(Elder) James WEBB

HUSBAND:
[F226]. James Henry WEBB.
Born on 21 MAR 1777 at (East Hampton, Chatham, Middlesex County-S17)(Hartford, Hartford County), Connecticut; son of James WEBB, Sr. [F452] and Elizabeth BATES [F453]. He married (1) in (1802-S?) or early 1803 Betsy FAVILLE [F227], probably in New York. They lived at first in Manheim Township, Montgomery County, New York (which is now Dolgeville, Herkimer County, New York). However, their first child was said to have been born at Brookfield, Madison County, New York.

His wife Betsy died in 1808 in New York, probably in childbirth, on or about 17 MAY.

He married (2) Hannah GRISWOLD [F231] probably late 1809 or early 1810 (1810-1811-S17), undoubtedly in Manheim Township, Herkimer County, New York.

They soon moved to Hanover, Chautauqua County, New York where he owned land by 1810.

They also lived for a time at Holland Purchase, NY. {S7}.

He owned land in Otsego County, New York.

Not long after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized they were converted and were baptized, probably the same time as their oldest son, in NOV 1834.

Some months after they had joined the church, his grandson, William TENNEY, son of Eliza, who was then about two years old, became sick and was near death. James WEBB was the only ordained Elder in town who could administer to him, but he had been away from home for several days. As William's condition worsened, his family watched with intense anxiety and tearful faces. He had not spoken or taken notice of anyone for two days, and had every symptom of the near approach of death. His sister Betsy Jane had strong faith that through the laying on of hands he could be healed and begged permission to go for her grandfather. At last they relented, even knowing that he was away from home, and she started off taking a shortcut path through the meadow. In the meantime, James had arrived home and did not sit down, but started immediately for Eliza's house. When Betsy Jane got to her Grandma's house and was told that she missed him on the way, she hastened back as fast as possible. To her surprise and joy, when she entered her brother's sickroom, she found that her brother who an hour before lay lifeless, was sitting in his chair whittling with his Pa's knife, which he asked for as soon as his grandfather had taken his hands off his head. By the power of faith he was made whole immediately. The family, "felt to thank and praise our Heavenly Father that we were permitted to hear the gospel in this the last dispensation, and know of a surety that we were being make partakers of it's promises and blessings."

James and his family moved in late 1834 or early 1835 to Kirtland, Ohio, where their youngest son was born. They lived there about four years. During this time the Kirtland Temple was being built. It was dedicated 27 MAR 1836. James Webb and his family were reported by his descendants to have been in attendance.

The Webb family passed through great persecutions with the Saints in Kirtland and Missouri. They next record we have of them is in Payson, Illinois, where they buried their son Lorenzo Dow WEBB, a fine twenty-two year old young man whom all the family dearly loved. They lived the last years of their life in LaHarpe, Hancock County, Illinois, which is twenty miles from Nauvoo.

James died on 17 MAR (1845-S17)(1844-S3,S14) at LaHarpe, Hancock County, Illinois. He was probably buried at the old "Mormon" cemetery in Nauvoo, since a footstone is found there beside the grave of his wife Hannah with the initials J.W. carved on it.

WIFE (1):
[F227]. Betsy FAVILLE. (FAVILL).
Born in 1780, said to have been at Bloomfield; the daughter of John FAVILLE [F454] and Nancy LEWIS [F455].

She was said to be born at Bloomfield, Madison County, New York; but it was also possibly at Bloomfield, Essex County, New Jersey. I question, though, if it could have been Blooming Grove, instead of Bloomfield. Blooming Grove lies in Orange County, New York; and is in the area where Reverend Amzi Lewis, possibly a relative of Nancy Lewis, began his ministry. It is also not far from Haverstraw in Rockland County, where John and Nancy were said to have lived for a short time. Another possibility is Bloomingburg, located not far from Blooming Grove, but in Sullivan County, New York. While Brookfield in Madison County is within the realm of possibility, I am guessing that it lies too far westward for John and Nancy at that period in time.

There are several possibilities for Bloomfield:


She moved with her family when she was just a baby to Salisbury, Montgomery County, New York. Within the next ten years they moved to the area of Manheim Township and which was eventually incorporated into Herkimer County, New York. She married James WEBB [F226] in 1802 or early 1803.

Betsy Faville died on 27 JUN 1808, and was buried in the Faville, Peck or Sherwood Cemetery in the Town of Manheim, which cemetery lies 2 Miles northwest on Route 83 from Dolgeville. She probably died from complications at the time of the birth of her son, John, which was on 17 MAY 1808. {S15}.

There is a strong family tradition that says that Amanda Melvina Webb was the daughter of Betsy and not of Hannah; that Betsy died at the birth of Amanda in SEP 1809. The tradition further says that Hannah was called in to care for the new infant and shortly afterwards married James WEBB, and since she cared for the baby as her own, Amanda has been confused as being Hannah’s child.

