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MR. JULIUS WEBB
Mr.
Julius Webb, one of the principal land owners and farmers of Madison
County, was born October 16, 1822, and is the son of Byars and Rebecca
(Williams) Webb. The father
was born in South Carolina in 1801, and died in 1863. He was by occupation a farmer and miller.
At the age of four he moved with his parents from South Carolina
on Broad River to Tennessee, and here passed his last days.
He married Miss Williams, who bore him sixteen children, five now
living. Julius Webb, the
subject of this sketch, moved to Missouri in 1857 and has been in
Madison County ever since. He
first purchased eighty acres of land, sold that, and then purchased 320
in Polk Township. He was
fortunate in finding on his last estate an almost inexhaustible amount
of granite. The richness of
the quarry attracted the attention of the public, and an Eastern Company
purchased twenty-three acres of his farm, and are now quarrying granite
on it. This is the largest granite quarry in Madison County, and one of
the richest in Southeastern Missouri.
On other portions of Mr. Webb’s farm the granite resources are
fully as great as in the quarry. In
1843, just after attaining his majority, Mr. Webb married Miss Amanda J.
Martin, a native of Warren County, Tenn., born February 16, 1824.
The result of this union was the birth of seven children – four
sons and three daughters. The
daughters only are now living: Alzena (now Mrs. Isham Teeters), Mary
Elizabeth (now Mrs. H. J. Carr) and Margaret R. (now Mrs. Christ.
Whetstine). During the late
war Mr. Webb’s sympathies were with the Southern cause, and true to
his convictions he risked life for his principle. In 1861 he joined the Southern forces at Fredericktown, and
took part in the Big River Bridge fight.
He participated in the battle of Fredericktown, battle of New
Madrid, Mo., Columbus, Ky., and was at the downfall of Little Rock.
He was also in many minor skirmishes, and at the time of the
final surrender was in Arkansas, and instead of going to surrender
returned home to see his family.
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