HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI

Biographical Appendix

MR. JULIUS WEBB

Mr. Julius Webb, one of the principal land owners and farmers of Madison County, was born October 16, 1822, and is the son of Byars and Rebecca (Williams) Webb. The father was born in South Carolina in 1801, and died in 1863. He was by occupation a farmer and miller. At the age of four he moved with his parents from South Carolina on Broad River to Tennessee, and here passed his last days. He married Miss Williams, who bore him sixteen children, five now living. Julius Webb, the subject of this sketch, moved to Missouri in 1857 and has been in Madison County ever since. He first purchased eighty acres of land, sold that, and then purchased 320 in Polk Township. He was fortunate in finding on his last estate an almost inexhaustible amount of granite. The richness of the quarry attracted the attention of the public, and an Eastern Company purchased twenty-three acres of his farm, and are now quarrying granite on it. This is the largest granite quarry in Madison County, and one of the richest in Southeastern Missouri. On other portions of Mr. Webb's farm the granite resources are fully as great as in the quarry. In 1843, just after attaining his majority, Mr. Webb married Miss Amanda J. Martin, a native of Warren County, Tenn., born February 16, 1824. The result of this union was the birth of seven children - four sons and three daughters. The daughters only are now living: Alzena (now Mrs. Isham Teeters), Mary Elizabeth (now Mrs. H. J. Carr) and Margaret R. (now Mrs. Christ. Whetstine). During the late war Mr. Webb's sympathies were with the Southern cause, and true to his convictions he risked life for his principle. In 1861 he joined the Southern forces at Fredericktown, and took part in the Big River Bridge fight. He participated in the battle of Fredericktown, battle of New Madrid, Mo., Columbus, Ky., and was at the downfall of Little Rock. He was also in many minor skirmishes, and at the time of the final surrender was in Arkansas, and instead of going to surrender returned home to see his family.