BABCOCK, Francis D. (1879-1930)

BABCOCK

Posted By: Karon Velau (email)
Date: 9/2/2020 at 21:34:18

Francis Dwight Babcock
(June 24, 1879 – November 18, 1930)

Ida County Pioneer Record, Ida Grove, Iowa, Thurs., Nov. 20, 1930, p.1
Was An Authority Upon Insurance
Death Removes F. D. Babcock, Jr. Tuesday After Illness of Few Days
New of the death of F. D. Babcock Jr. came to the people of Ida Grove Tuesday afternoon with a deep degree of shock, as few outside his immediate circle of friends realized that he was seriously ill. He was taken sick with flu the evening of Saturday, November 8 and to this came complications of pleurisy. In a few days he seemed better and was able to be up and around. He had a relapse the first of this week and his heart was seriously affected. Pneumonia set in Monday afternoon and he sank steadily until his death Tuesday at 3 p.m.
Francis Dwight Babcock, often known among his friends as “June” was the son of Francis Dwight and Persis DeLana Babcock and was born at Boonesboro, Iowa, June 24, 1879. He lived to the age of 51 years, 4 months and 24 days. He moved with his parents, sisters and brothers to Ida Grove in July 1887. He graduated from Ida Grove high school with the class of 1898. Since that time, he has been an active member of the high school Alumni Association and very much interested in school activities. He has resided continuously in Ida Grove and for many years was associated with his father in the grain business and in later years was assistant secretary of the Grain Shippers Mutual Insurance Association, of which his father was the secretary and manager. Since the closing of the company, he has represented several of the largest insurance companies in this nation. Mr. Babcock was a student and expert in all matters pertaining to insurance and possessed a knowledge [text illegible in crease of paper] duplicated by very few men in the entire state. When the Ida Grove Hotel company was organized, Mr. Babcock became its first secretary and held this office during the period of financing and construction of the building now known as the Baxter Hotel. He was married October 20, 1901 he was married to Miss Edna G. Wilkinson and to this marriage one daughter was born, Mrs. Mildred Periern of San Jose, Calif., who will be in attendance at her father’s funeral. On January 26, 1910, he was married to LaVina Weimer, who, with three sons remain to mourn the loss of a loving husband and indulgent father. There are also three sisters and one brother surviving: Mrs. W. S. Finch of Ida Grove; Mrs. T. W. Purcell of Hampton, J. V. F. Babcock of Los Angeles and Miss Persis Babcock of Ida Grove. His father, mother and one sister, Sarah E. Babcock preceded him in death. Mr. Babcock was a man of wide acquaintance, friendly disposition, studious temperament and progressive tendencies. During his period of active business life, he contributed much time and thought to the advancement of the community. The funeral will, in all probability, be held at the late home on Burns Street, Friday, Nov. 21, at 2 p.m. in charge of Rev. George W. Dunn of the Methodist church. Burial in Ida Grove Cemetery. Among those her for the funeral are Mr. and Mrs. T. W. Purcell of Hampton, Mrs. Francis Chavannes and Mrs. J. W. Craig of Des Moines, both of whom are sisters of Mrs. Babcock, and Mrs. Selah T. Periera of San Jose.