WEBB, James Virgil - 1912 Bio (1871-1949)

WEBB, SHROM, DAVIS, REYNOLDS, PLEU, PORTER, STERNER, HARRIS, MCCART

Posted By: Joey Stark
Date: 10/6/2007 at 09:13:58

History of Jefferson County, Iowa -- A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement, Vol II, Published 1912, S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago
Pages 208-210

James V. WEBB is devoting his energies to the cultivation of a fine farm of one hundred and fifty-nine acres that he owns on section 8, Locust Grove township, where he is meeting with a gratifying measure of success. He was born in Pleasant township, Wapello county, Iowa, on the 16th of March, 1871, and is a son of Isham and Jane (SHROM) WEBB. The birth of the father occurred in Jefferson county, Iowa, on the 14th of March, 1844, while the mother was born in Ohio, January 1, 1852. During the entire period of his active career Isham WEBB engaged in agricultural pursuits in different parts of his native county, but he passed away on the farm of his son, James V., in Van Buren county, his demise occurring on the 1st of April, 1907. The mother was living in Bladensburg, Iowa, at the time of her death in December, 1879. There were four children born to Mr. and Mrs. WEBB: James V., our subject; Mary Ellen, the wife of O. C. DAVIS, a farmer of Wapello county; Lydia, who married Leroy REYNOLDS, a carpenter of Portland, Oregon; and George, who is farming in Emmett county, Iowa. The paternal grandfather, Jefferson WEBB, was a native of Ohio, whence he removed to Indiana, coming to Iowa in 1843. He settled on a farm in Center township, in the vicinity of Fairfield, being one of the pioneers of Jefferson county, as was also the family of his first wife, Nancy PLEU, who was a native of Indiana.

James V. WEBB remained at home, attending the district schools and assisting his father with the work of the farm until he was fifteen years of age. At the end of that time he began for himself as a farm hand, continuing to follow this occupation until he was twenty-five years of age, during that period acquiring sufficient capital to enable him to begin farming on his own account. He began his career as an independent agriculturist in Van Buren county, where he resided until the spring of 1911, when he came to Jefferson county. Here he purchased what was known as the Charles Conner farm, containing one hundred and fifty-nine acres of land in Locust Grove township, where he is now residing. Practical in his ideas by reason of his intelligent and capably directed efforts Mr. WEBB is meeting with excellent success. His fields are operated under his personal supervision and as a result annually yield abundant harvests that command good prices.

On the 24th of January, 1897, was celebrated the marriage of Mr. WEBB and Miss Daisy STERNER, a daughter of Wallace and Martha (PORTER) STERNER. The father, who is a native of Pennsylvania, came to Iowa in the '70s, locating on a farm in Wapello county, in the cultivation of which he has met with most gratifying success, being numbered among the prosperous agriculturists in his community. The mother is deceased, having passed away on the family homestead in 1904. The family of Mr. and Mrs. STERNER numbered seven children, as follows: Daisy, now Mrs. WEBB; Eva, the wife of Edgar HARRIS a farmer of Locust Grove township, this county; Leslie, the deceased wife of A. C. McCART, a farmer of Wapello county; John, a farmer living in the vicinity of Eddyville, Iowa; Mary, who is deceased; and Marion and Belle, who are at home with their father. Mr. and Mrs. WEBB are the parents of six children: Dora M., who is thirteen years of age; Iva, now twelve; Inez. of ten summers; William Wallace, aged eight years; Lester I., who is looking forward to his fifth birthday; and Russell, a babe of six months. The four eldest are all pupils of Hickory Ridge district school, No. 2.

The family attend the services of the Methodist Episcopal church of Bladensburg, in which Mrs. WEBB holds membership. The fraternal connections of Mr. WEBB are confined to his membership in the Masonic order, his local affiliation being with Abingdon Lodge, No. 104, A. F. & A. M. In his political views is he a democrat and served an unexpired term as trustee in Des Moines township, while living in Van Buren county. A man of decision, energy and definite purpose, by reason of intelligent direction of his undertakings, Mr. WEBB is meeting with an encouraging measure of prosperity, the just and highly deserved reward of his efforts.

*Transcribed for genealogy purposes; I have no relation to the person(s) mentioned.