Charles C. Babcock House
- cgwatson47
- May 4, 2022
- 4 min read
1214 Washington St
Oregon City
Charles Babcock house. Date unknown.
Charles Babcock house today. Photo byCourtney Watson, May 4, 2022.
The first Babcock house built at this location was on the corner of the block, and was relegated to acting as a kitchen once the current house was built on the property in 1892. It served that purpose until it burned down in a fire in 1914. The new house was built on a rock foundation from stones quarried near Carver, 8 miles east of Oregon City. At the time, the town of Carver was known as Stone and the quarry was located at the current site of the Stone Cliff Restaurant. Where the Carver boat ramp is located today, the quarried rock was loaded on to barges and floated down the Clackamas River to Oregon City during the spring floods. Stones from this quarry were also used to build the Oregon City Locks, and numerous other buildings throughout Oregon.
The Babcock home was one of the first in the city to be wired for electricity, with original light fixtures installed in 1910. Oregon City was fortunate to have early electrical access due to the production from Willamette Falls. In 1889 the Willamette Falls Electric Company was already able to transmit electrical power the 14 miles to the City of Portland. The company later became Portland General Electric after the building of a second power plant at the falls in 1891. At the time the Babcock house was built, most homes had no electrical wiring at all. Until the 1920s, residential properties were limited to power for fixed lights in the ceilings. If those living at the home purchased electrical appliances (such as an iron or washer) the ceiling light would need to be unscrewed in order to power it.
Willamette Falls Electric Company generators, ca. 1890. Photo courtesy of the Oregon Historical Society.
The Babcock house was the home of Charles Columbus Babcock and his wife Hattie L. McCarver. Charles was born in Faribault, Minnesota on November 28, 1854, the only son of Christopher Columbus Babcock and his wife Christina Addison. Father Christopher was born in West Otto, NY on April 2, 1831 to Major George Babcock. His family moved to Illinois in 1846, then to California in 1850, returning to Wisconsin the following year. In 1854 they moved to Minnesota, where Charles was born. In 1863 Christopher enlisted in the army and served in the Civil War until 1866 as a Union soldier. He enlisted as a private in the 8th Infantry out of Faribault, Minnesota. This regiment was sent to the vicinity of the Indian raids, with headquarters at Fort Ripley, Colorado. They served along the Sioux frontier, patrolling in small squads, occasionally participating in mild skirmishes that were successful in driving the native tribes further west.
Helena, Montana in 1870 when the Babcocks were living in the area.
Once his military service was complete, Christopher relocated his family to Montana. The town of Helena, Montana had been founded in 1864 after some miners discovered gold. Within a few years thousands of miners had arrived in the area hoping to strike it rich. At the time of the 1870 census, the Babcock family was located in Ten Mile Creek and Nelson Gulch near Helena, where Christopher was working as a gulch miner. His son Charles was 15 years old at the time. The family stayed in Montana for 6 years before relocating in Oregon City in 1872 when Charles was 17. Upon arrival in Oregon City, Christopher became involved in local civics activities and he often served as a judge in local elections.
Charles, the son, married Hattie Lenora McCarver in 1879 after he had been in Oregon City for 7 years. Hattie was the granddaughter of General Morton Matthew McCarver who came overland in 1843, and the daughter of his son Thomas Jennings McCarver. In 1880, the young McCarvers had their first and only child, son Charles Addison Babcock, who later became a prominent Portland businessman. That same year, 1880, Charles was listed as a farmer in the census.
Between 1890 and 1918 Charles served many important positions in Oregon City. He was the City Treasurer, City Assessor and Collector, and was the city’s first Superintendent of Streets. He served in his role as Superintendent for 16 years, retiring at the age of 64 in 1918. He was also a founding member and office of the Commercial Club and it’s auxiliary, the “Live Wires”, and was a founding member of the Oregon City Elks Lodge in 1910. Hattie was active in many local civic activities as well as the American Red Cross.
Throughout the years, many extended family members resided with the Babcocks in their home. Hattie’s mother Mary E. McCarver, her brother Charles McCarver, and her sister Anita McCarver. Anita was active in the community as well and founded the Clackamas County Humane Society in 1898.
Charles’ father, Christopher Columbus Babcock passed away in Oregon City at his residence in September of 1907, when he died suddenly from heart failure. He had been carrying wood when he suddenly fell, and help was unable to arrive in time. Charles also died suddenly from heart issues. After his retirement as Superintendent, he had taken a job working for Crown Willamette paper mills, where he worked until his unexpected demise in 1921. Hattie lived on until February 27, 1944.
Charles and Christopher Columbus Babcock were both laid to rest at Mountain View Cemetery in Oregon City
Sources:
Oregon City Courier, Friday Sept. 6, 1907
National Register of Historic Places Inventory - Nomination Form, John S. Chaney, April 25, 1982
The Oregonian newspaper, Friday, Sept. 6, 1907, page 6, col. 2
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