Webster Desent Notes

• Webster Descent Chart

The following notes were written by Norma Leigh Rudinsky.

EARLIEST GENERATION

1. NN (No Name) WEBSTER

We are not sure of the Christian name of this father of our first known WEBSTERS, but several possibilities appeared in the Attleborough parish records (Fiche no.6026423). One was the John Webster buried on 5 April 1737 (soon after the assumed birth of our EDWARD about 1736). NN's wife could be either "Widow Webster" buried on 13 March 1747 or "Widow Webster" buried on 29 June 1759. Another possibility for NN is the William Webster who was buried on 17 November 1761. Then, the likely parents of NN WEBSTER could be "widower William" buried on 28 August 1730, presumably the husband of "Maria wife of William Webster" buried in Attleborough on 23 October 1727. Both names William and John appear among the descendants of NN. All of these possibilities are in the Attleborough parish records (Fiche no.6046423), but require deeds, wills, or occupational documents to sort out actual family relations. See also the note on the possible son John WEBSTER below.

2ND EARLIEST GENERATION - children of NN WEBSTER

2. EDWARD WEBSTER

EDWARD is our earliest certain WEBSTER ancestor, but we know neither his birth nor death place. The burial of his widow ELIZABETH limits his possible death dates to before 5 May 1811. Other Websters were found in the records of St Julian's church in the city of Norwich, e.g. the burial of an Edward Webster on 2 July 1747, too early for our EDWARD but possibly his father or cousin. In 1723 Stephen Webster was a churchwarden there (Film no.1657262). At least one family of Websters remained in Attleborough and had seven children in the years 1825-34, James Webster, a barber, and his wife Mary Knight. But ours had moved away by then.

2. spouse ELIZABETH COMMAN

The marriage of ELIZABETH COMMAN to EDWARD WEBSTER on 20 May 1761 in Attleborough identified her family name but not her parents. The witnesses were John Cooper (parish clerk) and John Cook, but I found no further relation to them. The burial date given for ELIZABETH COMMAN comes from "Elizabeth Webster widow" in the Attleborough parish register without more identification, but no other Elizabeth Webster appears there (Fiche no.6026423). If true, this means EDWARD WEBSTER died before 5 May 1811.

2. John possible WEBSTER

This John Webster was christened on 9 August 1741 as "son of (blank) Webster." By date and location in the absence of any other Webster family in Attleborough, I have attributed him as brother of our EDWARD. If so, then the father NN WEBSTER could only be the William who was buried in 1761.

2. William possible WEBSTER

No christening was found, but William WEBSTER was married by license to "Judith Browne widow" on 11 October 1764. I have assumed he was part of a family group, because he signed as a witness of the marriage of Mary WEBSTER to William BATTERBY, and Elizabeth Batterby married John Becraft, who was a witness for WILLIAM'S own marriage to Judith and also a witness for the marriage of Anne WEBSTER to William PINKHORNE. It is possible that this William WEBSTER is the man of that name who was buried on 7 December 1770 (Fiche no.6026423).

2. spouse Judith BROWN

Judith signed her name as "Brown" without the final e. I did not try to search that name and know nothing more of her.

2. Mary possible WEBSTER

Besides her marriage with banns on 24 September 1765 to William BATTERBY, the Attleborough records list their two sons: William christened on 31 July 1768 and buried in the same year and John christened on 17 September 1773.

2. spouse William BATTERBY

The Batterby/Batterbee family is well documented in Attleborough at this time. William was likely the son of John Batterbee and Ann Taylor (married 6 May 1731). The father John was buried as a widower at age 77 on 3 October 1785. His descendants were numerous through the 1700s, but the name does not continue into the next century in Attleborough.

2. Anne possible WEBSTER

This Anne was married to William PINKHORNE on 9 September 1769 with banns.

2. spouse William PINKHORNE

He and his wife Anne WEBSTER must have moved away, as the Attleborough registers have no other reference to the name Pinkhorne.

2. Elizabeth possible WEBSTER

We have placed this Elizabeth in our WEBSTER family because of her location and date with no further evidence. Nothing is known of the father of her "baseborn" daughter Phoebe, christened on 21 July 1771 and buried on 16 February 1773.

3RD EARLIEST GENERATION - children of EDWARD WEBSTER and ELIZABETH COMMAN

3. THOMAS "Sinclair" WEBSTER

The christening record for THOMAS WEBSTER on 23 June 1763 gives his name as "Thomas Sinclair Webster," but I found no connection to any Sinclair family. The Sinclair name does not even appear in the index of the lengthy Attleborough parish records (Fiche no.6026423). THOMAS's marriage to ELIZABETH AUSTIN occurred in Bunwell on 9 November 1789 (Film no.1526806). His death and burial dates are unknown.

3. spouse ELIZABETH AUSTIN

At ELIZABETH AUSTIN'S burial on 9 June 1810 her age was given as 43 years, though she was at least a year older (having been christened in Bunwell on 2 February 1766). Her early death left several young children but I found no record that THOMAS (I) married a second time. Several women in Bunwell were named Elizabeth Austin and could not always be identified. One of the witnesses at ELIZABETH's marriage and also the marriage of ELIZABETH's sister Sarah to John BETTS, was named Elizabeth Austin. She could not be their later sister-in-law, Elizabeth HUGGINS, wife of Isaac AUSTIN (Film no.1526806).

3. Mary WEBSTER

Christened on 14 January 1766 in Attleborough as the daughter of EDWARD WEBSTER, this Mary is otherwise untraced (Fiche no.6026423).

