Charles D. Babb. Established in 1900, the private banking house of Raynor & Babb, at Homer, Illinois, has enjoyed a prosperous existence of seventeen years, and through the financial ability, personal integrity and good management of its owners has grown to be a recognized institution among the concerns of Champaign County which are engaged in the handling of the money of corporations and individuals. One of the members of this firm, Charles D. Babb, is a man of broad experience in business and financial matters, an excellent judge of realty and loan values, and a citizen who has at times taken more than a passing interest in public affairs. He belongs to the well known Champaign County family of the name, a review of which will be found in the sketch of E. P. Babb elsewhere in this work.
Charles D. Babb was born in the northern part of Champaign County, January 2, 1867, and received his early education in the Homer schools. When fourteen years old he began to do his share of work on the home farm, and although he later entered the Illinois College at Jacksonville, circumstances made it necessary that he leave during his second year and he at that time returned to his home. When he was eighteen years of age he assumed the responsibility of caring for his mother’s business in addition to his own, and his first business experience, aside from farming, was gained in the field of mortgage loans, which he carried on near Homer. Later he entered the Champaign National Bank and for five years was engaged in clerical capacities, thus gaining much information and knowledge regarding financial systems and methods of procedure. During his connection with that institution he was thrown into contact with Eugene N. Raynor, and with mutual respect for each other’s abilities they formed a partnership and embarked in the real estate and loan business, in which they continued with marked success for three years. Mr. Raynor was a man of much experience and business training, and had formerly been manager of the great Broadland farm, an estate of 22,500 acres. In 1900 Messrs. Babb and Raynor formed the banking house of Raynor & Babb, which has since continued to grow and prosper, being one of the institutions of this part of the county which has the full confidence of the public. Mr. Babb is a Republican in politics and has been prominent in the ranks of his party, having served as delegate to a number of state and county conventions and being prominent in other ways. He was formerly a member of the town council and of the school board, and under appointment of the governor was for four years a member of the board of trustees of the State School for the Blind, and president of that board for an additional four years. He is a Mason, and his religious affiliation is with the Presbyterian Church.
Mr. Babb was married north of Homer, April 20, 1892, to Miss Alta M. Woody, who was born in Champaign County and attended the public schools of Homer, as well as the Women’s College at Jacksonville. She is a daughter of Ancil C. and Rachel M. (Poage) Woody, natives, respectively, of Kentucky and Virginia, and both now deceased. For a number of years Mr. Woody was engaged in mercantile pursuits both at Homer and at Decatur, and was well and favorably known in commercial circles. Mr. and Mrs. Babb are the parents of one daughter, Margaret Elizabeth.