WEBB, (Honorable) James, Acadia Parish, Louisiana -------------------------------------------------------------- Submitted for the LA GenWeb Archives by Mike Miller, Apr. 1998 -------------------------------------------------------------- ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ Louisiana: Comprising Sketches of Parishes, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form (volume 3), pp. 454-456. Edited by Alc‚e Fortier, Lit.D. Published in 1914, by Century Historical Association. Webb, Hon. James, father of Dr. Rufus C. Webb, of Rayne, La., and Dr. Hines C. Webb, of Crowley, La., each of whom are elsewhere referred to in this work; also, mayor, member of the Louisiana state house of representatives, and state senator, was born in what is now Acadia parish, La., Feb. 21, 1833; son of John and Anne (Miers) Webb, natives, respectively, of England and the state of Mississippi. John Webb, the father, was born in Essexshire, England, and came to America as a sailor when a young man. Among his many interesting experiences upon the water, John Webb was a member of the crew of Rear Admiral Nelson's famous flagship at the Battle of Trafalgar, in which Nelson received a mortal wound, from which he died shortly afterward. Capt. Webb was practically stranded in this country by reason of the loss of his ship, but it seems that he had determined to abandon the sea anyhow. For a time after landing in this country he, traveled to Texas, but early in the '20s located on the Mermentou [sic] river in what is now Acadia parish. There the former seaman perfected himself in the art of tanning and the manufacture of saddles and harnesses, and to these useful occupations devoted his energies during the remainder of his life. He died in the year 1857 at the age of 70 years. His wife, Anne Miers, was born in 1792, and died in what is now Acadia parish in the year 1874. James Webb the subject of this sketch, had 2 sisters, one of whom, Sarah A., married Cornelius Duson, and became the of C. C. and W. W. Duson, each of whom developed into a man of large activities and great achievements. They are each referred to separately elsewhere in this work. The other sister, Mary E., became the wife of C. Larmand. James Webb received such meager educational advantages as were afforded boys of his time and means in the locality in which he was born and reared. In his boyhood he assisted his father in the saddlery and harness work, and in connection with this, later embarked in stock-raising in a modest way, to which he was devoting his energies at the time of the beginning of the Civil war. In 1862 he enlisted in the service of the Southern Confederacy as a member of Co. H, 7th Louisiana volunteer cavalry, under command of Col. Brangie, and served to the close of the war. After the surrender he returned home and became identified with the saw mill industry, later on embarking in mercantile business, which he continued until 1886. Upon the erection of a rice mill at Rayne, he took charge of the mill as manager, and successfully conducted this pioneer enterprise. He at this time owned a plantation on Plaquemine Brulee and a cattle range west of Rayne. He always took the most, lively interest in public affairs and had voted the democratic ticket from the time of beginning to exercise the right of the elective franchise. Previous to the Civil war he served as a justice of the peace during 14 years. In 1874 he was elected a member of the Louisiana legislature from St. Landry parish, and after serving this term, was elected to the Louisiana state senate from the district then composed of Acadia and St. Landry parishes. In 1888 he served as a delegate to the national democratic convention at St. Louis, Mo., at which Grover Cleveland was nominated for president. Senator Webb served as mayor of the town of Rayne after taking up his residence there, where he lived in practical retirement during the remainder of his active and useful life. The senator was a consistent member of the Methodist Episcopal church, South. He died at Rayne, La., in the year 1906. At the time of the beginning of the agitation for the creation of Acadia parish, James Webb was delegated by the citizens of Rayne to use his influence with the state legislature toward having Acadia parish created, and he was largely instrumental in bringing about that result. Again referring to his early educational advantages, it is stated that these so-called advantages consisted solely of about 7 months attendance at a neighborhood school, and yet Senator Webb was a fluent and graceful public speaker. He was a man of exceptional endowments, and his superior native abilities were accorded the fullest recognition by the people among whom his lot was cast, who repeatedly honored him with positions of trust and responsibility, in all of which he was never found otherwise than worthy of every trust reposed in him, always reliable and dependable. Senator Webb married Miss Nancy Laughlin, a native of St. Landry (now Acadia) parish, La. To their union 8 children were born, of whom only three survive at this time, these being: Dr. Rufus C. Webb, of Rayne, elsewhere referred to in this work; Dr. Hines C. Webb, also elsewhere referred to in this work, and Mrs. Bertha Levy, of Rayne. # # #