The Portland daily press., 1892-01-25
OBITUARY..
James M. Webb.

rcSIQouco III w eStDlOOk JceVclusNJ
ing Capt Webb was not feeling wen
| Saturday when he was in attendance at
his Office in the City Building. he
lost leg in the war and Saturday suffer-
cred great pain in the stump
| After he reached home in the evening,
the pain increased and a physician was
| sent for, who ministered to him, and by
| two o'clock he seemed to be easy and
able to sleep. About four o'clock he was
seen again and seemed to be sleeping
| peacefully. Later when his room was
entered he was dead.
James NJ. Webb was born near Water
Vile in 1885, and was therefore fifty-slx
years of age. He learned the trade OF
| carriagesmith and went to Westbrook
while quite young. When the war broke
out he enlisted as sergeant in Company
H., 18th Maine Volunteers, and was
mustered in August I'd, 1862. He served
throughout the war with his regiment
with great bravery. October Goth, 1864,
he was promoted to I'd lieutenant of Co.
K, on january 18th, 1866 to LIST lieutenant
COD, and mustered out with his regiment
June 4th, 1865. In the battle of Amelia
Springs he was wounded in the leg which
was amputated at the hip. His record
for gallantry all through the war was
conspicuous. He used to tell how his being
a Mason saved his life. In tho battle in
which he lost his leg he was in command
of the skirmishers. He carelessly ex-
posed himself to the fire Of the enemy,
and bullet struck him in the leg,
bringing him to the ground. AS he re-
covered consciousness, he heard the reg
iment coming up on the charge. He had
presence of mind to roll over the crest of
little hill and the regiment passed by.
Time passed, and there seemed to be no
chance of succor. Finally he thought OF
the Masonic cry of distress, and as last
resort sounded it. A staff officer who
happened to hear it came to the rescue.
Capt. Webb was looked after as carefully
as he could be under the circumstances.
He was not able to discover his rescuer
until the Grand Army encampment in
Boston, a few years ago, when accident
revealed him and Capt Webb always re-
ferred to the event as one of the most en-
joyable of his life.
At the close of the war, Capt. Webb
received the brevet Of captain. He re-
turned to Westbrook and was appointed
postmaster in 1868, holding the office I'M
til 1885. He was clerk and treasurer of
his own town for nine years. In 1880, he
succeeded Lewis Mcclellan as county
treasurer, and has been reelected ever
since. His present term would have ex-
PRED the LIST of next January.
Capt Webb was member of Cloud
man Post, G. A. r., of Saccarappa, and
also of Temple Lodge of Masons. He
was also treasurer of the 18th Maine Reg
iment Association.
Capt Webb was man who had the re-
spect and esteem of the community in
which he lived to that extent that it ig-
nored party lines. He was staunch
Republican, and he always ran far ahead
Of the party vote in election to office. 1t
was said that ''Jim Webb could have any
office he chose to run for" He was al
ways pleasant in his intercourse with
those doing business with the office with
which he happened to be connected, and
yet always quick and decisive in what
ever he had to say. He was always firm.
but never extensively so. His death will
be great blow to the community where
he has lived so long.
Capt. Webb was twice married, and
leaves three children, a son William in
the departments at Washington; a son
Frank, and daughter lisa living at West
brook.
Phineas Fox Varnum.
Phineas Fox Varnum, one of the old
time merchants of Portland, died at his
residence yesterday of pneumonia
and heart failure, aged so years. His
father Phineas Varnum was prominent
Portland merchant, a general of militia,
and one of the four original founders of
the Maine Charitable Mechanics Associa-
ton. Mr.. Varnum was decendent of
the Massachusetts Varnum family,
which gave to the early period of our
history two distinguished brothers,
James Mitchell Varnum and Joseph
Bradley Varnum, the former general of
the Revolution and the latter speaker of
the National House of Representatives
from 1907 to 1911. Of the same family
was Ensign Varnum, who carried the
colors of one of the regiments at Bunker
Hill. Mr.. Phineas F. Varnum was edu-
Gated at the celebrated military school
kept by Capt. James Partridge.
Shortly after his graduation he COM
menced in Portland his career as mer-
chant, which he continued until old age
compelled his retirement. He served
for a time in our city government. Mr..
Varnum was man of strict integrity,
great energy and exhaustless enthusiasm
He was particularly noted for his fore
sight. In a speech made here many
years ago he foretold Chicago's great