This is going to be a list of source documents (with
links to them when possible) of information relevant to the lives of Asa and
Sally Webster. Items with a link are indicated by a 
Loyalist List
(1784) (transcription | image )
List of disbanded Troops and Loyalists settled in Township No 8 (Elizabethtown)
mustered this 12th October 1784 (published version only). Asa Webster, refugee,
certificate granted 1 October 1784.
Petition
(1791) (transcription
| image )
Petition of Asa Webster for additional land grant equal to others in his situation.
Granted 100 additional acres 3 May 1791. (2 xerox pages). Procured by Jeff
Raby.
Land
request (1801) (transcription
| image )
Request for the positioning of land by Phineas Baldwin (Sally’s father).
Petition
(1807) (transcription
| image )
Asa Webster fought in the American Revolution on the side of the colonists.
In 1783 he travelled to Canada with a family named White. It seems that his
primary reason for the jaunt was his considerable interest in Mr. White’s
daughter. Alas, she died, but by then he decided he liked the region and so
stayed (and married Sally Baldwin, the daughter of a family who settled on
a nearby farm). There were considerable benefits in Canada to being listed
as a United Empire Loyalist. Apparently Asa applied and was accepted, but
was (not surprisingly, given his history) subsequently expunged. The signature
to the right is from his (unsuccessful) petition to be reinstated. In it he
claims to have come to Canada in 1780 although all other evidence assures
us that the actual date was late 1783.
Petition
(1810) (transcription
| image )
Petition of Asa Webster to be reinstalled on U. E. list, dated 29 Aug. 1810.
Petition denied. (3 pages, a good xerox, procured by Jeff Raby.)
Marriage (1818)
(transcription | image )
Registration document dated 12 Jan. 1818 of the 2 Apr. 1816 marriage Ephraim
Webster [eldest son of Asa Webster] and Sarah Downs. All in one hand INCLUDING
all signatures. Very poor quality xerox (from Jeff Raby?).
Will
(1820) (transcription | image
)
Will of Ephraim Webster [b. 1794] dated 21 Sep 1820. Has Ephraim Webster,
Parker Webster, and Joseph Landon signatures. (from Landon papers, Queens
University).
List
of births and deaths (1820s) (image)
A document passed down the line to John C. Thiel (through Asa and Sally’s
son, Parker). It is written in one hand and was probably copied out from other
sources sometime in the 1820s because the last item on it is a death in 1820.
It is mainly concerned with the children of Ephraim and Phebe Webster and
so it lists the relevant dates for Asa’s siblings.
Pension application
(ca. 1832-1835) (transcription | image )
Undated War Dept. Pension Office record of application for pension by Asa
Webster, St. Lawrence Co., NY showing requirements yet needed for satisfaction
(1 page xerox procured by G. Gydesen).
Declaration
(1832) (transcription
| image )
Declaration made in St. Lawrence County, NY dated 17 Dec. 1832 by Asa Webster
detailing his Revolutionary War service and personal activities since then.
(4 xerox pages, procured by George Gydesen.)
Pension
certificate (1836) (transcription
| image )
Certificate of Pension issued March, 22, 1836 to Asa Webster who was a Drummer
in the Company Commanded by Capt. Stephens of the Regt. Commanded by Col.
Bedel of the New Hampshire line, 11 months and 10 days. Inscribed on the Roll
of New York at the rate... to commence 4th day March 1831. (a poor quality
xerox, procured by George Gydesen.)
Asa’s
Obituary (1840) (
image and transcription )
From the Nov. 24, 1840 issue of the Christian Guardian.
Will memorial
(1840) (transcription | image )
A Memorial per Asa Webster’s will dated 26 Nov. 1840 with a seal and
with Sally Webster’s signature. (1 dark and one light xerox page from
Raby and Gydesen, respectively)
Will
(1841) (transcription | image
)
On 7 Dec. 1839 Asa wrote his will. He died 7 Nov. 1840. His widdow, Sally
registered his will in 28 Jan 1841. The will identifies the location of his
farm. Registration copy of 1839 will of Asa Webster as posted 1840 also stating
terms of the will. (Found at Queens University and transcribed by Bruce Murdock.
Scanned and distributed by John Thiel Jan 2000. Pixel edited version produced
by D. Esarey for internet Feb. 2000.)
