Herbert William Webster was the 7th child of Francis and Betsy. His daughter, Annette W. Betenson, wrote about her father.

Herbert William Webster, son of Francis Webster and Ann Elizabeth Parsons, was born March 5,1866 at Cedar City, Utah.

In his youth he received his education in Cedar City and in Provo, at what is now the Brigham Young University.

He married Florence Lunt March 24,1891 in the St. George Temple. In 1897 he was called by the latter Day Saint Church, to fulfill a mission for the church in the Southern States Mission field. While on this mission his wife was left to care for and support their three small children, the youngest being only 1 month old.

Herbert left Salt Lake City on the Denver and Rio Grand Western railroad at 7:40 P. M. Sept. 22, 1897 in company with six other Elders for the Indian Territory Mission now known as the Central States Mission.

Most of his time was spent in Arkansas. According to his diary he left home with $100.00. Besides books, fountain pen, a valise, a few personal things and incidentals, he lists his main expenses as R. R. fare from Milford, Utah to Salt Lake City, $6:00, R. R. fare from Salt Lake City to Bradford, Arkansas, clothes $23:00. His total expenses $79.40 to reach the Mission Field. In those days missionaries traveled without "Purse or Script" which meant that they depended on the people they visited for their food and lodgings. He mentions having gone without anything to eat for 49 hrs.; again for 24 hours, and another time 38 hrs. However some people were very good to them and invited them into their homes to hear the Gospel Messages. There were a few Saints in the area who opened up their homes to the Missionaries. They made some conversions, and baptized those who were converted. They blessed many children, some even, who's parents were not members of the church.

After spending 2 1/2 years in the mission field, Herbert received an honorable release, and returned to his home in Cedar City, where he followed in his occupation as farmer and livestock man.

Herbert W. Webster owned a ranch on Cedar Mountains where he took his wife, Florence, and their young children to spend the summers when the heat was unbearable in town and the water supply not pure. Uncle Henry Leigh owned range land joining Herbert’s, and in the summer time his family would live with Herbert’s family on the mountain. Florence and Amy, with the help of their children, ran a small dairy, while Herbert and Henry operated their farms at home.

The winter's supply of cheese was made, also butter which was taken weekly to town for sale by the men when they returned after bringing supplies to their families. The children looked forward eagerly to the weekend visits of their fathers because there was always a generous supply of candy, peanuts, fresh fruits and other delicacies besides the usual staple foods.

Sunday was like a holiday. The women made cakes and the children would freeze ice cream in a large bucket by turning the bucket back and forth in a tub of ice and crushed salt. The ice was secured from "the ice hole" a cave in the volcanic rocks near by.

The children spent happy hours horseback riding, picking flowers, gathering shells on the "Shell Hill". Making play houses in the willows and aspen trees near- by and reading books. It was a rare treat to be able to visit a neighboring ranch family who would have some special treat for the visitors.

It was not all play however, as there were calves to take to the pastures and cows to gather at milking time. Also the daily chore of dish washing fell to the girls. Those old enough had to help milk the cows and "run the calves" from their mothers to the calf pen. Each milker poured their bucket of milk into large tubs which were then taken into the milk house, a small room through which the water from the spring ran, where it was cooled and prepared for cheese or butter making.

The log house consisted of one large main room which served as bedroom (with bunk beds) and living room, a milk house and a large enclosed porch between it and the main room. This porch served as the kitchen and dining area. The main room had a huge rock fireplace in one end and many were the happy hours spent in story telling at night before bed time.

The families would spend about two months at the ranch and then it was moving day again, this time back home to get the children ready for school. This was a happy time but everyone looked forward to next years trek to the ranch.

Herbert was a kind and patient father. He was a good neighbor, always giving the other person the advantage, if there was any doubt. In a business transaction or otherwise, he never took advantage of anyone. He always took a fatherly interest in his younger brothers, helping them in whatever manner was needed. His nephew Parsons Webster said "that Uncle Herb. and Aunt Florence never had a cross word in all their lives."

He was an active and faithful member of the Latter Day Saint Church, and a dependable ward teacher all his adult life. That because of his unwavering faith in the Lord, he was often called in to administer to the sick or to those who were in need of a blessing.

He served as first counselor to Bishop Parsons U. Webster in the Cedar First Ward.

He accomplished much in the development of Cedar City. He was a board member for the Cedar Mercantile Store. He served on many committees for civic improvements.

Herbert enjoyed good health all his life, scarcely ever having to go to bed because of illness.

Death from a heart attack came suddenly to him at the age of 80, thus closing an active life of a faithful Latter Day Saint. As he lay in his casket, one man remarked, "If Herbert doesn't inherit the highest degree of glory, Lord pity the rest of us."

Generations of Websters, Amy L. Van Cott and Allen W. Leigh, Thomas Webster Family Organization, Cedar City, Utah, 1960, pp. 101-102. Minor changes made.

This account of Herbert William Webster's Priesthood activities was given by Grant Hunter.

In the spring of 1940, Herbert Webster was asked to serve as a member of the Stake Senior Aaronic Priesthood committee, to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Wallace Lunt.

