Biography - Berry T. Webb
BERRY
T. WEBB. We are pleased to present to the consideration of our readers, the
portrait and biographical sketch of the efficient School Director and Road
Commissioner of Richland Township, Shelby County. An old settler in the
county and a substantial farmer, he has gained the well merited approval of
his neighbors as a worthy Christian gentleman and a citizen whose good
judgment and practical good sense made him useful in the community. He
resides on section 13, Richland Township, and has been in Shelby County
since 1840.
John and Elizabeth (Young) Webb, the honored and beloved parents of our
subject, were born in Tennessee, the former near Nashville in 1792, at a
time previous to the organization of Nashville as a town. He was born in a
block house in which the family were shielding themselves from the Indians.
He and his worthy wife were united in marriage in Tennessee, and came to
Illinois in 1840, settling upon what is now known as section 13, Richland
Township, in the days before such organization was effected. Here they
passed their remaining years, being thoroughly interested in reducing the
wilderness to a farm of thrift, comfort and productiveness. The father died
in the seventy-eighth year of his age, and the mother when she was about
sixty years old.
The parents of our subject reared nine children, of whom one daughter died
at the age of twelve years, and eight reached man's and woman's estate.
Louisa married Madison Crockett and died in Shelby County; George died in
Mississippi; Mary married Thomas Blythe, and after his death became the wife
of Jesse Barker, and now resides in Shelby County; Nancy is the wife of
Alfred Blythe; Lucretia became Mrs. H. Morgan and died in Missouri. Our
subject is the next in age. William died in Dickinson County, Iowa; and
Susan Ann became the wife of William Brady, and died in this county.
The birthplace of Berry T. Webb was in Tennessee, his natal day being April
8, 1825. It was in February, 1840, that he came to Illinois, where he had
two sisters already living, and the remainder of the family emigrated to
this State during the fall of the same year. The Mexican War called our
subject from the pursuits of peace to the activities of the march and
battlefield, and in June, 1846, he entered the United States service as a
soldier serving through the Mexican War, and returning home in March, 1847.
As part of his reward for service he received a land warrant and with this
he entered one hundred and sixty acres of land where he now resides.
In October, 1848, the returned soldier began his domestic life by his
marriage to Maria Ann Curry, who was born in Tennessee, March 15, 1826.
Since marriage, the family home has been upon the same farm, to which Mr.
Webb has added by purchase from time to time, until he now owns four hundred
and twenty acres of as fine land as is to be found within the limits of
Shelby County.
To Mr. and Mrs. Webb three children have been granted, all of whom are
residents of this county, namely: John W., Louisa E., and Martha E., who is
now the wife of Lafayette Stirwalt. Democratic simplicity, in the belief and
practice of which Mr. Webb was brought up, and which he earnestly believes
to be the true doctrine upon which to base the life of the country, still
commands his adherence and his vote. He has been a member of the Separate
Baptist Church since the spring of 1848, at which time an organization was
effected near his home, and his life both in his church connection and in
business circles has from that day to this adorned the doctrine in which he
believes. The influence of his family in the community is one which is
conducive of good to all who come within the circle of its radiance.
Extracted 13 Jan 2018 by Norma Hass from 1891 Portrait and Biographical Record of Shelby and Moultrie Counties Illinois, pages 458-460.
