Betsey Drew Babbidge (1795-1893)

Telephone: 781-934-6106
Fax: 781-934-5730
Postal Address: P.O. Box 2865, Duxbury, MA 02331
Street Address: 479 Washington Street, Duxbury
E-mail: clalonde@duxburyhistory.org

Betsey Drew Babbidge (1795-1893) was born in Duxbury to Charles Drew Sr. and Betsey Rose. She grew up on Powder Point, where her family were shipbuilders and merchants. In 1820, she married her first husband, John Frazar. With John, she had one daughter, Elizabeth. He died two years later, drowning at sea just off Nantasket Beach.

She married her second husband, Capt. William Sargent Babbidge, in 1828. Their home was at 108 St. George Street. The Babbidges had three children: Mary, Eugene, and Josephine.

In 1841, Betsey was onboard the Susan Drew on its return voyage from Liverpool. Also onboard were her two daughters, Elizabeth and Mary. The ship floundered off of Milk Island on the North Shore of Massachusetts. According to news reports, Betsey and her daughters found shelter for the night on Milk Island and made their way to Cape Ann the following day.

Capt. Babbidge eventually retired from the sea, and the family moved to Brooklyn, NY. Later, Betsey moved to South Dakota to be with her daughter, Mary and died there in 1893 at the age of 98.