Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-02-05

An Ep6ooAs fn the Life of ths Late ,. =
Webster. The Cenaposss % Maay Pepai>s
ooags-

ssass
birmingham lconnl specfall
On . farm about midway between this
place and Bridgeport li~es James Webster
with bis wife and one son. Webster 10
about sixty years old and Is a nephew OF
Joseph r. Webster, who composed the
music Of the song s.Sweet By and BY. -
James was only few years younger than
his uncle. and vas bis iife-loag associate.
He tells good story OF his uncie's iifs and
Of . romantic marriage - his nieoa The
story, although . good ono, has never be-
fore been printed. The composer Of the
music that has arisen simultaneously from
every msesing house and beer saloon In
the Msssabesec Pond, In the town OF Man
chester, N. II. When but . small boy he
was an excellent singer and vas an expert
on the violin, although he knew nothing Of
the value OF the notes until he was twenty
years old At this time a travelling mu-
sicisn came 20 the town, and after receiv-
ing twelve Lessons from him, Webster
taught music himself
He had become very much attache ed %
Joan, the daughter OF his eldest brother.
John q. Webster, and finally made her .
proposal Of marriage. She referred him
70 her parents, and when he went 20 them
marriage his brother drove him from the
house and forbid his ever seeing the girl
again. Shortly after this occurrence Web
ster left his native place and wandered
about, never remaining In any one place
more than short time. He first went 20
Boston, where he graduated from an
academy kept by Benjamin r. Baker, then
President sf tho Handel and Hadyn So.
ciety In that city. After this young Web
ster travelled about the country giving con-
certs at which he Was the sole performer.
He sang Scotch and Irish airs sxcellentiy,
and one OF his New York critics
In l843 said Of him that he
sang Dempster's Scotch songs bet
ter than Dempstcr himself, and Lovers
Irish songs better than any body but Lover.
Webster, although . very homely man,
was . great delineator. In one of his
songs, where he personated lunntic, sew
eral ladies In the audience tainted, while
others ran shrieking from the room. loft
In the Silly Night" was the only cong he
could sing ss he wanted TO-
He came hero after leaving New York
and remained nine years. II was during
his stay here that he eloped with his niece
by proxy from her home In New Hamp.
shire He had induced his nephew James
10 join him, and afterwards organised a
concart company, which "Joe P.," as he
was called, desired young lady named
Jackson, Of this place, should Join She
declined unless q female travelling COM
panion was furnished her. the other menu
bers OF the company being all o. the male
gender. James, who was the son OF still
another OF the Webster brothers, was sent
TO New Hampshire by ~. p" with instruc.
tions that he must bring his cousin Joan
back with him TO act ss travelling compan-
lon 20 Miss Jackson. On arriving at the
girls home the object OF his visit was
stated TO her psreuts> Knowing that IL
she was permitted to join her uncle mar
riage would be the result, they refused TO
allow her TO 60 With her cousin. Young
Wehster then proposed sIopemeut 70 his
cousin, 20 which she readily agreed. The
old folks, probably suspecting something
OF the kind, locked the girl In her room that
night A Ladder wssi placed against her
window, however, by hc< cousin and shs
descended 20 tho ground
In assisting the girl ovev tho garden
wall, which was Of stone, Webster slipped
and fell. damaging bis trousers 50 badly
that he vss compelled to borrow long
coat st q house In tho village, after which
the couple proceeded 30 Birminghsnn- On
their arrival here the -four Of the "Bupho-
nisns." rs the concert company was eslied,
commenced. II MAS short tour. They
stranded st Stamford in this STATE Tns
members Of the company returned one a. .
time, a. they rscsived rrmittnuces from
bome> Joe P" and his niece Joan re-
turned .ogsthsr as husband and wife, hav-
ing bern urnrried on thu tour. They after
ward went West and settled a. EIkhorn.
Wis, whore " ebste~ dted about eight years
ago. His wife, tvo sons and one dsugh-
;er survived him Mrs. Webster ~as the
great granddaughter ~ General John
Starkes, of Revolutionary fame.