Babcock was selected at the
Champoeg Meeting in
David Leslie's home on February 18, 1841, to be the first Supreme Judge for the settlers of the region. As the settlers were not able to agree on the form of the discussed government, Babcock also received executive and in fact legislative duties because there had been no copy of the New York laws in the country that had been proposed for usage. In 1842, Babcock helped to organize the
Oregon Institute as a school for the children of the American settlers. After holding the Supreme Judge title for two years, in which he had presided over a constitutional committee of six people at several Champoeg or so called
Wolf Meetings, Babcock also was President at the discussions on May 2, 1843, when he called for a vote and the settlers thereby gave themselves a
Provisional Government by narrowly accepting the committee's report with 52–50 votes. Shortly after that he took his family to the
Sandwich Islands for one year. After returning he was elected as Supreme Judge again, but left Oregon permanently in November 1844. After leaving Oregon he joined the
United States Army and served as a surgeon. In 1870, he returned to Oregon on a visit. ==References==