Joseph W. Babcock

Joseph W. Babcock
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Wisconsin's 3rd district
In office March 4, 1893 – March 3, 1907
Preceded by	Allen R. Bushnell
Succeeded by	James William Murphy
Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
In office 1888-1892
Personal details
Born	March 6, 1850 Swanton, Vermont
Died	April 27, 1909 (aged 59) Washington D.C.
Political party	Republican

Joseph Weeks Babcock (March 6, 1850 – April 27, 1909) was a seven-term Republican member of the United States House of Representatives from Wisconsin.

Born in Swanton, Vermont. Babcock was the grandson of Joseph Weeks, a Congressman from Vermont. He grew up in Butler County, Iowa, where he started his lumber career working at his father's lumberyard. In 1881 he moved to Necedah, Wisconsin, where he amassed a fortune during his 17 years as manager and secretary of the Necedah Lumber Company, and served in the Wisconsin State Assembly from 1888-1892.

In 1892, Babcock was elected to the 53rd United States Congress from Wisconsin's 3rd congressional district and was reelected to the six subsequent congresses as well serving from March 4, 1893 till March 3, 1907. In 1893, he helped organize the Republican Congressional Campaign Committee; he was credited with helping achieve Republican successes in the 1894 House elections, and was chairman of the committee for the next ten years. He was a candidate for Speaker of the House in 1902, but lost to Joseph Cannon. He was defeated for reelection in 1906 by Democrat James William Murphy.

He continued to live in Washington D.C., where in 1909 he died at the age of 59 after suffering for several weeks from liver and kidney problems.

Sources

• United States Congress. "Joseph W. Babcock (id: B000004)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• American National Biography, vol. 1, pp. 811–812.
• Wisconsin Historical Society biography
• Findagrave.com entry
• Men of Mark in America Biography
• "Ex-Congressman J. W. Babcook", The New York Times, 28 April 1909, p 9. [ProQuest Historical Newspapers, New York Times (1857-Current file), Document ID: 101878577]