From: History of Leavenworth County, Kansas, pgs. 435-436

Samuel Z. Babcock, a well known and prosperous farmer of High Prairie Twp has accumulated a large number of acres of land, due to industrious labor and good management. He was born in Platte County, Missouri May 15, 1847, the son of Charles and Pauline (Moore) Babcock; his father and mother were married in Platte County Missouri, and lived six miles from Platte City, until their death, he at the age of 67 and she at the age of 78. Samuel Babcock was educated in the private schools in Platte County, and at the age of 22 began farming there. In 1882 he moved 6 mi southeast of Tonganoxie KS buying 184 acres of land, later adding 16 acres, where he lived until 1917 when he moved to his present farm of 40 acres. He also owns farms of 103 acres, 80 acres, and 160 acres. Two hundred acres of his land is in the Big Stranger bottom, and is among the best land in the county. He cleared many acres of the land himself. Mr. Babcock says he was once a good wood chopper, but doesn't claim to be now. Mr. Babcock drove ox teams for several years when a young man. He has a keen memory and can tell many interesting incidents of early days and well remembers the Indians in Platte County, MO. Mr. Babcock is literally a self made man. He says that when he had paid the minister for marrying him, he had only one dollar left. He began driving oxen, for which he received $2.50 per day, which was unusual wages for that time, as fifty and 75 cents per day, without board, was considered average wages. Mr. Babcock bought his first land in 1882 for $23.50 per acre; the next at $20; then $30 and $67.50. In 1875 Mr. Babcock was married to Mary Naylor, a native of Platte Co. MO and a daughter of Tilman and Rebecca Jane Naylor. Tilman Naylor was a native of Kentucky and was among the earliest settlers of Platte Co. He and his wife had 75 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren at the time of their death. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Babcock are the parents of seven children: Edward, a farmer in Platte Co MO; Jesse a farmer near Tonganoxie; Alza (Alva) Eugene a farmer near Tonganoxie; Matthew, who follows the tiling business near Tonganoxie; Olie a farmer in Sherman Twp; Madaline (Lena) the wife of Roy Allison a farmer of Tonganoxie; and Mabel Eunice who lives at home. Mr. and Mrs. Babcock have the following grandchildren: Wilma, Lawrence, Cecil Jane, Letha, Samuel, Violet, Leona, Eunice, Lloyd, Mary Alice, Norman Babcock and Dorothy May Allison.