4TH EARLIEST GENERATION - children of THOMAS WEBSTER and ELIZABETH AUSTIN

4. THOMAS WEBSTER

THOMAS WEBSTER was born on 5 April 1790 in Bunwell. His marriage to MARY GOWARD on 7 September 1817 in Wymondham had witnesses Jeremiah Forster and Elizabeth GOWARD (presumably MARY'S elder sister). Banns were read, and he was given as "bachelor" and she as "spinster," so neither had been married earlier. Their abode was always Suton or Sutton, a section of Wymondham, and THOMAS was listed as "labourer" (Film no.1911510). He died in 1858, according to Generations of Websters (p.4).

4. spouse MARY GOWARD

The christening of MARY GOWARD on 20 January 1799 is given in the Brandon Parva parish records (Film no.1526810), but her death date of 23 May 1882 and burial on 27 May in Wicklewood are from Amy VanCott's records. She moved from Brandon Parva to Wymondham with her marriage to THOMAS WEBSTER.

4. Peter WEBSTER

This infant was born on 27 July 1793 but buried soon after on 25 August 1793. He must have been named after his grandfather PETER AUSTIN.

4. Elizabeth WEBSTER

Elizabeth WEBSTER was born on 12 November 1794 and christened on 18 June 1796, but may have died young. She apparently was named for her mother ELIZABETH AUSTIN as well as her grandmother ELIZABETH COMMAN.

4. Mary WEBSTER

This Mary WEBSTER must have been fragile at birth, as she was christened on the same day she was born, on 12 April 1801. Her burial date of 13 October 1843 comes from Generations (p.4), and I don't know where she died. I found her marriage in 1821 (after 29 April) to John SHINN in Wymondham records, but did not look for their children (Film no.1911511).

4. Isaac WEBSTER

Isaac's marriage to Mary CANHAM about 24 April 1831 appeared in the Wymondham records, but I found no children there (Film no.1911511). He probably lived at "Spinningrow near Wymondham," according to a journal reference by FRANCIS WEBSTER'S son, who apparently mistook this uncle Isaac for a non-existent brother Isaac (Generations p.17).

4. ?Sarah WEBSTER

This Sarah was listed in Generations (p.4) but without further information. She was not found in the Wymondham records, and is possibly an error.

5TH GENERATION - children of THOMAS WEBSTER and MARY GOWARD

5. Israel WEBSTER

Israel [later known as James] WEBSTER was christened on 25 June 1820 in Suton, Wymondham. His life and fate were apparently unknown to his brother FRANCIS after FRANCIS left England, but according to a family friend Israel may have emigrated to Australia (Generations of Websters, p.47). This must have occurred after FRANCIS's trip to Australia in 1848-9, as his Journal has no reference to a brother there.

5. Eleanor/Ellen WEBSTER

Eleanor/Ellen WEBSTER was christened on 16 June 1822 in Wymondham, and according to Generations buried on 13 April 1896. Amy VanCott later obtained the marriage certificate of Eleanor and Henry TASH. I did not trace TASH, his occupation, or the three sons listed in Generations (p.16).

5. Ann WEBSTER missionary

Ann WEBSTER was born on 10 August 1834 and christened on 23 July 1837 in Wymondham (Film no.1911510). Her name is given as Sarah Ann and her burial date as 25 September 1893 in Generations (p.16).

5. Mary and Elizabeth WEBSTER missionaries

MARY and Elizabeth WEBSTER were not found in the Wymondham parish records, and it is not clear where Amy VanCott got their dates (Generations p.16). It is a family tradition from their brothers FRANCIS and WILLIAM that they (along with their sister Ann) never married and as spinsters became missionaries in India then returned to England late in life (Generation" pp.16, 46-47). Their personal stories would be interesting to research.

5. FRANCIS WEBSTER

FRANCIS WEBSTER was born on 8 February 1830 and christened on 23 July 1837 in Wymondham (Film no.1911510). He died in Cedar City, Utah on 12 May 1906. FRANCIS led a truly interesting, unusual, and impressive life.

5. 1st spouse ELIZABETH PARSONS "BETSY"

Family records list BETSY as ANN ELIZABETH PARSONS, though her christening record in Wymondham on 7 March 1837 (when she was almost six years old) names her only "Elizabeth, dau of Amy Parsons" (Film no.1911510). She carried her mother's name, as her mother did not marry her father, JOSIAH WIFFIN. Apparently the illegitimate child ELIZABETH was recognized by the WIFFIN family, and she was sent to a boarding school for seamstresses. She died in Cedar City, Utah on 21 July 1907.

5. 2nd spouse AMELIA REECE

AMELIA REECE was born on 6 October 1856 in Crumblin, Monmouth, Wales, and died in Cedar City, Utah on 6 October 1913. She became the polygamous wife of FRANCIS WEBSTER on 25 July 1878 after her first husband David Williams died. They had five WEBSTER children, as listed in Generations (p.21).

5. Emily WEBSTER

Emily WEBSTER was born on 10 September 1832 and christened on 23 July 1837 in Wymondham (Film no.1911510). Like the other WEBSTER children who remained in England, little is known of this daughter Emily, other than her marriage certificate with John BURROWS and one child Emily BURROWS, according to Generations (p.16).

5. William WEBSTER

WILLIAM WEBSTER was born on 21 January 1837 and christened on 3 May 1837 in Wymondham (Film no.1911510). Besides the church records to identify him, we also have the 1851 census record in Wymondham which shows WILLIAM as 16 years old, living with his parents THOMAS WEBSTER and MARY GOWARD. He emigrated to Utah much later than FRANCIS, arriving as a widower with three sons and two daughters in September 1892. He died in Cedar City Utah on 22 April 1922 (Generations p.17).

5. ?Isaac WEBSTER

This Isaac is listed in Generations (p.17) with a reference to where he lived in England, but it seems to refer to FRANCIS' uncle Isaac WEBSTER. We did not find a brother Isaac in the Wymondham records.

• Webster Descent Chart