Mary Webster (1799-1896)

WEBSTER, HOWE, KENNEDY

Posted By: Barry Mateer (email)
Date: 1/27/2018 at 06:24:18

Mary Webster was born in Swantown, Maryland, February 5, 1799. At the age of seven she moved to Delaware where she grew to womanhood and was united in marriage January 30, 1819, with Dickinson Webster, father of the late Dickinson Webster of this place.

Four children were born to them here. In the spring of 1827 the little family started for the west by covered wagon and settled on a farm in Perry county, Ohio. In the fall of 1849 the wagons were again loaded and started for Iowa. The family settled in Wapello county and later moved to Clarke county where they remained until the death of her husband December 28, 1860.

She remained on the farm with her son, John W, three years after her husband’s death when her two sons, John and Will, enlisted in the army. She then moved to Osceola. In the fall of 1879, she moved to Dawson county, Nebraska, where she made her home with her daughter, Mrs. E.R. Kennedy and later with her sons. She was in excellent health up to June ’98, when while making a visit with one of her daughters in Lexington she had the misfortune to fall and break on of her limbs from which accident she never recovered.
At the age of fourteen she untied with the M.E. church in Delaware remaining with the church in all her pilgrimage. During the eighty-three yeas of her Christian life she remained true to her faith and was loved by all. She suffered much the last few weeks of her life but retained a clear mind to the last with that strength of will which characterized her earlier days. She died Sunday evening, January 5, 1896, at the age of ninety-six year, and eleven months. Of her family of fourteen children eight have gone before. She leaves two sons and four daughters to come later. Of her descendants now living there are fifty-seven grand children and thirty-seven great grand children and seven great great grand children.

The remains were brought to Osceola Tuesday and services held in the M.E. church Wednesday afternoon, Rev. Shenton delivering the sermon, after which the remains were interred in the Osceola cemetery.

Weekly Osceola Sentinel January 9th, 1896

Recently Mrs. Ella Howe went on a visit to her brother, John Webster and sister, Mrs. Ed. R. Kennedy, both of whom reside near Plum Creek, Dawson county, Nebraska. She returned one day last week, and with her came her aged mother, Mrs. Mary Webster, who has been with her children in Nebraska about four years. Mrs. Webster is about 85 years old, and, considering her advanced age, is in good health and strength. Her mental faculties are still unimpaired. Since she went to Nebraska, about four years ago, she took a land claim in her own name, and right before leaving she sold it at a good price. She is an enthusiastic friend of Nebraska, greatly preferring that soil and climate to this. She has resided in this county thirty or more years, has several children, grandchildren and great grandchildren living here, and is universally respected and loved by all who know her.

Osceola Sentinel, August 14, 1884