The Hazard Family Letters 1832-1950
1851 Cover to Roland G. Hazard  - Peace Dale, Rhode Island
Orange-Brown Scott Nr. 10 tied by Westerly Blue Grid
(Scroll Down for Background Information, Letter Text and Additional Links)

December 2, 1851 Westerly, RI - Blue CDS & Blue Grid Tying a Scott Nr. 10

Prepayment of Domestic Mail was made compulsory by the Postal Act of March 3, 1855.

Roland Gibson Hazard, the third son of Roland and Mary Peace Hazard was born on October 9, 1801 at Tower Hill in South Kingstown, Rhode Island. He grew up in Bristol, Pennsylvania and attended the Westtown Quaker School there. He returned to Rhode Island in 1819 and assumed control of the family manufacturing business at Peace Dale. Roland Gibson Hazard died on June 24, 1888.

SEE: 1840 Roland G. Hazard Stampless Folded Letter and Hazard Family History
for further Biographical Information. 

The most likely candidates for the Babcocks of Babcock and Tillman are Rouse and Horace Babcock. Rouse Babcock was born on April 4, 1803 in Westerly, Rhode Island. He was a seventh generation descendant of James B. Babcock (born 1612 in Wivenhoe, Essex, England - died June 12, 1679 in Westerly, RI). Rowse is listed on the 1860 Westerly Census as a manufacturer. He was married to Mary Townsend on April 27, 1832. His younger brother, Horace Hobart Babcock is also listed on the 1860 census as a manufacturer and they were most likely in business together. Horace was born on August 14, 1822. He was married twice; first to Abby Cross on September 11, 1843 and then to her sister Harriet Cross on December 18, 1860.

(I believe the Rouse Babcock listed above is the son of the Rouse Babcock listed as the first postmaster for Westerly.)

In addition, Rouse Babcock is listed in "Rhode Island - An Inventory of historic Engineering and Industrial Sites" published in 1978 for the U.S. Department of the Interior as the principle owner of the White Rock Company, (Babcock & Morse) which owned two mills; the Stilmanville Mills, in Westerly and the White Rock Mills in the village of White Rock, (Westerly Township). Both of these structures were textile manufactories. The White Rock Mills survives today as a textile printing firm and the buildings are considered one of Rhode Island's most impressive mill structures.

The other half of the partnership, Welcome Stillman was born in Plainfield, New York on July 7, 1811 and is listed on both the 1850 and 1860 Westerly Census's as a manufacturer. Welcome married Harriet Wells on August 28, 1830 and died in Westerly on February 25, 1864. He was a sixth generation descendent of George Stileman (or Styleman) born in Steeple Ashton, Wiltshire, England on July 15, 1621.

Local lore relates a John Babcock & Mary Lawton eloping from Newport, Rhode Island and settling in the Westerly area around 1648, however the first well authenticated records are from 1658-60. A private company organized in Newport obtained a charter for the settling of Misquamicut and named the town Westerly in 1660. (The state of Connecticut also laid claim to the area during this time and named the town Southerstown.) At any rate, the Babcocks were among the original settlers to the area and were prominent in the town's early history