Deposition
(1844) (transcription
| image )
Deposition given by David S. Baldwin at Detroit and dated 5 Nov. 1844 to the
effect that Sally was his sister and that Asa was a Revolutionary War veteran
and drew a Revolutionary War pension. (2 xerox pages from G. G.).
Declaration
(1844) (transcription
| image )
Sally’s 1844 declaration, made before an American Judge, that Asa had
drawn a Revolutionary War pension and that she is his widow. (3 xeroxed pages,
procured by George Gydesen.)
Bissell
Deposition (1845) (transcription
| image )
Deposition by Zenos Bissell dated 3 Jan 1845 to the effect of detailing information
on Asa and Sally Webster and their children and the fact that no official
records exist for their marriage, etc. (3 xerox pages) (procured by George
Gydesen.)
Sherwood
Deposition (1845) (transcription
| image )
Deposition in St. Lawrence Co., NY by Adril Sherwood of Brockville (2 xerox
sheets, procured by George Gydesen.)
Deposition
Annexes (1845) (transcription
| image )
There are five annexed documents attached to these two 1845 depositions. They
are: Document by William Smart, Minister of Presbyterian Church of Brockville,
attesting to baptism of children of Asa (decesased) and Sally Webster in 1814
with Baptism dates of Baldwin, Asa, Norman, Parker, Sally, Betsy, Almira,
and Pheby. (See the published records below). Also there was a cover sheet
for the next 3 pages stating that they are written in the hand of Asa Webster,
deceased and were found in a search of his house. Pages 8, 9, and 10 of unknown
family record. Page 8 has bible verses, page 9 and 10 detail children born
to Asa and Sally Webster 1791 - 1800.
A
history of Asa’s parents
(1847) ( transcription )
Henry Webster, Asa’s much younger half brother wrote a family history
in 1847. It is a remarkable find. It discusses Ephraim and Phebe (Tucker)
Webster and their lives during the latter half of the turbulent eighteenth
century in New England.
Certificate
of Pension (1849) (transcription
| image )
Certificate of pension issued Jan 8, 1849 at Albany to Sally Webster widow
of Asa Webster who served in the Revolutionary War as a private. Sent to J.
C. Brown, Ogdensburgh, St. Lawrence Co., NY. (procured by George Gydesen.)
Sally’s
Obituary (1849) (
image and transcription )
From the Brockville Recorder, March, 1849.
Biographical
Sketch of Ephraim Webster
(1849) (extract
)
This Ephraim is Ephraim (II), Asa’s younger brother. The above link is
to a site outside this domain, and it reproduces some material from Onondaga;
or Reminiscences of Earlier and Later Times, Vol. 1, by Joshua V. H. Clark,
A.M., Stoddard and Babcock, Syracuse, N.Y., 1849, pp. 337-348. Apparently,
there are mistakes in this material. Some of the events portrayed are also
mentioned in Henry’s document.
Leavitt’s
History of Leeds and Grenville (published 1872) (extract)
Smart’s
Brockville church records (published 1904) (extract)
for
Eunice; Henry Willard Webster’s account of Ephraim Webster (1908)
(extract)
OTHER WEBSTER DOCUMENTS
date? (*T) Probably written ca. 1820 - 1850s.
An account of the birthdate and marriages of Ephraim Webster, born 1730, with
the death dates of his wives and birth dates and some death dates of his children.
(All in one hand. Passed down through line of Parker Webster, son of Asa b.
1756. Scanned and distributed by John Thiel, Jan. 2000.)
1847 (*P)
Henry Webster’s account entitled "Ephraim Webster: A Few Historical Sketches
of the Life of Ephraim Webster who died in New Chester, New Hampshire in 1803,
likewise of each of his children..." Typed by Laura Webster Mekkelson, 1992.
Scanned to disk by Caronne Secord.
1870
Canadian General Service Medal Register lists for Fenian Raid Service for
Frank Dudly Webster (1866 and 1870) and Ephraim Osborne Webster (1870) [sons
of Asa Wesbter b. 1816, who was son of Ephrarim Webster b. 1794] 1912 Copies
of Fenian Raid Service for Ephraim Osborne Webster in 1970 (son of Asa Webster
b. 1816, son of Ephraim Webster b. 1794).
1912
Published research (not for web posting): "Some of the Descendants of John
Webster of Ipswich, Massachusetts 1634" by John C. Webster. Covers the Nathan,
Nathan, Nathan line. 90 pp. (Xerox)