However, since Betsy died in 1808, and Amanda was born in September 1809, Amanda is the daughter of James and Hannah. Hannah was apparently indeed called in to care for the young children of James and Betsy, probably immediately in June 1808. She shortly married James, and Amanda was their first child.

CHILDREN of James WEBB [F226] and Betsy FAVILLE [F227]:
  1. [F113]. Eliza (L?) WEBB. Born 17 NOV 1803 at Brookfield, Madison County, New York (New Jersey?). She married in 1819 William TENNEY [F112]. She died 12 (17) APR 1883 at Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, Utah.
  2. William Wateman (Waterman-S?) WEBB. Born about 1805 at Manheim, Montgomery County, New York)(Hanover, Chautauqua, New York-S?).
  3. John WEBB. Born (2-S?)(17) MAY 1808 at Manheim, Montgomery County, New York. He married (1) Mrs. Catherine WILCOX and had children Lydia and Helen. He married (2) Julia Ann ROBINSON. He died 5 MAY 1895 (12 JUN1894-S?) at the home of his daughter Lydia A. Huntley in Coyote, Garfield County, Utah.


WIFE (2):
[231]. Hannah GRISWOLD.
Hannah was born 6 JUN 1790 at Hartford, Hartford County, Connecticut, according to her obituary in the ”Nauvoo Neighbor.” She has long been thought to be the daughter of Elijah GRISWOLD [462], but this has not been verified. Unfortunately, the courthouse records that could have supported this burned in 1804, so this still remains in question. Nauvoo records show that her mother was Abigail (possibly DIX?) [F463]. It is a puzzle why she named her mother, but not her father.

She is also said to be the daughter of John Griswold and Hannah Peck (S?), but Nauvoo records definitely state that her mother is Abigail.

Her grandfather could be Daniel Griswold. However, there were two Griswold’s named Daniel who moved to Herkimer County, New York, where Hannah grew up. Either one of them could have been her grandfather. The problem is now to identify the sons of both Daniels to determine which one, if any, was the father of Hannah.

It appears probable that Hannah was indeed born in Hartford as her obituary states, or at least in Hartford County, just a couple years before her family moved to New York. The fact that her family moved shortly after her birth also makes it clear why her family records were not found around Hartford, since the family could have only lived there briefly, if at all, before their removal to New York. The seat of the ancestral family appears to have been at Killingsworth in Middlesex County, to the south of Hartford where both Daniels lived. Middlesex County lies south of Hartford.

The first Daniel GRISWOLD, who is most likely to be her grandfather, was born 10 AUG 1728 at Killingworth, Middlesex County, Connecticut; the son of Joseph GRISWOLD and Temperance LAY. Daniel was a Captain in the Infantry. He went to Havana, Cuba in the War of 1759. He married Lydia HULL about 1750. He was the owner of the mills where the Clinton Paper Manufacturing Company stood. He moved with some of his family to Little Falls, Herkimer County, New York in 1792. He probably died at Little Falls, Herkimer County, New York.

Daniel’s birth in 1728 makes him too old to have been Hannah’s father, therefore when he removed to Herkimer County in 1792, the “some of his family” that he took with him must have included at least one of his sons families, one of which would have been Hannah.

Hannah married James WEBB [F226] probably in mid 1808 or early 1809, undoubtedly in Manheim Township, Montgomery County, New York (now Dolgeville, Herkimer County, New York). She had apparently been brought into the household shortly after the death of James' first wife, Betsy, to care for the young children. She and James apparently married not long afterwards.

Not long after they were married James and Hannah moved to Hanover, Chautauqua County, New York, where James owned land by 1810.

As Hannah began married life she had three step children from James’ first marriage to care for. She passed through the hardships of settling a new territory. She also reared a large family of her own.

Not long after the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized they were converted and were baptized, probably the same time as their oldest son, which was in NOV 1834. They moved in 1834 or 1835 to Kirtland, Ohio, where their youngest son was born. They lived there about four years. During this time the Kirtland Temple was being built. It was dedicated 27 MAR 1836. James Webb and his family were reported by his descendants to have been in attendance.

The Webb family passed through great persecutions with the Saints in Kirtland and Missouri. They next record we have of them is in Payson, Illinois, where they buried their son Lorenzo Dow WEBB, a fine twenty-two year old young man whom all the family dearly loved. They lived the last years of their life in LaHarpe, Hancock County, Illinois, which is twenty miles from Nauvoo.

In 1841, after baptism for the dead was revealed, Hannah was baptized for her mother, Abigail [463] and also for her brother, Daniel. [see Book A, page 64]. However, she did not have the baptism done for her father at that time, so his name remains unknown. It appears that her father died at an early age in her life so that she did not know him.

Hannah died 16 OCT 1845, age 55 years 4 months and 10 days, at LaHarpe, Hancock County, Illinois, and was buried at the old "Mormon" cemetery at Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois. Next to her grave is a stone with the initials J.W. carved on it, probably indicating that she was buried next to her husband James Webb.

CHILDREN of James WEBB [F226] and Hannah GRISWOLD [F231]:


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