Elisha Putnam Webber, Sr

Like all the Webber boys, Elisha Webber was on his own early. In 1855 he married Julia Maria (perhaps Ryther) from Massachusetts. In 1858 they settled in Grant, Riley, KS near Elisha's maternal uncles, Isaac T. Goodnow and William E. Goodnow, who had moved there in 1855 in the cause of freedom. E. P. Webber was a successful farmer, serving on the Board of Directors of the Blue and KS Valley Agricultural Society. He was postmaster of Henryville Twp., KS from Dec. 1866 to 14 February 1870.

About 1879 he seems to have put his (apparently) common-law wife out and married a 17 year old neighbor, Eudora Jane "Dora" Carder (12 March 1862-18 January 1946). (He and Maria had not had children, or none of them had survived if they had.) The twenty-eight year age difference coupled with Dora's irresponsibility and stubbornness made for a very unhappy home-life. Their eldest daughter, Daisy Edith Webber Roberts (7 April 1881-27 June 1972) recalled being taken to the fields with her father from a young age and helping him tend her four younger siblings as they came along because of their mother's neglect and the likelihood that she would go to town, leaving them home alone. In an attempt to save the marriage, Elisha moved his family to Oklahoma Territory in about 1890. After the death of his youngest daughter, True, due to his wife's carelessness, the marriage ended.

Elisha loaded his four eldest children into a covered wagon; they traveled through Indian country and other parts before sojourning at his brother Arms Royal Webber's farm in Ohio for a time. Before 1900 Elisha established the family home in Mississippi. In about 1902 he married Emma Love, the maternal aunt of his daughter-in-law Ethel Cline Webber (w/o elder son Lyman John Webber). He was noted for his penmanship, which he had taught, and was responsible for his children's early education.

• Updated from Find A Grave Memorial via sister Cynthia Wood (born Weber Philbrook) by SmartCopy: Feb 23 2015, 6:23:45 UTC