A Case of Mistaken Identity
Two David BABCOCKS settled in the Kingston and Ernestown area after the Revolutionary War. Both had previously lived in the State of New York. One was an emigrant settler and the other had served in the Orange Rangers and Embodied Refugee Loyalists, the latter receiving recognition for leading a defence of the Block House at Bergen Point in New Jersey in 1780. There has been some confusion about the identity of these two men perhaps beginning in the Old Loyalists’ List which combined the identity of the two of them: David BABCOCK: “Emigrant settler, L.B.K., 1793, from New York State – 200 acres, Kingston; once served in the Blockhouse; 600 acres”.
Because published accounts since then have continued to lend confusion to the identity of the two David BABCOCKS, crediting the emigrant settler with being the Captain in the Block House, the purpose here is to set forth what the primary sources show.
The Emigrant Settler
David BABCOCK, (A) the emigrant settler, first appears in records at Kingston, Upper Canada, December 4, 1793 in a petition: “being firmly attached to the British Government & Constitution has come to this District where he humbly prays that that same portion of land may be assigned him as hath been usually granted to other subjects of his Description.”
On August 8th1798 he memorialized the government: “David BABCOCK of Ernestown having obtained a certificate from the land Board at Kingston for 200 acres of Land which has never been assigned humbly prays that that quantity may be now ordered him.” (David BABCOCK, the Captain, had already received a Location Certificate for 200 acres, Lot 20 Concession 3 in Richmond, September 23, 1789.)
In neither petition does David BABCOCK (A) refer to any specific Loyalist activity during the war or any losses incurred because of his loyalty.
The names of the children of David BABCOCK (A) are found in his will dated 6 November, 1812 at Ernestown and registered 30 December, 1828: Phoebe, Rebecca, Thankful, Silas, Henry, William, Eli and Zeba. His wife’s name in the 1812 will was Thankful. Neither David BABCOCK (A), his wife, nor any of his children received land grants as Loyalists.
The family of Silas, Eli, and Zeba Babcock retain their UE status because of their Irish and Snider marriages.
The Captain
According to his petition of July 17, 1797, David BABCOCK (B) arrived in Kingston in 1788 after spending five years in Shelburne, Nova Scotia. He said that he had already received two hundred acres of land and petitioned on that date for an additional quantity as a Captain in the Embodied Loyalists. He also requested the usual quantity for his wife (Elizabeth HOWE whom he had married at Kingston December 15, 1789), the daughter of a Loyalist. In every one of his petitions David Babcock (B) refers at length to specific military activities or losses as a Loyalist.
The names of the children of David BABCOCK (B) are found in the Orders in Council granting land to sons and daughters of Loyalists: Margaret OC 1812, Benjamin OC 1824, Elizabeth OC 1825, Daniel OC 1832, Darius OC 1833, Mary OC 1834, Belknap OC 1834, and John OC 1840.
On August 9, 1805 David BABCOCK (B) of Kingston was identified as a widower in the indenture for the sale of Lot 20 Concession 3 in Richmond. He married Mercy SMITH at Kingston, September 29, 1808 and lived for another ten years.
The proof that David BABCOCK (B) was the Captain of Block House renown is found in the land records. For his service in the Revolutionary War, after numerous petitions, one of which was not delivered, and land warrants that were overlooked or lost for nine years after that Land Board was moved from Niagara to Kingston, he was finally awarded over 3,000 acres of land: 1,000 in Whitby and Pickering, 2,000 acres in Uxbridge, Scott and Portland in addition to the original 200 acres he had received in Richmond.
After David BABCOCK’s death about 1818 his son sold this property or had previous sales registered. On June 17, 1833, Benjamin BABCOCK, “eldest son and heir at law of David BABCOCK deceased” sold 200 acres, Lot 13 Concession 4 in Pickering, to Peter Robinson the Younger. On the 12th of November 1850 Benjamin BABCOCK sold on a quit claim 3,300 acres, lots drawn by David BABCOCK Captain in the service of George III, to William NORMAN, Clergyman of Prince Edward.
While several published accounts credit David BABCOCK (A), the emigrant settler, with being the Loyalist Captain in the Revolutionary War the primary sources prove the contrary. A case of mistaken identity once published tends to have a long life, in this case over 100 years. Although secondary sources are invaluable time-savers in genealogical research, an examination of the primary sources can yield some surprising results.