Cumberland-Lebanon County PA Archives Biographies.....WEBNER, David March 13, 1831 - November 16, 1873
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  File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
  Neil Webner nwebner@earthlink.net April 20, 2005, 9:31 am
  
  Author: Neil E. Webner
  
  David was christened May 28, 1831 at the Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church in 
  Jonestown, Lebanon County, Pa. His sponsors were "John, Anna"  (possibly his 
  brother John and sister Susanna) and David, according to Zion Evangelical 
  Lutheran Church Parish Register, Book I (FHC1434021).  Margreta died in 1839 
  and Peter in 1846 (perhaps in Carlisle, Pa.).  At that time, the family 
  apparently split up, with David moving into the home of William Reed in 
  Churchtown, Monroe Twp., Cumberland County, Pa.  
  
  David apprenticed as a tailor to Mr. Reed in Churchtown and united with the 
  Church of God on November 19, 1849.  "He was active in that cause for more than 
  20 years, most of the time being superintendent.  He was much esteemed for his 
  sterling integrity of character...and bequethed to his children the priceless 
  heritage of a good name."  (source: Commemorative Biographical Record of Wayne 
  County, 1889.)  
  
  He moved to Mechanicsburg, in Monroe Twp., then took the Pennsylvania Railroad 
  to Ohio in 1852. (The railroad went through Pittsburgh for the first time in 
  1852.)  The "Pennsy" only went as far as Massillon, so David walked the last 20 
  miles to Smithville.  In Smithville, he worked at tailoring for William Peters 
  and E. H. Gilbert.
  
  David married Charity Walton, of the Byberry Waltons, in 1854, and moved to 
  Knox County where he opened a ready-made clothing store, probably one of the 
  first in the area since ready-made clothing was just developing.  He later 
  returned to Smithville and opened a clothing store there.  When the Pittsburg 
  Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad opened the Smithville Station (now known as 
  Weilersville) about a mile south of Smithville, David was the station's first 
  ticket agent.  About 1860, he established a two-horse hack line from Smithville 
  to the Station.  He advertised, "David Webner's Omnibus Line, a hack and bus 
  line."  The fare from Smithville to Smithville Station and return was 25 cents 
  (a few hours' work for most employees).  Thus began the family's long history 
  with railroading.
  
  (The railroad line first ran through south of Smithville in 1852 and has been 
  successively known as Penn Central Railroad and Pennsylvania Railroad.  The 
  station closed in 1932.)
  
  David was a member of the Home Guards during the Civil War and, in 1864, though 
  ill, was ordered into camp at Cleveland.  The exposure of camp life aggravated 
  his disease, and he was sent home in the charge of a comrade, being unfit to 
  travel alone. 
  
  Helen also reported that David purchased a home on Summit Street in Smithville 
  but, when he became sick, he could not keep up the payments.  The house was 
  sold to Benjamin Steel "and we moved downtown."  Later, he bought a lot on 
  North Milton Street and purchased a log cabin in the country "and moved the 
  house to this lot" in about 1867.  
  
  According to daughter Helen Davidson, David returned to Pa. the year before his 
  death.  "While at Philadelphia (sic), he visited Mr. William Reed, with whom he 
  learned his trade." 
  
  David died in 1873 of "neuralgia of the heart" (his obituary called 
  it "enlargement of the heart") which was said to have originated with a cold 
  caught while hurrying to catch a train with the mail.  This brought on typhoid 
  fever and inflammatory rheumatism,  protracted illnesses from which he never 
  recovered. 
  
  One obituary recounted his life as, "The community sustained more than an 
  ordinary loss in the death of Mr. Webner, although he was not a great man as 
  the world has it, yet he was great in personal worthiness, and for this we 
  would pay this tribute of respect to him.  He made a profession of religion for 
  many years and embodied its great truth in his every day life...He was always 
  kindly disposed toward all, making his goodness felt in deeds of brotherly 
  love..."
  
  Research notes: During the 1850 census taken on September 17, David was 
  residing in Monroe Twp., Cumberland County, Pa., with William Reed's family.  
  David was listed as age 12, placing his birth in 1838.  Catherine, age 30, and 
  Mary, age 21, were residing together, also in Monroe Twp. but not with David.
  
  
  Photo: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cumberland/photos/bios/webner15gbs.jpg
  
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