and aurists, well enough to entitle him to professional certificates, I
do not understand that the records show any serious results directly traceable to him. His
store and work-shop were models, containing everything which could be used in his various
lines of business, from the blacksmith's forge to the most delicate instrument in a
watchmaker's kit, with a place for everything and everything in its place; all as neat and
clean as a well-kept parlor, and woe be to kid that littered up or disturbed this
systematic arrangement (I am now writing from memory of bitter experience.) But best of
all, from a pecuniary standpoint, his business was a financial success, and in his later
years he was accounted "well to do." So I conclude that the title "Jack at
all trades and good at none" does not apply to him. He appears to have been good at
whatever he undertook.
Always true to Taunton, he invested his savings in Taunton enterprises, and we find his
name among the original stockholders of manufacturing companies, banking institutions and
at least one hotel company of his native town. He also invested quite largely in real
estate and improved it by building substantial brick structures, one of which, on the
south side of Main street, he occupied as a dwelling in the upper stories, with his store
and workshop on the street floor. This building has since been remodelled and made into an
up-to-date clothing house, but nearly opposite on the same street is another building
containing two dwellings and store below, built by him in 1840, and still standing
substantially as he planned it, owned and loyally kept by some of his descendants as a
monument to his thrift and skill as an architect.
Beside his investments for pecuniary profit he was a liberal contributor to the
construction and maintenance of two churches and many of the schemes for village
improvements. We also find his name enrolled among those in "Training for the
protection of the community in the troublous times preceding the War of 1812" and his
record of promotion is as follows: August 8, 1806, appointed Sergeant of Infantry, 3rd
Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 5th Division Massachusetts Militia. Warrant by Thomas Lincoln,
Lieut. Colonel, November 19, 1806, appointed "Ensign" same regiment, commission
by Caleb Strong, Governor, May 18, 1811; elected Lieutenant, same Regiment, commission by
Elbridge Gerry, Governor; April I8, 1812, resigned and honorably discharged, having served
more than seven years in training and subject to call at any time. Soldier, skillful
mechanic, inventor, successful business man, humanitarian, capitalist, public spirited
citizen, Christian gentleman, and father of two daughters and three husky sons, it would
seem as if this man's name was entitled to a place in the History of the Babbitts.
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