The Webster Family of Bradford, Pennsylvania

This is one of the most distinguished names in the annals of North America, having been especially honored by that famous statesman and patriot, Daniel Webster, Noah Webster, the Lexicographer, and a long list of others noted in all walks of life. Daniel Webster was the son of Colonel Ebenezer Webster and half-brother of David Webster, sixth generation of this sketch.

(II) Thomas (2) Webster

Thomas (2), son of Thomas (1) Webster, American ancestor of this branch of the family, was born in Ormsly, Norfolk county, England, November, 1631, died at Hampton, New Hampshire, January 5, 1715. He came to America in company with his mother Margaret, and her second husband, William Godfrey, settling at Watertown, Massachusetts. He settled in Hampton, New Hampshire, with the pioneers of that town, which was thereafter his home. He married, November 2, 1663, Sarah, daughter of Thomas Brewer, of Roxbury, Massachusetts. Children:

1. Mary,
2. Sarah,
3. Hannah,
4. Thomas,
5. Ebenezer,
6. Isaac,
7. John,
8. Joshua,
9. Abigail.

(III) Ebenezer Webster

Ebenezer, son of Thomas (2) Webster, of Hampton, was born August 1, 1667. He served in the Indian war and was pilot to Captain Gilman’s company which went in pursuit of the Indians. He was one of the proprietors of Kingston, New Hampshire, and an early settler there. He married, July 25, 1709, Hannah Judkins, who died February 21, 1756. Children:

1. Rachel,
2. Susannah,
3. Ebenezer,
4. William,
5. John,
6. Hannah,
7. Mary , twin.
8. Joseph, twin.

(IV) Ebenezer (2) Webster

Ebenezer (2), son of Ebenezer (1) Webster, was born October 10, 1714. He lived in Kingston, New Hampshire, and was identified with the progress of that town all his life. He married, July 20, 1738, Susan Batchelder, born at Hampton, May 28, 1713, youngest child of Benjamin and Susanna (Page) Batchelder, of Hampton. She was a woman of marked ability and great strength of character, robust in form and black hair, dark complexion and piercing black eyes. Benjamin Batchelder served in many of the campaigns against the Indians, often as a soldier and at other times as a scout and messenger. He was a son of Nathaniel (2), son of Nathaniel (1), son of Rev. Stephen Batchelder, a leading “Nonconformist,” born in England, 1561, came to America, 1632, preached in various churches in New England, returned to England about 1654, died there in 1660.

(V) Ebenezer (3) Webster

Ebenezer (3), son of Ebenezer (2) Webster, was born in Kingston, April 22, 1739, died April 14, 1816. He grew up without a day’s schooling knowing almost nothing of books, but fully equipped physically to fulfill the mission of life on the frontier where strong bodies, sound sense and courage were required to cope with the lurking foes of the forest. He came of age during the great French and Indian war, and about 1760 enlisted in the famous corps known as “Rogers Rangers.” In the dangers and successes of desperate fighting the “Rangers” had no equals and in their hard perilous experiences Ebenezer Webster had his full share. He served under General Jeffrey Amherst and returned to his native town with the rank of captain. In 1763 he settled in Salisbury, New Hampshire, there then being no white man’s abode between him and Montreal. He spent eleven years there. The revolution broke out and at once enlisted his active support. He raised a company of two hundred men and at their head marched to join the forces at Boston. He served at White Plains, and at Bennington was one of the first to scale the breastwork and came out of the battle with his swarthy skin so blackened with dust and gunpowder that he could scarcely be recognized. He was at West Point at the time of Arnold’s treason and when on guard at the general’s tent Washington said “Captain Webster I can trust you”. He rose to the rank of colonel, and on his return home was elected to every office his neighbors could confer, including representative, state senator, judge of the court of common pleas and presidential elector.

He married (first) January 8, 1761, Mehitable Smith, born at Kingston, died March 28, 1772. Children:

1. Olle, born January 28, 1762, died young;
2. Ebenezer, born July 16, 1764, died young;
3. Susanna, born October 25, 1766, married John Colby;
4. David, of whom further;
5. Joseph, born March 25, 1772, died 1810.

