Bio: Robert P. Webb, Claiborne Parish, LA Source: Biographical and Historical Memoirs of Northwest Louisiana The Southern Publishing Company, Chicago & Nashville, 1890 Submitted for the LAGenWeb Archives by: Gwen Moran-Hernandez, Jan. 2000 ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Robert P. Webb, attorney and notary public, also real estate and insurance agent of Homer, La., needs little or no introduction to the people of Claiborne Parish, for he is well and favorably known to all. He was born in Pickensville, Ala., on June 23, 1840, and was seventh in a family of eight children, five of whom are now living: Amanda (married the late A. J. High, who was a planter, and now resides in Dallas, Tex.), Susan (married the late John B. Langford, who was a planter, and now resides in Jefferson County, Ark.), Laura (married Dr. J. F. Moody, a successful physician and surgeon, and now resides in Louisiana), and Rufus J. (married, and resides in Athens, La., where he is engaged in planting). The father of these children was born in North Carolina, in 1801, and died on April 27, 1877, at the age of seventy- six years. He war reared in Middle Tennessee, and was an extensive planter by occupation. The mother was a native of Virginia, born in 1802, and was educated in the common schools. She died in May, 1876, at the age of seventy-four years. Robert P. Webb passed his early days in the common schools, where the fundamental principles of learning were given him. Later he took a higher course of educational training in the high school at Eureka, Miss., which fitted him for the practical life, which he has since led. At the age of nineteen years he started out for himself as a cotton planter, and on November 2, 1859 he was united in marriage to Miss Martha Ann Rowsey, a native of Tennessee, born in 1838. She was educated in select schools, and is a lady of culture and refinement. The result of this union was the birth of ten children, two of whom are deceased: Willie (in infancy), and Eugene P. (at the age of twenty-six years). The latter was a promising young man, and would have made his mark in the world had he been spared. Those living are: William C. (is married and engaged in farming, in Athens, La.), Frank P. (married, and is a planter of Athens, La.), Pinckney (is a contractor and builder on railroads, and resides in Homer, La.), Berry (is a agriculturist, and resides in Athens), Addie May (resides at home, and is one of the teachers in the Athenaeum Institute), Conrad (resides at home, and is attending school), Conquert (at home) and Otto Proctor (at home). Mr. Webb enlisted in Claiborne Grays, in September, 1861, and entered the ranks as first lieutenant, in the Nineteenth Louisiana Infantry Volunteers. His regiment was ordered from Camp Moore, La., to New Orleans, where it was organized. It was then at once ordered to Corinth, Miss., and, by the way, this was the first regiment sent to this place. Mr. Webb's regiment participated in the following engagements: two day's fight at Shiloh, and the battle of Farmington, where Mr. Webb served on Gen. Mark's staff. After the reorganization of the army under the conscript act, he was ordered to the Trans-Mississippi Department, and back to his own State. Under the command of Gen. Blanchard, Mr. Webb was put in charge of a detachment of twenty-five cavalrymen, to gather in conscripts, and was thus engaged for eleven months. Then he obtained an order to raise a cavalry company, which, when raised, was assigned to the Fifth Louisiana Cavalry, but served but little in the regiment, as his company was on detached service most of the time. His, as well as other companies, carried the prisoners captured at Mansfield to the stockade near Tyler, Tex., and returned to Gen. Taylor's command, having carried the 1,500 prisoners, captured at Pleasant Hill, to the stockade above mentioned. Immediately on his return to Gen. Taylor, he was ordered to relieve Taylor's Courier Company, and followed up that General's headquarters from Natchitoches to Alexandria. At the time Mr. Webb was ordered to raise the company of cavalry, or after he performed this service, he was commissioned captain. He has charge of the courier line for Gen. Taylor, between Natchitoches and Alexandria for two months, which serves fully to show that he was a faithful and efficient soldier. Capt. Webb continued faithfully in the discharge of his duty until the close of the war, when his regiment was disbanded in De Soto Parish, and he returned to his plantation. He has affiliated with the Democratic party, and later was the main founder of the Greenback Labor party, in North Louisiana. He was very active in this particular, and his work stood out with great prominence. He was a formidable candidate on the Greenback ticket, at State senator of the four parishes: Bossier, Bienville, Claiborne and Webster. He was an elector on the National Greenback ticket, on the nomination of Gen. Weaver. Capt. Webb is a member of the Masonic fraternity, and his been since 1860. He is a Master Mason. Mrs. Webb and family are ardent members of the Methodist Episcopal Church South, at Athens, La. The Captain in the owner of about 2,000 acres of good land in Claiborne and Bienville Parishes, and it is called one of the finest plantations in North Louisiana. He is an able member of the bar of Claiborne Parish, and his general business acumen and tact have placed in his hands an amount of business in insurance which excels any other business man or attorney in this part of the State. His legal business is flourishing, and he is also a large shareholder in the Claiborne Agricultural Fair Association, being president of the same. His home is in Athens, La., where he is surrounded by his family and his interests, which place him in a conspicuous place and in excellent circumstances. Capt. Webb remained with the Greenback party until the nomination of B. F. Butler for President, when he renounced all affiliations with this party, and espoused the principles of the Democracy. # # #