Phineas Webber (1784 - 1853)

Born 31 Jan 1784 in Harpswell, Cumberland, Massachusetts, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Lydia (Beal) Webber — married 7 Oct 1816 in Bowdoin, Lincoln, Massachusetts, United States

Descendants

Died 25 Aug 1853 at age 69 in Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine, United States

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Biography

This profile is part of the Weber Name Study.

Phineas is the son of David and Eleanor Webber. He was born and died in Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine.^[1][2]

Maine Vital Records yield nine children born to Phineas and Lydia (Beal) Webber. Her maiden name is spelled variously "Beal", "Beale" and "Beals". A tenth child, David, appears in the 1850 census and is confirmed in Phineas' death record in the Nathan Hale Cemetery Collection^[3]. All ten children were born in Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine. Their names are:

1. David, b. 1817
2. Joshua, b. 14 Oct 1818
3. Harvey, b. 2 Apr 1820
4. Arthur, b. 25 Feb 1821
5. Eleanor H., b. 6 Dec 1824
6. Simeon S., b. 12 May 1826
7. Eliza C., b. 10 Oct 1829
8. Mary Jane, b. 18 Oct 1831
9. Harriet, b. 20 Nov 1833
10. Minerva, b. 11 Feb 1836

The 1850 census^[4] lists eight of the ten children. Harvey appears to be missing, and Eleanor is missing, as she married Charles Merriman in 1845. It appears that at least two other children married by this time, i.e. David who had married Lucy P, and Eliza who had married Josiah Merryman (a variant spelling of Merriman, relationship to Eleanor's husband, if any, TBD). David lived in his parents' household with his wife and three children. Sons Joshua, Arthur and Simeon also lived in their parents' home. They were all listed as sailors. Curiously, the very next household listed in the census lists Josiah Merryman and wife Eliza with a two-month old son, Frederick, AS WELL AS the three youngest daughters of Phineas. These would be Eliza's sisters. She was 21 years of age at this time, and her sisters Mary, Harriet and Minerva were 18, 16 and 14 respectively.

The 1840 census^[5] reports a household nearly consistent with Phineas and Lydia's household with the following exceptions:

1. There are two males listed in the 20-29 year old range. These could be two of three boys born to Phineas and Lydia between 1810-1819: David, born 1817, Joshua, b 1818 and Harvey, b abt 1820. Any of them could have been living out of the nuclear family
2. No male child of 15-19 years of age was listed, although Arthur qualified.
3. A male child of 5-9 years of age was listed, but I cannot identify a child in that range.
4. In the 1840 census, Phineas claims to be between 40-49, while he was, in fact, 56.

It also states that within the household are two adults engaged in agriculture and one engaged in navigation of the sea. As stated above, the 1850 census showed three sailors named Webber in this household. Additionally, Josiah Merryman, husband of Eliza, is also listed as a sailor.

Sources

1. ↑ "Maine Births and Christenings, 1739-1900," database, FamilySearch, Phineas Webber, 31 Jan 1784; citing HARPSWELL,CUMBERLAND,MAINE; FHL microfilm 11,033.
2. ↑ "Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch, Phineas Webber, 1853; Burial, South Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine, United States of America, Webber Cemetery; citing record ID 38611270, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
3. ↑ "Maine, Nathan Hale Cemetery Collection, ca. 1780-1980," database with images, FamilySearch, Phineas Webber, 1853; citing Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine, United States, Webber Cemetery, Maine State Library, Augusta; FHL microfilm 1,316,325.
4. ↑ United States 1850 Census. Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (Original index: United States Census, 1850. FamilySearch, 2014. subscription required
5. ↑ "United States Census, 1840," database with images, FamilySearch, Phineas Webber, Harpswell, Cumberland, Maine, United States; citing p. 378, NARA microfilm publication M704, (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.), roll 138; FHL microfilm 9,702.