In the books' own words, not ours, with obvious scanning errors fixed. The later printing (1897) is folded below the first. Families often supplied these stories to the publisher, so check key dates.
Born 1845
From The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county; (1882), Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897)
LEWIS H. WEBBER, manufacturer and dealer in cut stone, Dayton, was born at 'lem, N. J., in 1845. His father was Thomas Webber, a merchant of that city.
' Webber was reared in his native State and Delaware. He received his educational Ijining in the Newark Academy, where he prepared for college. In 1869, Mr. Web- ' came to Dayton through the influence of his uncle, who was engaged in the stone business. He obtained employment with the firm as book-keeper, and remained h that position five years. He then formed a partnership with S. T. Bryce in the stem business. They erected a mill near the Union depot, where operations were commenced Mr. Webber’s business increased with time, and at present he is one of the largest contractors of stone in the State. A sketch of his business will be found in the chapter: on the industrial interests of Dayton. Mr. Webber was united in marriage, in 1875 to Florence Southgate, a native of Delaware. Two children have been sent to files this union — Emma E and Elorrie. Mr. Webber and wife are faithful and consisted members of the Third Street Presbyterian Church. Mr. Webber’s father and grand father were “ Old-Line Whigs,” but the subject of this sketch has been a Republicar “ all the days of my life.” He is a man of strict business integrity, and since corbin to Dayton has made many warm personal friends.
As printed in The history of Montgomery county, Ohio, containing a history of the county; (1882). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
EWIS HENRY WEBBER, a well-known cut-stone contractor of Dayton, Ohio, was born in Salem, N. J., December 15, 1845, and is a son of Thomas and Louisa (Green) Webber, also natives of Salem.
The Webber family, of English origin, was established in New Jersey over 200 years ago, but its genealogy cannot be fully traced. Suffice it to say that John Webber, great-grandfather of Lewis, was a sailor, hailing from the Sharp Backs state, and was killed by lightning. John’s son, Henry, served as a musician through the war of 1812, and died at the age of eighty-six years. Thomas, the son of Henry, and father of Lewis, was a contractor in early life, but later engaged in merchandizing, and in this occupation died in Christiana, New Castle county, Del., in 1876, at the age of fifty-five years.
The Green family, equally as old in America as the Webber family, and also of English origin, belonged to the religious organization known as Quakers. Great-grandfather Green was a farmer, and resided in the vicinity of Salem, N. J., during the Revolutionary war. As is well known, the Society of Friends (Quakers) are people of peace, whose tenets forbid the bearing of arms in war or the aiding or abetting of war. Nevertheless, feeling that the struggle of the colonists was patriotic and just, his sympathies 'were all with their cause, and the following incident is related of him, touching his latent but ardent patriotism. On a certain occasion, when the Continental army was in great distress for want of corn, with which his cribs were well filled, he was importuned by the officers to sell an evident surplus of the grain on hand. He declined to do so, because, as he said, “That would be encouraging war; but I shall go away from home, and if the corn be missing when I return, I shall not inquire concerning it.” History records that the corn was missing.
Of the five sons born to Thomas and Louisa Webber, Lewis H. is the eldest, and Albert, his next younger brother, is foreman in his extensive works; Arthur G. and Henry L. are in the grain and coal trade at Christiana, Del., and John died at the age of eight years.
The early life of Lewis H. Webber was spent in the states of New Jersey and Delaware, his education being acquired in the Newark (Del.) academy and Delaware college. In 1869 he came to Dayton and entered into the employ of the Webber & Lehman Stone & Marble company, of which company John Webber, his uncle, was president. Of this company Lewis H. was at first bookkeeper, and was then made assistant secretary. After three years well spent in this concern, Mr. Webber united in partnership with S. T. Bryce and with him continued in business for five years, when Mr. Webber bought out his partner’s interest and has since carried on a most successful business on his own account, in contracting for the construction of stone buildings and for the stone work of others not composed entirely of stone. His plant, which is planned for the reduction of all kinds of quarried stone to a condition for practical use in building foundations and walls as well, and for the smoothing and polishing of rough ashlars, is most complete in its appliances, containing machinery which is alone estimated at a value of $40,000, including stone saws, planers, and all other means necessary for the production of solid exterior as well as decorative exterior and interior work, and giving employment, on an average, to 100 men. One of the first structures that attracted attention as the work of Mr. Webber was the Montgomery county court house, the stone work of which was supplied, as one of his earliest contracts, from his own shops, at a cost of $50,000, in 1878. Since that date Mr. Webber has furnished the material and assisted in the construction of nearly all the substantial stone buildings in the city of Dayton, among which may be cited the costly Burney and King residences, the U. P. and Sacred Heart churches, and the Steele high school building.
The marriage of Mr. Webber took place in Christiana, Del., in 1875, to Miss Florence Southgate, a native of Baltimore, Md., and of English descent. This union has been blessed by the birth of three children — Emma E., Florence L., and Willard — the first two of whom are now attending the Steele high school. The family are connected with the Third street Presbyterian church. In politics Mr. Webber is a stanch republican, although he has never sought public office. He is a Freemason, and is also a member of the Dayton club, a social organization, and of the political body known as the Garfield club. Mr. Webber’s energy, skill and industry have earned him a place in the front rank of the successful business men of Dayton.
As printed in Centennial portrait and biographical record of the city of Dayton and of Montgomery County, Ohio, containing biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens, together with the biographi (1897). See the original pages. Wording is the original; obvious scanning errors have been corrected, and a few may remain.
The printed record stops around 1882. We trace your line from there down to you, with every source cited.