John C. Webster, a leading resident of Danbury, was born in Pelham, N.H., February 24, 1833, son of John Webster and a descendant of the famous Webster family. The first Webster in this country came from Ipswich, England, and settled in Ipswich, Mass. John C. belongs to the eighth generation in America. The paternal grandfather, Ebenezer, went when a young man to Pelham from Haverhill, Mass., and there cleared and settled on a farm given him by his father. Ebenezer married Elizabeth Bradford.
John Webster, also a native of Pelham, was a farmer, and lived for many years on the homestead cleared by Ebenezer. He subsequently sold his place at Pelham, and removed to Hudson, where he died in his ninety-second year. His wife, Hannah Cummings Webster, had thirteen children, all born on the homestead except the youngest. Eleven of these reached maturity; namely, Elizabeth, Moses, Sally, Lovice, Lucy, Kimball, Hannah, John C., Nathan, Willard, and Orrin. The survivors besides John C. are: Elizabeth, who resides in Hudson, the widow of Warren Blodgett; Sally, who is the widow of Simeon Titcomb, and has three children-Albert, Charles, and Nellie; Lovice, who is Mrs. John Baker, of Hudson, and has three children-John P., Willis, and Nettie R.; Lucy, who is the mother of five children and the wife of Daniel B. Cluff, of Haverhill, Mass.; and Kimball, who is married and has five daughters.
John C. Webster, the eighth child of his parents, received his early training in the public schools. Later he studied at Hudson Academy. He then engaged in the shoe business for about five years, and afterward lived in Boston, where he carried on a business in periodicals. Returning afterward to New Hampshire, he opened a general merchandise store at Andover. In 1863 he came to Danbury, where he has since lived.
Mr. Webster has been twice married. The first Mrs. Webster, whose maiden name was Miss Hannah C. Keniston, had one son, Frank K. The name of his present wife before her Addie L. Currier. Mr. and Mrs. Webster have a daughter by adoption, Gertie Bell. Mr. Webster has always taken an active part in civil affairs. In 1890-91 he was Sheriff of the county. A re-election to the office was lost by only one vote. He has served in the more important town offices, having been Town Clerk for seventeen years and Selectman for ten years. In 1870-71 he was a member of the legislature. In politics he has always been a Democrat, and his first Presidential vote was cast for James Buchanan in 1856. He is an esteemed member of the Masonic order.