My Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Great-Granduncle Babbitt Murdered a Native-American

The Babbitt family started in America with Edward Bobet, who died in 1675.

We have now come to that time of terror and disaster to the settlers the uprising of the Indians, known as King Phillip's War. It can easily be imagined how many anxious hours were passed by Edward and Sarah Bobet, so far removed from the garrison stockade, with their large family of children. Judging by the quantities of Indian relics found on his home farm it would seem that it was a peculiarly favorite haunt of the Indians before Bobet bought it. Finally their position became too dangerous to admit of further delay and being warned of the commencement of hostilities, on June 25, 1675, they took refuge in the garrison at Taunton, leaving behind the home which had been the fruit of so much labor in the wilderness. We must depend upon tradition for the account of Edward Bobet's last hours. This tradition has been so faithfully handed down from generation to generation and seems so fully confirmed by his place of burial that there is no reason to disbelieve it. According to this tradition Bobet returned to his house to secure some necessary article—perhaps the cheese hoop, as the story says: he was accompanied by his dog in the thought that perhaps warning of prowling savages would be given by it. He secured the needed article and was on his way back to the fort when he became aware of his pursuit by Indians; he climbed a tree and was effectually hidden, but his faithful dog disclosed his presence and his life was the forfeit of his hazardous adventure. His grave is in a private yard, near Berkley Bridge, and is thought to be the spot where he was killed. The spot was marked by a bronze Memorial Tablet in 1911 - its cost being defrayed by small contributions from his descendants, from all over the United States and Canada. (p. 23)

The family history has this bit about his son, also Edward Bobet (1655-1732):

He was a member of the 'train band' of Taunton and tradition relates that on one training day there appeared among the spectators one of the Indians who had killed Edward Bobet. This Indian who was perhaps intoxicated, boasted of this fact to Edward Bobet, Jr., who at a later date avenged his father's death. The Proprietors' records contain numerous entries concerning parcels of land which Edward added to his estate, and at the time of his death he owned many acres in both Taunton and the North Purchase…. (p. 27)

There is no suggestion of any arrest or any consequences.

Reference

• Willliam Bradford Brown. 1912. The Babbitt Family History, 1643-1900. Taunton, Massachsetts.