WI BIO - Dane Co - BABCOCK, Stephen Moulton
Biographical Review of Dane County, WI. Chicago: Biographical Review Pub. Co. 
1893. Vol I, pp 261-262

Stephen Moulton BABCOCK, who occupies the chair of Agricultural Chemistry in 
the University of WI, is a native of Bridgewater Township, Oneida County, NY, 
born 22 Oct 1843. His parents, Peleg B. and Cornelia (SCOTT) BABCOCK, were 
both born and reared in Oneida County, NY, and his father was by occupation a 
farmer. His grandfather BABCOCK was born in CT and early in life moved to 
Oneida County, NY. Peleg B. BABCOCK and his wife had two children: Stephen 
Moulton and Linn B., the latter being now engaged in the mercantile business 
in St. Louis, [St. Louis County], MO. Their father died in NY in 1857, and 
their venerable mother is a resident of Madison, Dane County, WI.

Stephen Moulton BABCOCK's education was begun in the common schools of Oneida 
County, NY. He spent two years at Clinton Liberal Institute, Clinton, NY, 
and then entered Tufts College, College Hill, MA, four miles from Boston, 
where he took a classical course and graduated in 1866 with the degree of B. 
A. After working three years upon his farm in Bridgewater, Oneida County NY, 
he removed to Ithaca, [Tompkins County], NY, and took a post graduate course 
of four or five years in Cornell University. At the end of that time he was 
made instructor in chemistry, and occupied that position in the university 
during 1876-1877, after which he resigned, went to Germany and for two years 
devoted himself to the study of his chosen science, chemistry, in the 
University of Gottingen, returning to America in 1879. Again he was an 
instructor in Cornell University one year. In 1882 he was appointed chemist 
at the NY Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva [Ontario County, NY], 
which position he occupied five consecutive years.

He was called by the Board of Regents of the University of WI, in 1888, to 
the chair of Agricultural Chemistry, and is now in his fifth year in the 
work. He has written a number of papers which have appeared in the reports 
of the Agricultural Experiment Station of NY and WI, and in connection with 
Dr. CALDWELL, of Cornell, [p 262] he published a work on Chemical Qualitative 
Analysis. Dr. BABCOCK is best known as the inventor of the milk test, which 
bears his name; this test is being at the present time extensively used in 
this country by milk inspectors and by factory men to determine the quality 
of milk. He is a member of the American Association for the Advancement of 
Science, and the Society for the Promotion of Agricultural Science. 
Professor BABCOCK is unmarried.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly