Elizabet (Bancker) Webb (1758 - 1781)

Born 8 Feb 1758 in New York, New York

Wife of Samuel Blachley Webb — married Dec 1780 in New Jersey

Died Nov 1781 at age 23 in Middletown, Connecticut

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Biography

Elizabet Bancker was born the 8th of February, 1758 in New York, City, New York county. Elizabet, called Eliza and nickname Betsey, is the daughter of Richard Bancker and Sara Duijcking.^[1]

Eliza married Samuel B. Webb about December, 1780. No marriage record has been located. Eliza's husband, Samuel B. Webb, in correspondence dated the 25th of December, 1780 to Joseph Barrell referred to his marriage as follows: ". . . Yes, Barrell, I am among the list of old folks, a married man, & be assured I only regret, that so many days and years have been spent without knowing the happiest state this world afford, . . ."^[2]

Eliza became ill in March of 1781, apparently the result of a fall which Samuel B. Webb mentioned requesting a leave of absence in a letter to Major General Parsons dated the 7th of March, 1781, which reads in part as follows: "on my arrival I found Mrs. Bancker very ill, tho: something better than she has been. Mrs. Webb's illness was occasion'd by an unfortunate fall you will readily conceive what I have reference to, . . . "^[3]

Eliza's health continued to decline. Samuel B. Webb spent months trying to obtain flags of truce to move Eliza and her mother from New York to his home in Connecticut. Samuel wrote to his brother, Joseph Webb on the 5th of October, 1781 that he had returned from Philadelphia with a flag of truce and had sent for a flag for the same purpose out of New York, ". . . having previous to my late journey had assurances from General Robertson the flag should be granted: but Mrs. Webb has declined so very fast of late, that I fear it is too late even for the sail and change of air to restore her to health while life remains there is room for hope . . . The vessel is ready, and if I can get the permit from New York, and Betsy's health will permit, in ten or fifteen days they will embark for Wethersfield . . ."^[4] The permit apparently came through as the party sailed at the end of October and reached Middletown on the 13th of November.

Eliza died before the 25th of November, 1781, without having reached Wethersfield. Samuel wrote of his wife's death on the 25th of November, 1781 to Mrs. and Mrs. Barrell in part as follows: ". . . Those only who have felt, know how to pity & condole with the afflicted, to God that I was now with you. I am sure it would afford me much consolation. I was as completely happy as this world could make me, I am as miserable as man can be. My dear partner, all that was dear to me in life is no more to be seen among the walks of men. She has left us in the early bloom of life, & I verly believe is now singing Hallalujahs with the just in Heaven, this my dear friends is my only consolation in this hour of afflection. I wish'd her life for my own sake, I wish't it for the sake of my friends - they must have lov'd her, but Heav'n has forbit it, the subject is too painful for me to dwell on . . ."^[5]

Eliza and Samuel B. Webb had no children.

Sources

1. ↑ "New York Births and Christenings, 1640-1962", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V2HY-61V : 14 February 2020), Elizabet Bancker, 1758.
2. ↑ Pages 317 & 318; Correspondence and Journals of Samuel Blachley Webb, Collected and Edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford, Volume II 1778-1782, Wickersham Press 1893; Google Books on-line at: https://books.google.mw/books?id=Yx0_AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
3. ↑ Pages 326 to 329; Correspondence and Journals of Samuel Blachley Webb, Collected and Edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford, Volume II 1778-1782, Wickersham Press 1893; Google Books on-line at: https://books.google.mw/books?id=Yx0_AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
4. ↑ Pages 365 & 366; Correspondence and Journals of Samuel Blachley Webb, Collected and Edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford, Volume II 1778-1782, Wickersham Press 1893; Google Books on-line at: https://books.google.mw/books?id=Yx0_AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false
5. ↑ Pages 374 & 375; Correspondence and Journals of Samuel Blachley Webb, Collected and Edited by Worthington Chauncey Ford, Volume II 1778-1782, Wickersham Press 1893; Google Books on-line at: https://books.google.mw/books?id=Yx0_AQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=gbs_ge_summary_r&cad=0#v=onepage&q&f=false