Havilah Babcock (1898-1964) was an English professor, passionate outdoorsman and popular outdoor writer. Originally from Virginia, Babcock experienced South Carolina during a leave of absence early in his teaching career. He found the area’s hunting and fishing to be so great, he decided to move there and spent a career teaching and directing in the University of South Carolina’s English department.
During his teaching career, Babcock continued to write outdoor pieces for several local papers as well as major sporting magazines. He also served on numerous conservation organizations. Over the years, and particularly in retirement, Babcock wrote a great deal on hunting and fishing. His work remains popular among outdoors readers today.
Havilah Babcock books:
Havilah Babcock: Virginian Carolinian (book by Claude Henry Neuffer)
University of South Carolina writeup on Babcock
Havilah Babcock writing was quite unique to all those young fellows like myself, who grew up in the low country. It was a time when there were plenty of wild birds around, and old farm ponds where you might catch a one pound Bream on a popping bug to this day.
His stories of bass fishing…catch bream, and redbreast with a popping bug, or a floating ant…are still reflective of a wonderful time growing up on farms and hunting quail and doves.
My aunt (Peggy Parish) considered him the best of all her Professors at USC. He really enjoyed “wing shooting” and was quite a gentleman and scholar as well as a pretty good shot on quail .