Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 51, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 May 1902 — Henry Mercer Babb. [ARTICLE]

Henry Mercer Babb.

The Indianapolis News of last Saturday printed an excellent likeness of Grandfather H. M. Babb, of Rensselaer. The skotch from Rensselaer, accompanying the illustration says: This city is probably the only one in Indiana which has the dis tinction of being the home of both a real son and a real daughter of the revolution. A biographical sketch of the daughter, Mrs. Diana Evans, together with her photograph, was recently presented in The News. The son of the revolution is Henry Mercer Babb. He was born at Winchester, Va., June, 1813. His greatgrandfather, Thomas Babb, came to this country from the Isle of Man. His grandfather, whose name was also Thomas Babb, married Blanche Mercer, daughter of Gideon Mercer, whose father came to this country from Scotland. Their family consisted of seven children—four daughters and three sons. The youngest son, whose name was Henry Mercer Babb, was the father of, Henry Mercer Babb, Jr., the subject of this sketch. He enlisted at Winchester, Va., as a member of the Winchester Hussars, and served in the war of the revolution. Henry Mercer J Babb, Jr., married Miss Eleanor Ann Lane, in 1833, in Ohio. To them were born twelve children—eight daughters and four sons. Two of the sons served in the civil war. Henry Mercer Babb now has forty-two grandchildren and forty-three great-grandchil-dren. He came to Indiana in 1837, where he has since resided; most of the time since 1861 in this city. Mr. Babb still retains his faculties, mental and physical, to a remarkable degree, j considering his great age. If he lives until the second day of June he will be eighty-nine years old.