William Bradford Browne, a professional genealogist, was commissioned by the Babbitt families of New England to research their history. His findings were published in 1912 in a book titled "The Babbitt Family History 1643 - 1900".  The following are excerpts from that book:

• Styled "Captain".  He resided in Berkley on a farm set off to him by his father from his own lands (lands of his father).  In some deeds called "of Dighton" into which town his land extended.  

• Married (1st) Mary Hathaway, daughter of Isaac and Mary (Pitts) Hathaway.  She died 15 Aug, 1729, age 38.  
  Married (2nd) on 2 Apr 1730, Mehitable Crane, daughter of Stephen and Mary Crane, of Braintree, Mass.  She was living in 1773, at New Ashford, Mass. with her son, Amariah, as shown by a deposition recorded in Morristown, N.J.  

  Elkanah Babbitt "Victualled" in Worcester County, 1758
  Elkanah Babbitt "Centinel" Capt. Oulton's Co. at Richmond, Mass., Step 14 to Oct 3, 1747; also at Richmond, April 1 to Sept 23, 1747.

         

• Elkanah Babbit was for years a leading figure in the town life of old Berkley.  In public and military life he took full lead.  When Berkley commenced its separate town government, the first town meeting took place in his house, May 12, 1735.  His sons early removed to Western, Conn, and Berkshire County, Mass, and were at one time in various towns situated along almost exactly the western bounds of Connecticut and Massachusetts, ranging from New Milford, Coon, to New Ashford, Mass.

• In 1743, Elkanah seems to have disposed of all his land holding at Berkley and he appears thereafter for brief periods in some of the towns where his sons settled.  He perhaps accompanied his son Isaac to New Jersey; at any event he owned lands there in in April, 1754, was living at Mendham, N. J. , at which date he and wife Mehitabel deeded lands in Mendham situated near Malachi Holloways.  It is presumed that he finally returned to Berkley and died there after an adventurous and active life.  

  Deed Extracts:

  1 Jun 1738:  Elkanah Babbit of Berkley, Gent. deeds son Isaac Bobbet of Berkely, laborer, one-half of my homestead, being the south half thereof, bounded on east by land of Daniel Axtell".

  31 Mar 1743:  Elkanah Babbit, Gent. and Isaac Bobbett, laborer, deeded Benj. Chase, boatman, 5 acres, it being the north half of said Bobbet's homestead farm."  Signed by Elkanah, Isaac and Mehitabel Bobbet.  This would seem to be the date upon which they moved to New Jersey.