HOMER ERNEST REMINGTON

& THE BABCOCK FAMILY

BIOGRAPHY

AS RECORDED IN:

COMMEMORATIVE BIOGRAPHICAL RECORD OF
TOLLAND AND WINDHAM COUNTIES CONNECTICUT.

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF PROMINENT AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS AND OF MANY OF THE EARLY SETTLED FAMILIES
PUBLISHER: J.H.BEERS & CO., CHICAGO; 1903 P. 1166 - 1167

HOMER ERNEST REMINGTON, one of the foremost and representative merchants of Willimantic, Windham county, is secretary, treasurer and manager of the corporation of the H.E. Remington Co., one of the most substantial retail houses of the city. Mr. Remington has risen from most modest and humble beginnings to his present enviable standing by the sole force of his personality. Though devoted to business, he has yielded to his friends and has filled positions of honor and trust, with credit to himself and satisfaction to his constituents, who are not confined to any one party or organization. Mr. Remington descends from old and honorable New England stock, through both maternal and paternal ancestry.

Homer E. Remington was born Feb. 7, 1853, in Waterbury, Vt., son of Joel and Armina (Hall) Remington. His father was a son of Jonathan Remington, and his mother a daughter of Lyman Hall. Both families have been long established there, the Halls coming from Wallingford, Conn., to Vermont in an early day, and making their home at Waterbury. Jonathan Remington, who is mentioned above, was a farmer, and all his family have now passed away. Joel Remington, the father of Homer E., was born at Huntington, Vt., where he was reared to farming life, in which he was successful. He died at the age of seventy-two, and was buried at Waterbury, where the greater part of his life was spent. He married Mrs. Armina (Hall) Bowen, who died at the age of fifty-four, and was buried at Waterbury. Homer Ernest Remington was the only child of his parents. He had a half brother, Azariah, born to his mother's first marriage, who took the name of Remington, but who is now deceased. Joel Remington and his wife were excellent Christian people, of the highest character and the strictest integrity.

Homer Ernest Remington spent his boyhood on the farm, and was raised to a full knowledge of hard work. His education was obtained in the public schools, and a seminary at Montpelier, Vt. His schooling was over at the age of sixteen years, when he took a position as a clerk in a general store at Waterbury, Vt. After spending some three years there, the young clerk went to St. Albans to take a place in a wholesale flour and feed store, where he was mainly employed in bookkeeping. In the course of a few months he was induced to give up this work and take a clerkship at Norwich, Conn., in a clothing store, owned by John R. Foster and F.A. Wells, Mr. Foster having established a chain of stores under the name of the Foster Syndicate. Mr. Wells was a brother-in-law of Mr. Foster, and lived at one time at Waterbury, and where both had known Mr. Remington. After about a year in Norwich Mr. Remington came to Willimantic to clerk for W.L. Harrington & Co., Mr. Wells being associated with Mr. Harrington. In 1875 Mr. Remington became the manager of their Willimantic store, and in 1876 the firm of H.E. Remington & Co. was formed, Mr. Remington being the practical head of the establishment. This firm was succeeded by the incorporated company known as the H.E. Remington Co., of which Mr. Remington is secretary, treasurer and manager, which responsible position he fills with satisfaction to the other members of the corporation, and to the material prosperity of the business.

Mr. Remington was married Aug. 20, 1878, to Miss S. Gertrude Babcock, of Coventry, Conn., daughter of Norman L. and Sarah (Spencer) Babcock, and a descendant of Jonathan Babcock, who was the common ancestor of both the Coventry and Mansfield Babcocks, and is supposed to have been the second permanent settler in that part of Windham, now included in Willimantic. He bought land in that part of the town in 1709. He is supposed to have been a descendant of Robert Babcock, of Dorchester, Mass. Mary, the first wife of Jonathan Babcock, died in 1719, and he was married in the same year to Mary Hebard. Mr. Babcock died in 1731, in Coventry, where several of his children had settled.

Ebenezer Babcock, son of the foregoing Jonathan, was born about 1699, and married Mary Burgess, of Yarmouth, for his first wife. She died in Windham about 1723, and he was married in 1725 to Mehitable Burt. His last years were passed in Coventry, where he died in 1773, leaving many descendants.

Robert Babcock, son of Ebenezer, was born in 1732, was married in 1753 to Jedidah Turner, and lived in Coventry, where their son,

Gideon Babcock, who was born in 1754, married Tryphena, daughter of Elisha Babcock. They made their home in Coventry.

Elijah Babcock, son of Gideon, was born Dec. 14, 1798, and was married March 26, 1822, to Mary Ann Strong. They resided in Coventry. Their children were: (1) Norman Leander, born April 27, 1823, died March 29, 1890. He was twice married, first to Sarah Spencer, of Mansfield, Conn., and second to Maria Bliven, of Willimantic, Conn. (2) Charles, born March 13, 1826, married Eliza Lathrop, and went to Pikes Peak. (3) Julia, born Feb. 10, 1828, died April 1, 1899. She married Henrie Crandall and lived in Providence, R.I. (4) Austania, born Oct. 13, 1833, was a teacher in Providence, R.I., and died in August, 1865. (5) Alonzo, born Feb. 20, 1838, died Jan. 31, 1903. He went to Pikes Peak when quite young and married. (6) Francis Leroy, born July 29, 1845, was a soldier in the 21^st Conn. V.I.

Norman Leander Babcock, son of Elijah, was born in Coventry. He was twice married, as stated above. His children by his first wife were: (1) Walter Spencer, born May 28, 1853, died Oct. 11, 1888. He married in the West. (2) S. Gertrude, born Dec. 6, 1855, married Homer E. Remington, and resides in Willimantic, Conn. By the second wife was born, Fannie Maria, born July 8, 1860, who married John L. Leonard, and resides in Willimantic, Connecticut.

To the marriage of Mr. And Mrs. Remington have been born the following family: Ada, a graduate of the Willimantic high school; Maud, a graduate of the Willimantic high school, 1901, and now a student at the Normal School; and Gertrude, who died at the age of six years.

Mr. Remington first voted in Willimantic, and is a stanch Republican. In 1893 he represented Willimantic in the General Assembly, where he served on the committee on Insurance. For several years he was treasurer of the Water Fund of Willimantic. He has been admitted to the various Masonic bodies of Willimantic, and has taken the Templar's degree, belonging to St. John's Commandery. He was a charter member of Obwebetuck Lodge, No. 16, I.O.O.F., at Willimantic. As one of the safe and careful business men of Willimantic, Mr. Remington has a most enviable standing, and his family is as prominent in the social as he is in the commercial circles of the place.

Reproduced by:

Linda D. Pingel

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