JOHN H. BABB is another of the native sons of Richland county who has here attained to pronounced success in connection with the great basic industry of agriculture, being one of the prominent and representative farmers and sock-growers of Sylvan township. He is a progressive and public-spirited citizen and has had the distinction of representing his county in the state legislature. Mr. Babb was born on the old homestead farm, in Sylvan township, Aug. 10, 1860, and is a son of George H. and Elizabeth E. (Jordon) Babb, the former of whom was born in Ohio, Oct. 25, 1815, and the latter of whom was born in Indiana, Mar. 9, 1823. The father of George H. Babb was born in Virginia and his mother in Pennsylvania, and the former's father came to America from Germany and his mother from Wales. Elizabeth E. (Jordon) Babb's father was born in Ireland and her mother in Virginia. The parents of the subject of this sketch came from Indiana to Wisconsin in 1856 and became numbered among the pioneers of Richland county. The father secures 160 acres of government land, reclaiming the same from the virgin forest, and thereafter he bought and sold several other tracts, having sold all his landed interests at the time of his death, which occurred on his original homestead, in Sylvan township. He identified himself with the Republican party at the time of its organization and both he and his wife were devout and zealous members of the Christian, or Disciples', church, in which he was a licensed preacher. He was one of the pioneer ministers of this county, and also taught school at intervals, having been a man of strong intellectual powers and having had a high sense of his stewardship in all the relations of life. Of the eleven children in his family the following record in given: Nancy J. is the wife of David Smith, of this county; Susan Ann is deceased; Timothy S. resides in Colorado; Charles N. is deceased; Margaret A. is the wife of Henry Benn and the reside at Viola, Vernon; William H. is a resident of Lawrence, Kan.; Rachel L. is deceased; Elisha E. is a farmer of Sylvan township; the subject of this review was the next in order of birth; James D. is deceased; and Ida B. is the wife of Douglas M. Cranston, of Viola. John H. Babb was reared to manhood in Sylvan township, his early training being that of the pioneer farm and educational advantages those of the district schools. At the age of twenty-one years he began working by the month, as a farm hand, thus continuing until he had attained to the age of twenty-four years, when he engaged in teaching in the district schools, proving most successful in his pedagogic efforts, which he continued about three years. He then became associated with his brother James in the purchasing of eighty acres of timbered land, in Sylvan township, and they reclaimed the tract to cultivation, owning the same jointly until the death of his brother, in January, 1906, and also having accumulated other lands. Mr. Babb now owns a finely improved landed estate of 200 acres and he gives his attention to diversified agriculture and to the raising of excellent grades of live stock. In politics Mr. Babb is aligned as a stanch advocate of the principles and policies of the Republican party and he is prominent in connection with local affairs of a public nature, having served four years as county treasurer and having been elected to the state legislature in 1901, serving one term as representative of his county in the assembly. He hold membership in the Knights of Pythias and his religious views are in harmony with the tenets of the Christian church, in whose faith he was reared. July 4, 1900, Mr. Babb was united in marriage to Miss Jessie May Danner, daughter of Richard A. and Mahala (Keys) Danner, the former of whom was born in Ohio and the latter in Indiana. In the latter state Mrs. Babb was born, Jan. 12, 1868, and in 1870 her parents removed thence to Richland county, Wisconsin, settling in Marshall township, where they passed the remainder of their lives, the mother having passed away in 1894 and the father in 1900. They are survived by six children. Mr. and Mrs. Babb have four children, whose names and respective dates of birth are as follows: Madaline M., April 4, 1902; George E., Nov. 14, 1903; Bernard G., Aug. 12, 1904; and an infant, March 9, 1906.

History of Richland County, Wisconsin, James H. Miner, Western Historical Association
Publication, 1906.