The Biographical Dictionary of America/Babcock, Rufus

BABCOCK, Rufus, clergyman, was born at Colebrook, Conn., Sept. 18, 1798; son of Rufus Babcock, who had been a soldier in the revolutionary war, and was pastor of the Baptist church at Colebrook from 1794 to 1842, and who married a daughter of Capt. Timothy Moore, under whom he had served as a soldier. After his graduation from Brown university, in 1821. he became a tutor at the Columbian college. Washington, D. C., remaining there for two years, pursuing at the name time his theological studies. He then entered the Baptist ministry in 1823, holding pastorates at Poughkeepsie, N.Y., 1823-'26; Salem, Mass., 1826-'33, retiring in 1837 to become pastor of Spruce street church, Philadelphia, Pa.; thence to New Bedford, Mass.; Poughkeepsie, N. Y.; and Paterson, N. J. From 1833 to 1836 he was president of Waterville college. He was corresponding secretary of the American and foreign bible society, president of the American Baptist publication society, and from 1828 to 1875 a trustee of Brown university. His publications include: "Claims of Education Societies" (1829); "Review of Beckwith on Baptism" (1829); "Making Light of Christ" (1830); "Memoirs of Andrew Fuller" (1830); "Sketches of George Leonard, Abraham Booth and Isaac Backus" (1832); "History of Waterville College" (1836); "Tales of Truth for the Young" (1837); "Personal Recollections of J. M. Peck" (1858); and "Emigrant's Mother" (1859). He was also editor of the Baptist Memorial. He received the degree of D. D. from Bowdoin college, 1834. He died at Salem, Mass., May 4, 1875.