ROWSE BABCOCK was born in May, 1803. He was the eldest son of Rowse and Hannah Babcock. He was educated in the local schools of Westerly. In the early part of his business life he was engaged in miscellaneous retail trade, but fortunately for himself and for his country his ambition soon outgrew that limited sphere, and of more than forth years the industrial history of Westerly, without the conspicuous name of Rowse Babcock, would be the play of Hamlet with the part of Hamlet left out. He commenced the manufacture of woolen goods at Niantic, in Westerly, in 1830, and accordingly was one of the pioneers in that business. He was by no means a timid man, but exceedingly cautious. He began in a very small way, so small that he was himself afterward much amused at the anxiety he had over the few looms he was running. But when he boldly started up a few more at Ashaway his father told him his "failure was only a question of time." But Mr. Babcock's business, as well as personal, character had one solid foundation to rest on and that was his clear headed and strong common sense. There was nothing imaginative or visionary about him. ...
