George Webster

George Webster was born May 7, 1838 at Hitchin parish, Hertford and Bedford counties, England. His parents were William and Hannah Day Webster.

He married Christiana Elliott, daughter of Luke and Henrietta Sarah Hill Elliott, in 1859. She was a fine helpmate and in a great way, the means of her husband’s success. She was very frank in her opinions. She was an excellent cook and mastered the art as only few women do. She served as a community doctor and nurse, using herbs as medicine. She was a good seamstress and made her family’s clothing from underwear to pants, coats, and hats. She did beautiful washings, all by hand, and never used a washing machine.

George Webster came to America, at the age of 17 years, with his parents. The first work he did in America was to drive oxen for his father in plowing a piece of ground at Mormon Grove, Kansas. He worked at whatever he could after reaching Kaysville, and saved his earnings and in 1869 was able to buy a place of 120 acres. At that time the land was in a barren condition. He improved and cultivated it and brought it up to a high state of fertility. He also branched out into the cattle and sheep business. He built a dipping vat, the first in the community, where sheep from all over Davis County were dipped. This was used for thirty years.

He was very ambitious and industrious, always working hard to obtain property and to improve it. He was anxious to try any new method of farming for advancement. He, like his father, was energetic in the promotion of the Gospel. He was faithful in the discharge of his duties as a high priest and a ward teacher. As a ward teacher he was prompt, scarcely ever missing a visit. He was a short man and would arise and stand behind a chair to give the gospel message in the homes he visited, before any other conversation preceded it.

George and Chistiana had two sons, George William, and John Alfred.

George had practically no book learning, but he became self-educated. As a mathematician, he could solve problems with anyone of higher learning.

His wife, Christiana, died July 22, 1893. He made two trips to his native land to encourage people in the Gospel, and helped many to come to Zion. He brought Annie Latimer to Utah, whom he married in 1895.

His second wife was affectionately called "Auntie Ann" by all the family members. Annie was born in 1849 in England. She died in 1929 and is buried in the Kaysville-Layton Cemetery.

George Webster was a liberal donator to church affairs. He donated to the Salt Lake Temple. He was considerate of his less fortunate brother. He drew around him a large circle of friends through the exercise of his charitable and hospitable nature, winning and retaining the esteem and confidence of the entire community by his honorable and straight-forward dealings.

He took upon himself, with other high priests, the job of stoking the meetinghouse fire. He gathered wood, cut it in proper lengths, and hauled it to the meeting house. He was responsible for fire wood for weeks or months at a time, the length of time being set by the High Priest’s Quorum.

He was a veteran of the Black Hawk war in Utah.

He was always present at funerals. After attending the funeral of a friend, Jerry Wiggill, he met with an accident. He had driven a team of horses on a white-topped buggy, and on returning home, he failed to completely unhitch one horse. The animal plunged forward, knocking him down and drawing the wheel of the carriage over his head, cutting it badly, rendering him unconscious. He died one week later, March 7, 1910. He was buried in the Kaysville-Layton Cemetery in the lot beside his parents and his wife, Christiana Elliott, with his second wife, Annie Latimer, being buried there in 1929.

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The Webster Family