He married (second) October 13, 1774, Abigail Eastman, born July 19, 1737, died April 14, 1816. Children:

6. Mehitable,
7. Abigail,
8. Ezekiel,
9. Daniel, “The Statesman”
10. Sarah.

(VI) David Webster

David, son of Ebenezer (3) and Mehitable (Smith) Webster, was born May 1, 1769, died 1823. He was a farmer and large landowner at Stanstead, Canada, where he died. He was a merchant in New Hampshire and supplied the American army with provisions, etc., during the war of 1812. He married Rebecca Huntoon, born November 28, 1769. Children:

1. Abigail, born September 5, 1790, married Moses Sargent;
2. Hannah, born December 7, 1792, married Cyrus Bates;
3. Ebenezer, born April 6, 1795, married Betsey Jewett;
4. Philip Huntoon, of whom further;
5. David, born March 25, 1799, married Betsey Blake;
6. Rebecca, born August 15, 1801, married John Perkins;
7. Ezekiel, born July 12, 1803, died July 14 or 18, 1816;
8. Daniel, born September 17, 1805, married Mary Kilborn.

(VII) Philip Huntoon Webster

Philip Huntoon, son of David Webster, was born March 13, 1797, died December 7, 1830. He was a farmer, and a deacon of the Presbyterian church. He married Lucy Jane Dix, born April 8, 1804, died 1858, a sister of Governor and General John A. Dix, of New York state, whose famous utterance: “If any man attempts to tear down the American flag, shoot him on the spot” will long be remembered among the many patriotic expressions of the civil war period (see Dix VI).

His wife survived him and married (second) Colonel L. C. Little. Children of Philip H. Webster:

1. Charles Dix, of whom further;
2. Philip Leavitt, of whom further.

(VIII) Charles Dix Webster

Charles Dix, eldest son of Philip Huntoon Webster, was born June 18, 1828, died March 3, 1907. He served in the civil war in the Fifty-eighth Regiment Pennsylvania Cavalry, was promoted second lieutenant, July 11, 1862, first lieutenant, 1863, and quartermaster with the rank of captain with headquarters at Fortress Monroe, Virginia. After the war closed he resumed his profession of civil engineer, continuing until 1883, when he located in Florida where after three years as a civil engineer he engaged in the drug business at Tarpon Springs. He continued there successfully until his death in 1907. He married, in 1855, Orpha Jane, daughter of Loren and Mary (Phetterplace) Gleason, who survives him, a resident of Tarpon Springs, Florida. Their only child died in 1871.

(VIII) Philip Leavitt Webster

Philip Leavitt, second son of Philip Huntoon Webster, was born August 6, 1830, in Danbury, New Hampshire. He was taken to Lebanon when two and one-half years old. He was but an infant when his father died and in 1837 his mother married Colonel L. C. Little, agent for the Boston United States Land Company, the owners of one hundred and sixty-five thousand acres of land in Jefferson, Clearfield and McKean counties, considerable of it being in McKean county, Pennsylvania. Soon after his marriage Colonel Little came to Pennsylvania with his wife and two stepsons, settling at Bradford, then called Littleton, making the trip westward through the forest by team. The boys were given the best of treatment by their stepfather, who gave them all the advantages of the early school and an academic course at Springville, Erie county, New York. He died in 1854, his wife in 1858. After the death of his stepfather Philip L. was employed by the Land Company in settling up their business in McKean county. He also worked for a time at the carpenter’s trade, and later became an undertaker and for more than a quarter of a century was the leading undertaker and funeral director of Bradford. He withdrew from that business and for more than twenty-five years has been engaged in the real estate business. He was at Fortress Monroe during the war serving as military storekeeper, and after the war was sent to Concord to close up the military post there. He owned orange groves in Florida and for many years passed his winters there. He laid out and placed upon the market Oak Hill cemetery, of which he had charge for many years. Later he formed and incorporated the “Oak Hill Cemetery Association,” of which he is president. He is a member of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows and of the Order of Ben Hur. He is a strong Republican. Now eighty years of age Mr. Webster is active, alert and attends daily to his business affairs. He is a man of strong character and highly regarded in his town.