One of the duties of this committee was to visit inactive members of the priesthood. Grant Hunter was one of those members, who through environmental circumstances had become careless about attending Priesthood meetings. Wallace had visited him a number of times to encourage his attendance, and later Herbert Webster had done likewise. With each of their visits Grant would respond, and for a time be diligent in his priesthood duties. This went on for some time, until Grant began to feel that he was being pushed about, as we so often do, when told what we should do. So thinking he would be spared this influence, he went out to his sheep herd, then being run in the Summit area, to stay for a month and give his herder a change. One early morning while at the camp he heard someone approaching through the snow, and looking out through a crack in the door, to see who it was, he recognized Brother Webster, riding toward him on his old work horse. It made him feel quite aggravated, to think that he couldn't even have peace, at that distance from the Church. After Brother Webster had left, Grant got to thinking, and he felt quite bad because he hadn't been more hospitable towards Brother Webster. The more that he thought the more his heritage and early church training began to dominate his feelings, and with a feeling of deep repentance, he regretted not having been more responsive to Brother Webster, whom he knew, would have no doubt arisen before daylight in order to make this long ride in the snow and cold to encourage him in his Priesthood participation. The more Grant thought, the more clear it became to him, that Brother Webster must think a great deal of him, and must of had great solicitude for his welfare, to make such an effort. Right there and then, Grant decided that if Brother Webster could make the effort that he did in his behalf, that he himself should respond and become an active participant in the Church, and this was the turning point which brought Grant into being an active and faithful member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, holding many positions of trust and responsibility in the Sunday School, in the Bishopric and in the High Council.

Isaac Nelson had a similar experience with Brother Webster. Isaac likewise had been inactive, and Brother Webster had called on him numerous times to give him encouragement in Priesthood participation. Each time Isaac would promise to attend Priesthood meeting and then would not keep that promise. One evening Brother Webster had called for Isaac, by appointment, to go to Priesthood meeting but when he got to Isaac's home, Isaac had already left, thinking to avoid Brother Webster and get out of going to meeting. Brother Webster decided to wait until Isaac returned so that he could talk to him, and see why he had failed to keep his promise and go to meeting with him. Upon Isaac's return very late in the evening, he found Brother Webster asleep in his chair. Brother Webster's persistence made an impression on Isaac, which encouraged him to once again become an active church member and Isaac went on to become a member of his Ward Bishopric and is at present active as a leader in the Indian Branch of the Church.

Clinton Milne, Miles Walker and Jim Tweedy were three other men, that through Brother Webster's encouragement became active in their church and in later years, held positions of trust in the Sunday School and in two or more cases, became members of the Bishopric in their respective wards.

There were many other inactive members of the Church who became active through his efforts.

Generations of Websters, Amy L. Van Cott and Allen W. Leigh, Thomas Webster Family Organization, Cedar City, Utah, 1960, pp. 102-103. Minor changes made.

Vernee C. Frame told of an experience he had with Herbert William Webster that illustrated Herbert's faith in the Gospel. Vernee was asked by Herbert to come to Herbert's house to receive four pumpkins for his children's Halloween celebration. When Vernee arrived, Herbert was sorting apples by lantern light.

During their conversation, Herbert said, "I don't have much money, but I had a fine apple crop this year, and I am sorting my apples to give to the Bishop for my tithing." Vernee was impressed that an old gentleman would take time to give the best apples as tithing.

Generations of Websters, Amy L. Van Cott and Allen W. Leigh, Thomas Webster Family Organization, Cedar City, Utah, 1960, pp. 103-104.

Annette W. Betenson wrote about her mother, Florence Lunt.

Florence Lunt was born Jan. 20-1870 to Henry and Mary Ann Wilson Lunt.

When Florence was a young girl, her parents kept the Lunt Hotel where many persons of note stayed during their travels. She was very beautiful and attractive. She often entertained high church officials and wealthy business men with her beautiful singing, accompanying herself at the organ. She was the leading soprano with the choir of Joseph Cosselett.

When a small child she sat on Brigham Young's knee at one time.

With her gift for dramatics and her beautiful voice, she could have gone far in the entertainment world, had she chosen that life: she belonged to a dramatic club and gave unselfishly of her talents to church and community affairs. She inherited her beautiful voice from her mother who, before she joined the church in England, sang for Queen Victoria.

Florence was a model home maker. She was artistic by nature--did unusual needle work on satin--These creations were framed like pictures and hung on the wall. She was also an expert penman--did intricate scroll designs with pen and ink.

She made beautiful hats for her girls by creating the frame, or foundation, out of wire over which she sheered chiffon and then decorated them with flowers. She was besieged by envious mothers to make hats for their girls, thatshe sometimes did.

She was an expert cook….

Death claimed Florence at the early age of 39 years, leaving Herbert with their five children to rear. She died 14 Dec. 1909.

Generations of Websters, Amy L. Van Cott and Allen W. Leigh, Thomas Webster Family Organization, Cedar City, Utah, 1960, p. 104. Minor changes made.

[Home] [Up] [Amy Elizabeth Webster] [Herbert William Webster]

© Copyright Allen Leigh 2001, 2010