Trumbull County OhArchives Biographies.....Professor/ Reverand Elisha Bates  Webster 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Darrin Cook darrinc@good-news.com August 13, 2003, 4:02 pm

Author: Darrin Cook

Reverend Elisha Bates Webster came to West Farmington in 1877 as a graduate of 
Mt. Union College. He became President of the Western Reserve Seminary 
(formerly known as the Farmington Normal School) during a period when the 
Seminary had witnessed the lowest attendance ever. He became a perminant 
fixture in the community by building a 10 room Victorian home a stone’s throw 
from the Seminary. This home is still in existence today on Third St.

Professor Webster, assisted by his wife Adelia, Ernest Moench, Prof. Truman, 
B.A. Norville and others were able to once again put the Western Reserve 
Seminary back into the spotlight. Throughout it’s history (early 1800’s – 1906) 
the Seminary had plenty of high class visitors and students. Some eventually 
were scratched into our history books. I assume you recall the name Clarence 
Darrow (famous criminal  lawyer). There were others such as Charles Dana 
(assistant to Abraham Lincoln and later editor of the New York Sun), Charles 
Kennedy (made the Plain Dealer the most powerful paper in Ohio) and others. 

West Farmington Ohio was booming during the mid to late 1800’s. The P&Y 
Railroad, later the B&O, supplied the town with freight and passenger services, 
giving West Farmington the capability to have Table manufacturing, Creameries, 
Hotels (Lewis Hotel, Starr Hotel, Ingleside Villa), an Opera House, a bank 
(Farmer’s Banking Co.), and so much more. Most of this is gone now, and only a 
few buildings from that day in age remain. 

The Webster family (Elisha, Adelia and children Maud and Mabel) were able to 
not only witness West Farmington at it’s best, but also helped to continue it's 
identity as a wonderful town full of life, thriving with businesses and 
families. 

Professor E.B. Webster died in 1895 leaving behind a gracious town and a proud 
family. In the Western Reserve Mirror in 1895 a student stated the following.

“Too much can not be said in praise of the late Prof. E.B. Webster. He came to 
us at a time when the school was at a low ebb and discouragement had settled 
like a pall upon those having it’s welfare in charge. Prof. Webster by his 
unceasing efforts, placed it upon a sure road of success. His motto seemed to 
be,
‘Make the most and the best of life’ ”.








Additional Comments:
Any person/s who may have more history of West Farmington can e-mail me at 
anytime. I am in the beginning stages of research and welcome any additional 
information.

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