He married, December 17, 1874, Ellen (Johnson) Morrison, born at Fredonia, New York, died April 18, 1898, daughter of Rufus Johnson, a farmer of Forestville, New York, who married Dorcas Keach. Ellen Johnson at the time of her marriage was the widow of Archie Morrison. By her first marriage she was the mother of Frank Morrison, born May 15, 1866; Mr. Webster adopted him legally and changed his name to Webster; he married, 1888, Jennie Nichols and has:

1. Philip Leavitt, born September 25, 1891;
2. Frank Meredith, October 22, 1895;
3. Donald James, May 18, 1900.

The home of Mr. Webster is one of the very few structures that were erected in Bradford between 1850 and 1860, at which time the city was but a backwoods town.

The Dix Line

Lucy Jane (Dix) Webster was the sister of Governor John Adams Dix, of New York, and aunt of Rev. Morgan Dix. The Dix family came from Holland originally, the name being probably derived from the Dutch word “Dyck” or “Dijck,” a bank or dyke. Four branches of the family were founded in America at an early day by Leonard Dix, of Wethersfield, Connecticut, Anthony Dix, of Plymouth, Massachusetts, Edward Dix, of Watertown, Massachusetts, and Ralph Dix, of Ipswich; no relationship is proved but they were undoubtedly from the same English stock. Edward Dix was the ancestor of the present governor of New York, John Alden Dix (1912), while a former governor of the same state, General John Adams Dix, descended from Ralph Dix, of Ipswich, Massachusetts, also the ancestor of Rev. Morgan Dix, rector of Trinity Church, New York City. This branch of the family settled in New Hampshire where they were influential and prominent. Two of this family, Colonel Timothy and John A., are famous in military history, the first in the war of 1812, the latter in both the war of 1812 and the civil. While treasurer of the United States in 1861, he issued the famous order, previously mentioned, “If any man attempts to tear down the American Flag, shoot him on the spot.”

(I) Ralph Dix

Ralph Dix, one of the early settlers of Ipswich, a fisherman, moved to Reading in 1662 and was made a freeman of Malden, 1685, but died at Reading, Massachusetts, in 1686. He married Esther ??. Children:

1. John, of whom further;
2. Samuel, born 1661;
3. Stephen, 1664, died young;
4. Stephen, 1672;
5. Sarah.

(II) John Dix

John, son of Ralph Dix, was born 1659, died March, 1745. He lived on the old Dix homestead in Reading, Massachusetts. He married (first) Lydia ??, (second) in 1700, Anna, widow of Joseph Fitch. Children of first wife:

1. John , twin, born and died 1693.
2. Lydia, twin, born and died 1693;
3. Lydia, born 1695, died 1709.
4. Sarah, 1697.
5. Elizabeth, 1699.

Children of second wife:

1. Anna, born 1702;
2. Samuel, 1706;
3. Mary, 1708;
4. Jonathan, of whom further;
5. James, born 1712;
6. Edson, 1714.

(III) Jonathan Dix

Jonathan, son of John Dix by his second wife, was born at Reading, Massachusetts, April 11, 1710. He was a tanner of Littleton, Massachusetts, moved to Boscawen, New Hampshire, where he died at the residence of his son Timothy, December 24, 1804, at the great age of ninety-four years, eight months and thirteen days. He was a member of the church more than seventy-five years. He married (first) June 28, 1739, Sarah, who died at Littleton, Massachusetts, September 30, 1775, in her fifty-sixth year, daughter of Rev. Benjamin Shattuck, of Littleton. He married (second) Miriam Leland, of Hollis, New Hampshire, who died there about 1833 aged nearly ninety years. Among the children by first wife was Timothy, of whom further.

(IV) Timothy Dix

Timothy, son of Jonathan Dix and his first wife, was born December 7, 1743, died 1824 at Pembroke, New Hampshire. He settled in Boscawen, New Hampshire, where he was postmaster for many years. He later moved to Pembroke where he died. He raised a company of soldiers during the revolution and was familiarly known as Lieutenant Dix. He was noted for integrity, faithfulness, firmness, decision and strong attachment to the cause of his country. He married (first) August 13, 1769, Rachel Burbank, of Bow, New Hampshire, (second) Mrs. Brown, (third) Mrs. Eliza Cunningham, of Pembroke. Children of first wife, Rachel Burbank:

