Tristam Dickens Babcock, son of Oliver and Martha (Dickens) Babcock, was born December 10, 1842, at Avondale, R. I., obtaining his education in the schools of Westerly. He resided in Avondale until 1879, twelve years of that period being spent in the employ of his uncle, Captain James R. Dickens, who ran a steamboat between Westerly and New York. He continued in that service from 1860 until 1872, when he retired from that line, and was otherwise employed until 1883, when he bought the Paul Babcock farm on the Watch Hill road, erected large ice houses and entered into the ice business on an extensive scale. He ran the business as a private enterprise until 1900, when he incorporated the Watch Hill Ice Company, of which he is president. He also owns and operates a dairy farm, and in association with his brothers is interested in the fish business. In 1905 he was the Democratic candidate for Town Council and was elected by an unusually large majority. He was a member of the State Board of Agriculture for four years, has been cattle commissioner for Washington county for more than thirty years, becoming widely acquainted all over the State. He has been a member of the Westerly Water Commission since its establishment.
Mr. Babcock married, August 3, 1868, at Stonington, Charlotte Irish, born October 28, 1843, daughter of Rev. James R. and Charlotte (Babcock) Irish, and granddaughter of George and Betsey (Babcock) Irish. Rev. James Irish was born in North Stonington, Conn., December 18, 1811, and died in Rockville, R. I., March 3, 1891. Mr. and Mrs. Babcocok were the parents of a son, William Tristam, born July 5, 1869, died February 17, 1899. He married, September 27, 1892, Minnie Austin, daughter of James and Sarah (Gavitt) Austin, and left a daughter, Martha, born June 30, 1899.
