Land Patent
Aug 5, 1869
Great-Great-Great Grandma & Grandpa Wade Home Great-Great-Great Grandma & Grandpa Babcock

Laura C. Babcock-Johnson
Laura Babcock-Johnson
Original Land Patent
Land Patent
Town of New Haven, Olmsted County, MN
1874 Map

Both Laura & Austin were born in New York, most likely in Oneida County. They were married March 23, 1857 in East Hamilton, NY. Their oldest child Lillian, was born June 16, 1858 in Oriskany Falls, NY.

Their next child, Irness Eugene, was born May 25, 1861 near Oronoco, MN (see map above). So I wondered why did Great-Great Gramps move the family to Minnesota. I found that the US Bureau of Land Management - General Lands Office     has a nice searchable website. It was here I discovered a copy of the original land patent. The going rate was $1.25 per acre. Meaning he paid $100 for his 80 acre 1/8th section.

Their 3rd child Birdge Lyon, born Dec 18, 1864, was my great-gramps. Their 4th & final child was Willis Austin born in 1869.

Children of Laura & Austin


Lillian Estella Babcock-Kimbirk Jun 16, 1858 - Sept 07, 1952
Irness Eugene Babcock May 25, 1861 - Unknown
Birdge Lyon Babcock Dec 18, 1864 - April 29, 1956
Willis Austin Babcock Nov 1869 - Unknown

Census Images

Wades in 1840

Shows Jared & Triphena Wade & family in Richland, Oswego Co, NY.

Babcocks in 1840

Shows Austin's family in Augusta, Oneida Co, NY.

Wades in 1850

Shows Jared & Triphena Wade & family in Hebron Township, McHenry Co, IL.

Babcocks in 1850

I don't know where Austin is, but his family is in Augusta, Oneida Co, NY.

Laura & Austin Married in 1857
1860 Image 1

Shows Austin, Laura, Lillian and Austin's father Thomas, brother John & his family and sister Josephine. (Lines 33 - 40)

1860 Image 2

Image 2 shows brother Albert
(Line 1).

1865

Shows Austin, Laura, Lillian, Irness & Birdge in Oronoco, Olmsted Co, MN.
(No. 57)

1870

Shows Austin & family in Renville Co, MN. (Lines 13 - 18)
Why is Birdge listed as Roger?
(Lines 13-18)

1875

Shows Austin & family in Renville Co, MN.
Sillian? Bridget? Sometimes....
(Lines 12 - 16)

1880

Shows them in Dodge Center, Dodge Co, MN with Lillian & her son Leonard Alphonso Kimbirk.
Where is Mr. Kimbirk?
(Lines 10 - 16)

1885

Shows Laura (Johnson) & Birdge in Ashland, Dodge Co, MN
(Lines 26 - 28)

1900

Shows Willis & family in St Paul, MN
I think C. W. W. Johnson should be Mrs. C. W. W. Johnson aka Laura.
(Lines 33 - 36)

1900

Shows Austin, alone, back in Augusta, Oneida Co, NY.
(Line 4)
His sister & her daughters.
(Lines 13-15)

1910

Shows Laura & Willis living in Wasoija Township, Dodge Co, MN.
(Lines 86 & 87)

1920

Shows Laura & Willis living in Rochester, MN.
That's her last know where abouts. Her date of passing and place of burial are unknown.
(Lines 9 & 10)

Letters From Austin

Below are 11 letters Austin sent to his son & daughter-in-law, Birdge & Sarah.

Dec 08, 1892     Mar 08, 1893    

Feb 06, 1894     Feb 08, 1895    

Mar 22, 1895

May 26, 1895     Jul 25, 1897

Dec 14, 1898     Aug 28, 1899

And two whose dates are unknown Nov 25, 189?     Unknown
Austin also wrote a short story
which I retyped from the original scanned pages called

Aunt Hobby or the Bazore Library

It's a cheerful fable of a girl's determination to better not only herself,
but her whole village by opening their minds.

As one visitor was quoted,
"Why cannot Bazores be established in every village?"


Laura C. (Wade) Babcock Johnson
Sep 13, 1837 - (aft 1920 census)
Austin Hall Babcock
Oct 9, 1835 - Feb 3, 1908

Married March 23, 1857
East Hamilton, NY

Things are beginning to clear up a bit. I found a marriage in Dodge Co, MN between Laura C. Babcock & Charles W. W. Johnson, dated Sep 12, 1885. I have as yet not found a divorce for Austin & Laura, but it would explain why Austin went back to NY alone (1900 Census) & why Laura's last name is Johnson in the 1900 & 1910 censuses.

Although his grave stone says 1907, Austin's death certificate is dated 1908. The most likley reason for the discrepancy is that Birdge & Sarah purchased the stone years after his death.

According to notes from Birdge's daughter, Ruth (Babcock) Nelson, Austin actually had several middle names. His full name was
Austin Hall Rugg (Ruggles?) Watson Babcock.


Jeff Babcock © 2009 Jeff Babcock