1. Timothy, of whom further;
2. Josiah Brown, died in childhood.

(V) Colonel Timothy (2) Dix

Colonel Timothy (2) Dix, son of Timothy (1) Dix, died at French Mills, Canada, November 14, 1813. He passed several years in a mercantile house at Amherst, New Hampshire, and with his father and grandfather settled in Boscawen about 1790. He purchased a township in the northern part of the state which bears his name. At the commencement of the war of 1812 he was appointed major of a New Hampshire regiment which was afterwards transferred to the Fourteenth Regiment United States Infantry, a regiment that was recruited under his supervision in Maryland. Early in the spring of 1813 he marched from Baltimore to Sacketts Harbor, but during the summer was prostrated by fever. He accompanied the expedition down the St. Lawrence in the fall against the advice of his physician, but having been promoted lieutenant-colonel and placed in command of the regiment, he would not remain behind. On the 10th of October he was seized with a violent attack of pneumonia and borne from the camp at Chrystlers Fields, Canada, by his son, John A. Dix, and two officers of his regiment, placed on his boat and died two days afterward. He was a man of strong character, of fine presence and courteous manner, greatly beloved by all.

He married (first) Abigail Wilkins, of Amherst, March 20, 1791, who died December 3, 1808; married (second) Lucy Hartwell, of Littleton, Massachusetts, July 3, 1809; she died December 30, 1863. Children of first wife:

1. Wilkins, born November 19, 1792, died May 9, 1852; married General Moody A. Pillsbury.
2. Rachel Burbank, born April 18, 1794, died January 15, 1827; married Rev. Daniel Temple and with him sailed as missionaries to Malta, January 2, 1822.
3. Timothy Fuller Shattuck, died young.
4. John Adams, born July 24, 1798, served in the war of 1812 under his father, Colonel Dix; was lieutenant and acting adjutant; studied law and admitted to practice; appointed adjutant-general of New York, 1831; in 1845 elected United States senator from New York; in 1853 assistant treasurer of the United States at New York City, appointed by President Pierce; postmaster of New York City, 1860, appointed by President Buchanan; resigned 1861 to become treasurer of the United States in place of the absconding Treasurer Cobb; it was while in that position that he gave his famous order previously quoted; May 16, 1861, he was appointed major-general of United States Volunteers and after superintending the raising of eleven regiments in New York was assigned to the command of the department embracing the states of Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware; he was in command at Baltimore and was instrumental in holding that state in the Union; he served with distinction until the close of the war, then resigned and returned to private life; he was later minister to France and governor of New York; he was a deep scholar and an accomplished linguist, few men being so conversant with the Latin authors in the study of whose works he took the greatest delight; he married, May 29, 1826, Catharine Morgan; children:
   1. Morgan, born November 1, 1827, rector of Trinity Episcopal Church, New York, married Emily Woosley Souther;
   2. Baldwin,
   3. John Wilkins,
   4. Elizabeth Morgan,
   5. Charles Temple,
   6. Catharine Morgan,
   7. Anna Morgan.
5. Sophia Wilkins, born May 1, 1800, died January, 1865, at Portland, Maine; married, December 25, 1828, Joshua Plummer, of Boscawen, New Hampshire.
6. Marion Means, born April 17, 1802, died July, 1860; married, December 15, 1825, John W. Sullivan.
7. Lucy Jane, of further mention.
8. Frances Louisa, born July 22, 1806; married (first) November 25, 1852, General Moody A. Pillsbury, (second) December 29, 1871, Rev. Buxton.
9. Martha Sherman, died in infancy.

(VI) Lucy Jane Dix

Lucy Jane, daughter of Colonel Timothy (2) Dix, was born April 8, 1804, died February 9, 1858, in Bradford, Pennsylvania. Married (first) May 31, 1826, Philip H. Webster (see Webster VII); married (second) June 30, 1837, Colonel L. C. Little. Children by second husband:

1. Ellen, born May 4, 1838 (was the first white child born in Bradford, Pennsylvania), died 1911; married Emmett Mix.
2. John Sullivan, born December, 1839.
3. Susan, died aged ten years.
4. Sarah, married Robert Davis, moved to Urbana, Illinois, where she yet resides.

See: Genealogy of the Allegheny Valley Pennsylvania

Source

Jordan, J. W. 1840-1921. (1913). Genealogical and personal history of the Allegheny Valley, Pennsylvania. New York: Lewis Historical Pub. Co.

This genealogy is based upon the source cited above. Only the structure and formatting have been changed for clearer presentation; the genealogical and biographical content