Henry Webber
Contributed by Sandie from Wisconsin. Extracted from "History
of Marshall County, Illinois" printed in 1983 Call Number
F547 H34 H57 1983
WEBBER - BRANDOW - MITCHELL - CALDER
Early WEBBERS of Marshall County
The roots of the Webbers living in Marshall County today have been traced back
to Henry Webber born Feb. 13, 1729. Although his parents and birthplace
are unknown, it is assumed that he came from the Netherlands. On May 17,
1775, Henry "Wabber", as he wrote his name, signed the Coxsackie
Declaration, a local patriotic statement corresponding to the Declaration of
Independence. He served in Capt. James Waldron's Co., 11th Regiment of the
Albany County Militia during the Revolutionary War. The Webbers resided in
Coxsackie, Green County, NY. Henry's wife, Elizabeth (BRANDOW) appears on
the 1799 register of the Catskill Reformed Dutch Church as a widow. Two sons and
five daughters were born to Henry and Elizabeth Webber. The eldest son,
John, Married Lucy MITCHELL on September 16, 1789. Soon after their
marriage they moved to the western portion of Coxsackie Township, now
referred to as Gay Head. Six sons and four daughters were born to them.
One of the middle sons, Robert, married Harriet PITTS and practiced as a
physician in New York. They were the parents of five sons: Lorenzo,
William, Milton, Alanson and Addison Porter. In 1852 Alanson and A. Porter left
Gay Head and came to Marshall County. Two years later their parents and
brothers followed along with the Joseph and James CALDER families. They
settled near Lawn Ridge, Illinois. Dr. Webber practiced medicine until
his death in 1857. He and his wife are buried in Lawn Ridge Cemetery.
Lorenzo, the eldest, was born in NY Jan. 10, 1823. He and his wife Phoebe
are buried in the Lawn Ridge Cemetery with his parents and a son Loren V.
According to the 1860 census, he was a farmer living in La Prairie Township with
a second wife and four sons. William Webber was born Dec. 15, 1824. He was
also listed as a farmer in the 1860 census having a wife and two daughters.
In 1888 William and his wife Clara left Illinois for Kansas. Milton
Webber, born Aug. 16, 1826, purchased the SW 1/4 of Section 15 in La Prairie
Township in 1854. In 1876 he married Anna Marie SMITH of Lawn Ridge. The
following year they moved to Aurora, IL. In 1884 Milton, Anna and sons
Bernard and Homer returned to Marshall County at Wenona where he died in 1905.
In the 1870 census he is listed as a physician. Alanson and A. Porter are
the ancestors of Webbers presently living in
Marshall Co. Alanson married Marion CALDER Feb. 13, 1850 and A. Porter
married (Rachel) Naomi CALDER Dec. 28, 1858. The Calder sisters were the
daughters of Joseph CALDER and Sarah DEDERICK who had been close friends with
the Webbers in Greene Co. NY.
Alanson purchased a 160 acre farm in 1855 in the NE1/4 of Section 28 of Saratoga
Township. There he resided until his death July 27, 1902. During the Civil War
he left the farm in the hands of his wife and her brother James to serve as a
musician in the 86th Illinois Infantry. During action at Kenesaw Mountain,
Georgia on June 27, 1864 he voluntarily helped to repulse an enemy charge with
his rapid firing rifle. For that action he was awarded the Medal
of Honor on June 22, 1896. After the war he returned to his family and farm. He
served as postmaster of the Saratoga Post Office from August 27, 1878 to
September 4, 1884. He was a
member of the La Prairie Methodist Episcopal Church, in the Whitefield circuit
and was active in the establishment of the Saratoga Methodist Episcopal Church
in which he served in various capacities. The 1873 Marshall Co. platbook records
Alanson as the inventor and proprietor of the revolving plow fender. Alanson and
Marion had five children: Newton, Miranda Clara (Mrs. Owen DOYLE), Orie (Mrs.
Robert KELLEY), Myra (Mrs. Clarence WATT) and Allie.
Descendants of Miranda and Orie reside in Marshall Co. today. (See John and
Wilma Doyle entry). Although his farm in Section 28 is no longer held by
Alanson's descendants, those that Miranda and Orie own and farm other parts of
Saratoga Township. Submitted by Gary Webber.
A. PORTER AND NAOMI WEBBER
A. Porter arrived in Marshall Co. in 1852. (See entry Early Webbers of Marshall
Co). He married Naomi CALDER in 1858. Until 1867 they lived in Valley Township,
Stark Co: then Mr. Webber purchased 100 acres in the SW 1/4 of Section 14 of La
Prairie Township. He continued to farm for 40 years during which time he
acquired additional property. After his marriage he united with the Methodist
Episcopal Church at La Prairie and was active as a trustee, steward, class
leader, and Sunday School teacher. He was affectionately known as "Uncle
Porter." He took an active role in the temperance movement and
supported the Prohibition Party. He was
president of the Blue Ribbon Movement in the vicinity for some time. A. Porter
and Naomi were the parents of six children: Alice (Mrs. Lewis WOOD), Mabel La
Veta, Alma (Mrs. J. Webster GREENE), Lulu, Maude (Mrs. Linus ROOT) and
Herman Isaac. The only son Herman attended Sparland High School and the Illinois
Normal School at Dixon. On Sept. 24, 1895 he married Anna COLLINS, daughter of
Patrick and Margaret MONIER Collins. (See entries under Collins and Monier.)
Herman continued to farm his father's land and acquired
another 300 acres in Sections 14 and 23 of La Prairie Township before his death
in 1953. The Webber farming tradition continues today in the descendants of
Robert and Carl Webber, sons of Herman. The Webbers had nine children: Margaret,
Robert C., Lawrence H., Wilford E.,
Florence N. (Mrs. Ernest SUMMITT), Carl P., Claude M., Alma B. (Mrs. Glen
GRAVES), and Ralph J. The family attended the La Prairie Methodist Episcopal
Church as the previous generation. Herman was instrumental in improvements to
the church, namely the donation of an organ in a memorial to their daughter,
Margaret, a victim of the Flu epidemic of 1918. Herman and Anna are buried in
the La Prairie Methodist Cemetery with their parents. Today the church is a
private residence but its cemetery, located further north, is still
maintained by former members. Herman and Anna's fourth son, Carl Porter, was
born July 22, 1907. On. Oct
20, 1928, he married Mary Jeanette GRAVES. (See Z.R. Graves entry). They are the
parents of three children: Richard L., of La Prairie Township; Carolyn A. (Mrs.
Gerald HOSKINS), of Steuben Township; and Gary G. of Lacon. Carl worked for
Caterpillar Tractor Co. 17 years before he proceeded to farm. He farmed until
1965 part of what had been his father's. His son Richard now farms this land.
Carl died June 30, 1982 and is buried with his parents, grandparents, a sister
and two brothers. Carl and Mary's youngest son, Gary, graduated from Sparland
High School and the University of Illinois. In 1965 he married Kathryn C.
WIEDUWILT of Edwardsville. He has worked for Central Illinois Light Co. since
1965. they
are the parents of four children: Gary Jr., Andrew James, Mary Louise, students
in Mid-County Jr.-Sr. High School and Elizabeth Anna. The family are members of
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church of Lacon. Submitted by Gary Webber