RochesterSubway.com : Meet the Babcocks: A Typical American War Worker’s Family

Meet the Babcocks: A Typical American War Worker’s Family

January 27th, 2013

Yesterday, the archival photo blog, Shorpy , shared a great photo of the Babcock family from Rochester NY. The image is one of a collection of 38 photographs by Ralph Amdursky for the U.S. Office of War Information. The series shows how the Babcocks, a “typical American war worker’s family,” lived in 1943 during the height of WWII…

A quick online search shows that Rochester is loaded with people named Babcock. Even a few local companies and a street in Brighton share the name. But I haven’t been able to figure out if the family in this photo series is 100% genuine. They sure are doing all they can to help the war effort. Mr. Babcock, is a plant supervisor and also serves as an air raid warden. He fishes with his sons and makes sure the family attends church every Sunday. Mom cooks, cleans, mends clothes, and grows all the vegetables the family eats. Shirley, the daughter, is studying to become a nurse and helps with household chores. And the boys, at least one of whom is a boy scout, make airplane models and learn how to tie knots. They are, at a glance, your typical American family, from your All-American City; Rochester, NY.

Mrs. Babcock doing the family washing with an electric washing machine and a wringer.

Shirley Babcock at right in the front listening to a lecture with other student nurses.

Earl Babcock watching while Howard, his brother, in his Boy Scout uniform, practices tying knots.

As a war worker, Mr. Babcock is allowed enough gasoline to drive to work daily.

Mr. Babcock explaining an operation to one of the men whom he supervises at the plant.

The Babcocks attend church every Sunday morning.

Mrs. Babcock, Shirley, and Earl greeting Mr. Babcock in front of the house.

Mr. Babcock and his two sons, Earl and Howard, fishing on Sunday afternoon.

Mr. and Mrs. Babcock enjoy their garden and grow most of their own vegetables.

The two Babcock boys having a little fun before going to sleep.

Howard and Earl Babcock playing in front of their house with their cycles.

Shirley helps Mrs. Babcock with the shopping.

Shirley Babcock is very handy at the sewing machine and she helps her mother with the family sewing.

Earl Babcock’s school day begins with the salute to the flag.

Tags: Babcock, Babcock family, history of Rochester, Library of Congress, old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester history, Shorpy.com, U.S. Office of War Information, World War II, WWII

This entry was posted on Sunday, January 27th, 2013 at 11:00 am and is filed under Art + Culture, Rochester History, Rochester Images. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

12 Responses to “Meet the Babcocks: A Typical American War Worker’s Family”

Vicki says:

January 28, 2013 at 11:02 am

The 1940 Census lists a Babcock family living in a rented house at 239 Selye Terrace. Howard A. Babcock is listed as HOH, with Mary E. as his wife, and Earl (4 years old), Howard (10 years old), and Shirley (18 years old) as children in the household. Dad is listed as a machinist, and Shirley as a salesperson. The house shown in the picture on this site doesn’t look much like the one in Google maps, but the Census information dates from 1940, and these pictures must have been taken later. They may not have been on Selye Terrace when the pictures were taken.
RochesterSubway.com says:

January 28, 2013 at 11:12 am

@Vicki, good detective work! That definitely sounds like the family. And you’re right, the house and neighborhood don’t seem to match up with the photos. The family may have moved into their own place by 1943… or more likely, the USOWI arranged these scenes specifically for the photo shoot.
Troy says:

February 4, 2013 at 3:25 pm

The flag salute the children are performing is the old Bellamy salute which was replaced with the modern hand over heart in December of 1942. That along with it being a warmer time of the year from the garden and dress makes me wonder if these weren’t taken in 1942 or prior.
RochesterSubway.com says:

February 4, 2013 at 3:38 pm

Wow, @Troy, that’s interesting. That’s certainly a possibility. I think sometimes the dates attached to these library photos are just a best guestimate made by the librarian or who ever did the archival work.
Vicki says:

February 4, 2013 at 4:15 pm

Troy, thank you for the info on the Bellamy salute. I was surprised; it looked uncomfortably like the Nazi salute, even with the upturned palm.
Tom says:

March 1, 2013 at 12:52 pm

239 Selye Terrace in Rochester is definitely not the building pictured…it does look much more like a Brighton home. For some reason this has gotten me all sidetracked with my day.

It looks like answers may be fading away….
Earl died in 2011, Howard Jr just passed last month…

http://www.pinesfunerals.com/new_view.php?id=67901
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/democratandchronicle/obituary.aspx?pid=162457768
Kristo Miettinen says:

March 5, 2013 at 7:47 am

Ralph Amdursky, the photographer, is apparently still alive and living locally. Here is a recent story on his career:

http://www.rit.edu/news/magazine_story.php?id=49568
Steve Tyler says:

September 27, 2018 at 5:43 am

Howard is in Troop 118 in Greece. I know in the 70s 118 met at Bethany Presbyterian on Dewey Ave. You would have to check in the Boy Scout council office or the council’s historical society to find out where they met in the 40s, but I’m guessing it’s the same or not far.
Using that, from the way the shadows fall, the ladies are carrying their groceries on the south side of the street where there is a sidewalk. Rules out a lot of streets in the Dewey/Stone area. Scrolling around Google maps satellite view…Image 14 is Dalston Road in Greece facing Dewey Ave. The house they just passed is 41 Dalston Rd.
And the house the boys are in front of is 53 Dalston Road. South side of road looking WNW.
In fact, 53 Dalston Road in Greece is the house in images 5 and 9.
Easy.
RochesterSubway.com says:

September 27, 2018 at 12:55 pm

Steve, you’re amazing. 53 Dalston is definitely the house. The neighbor’s house matches up too.

Someone should let the current residents know. How cool.
Steve Tyler says:

September 27, 2018 at 1:55 pm

Thanks. And thanks for posting the Google link. I couldn’t get it to bite at 5:00 this morning.

Reading that Earl and Howard died a few years ago, I may see if there is a way to contact the family in case they don’t know about these.
Dave Clegg says:

November 24, 2018 at 12:03 pm

My family moved to 53 Dalston Rd. in March of 1947. Where could I find out if my father purchased the house from the Babcocks.
RochesterSubway.com says:

November 24, 2018 at 7:39 pm

Dave, if your family still has a copy of the deed it would say on there. If not I’d probably contact the Town of Greece; either the town clerk or assessors office.

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Meet the Babcocks: A Typical American War Worker’s Family

12 Responses to “Meet the Babcocks: A Typical American War Worker’s Family”

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