LEVI WEBSTER
For almost two-thirds of a century Levi Webster has been a resident of Utah, arriving here in his boyhood days. He afterward became connected with farming and stock raising and to this pursuit has long devoted his energies, meeting with substantial success in his undertakings. Throughout almost the entire period he lived in Davis County, where he has an extensive circle of friends and acquaintances. He was born in Bedfordshire, England 1 January, 1843, and has therefore passed the seventy-sixth milestone on life's journey. (Written in 1919 in History of Utah Since Statehood, Vol. III p. 509) His parents were William and Hannah Day Webster, also natives of the "Merry Isle." They crossed the ocean in six weeks of 1854, landing in New York. After a brief residence in Illinois, they continued westward, to Salt Lake City by ox team. A month later they removed to Davis County, where Mr. Webster secured a homestead claim of 160 acres. This was a wild and undeveloped land upon which not a furrow had been turned nor an improvement made. He first built an adobe cabin and occupied it for several years. As time passed, however, he was able to add more modern improvements to this land and converted it into rich, productive fields. Both he and the mother of Levi Webster died upon the old homestead. They had a family of nine children, but Levi is the only now living.
In his native country, Levi remained to the age of eleven years and during that period attended the public schools. He then accompanied his parents to the New World and was thereafter reared in Davis county until he had attained his majority. His early business experiences were those of the farm, as from his youth he assisted in the work of the fields and when he reached adult age he determined to engage in farming on his own account. He has since been identified with the agricultural developments of the region. The years, however, have not been passed altogether quietly, for the family met the hardships and experiences of the frontier life and Levi was among those who joined the army and aided in quelling the Indians in the Black Hawk War. He also served for a year as a bodyguard of Brigham Young. He has for more than a half century been a witness of the development and improvement of his section of the state and has seen wild and arid lands converted into beautiful and productive farms, while here and there villages have sprung up and all the commercial and industrial enterprises of the East have been introduced. His attention has been mainly given to agricultural interests, and he is now the owner of thirty acres of the old homestead, all of which is irrigated, so that the land is now very fertile and productive. He has his place planted partly to fruit and partly to alfalfa.
In 1868, Mr. Webster was married to Miss Agnes Higgs, a native of England, and they became the parents of 11 children. Mr. and Mrs. Webster are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He is classed with those men who have been the promoters and builders of Davis County, helping to make it what it is today--one of the rich agricultural districts of the state. His life has been well spent. He has been diligent and persistent in business, progressive in citizenship and throughout his entire life has manifested those personal traits which win warm regard.
(Addition) Levi Webster, a resident of Kaysville for the past seventy-three years passed away at his home in West Kaysville following an illness of several weeks duration. The grave in the Kaysville Cemetery was dedicated by George W. Webster. (Newspaper clipping) died 27 March 1928.