Samuel K. Webster
Custer County
History of Montana, Sanders, 1913

A resident of the state of Montana for more than a quarter 
of a century, during which time he has been prominently 
identified with the cattle and sheep industry, Samuel K. 
Webster, of Newlong, Custer County, comes of an old and 
prominent New England family.  He was born at Unity, Waldo 
County, Maine, March 13, 1866 and is a son of Charles M. 
and Ann M. Kelley Webster.  His grandparents, David and 
Martha Webster were both natives of Maine, the former 
being a prominent Whig and serving as a selectman and 
in numerous township offices, while his business was 
that of an agriculturist.

Charles M. Webster was born in the town of Freedom, Waldo 
County Maine, in 1836 and spent his boyhood days under 
the parental roof.  Although given but few educational 
advantages, he early in life displayed traits of energy 
and industry, securing employment in the shipyards of 
the Maine coast during the summer months while his 
winters were spent in clerking in stores at Bath.  In 
1862 he enlisted in Company A., Fourth Regiment, Maine 
Volunteer Infantry with which organization he served 
three years, participating in all the engagements in 
which it took part and securing an honorable discharge 
at the close of hostilities.  At the Battle of Bull Run 
his horse fell upon him, inflicting injuries from which 
he never fully recovered.  He was popular and a valued 
comrade of the Grand Army of the Republic.  During middle 
life Mr. Webster engaged in carpenter work and farming 
and in 1882 left the east and came to Meagher County 
Montana where he followed carpentering, contracting and 
building and erected the Clendenning Hotel and store at
 Martinsdale.  In the summer of 1883 he went to White 
Sulphur Springs, where he also followed contracting, but 
eventually returned to his native state, where his last 
years were spent in contracting and farming and there 
his death occurred July 2, 1911.  A man of exceeding 
kindness of heart, he was ever ready to assist those 
who had not been as fortunate as he, and the extent of 
his  charities probably will never be known, while his 
high moral character and strict temperance served as an 
example worthy of emulation.  He married Ann M. Kelley, 
a native of Unity, Waldo County, Maine who survives him 
and makes her home at Redlands, California an they had 
three children: Alice, who was the wife of Wellington 
Knight and died in 1888 at Newburg, Maine; Samuel K; 
and Elizabeth who was the wife of Edward Rand and died 
in 1907 in Waldo County Maine.

Samuel K. Webster secured his education in the public 
schools of his native state and until he reached his 
majority made his home with his parents.  In the spring 
of 1887 he came to Meagher County Montana, locating on 
the banks of the Musselshell River where he first worked 
on a sheep ranch.  Later he engaged in business on his 
own account, and also acted as superintendent for Ralph 
Berry, who did a large sheep exporting business.  In this 
connection, Mr. Webster made a trip to Liverpool, England, 
with a consignment of stock and was also in charge of the 
business at different points in Montana, Wisconsin, 
Illinois and north Dakota. Mr. Webster later became 
manager for W.E. Harris, in Custer County where he 
formed a partnership with J.L. Wilson, in sheep and 
cattle raising under the firm name of Wilson and Webster, 
but after a period of successful operating the firm 
dissolved, Mr. Wilson taking the sheep and Mr. Webster 
the cattle.  In 1911 Mr. Webster sold his ranch and 
cattle and located in Dawson County where he carries 
on farming on the U.S. irrigation lands.  This property 
located about thirty five miles from Glendive, is the 
site of the new Northern Pacific Railroad station, 
established in the fall of 1912, the building of which 
so advanced land values in this section.  Mr. Webster 
is a far-seeing business man of exceptional ability.

On December 13, 1896 Mr. Webster was married to Miss Lorna 
Edna Lovering, who was born in Miles City Montana, the 
daughter of Frank and Sylvia Godfrey Lovering, the former 
a native of New Hampshire and the latter of Minnesota.  
Mr. Lovering died in December 1910 but his widow survives 
him and makes her home in Dawson County.  Four children 
were born to them: Charles, Lenora, Lorna, Edna and 
George.  Mr. Lovering came to Montana in 1880 locating 
in Custer County near the present site of Miles City.  
Coming up the river by boat, he was engaged in hunting 
buffalo for their hides, but subsequently removed to 
Dawson County on the Yellowstone River where he took up 
government land and engaged in farming.  For two years 
he was also engaged in fruit culture in the Wenatchee 
Valley of Washington but then returned to his homestead 
where he spent the remainder of his life.  

Mr. and Mrs. Webster have four children: Charles M., 
Cecil L., Daniel W and Alice Edna.