Photographer. Born in Lanesbourough, Massachusetts, he became one of the first daguerreotypists to specialize in tourist photography. In 1853 he opened a permanent studio at Niagara Falls and worked there at Point View and Prospect Point. However his best known image is an early news photo,  entitled “Man stranded on rocks in the Niagara River”,  taken in 1853. The man in the photo, Joseph Avery, fell into the river when his raft overturned;  he clung to a rock for nearly 18 hours before being swept away to his death over the falls. Babbitt worked at Niagara Falls for over 25 years and died there,  a suicide. He was buried in the lot of his brother-in-law,  Charles Rule, at Spring Grove Cemetery. His grave is unmarked. Parents are (??) William and Hannah Platt ~pjacko (bio by: K Guy)  Note: 33050  = interment id springgrove.org   no personal marker